Feeling Alone Sometimes Continued…

The choices we make along the way factor into whether we feel alone or part of a group. I would advise parents, after my own personal experience, to think closely about where they send their kids to school. We chose to send our kids to a charter school outside of our neighborhood. So every day we drive our kids 20 minutes to school while most of the other kids in the neighborhood are walking to school, bonding, and making friendships. Out kids are not as in the clique and not able to form relationships as quickly or as easily because they don’t go to the same school.

And the same would go for John and I, that we don’t have those close relationships with other parents in the immediate neighborhood because our kids go to school with their kids. And so that is a choice that has contributed to fewer friend for all of us. Looking back, I’m not sure I would make the same decision to send the kid to the citywide charter.

At the time there were three households right on our block that we’re sending their kids to that school. There were several other families in the greater community and our pool even did get together for families at the school. Over time, those other kids have aged out or they’ve moved or they’ve just made other decisions to send their kids to different schools. By not being in the mix everyday, it’s harder for people to connect with you or remember to invite you places where other families in the friend group might be.

My kids are happy at their school because it’s what they have always known. They definitely are have a unique education environment but I have doubts about their experiences and long term outcomes as a result of a decision I made 10+ years ago.