Really silly question for mums of kids in private schools

[Newindiemum]

I had to name change as I can't bear for anyone to realise how so silly I am. I expect to be bashed a lot but please I really need advise/ reassurance.

My dc are starting at a private school in September, due to work, dh and I won't be able to do the school runs, a relative would be picking them up and bringing them home on the bus.

As we have no experience on private schooled kids, I assume most kids Would be picked in fancy cars and all. I'm just wondering if my kids would feel inferior for having to walk all the way t the bus stop to take the bus, or if the other kids would make fun of them. One of my dc's is quite self conscious and we're working on that. The other is more confident and wouldn't bother one bit.

I'm just after some reassurance that my kids won't be the only ones walking to the bus stop after school!

Thanks.

The only reason they would be worried would be if you were...... :-)

Oh, and we have some who come on a 3 man tandem, whatever they are called.

Trandem

I did see a Lamborghini try to manouvre its way out of the school car park once, but it got stuck.

Are you serious???

I can't decide whether to laugh or bang my head violently on the keyboard.

Sigh.

There is a dad who drops off at ds's school in a new Bentley. I was impressed until I realised that he had a new one every time the registration changed, which makes me assume he works for a car dealers rather than can afford to buy it himself. Our school car park is a mix of chelsea tractors and old bangers.

No body will care at all - many of the children just walk home if they live in town. In fact at DD's school there can be a reverse snobbery where kids get picked up in really creaky 1960's Landrover Defenders.

Yes some mums will drive immaculty clean Range Rovers for the pick up but none of the kids bother at all.

Don't forget they will spend a lot of time going on school minibuses to sports matches etc - they have no hang ups about public transport.

Oh if only I wasn't banned from private school threads.......!!!!!!!

Op you will be fine, honestly, but remember anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable about stuff like this is not worth even wasting an iota of emotional energy on. There are vulgar snobs in all walks of life who judge people on what they've got, not who they are, but they are just that - vulgar snobs. Smile sweetly and pass by.

This made me laugh and I can fully understand where you are coming from and you bet there will be many more questions that you will have in September like... How much to spend on a birthday present, what about inviting friends home to play to your house, which may be smaller!!! All these things went through my mind too, so maybe don't change the name yet!

The reality is there are so many different characters and incomes, that it really doesn't matter. At our school, which we started at in September, there are children who walk and catch the local bus. Is there a school bus near you?, a lot of private schools have buses that go quite a way from the area the school is in, because the catchment area is so large.

In fact, unless you have a car park at school which parents drop off at, very often you won't know what people drive anyway, at our school the sideroads around the school are jammed with different vehicles.

The sterotype vehicle for someone who is a WAG, or WAG wannabe, is a large pristine white Range Rover or Overfinch (posh Range Rover) followed by a few Landrovers, lots of Audi 4x4 and Mercedes ML 4x4, however, they must be WHITE!!!!!! Then you get the trendies - Minis, Fiats, GTI's, there is one Aston - which I must admit is the only one that impresses me, because it is beautiful. The rest of the normal mums are driving anything, I will often use our messy old Saab estate, full of dog hair, wrappers etc. In fact it is such a mess that my otherhalfs work colleagues refuse to get in it if they have to move it in the car park!!! A friend, who I later found out is a very and I mean very wealthy estate owner, drives a really old Jeep 4x4, she hasn't got to prove anything to anyone!

Lots and lots of people walk into school and I wouldn't have a clue how they get there!

Oh and lots of friends, aunts and numerous grandparents, pick up and drop off, some parents I haven't met yet, as someone else brings/collects their child.

Make a few friends with the 'saner' down to earth parents and you will have no worries, you will spot the 'posers' a mile off!!!

Thanks.

KTk9, you really summed it up well! I guess I was just being unnecessarily worried. I don't think it'll make any difference to the kids especially at that age. Maybe when they're older.

And I have to get it together, otherwise my being worried will make them concerned as well.

At the moment my older son goes to a state school in a very affluent area and so there're lots of kids with really rich and posh parents but it's never been a problem. My kids don't take the bus as we always pick them up and my son keeps begging to go on the bus! So I guess it'll be the same there too! And besides I'm sure there'll be other parents like us who can afford the fees but aren't necessarily posh!!!

Thanks all.

I used to take ds on the bus, we now use the train as he gets car sick and the bus always gets stuck in traffic.

At my children's schools, it is absolutely fine to take the bus or train to school. And walking, of course. This will include relatives picking up children.

You might get lucky and find another family going your way, and I'm sure they will be delighted to help out.

everlong - it is, but the ones that are perceived like this, I have to say it really is their own doing. 99% of the parents are quite down to earth and unassuming, working hard to keep their kids at the school and just doing the best they can and acknowledge they are lucky to be in a position to be able to afford it (like me!!!! ;) )

Unfortunately there are some who really do go out of their way to 'flaunt' their wealth, by way of their cars, their extremely large handbags, sunbed tans and immaculate outfits for school pickup etc., it is these that also make themselves look a bit silly too by conforming to the WW (WAG Wannabe), dress code.

Sadly, then others think this is the norm.

Maybe it is just the area we are in!

At the state school where my children attend most of us use the helicopter as it's so convenient. Besides we're all minted.

The public school we're planning to send DD to from age 11 is an hour away from us. They run various bus services and our nearest pick up is the Tescos in town!

LMFAO @ Butkin "Don't forget they will spend a lot of time going on school minibuses to sports matches etc - they have no hang ups about public transport"

But it's not public transport, is it, Butkin? It's the minibus OWNED BY THE SCHOOL, off to smash the oiks.

As I'm epileptic I take dd to school by bus, DP takes her by 20 year old (but reasonably well maintained) 4x4 and nobody gives a damn. People care if you're late on a regular basis and disrupt their child's education, they care if you're rude and standoffish, they care if you don't reply to party invites, they care if you allow your child to run riot but..................

no one cares how you get to and from school. (actually not quite true as lots of parents care enough to stop and offer me and dd a lift if they see us at bus stop in pouring rain and I'm often asked if I'd like a lift by people who know they're going in my direction after morning drop off)

Oh and some of the local school trips are carried out using public transport

I pass a major public school regularly. The bus stop is always heaving at the end of the day. in fact they block the pavement and are often loudly arrogant, rude and obstructive when asked to let mere mortals pass

Contributors to this thread might be interested in http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1404526-really-silly-question-for-mums-of-kids-in-state-schools?msgid=30024216#30024216 this one, which has posed the question the other way around. And which got a very different reaction from early responders.

Try that again, with better links!

Contributors to this thread might be interested in this one which has posed the question the other way around. And which got a very different reaction from early responders.