It's Preschool. Are you kidding me?

If I ever hear the phrase, "Where will he be going to school" again, it will be too soon.

Being a nanny for a child that has two parents that own companies has certainly opened my eyes to a whole new world.  Not that they lead over the top lives, but just based on where he lives in St. Louis puts us at all the places with other extremely wealthy children... and their moms.

Now it may sound like it a lot during this blog, but I assure you that I do not hate rich people. And I don't hate money. I actually hope I am rich some day. But I hope I do different things with my money.

Blake is 3, so we do a lot of 3 year old things. We go to the zoo, and the magic house, and the park(s), and the mall indoor playground, and Grants Farm, and the list goes on. Needless to say, during the week days, when school is in session, these places are filled with stay at home moms. Again, I'm not being mean, I want to be a stay at home mom. These just aren't any stay at home moms though. They are decked out in jewelry, nice clothes, most of the time heels, and prada sunglasses. And I'm sure a majority of them are very nice, and feel very blessed to have all of those things. And, of course, I'm sure some of them are snots. I've learned to deal though. I see them everywhere. And I try my very darnedest not to judge.  Some of them I even have pleasant conversations with as Blake is running circles around their child. For those I talk to, however, they ALL ask the same dreaded question... Where is he going to school?

This kills me. I'm not sure why, it has always gotten on my nerves. A lot of things I have come to grips with over the past year, but not this one. A lot of things I have shrugged off, and let slide because I know this is a totally different lifestyle than I was raised in, or want my kids to be raised in. However, I can't let this one go.

Who cares where he is going to school. He is three. Colors and numbers are the same no matter where you learn them. Now, maybe some of them are curious, after all there are about 500 preschools in this city. But I have a feeling, by the snotty tone in their voice, most of them are asking to place him in a certain status. Sometimes I want to just tell them, "Oh he's going to public school." And watch their eyes pop out of their perfectly make-up'd sockets. But I don't. I politely answer, Ladue Early Childhood. For those of you who don't know St. Louis, Ladue is where the best of the best live in St. Louis, so that usually gets me a nice smile and a, "Oh, that's great!"

So why am I going on this rant now? I don't know. I think because I only have a day left. And because today was Meet and Greet with the teachers at Ladue Early Childhood, and I got to see all these same mom's and their kids... and all I wanted to do was take Blake and put him in a public school. The diversity was non existent, the prada sunglasses were out in full force, and the little boys in pink polos were a dime a dozen. Knowing that this preschool costs as much as my college education gives me an emotion I don't have a name for. I'm sure it's a great quality education, and I'm sure the teachers are wonderful, but in sending a child there to learn colors and numbers you are paying for a name. And the crazy thing is, that is one of the cheaper schools! Poor Blake got denied... DENIED... from an even more ritzy preschool. It's a dog eat dog world out there, and who knew it all started in preschool!

Kyle and I have had the conversation a lot actually, and our kids will not be going to a private school. I hope we have that kind of money someday, but I hope we see a better need for it. And God strike me down if I ever ask that question.