Schooling help and advice

[Cardiffgurl21]

Hi guys really stuck over dilemma with my son's schooling. We live in the UK and he's six years old. We've been seeking a faith education for him since he was three and he's always attended catholic schools and nursery's. I'm really happy with the level of education he gets, he's a popular boy with lot's of friends and he does like school.

That being said some of his school friends often talk about 'family guy' which they are allowed to watch, he also comes home talking about lent and saying Hail Mary's. Some of the family's have got threatening with other parents and all of this really concerns me.

A place has opened up at an independent christian school right by our house. I'd like to send him there but he seems so well adjusted and settled where he is. This school only has nine students and I'm worried about impairing him socially. Prayed on it but don't have a clear answer.

What would you guys do? Would you at least visit the school? My husband is extremely skeptical about the whole thing.

 

[JAM2b]

I would at least visit it. See what they have to offer and if it seems like your family would be a good fit. Getting more information and making contact won't hurt anything, especially if you don't agree with the religious teachings at the school your son already attends. I always like knowing a reasonable amount of information about every option.

As far as bad situations with other students and their families, there are going to be problems every where. No kid, family, or school is perfect. Everywhere you go, there is likely to be someone you don't agree with. A smaller group will have a smaller chance of that, but it could still happen. It could be wise to consider what would you do if something similar or worse occurred at the new and smaller school. I'm not saying it would be bad to switch, but just that it is a good idea to have in your mind how you would respond to other problems down the road, and at which point have you pulled stakes and moved on enough.

I'm debating a similar thing for myself. I have a son who struggles in school. I have looked at alternative school and homeschool as an option. I have to weigh the differences and figure out if I could be prepared for whatever trouble might arise in a situation. Will it be the same problems with different faces in a new location? Will it be altogether new set of problems? Will it be problems that could be worse than what we are already dealing with? At what point do you dig in your heals and stand your ground where you are already at?

I don't know the answer to these questions myself, but I ponder them a lot. As parents we all have to make the best choice we can in situations that are imperfect and involve imperfect humans.

 

[keith99]

Your concern about your son being socially impaired if you go with the independent school are well founded.

From your post it seems he is doing well where he is. Unless you are leaving something very significant out it would be foolish to change.

You might instead think a bit about talking to your son regarding the attitudes of the Catholic Church. I think I understand your concern about Lent, the common practice seems well on the way to justification by works. But I think the case can be made that one can observe Lent, including the giving up of something, not as a work, but instead as a means to focus on Christ and the sacrifice he made and done that way as a truly voluntary choice I see nothing wrong with it. Of course there is a subtle trap. When something becomes too much the custom the choice is often not free.

On the Mary thing you might point out that sometimes people are afraid to speak to someone who is powerful. The Catholics (or perhaps the whole of Christianity) has for centuries focused too much on the power of their God and too little on His love. Perhaps with the best of intentions a practice designed to make it easier to approach your God by the Catholic Church has worked out rather poorly.

I'd suggest rather than wringing your hands over the differences between your Faith and the Catholic teachings instead use them as a door to teaching moments.