Private? Public? Home?: Which School's the "Right" School?

Let's get one thing straight. I'm not the homeschooling type. I'm pretty much your typical urban mom. I've got the Bugaboo stroller, the umbrella stroller, AND the double stroller, the chichi diaper bag -- let's see what else -- the Lululemon yoga pants, the designer sunglasses, the endlessly-blinking PINKberry, the Starbucks addiction, and shall I go on? The Prada purse I carry is, however, FAUX -- since I'm a vegan, which (thanks to the Skinny Bitches, Toronto's Fresh ladies, and Natalie Portman) is actually quite urban-chic these days. Also, I am STILL wearing my winter boots (it's May), and my Lululemons are always covered in cat hair, my kids' lunch and/or snot. I don't blow dry my hair; I wash and go. Yes, I am a (mostly) typical urban mom.

That said, home-schooling is out of the question. It's simply not done here in midtown Toronto. And, if anyone KNOWS anyone who homeschools in midtown Toronto, please let me know. Because I want to shake hands and maybe even bow down to them in reverence and fascination. Because, compared to a homeschooler, I am hopelessly selfish. I personally LOVE it when my kids are at school and I get a little time for myself. It's not so much a matter of selfishness but of NEED.

So, with homeschooling out of the question, and now that my daughter's facing Junior Kindergarten in September, I'm left with two choices for school: private or public? It's a big question around here.

Almost four years ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was, like, PRIVATE SCHOOL ALL THE WAY! I actually registered her, paid the hefty deposit and paid the school a visit, like, a month after she was born. Didn't want to lose my chance. Wanted to be FIRST IN LINE. "I'm an ALUMNI!" I insisted, "I don't need to stand in line at 6am to register, right?"

Yes, I graduated from Bialik Hebrew Day School. I was one of the few brave ones who actually stuck it out to grade 8. I was always proud of my perseverance. And I always knew my kids would follow in my footsteps, and their kids, and their kids' kids....

But....

But....

But, 2 years ago, when my friends stood in line at 6am and signed their kids up for Jewish preschool, I found myself feeling not so into it. I found myself looking at nondenominational schools, and sighing longingly as I watched moms walk their kids home from the neighbourhood public school -- "that could be me," I'd muse....

And that WILL be me. It's official. I've decided to crush all my childhood dreams of sending my children to the very classrooms I sat in (I even remember my teacher writing "1980" on the blackboard...) all those years ago. I just LOVE having my daughter in the nondenominational preschool she's in now. I LOVE that she has friends of all different backgrounds, religions, cultures. I LOVE that she brings home freshly-painted Easter eggs and Diwali cards, and Chinese New Year dragon puppets.

Besides, I want nothing more than to see tolerance in this divided world of ours -- religious, political, racial, sexual orientation, special needs, etc. -- and, from my own experience, I know private school can be very sheltered and limited in terms of exposing children to difference.

And I want nothing less than the humongous HOLE IN MY WALLET that sending my children to private school would inevitably burn.... Have you HEARD how much private school costs these days? IT'S INSANE. Lucky for me, the FREE public school in my area is reportedly really good.

So, some of the other moms I know may be looking down on me as they shuffle their kids out to Jewish or Catholic or even French school. Yes, I feel that judgment already.... But, I'm EXCITED to walk my daughter to and from school even on the coldest days of winter (we'll see about that). I'm EXCITED for her to make all sorts of new friends. And I'm EXCITED to be a part of a diverse community of parents of all different backgrounds and circumstances. Yes, it all EXCITES me.

Hopefully, my daughter won't mind going to Hebrew school on the weekend.... Blergh. But, hey, it's another morning to myself! Weeee!

What about you? Do you, or will you, send your child to public or private school? Or, do you HOMESCHOOL? How did you make this decision? Do you sense judgment from other moms based on your decision?

This is an original post for Canada Moms Blog. You can also find Haley-O and her wash-and-go hair at her blog Cheaty Monkey, her art shop Kids Deserve Art: Art and Decor for Kids of All Ages, and, of course, the Twitter....