So we are several families that met when kids were babies.
We've been close for 20+ years. Socialised together, kids are best mates. It's been great and made the childhood phase, it really has.
We live in a semi rural area. Kids are all mostly grown up now and doing their own thing. Mine are going to uni. And because we live somewhere semi rural and very white, I absolutely want them to go, spread their wings, find out about life and culture and know there is more to life than where they grew up, lovely as it is. Plus both my kids are pretty bright and opportunity round here is limited to say the least.
The other kids in the friendship group are staying local, doing apprenticeships, labouring, whatever they feel like doing. They all seem to know what they want, including ours. Great!
However, the parents all see uni as a waste of time and money and are vocal about it. To the point where when we are all having conversations about the kids and what they are up to, me and DH have to play down how well our 2 are doing. It makes us feel like they see us as being superior in some way. Which we aren't. Because they are all anti uni they rarely ask how ours are doing anyway. And when the kids moved away we never got any support over the Wrench of them leaving home. Yet there were tears from another mother when her son went on a 3 week holiday.
We feel that when they go on about being no point in uni (frequently if anybody else we know is applying) we can't say why we were eager for our kids to go because it feels like a stab at them because theirs stayed local.
Crap situation to not be able to blow your own kids trumpets when they are all puffing up about theirs.
Friends for a season, reason or a lifetime :(