Am I exceptionally wealthy? I dont know,how do you define "exceptionally wealthy"?
Is my lifestyle different to the average state school parents? Therefore will my DS find it difficult to be seen as like them?
Well, put in a nutshell. I have a home in Canade as well as here in the UK. My DW is Canadian and my DS has duel nationality. I doubt that is "normal" in state schools.
We travel to Canada several times a year. I dont suppose that is normal for state school. It is normal in many independent schools.
My previous occupation is likely to make me different. I am also older - doubt many state school kids have a dad like me. Independent schools, I am not that uncommon.
My DW has also had a good education and is musically gifted and has been career led that way. DS plays the piano quite exceptionally well ( may not be common in state schools either).
He is also bi lingual - alkthough both DW and I are actually English speakers.
We all speak RP. We sound "funny" we make people have incontenence.
He is intelligent by any measure ( not PC on MN), so another feature to make him an obvious target for bullies in state schools (not so much in independent ones). He is also gifted at maths.
I and my DW are married and live together...... is that unusual too these days?
We live in a decent middle class house in a small hamlet in SE England
(middle Englander country). We have a study and library and a collection of books. We all read. We all write.
We have two cars here. We have a car in Canada as well.
We have dinner, go to the loo, eat meals together at a table usually, say please and thank you always. We wash daily and wear clean clothes and are well groomed. I get my hair cut at a barbers every six weeks.
We do not swear except under our breath or privately.
I woiuld rather take my DW to dinner and a good ballet than I would to a pop concert and show her a good time with fish and chips afterwards ( although we do get F&C on a Friday night sometimes).
I own a DJ ( thats Dinner Jacket).
We listen to classical music ( played by my DW often or by my DS sometimes). We have a collection of classical music too.
I have about three modern pop records - from the 1960's!
We value a good education. We do not break the law. We stand up for what we believe.
We ride, I play golf, we dance sometimes but we do not have animlas because we go away too often. We do have a cat.
I love my DW.
Just ordinary. Thats a snapshot. Go on laugh. But the finallaugh is on you because you fail to realise how important those things may be in the future. So children need to mix with all kids - how are your state educated children ever going to meet people like those who run governments or big business in your state schools?
I may disadvantage my DS by being an oldie and a bit eccentric and having some avant - garde and names not to be dropped lightly friends and being middle class. The least I can do is ensure he mixes with people like us as far as possible.