WOULD YOU?- I WONDER?

Isn't it funny how the things you dread doing are the most enjoyable!  I have just spent the morning gushing to prospective parents with bottomless money pits that educating their off spring at my place of work is a good idea. But would l do it?

Am l a hypocrite for doing so?  I totally get why - if you're child is exceptionally gifted in a certain subject and you have the monetary ability to send them to a school that nurtures that capability, why you would do it. 

However, l firmly believe if you have children then 'you' bring them up to the best of your ability. 'You' teach them the difference between right and wrong, 'You' teach them manners, how to speak, how to read, how to do the basics in life. Preferably before they join the education system, where they if they attend state schools, will learn a whole lot more than the 3r's.  And not all good things either.

My 4 children were all educated in the Hard School of Knocks - which specialises in life skills. They can obviously all read, write, do basic maths but non were academic geniuses, anymore than l was/ am.  Doesn't mean we aren't educated because we all were/ are. We've all learned the hard way in life, which personally l don't think is a bad thing.  My children can all run houses, raise children, work and have a life. But they don't have that expensive piece of paper that says they went to the 'bestest school ever'.

And they certainly wouldn't - even if l had had the money to do it, have gone 'away' to school. If they had been gifted with a passion for a subject and l'd had the money to spend on nurturing that gift, then yes l would have paid to encourage that skill. But l would not have paid to send my child away for the privilege.

Over the years there were probably times when l would have gladly given my children away!!!......briefly. (Jokes).  But hand on heart l would not 'pay' extortinate amounts of money for my children to board, to live away from 'home', to be raised by 'others' in a non one to one environment. Yes they learn to be independent children, they learn to travel across the world - unaccompanied, they learn a higher standard of basic education, but they aren't all happy. They learn to cope in institutional enviroments.  Do they learn to have fun, make mud pies, have carpet picnics, have welly walks, learn how to live in the real world...no! They don't.

Many then leave one institution to join the next one, where they can learn how to drink continually, party, and build up mass debts - University. Then if they survive are let free as 'adults' to go and live in the world, or better still run the world!!!  And we all know the mess that's in.

So am l right in encouraging those interesting people l met today, and indeed over the past few years of  Open Day Meets & Greets to spend their endless amounts of money to off load their children to be educated where l work.  Or should l be saying "What are you thinking sending your little bundles of joy" to us. Educate them by all means, encourage that future Prime Minister!! but have them at home, living with you, being loved by you. The cost of that PRICELESS.