I am a frightful snob in some respects
but I think I'm an intellectual snob: well-to-do, well spoken idiots rile me as much if not more than oiks. I didn't want to spark a state vs private schooling debate: I'm scared my child may end up on the wrong side of the tracks and want to do the best by her.

My childhood was like something out of Swallows & fucking Amazons or something - it truly was idyllic and I am utterly depressed by my inability to provide the same upbringing that I had. I'm looking out at grey, dirty London and when I contrast this with the clean air, beautiful countryside and nice twee middle-classedness of my youth if feel fucking terrible about my little girl.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:30, 5 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Growing up in London
your daughter will have lank hair, sunken eyes, possibly some sort of skin condition and probably typhoid.

Come to the home counties Monty, old bean. We have water that's only been through seven people and rivers with at least one form of wildlife in them. Live the idyll!
( Kroney, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:35, Reply)

So your sister was called Titty?
Fnarr.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:36, Reply)

I think it's great that
you care this much about it. I had a grassy, muddy Midlands upbringing and would also like to provide it for my children (if I ever had any). However, city upbringings can be just as rewarding.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:40, Reply)

I guess it's hard to see that without having experienced one for yourself

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:42, Reply)

this is true
I grew up in the countryside and whilst I'm now able to share stories of hedgehog adopting and goose punching, I did used to envy my friends who would go out every night to play with friends from their road in the local park. My nearest neighbours were 2 miles away in every direction, so I had to make do playing with baby ducks.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:45, Reply)

I grew up in the country
and I *wish* I'd known about goose punching. That sounds much more fun than cow-pushing.
( Kroney, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:47, Reply)

I never got involved with any of those things
my activities were mostly confined to burning things and fighting each other with sticks.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:49, Reply)

I did that too
children are basically just pricks.
( Kroney, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:51, Reply)

OMG PAEDO!

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:51, Reply)

it's not a hobby!
I just had to punch a goose one time, that's all. Survival of the fittest, etc.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:59, Reply)

At least it wasn't a swan
murderous bastards.
( Kroney, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:01, Reply)

I just had an incredible urge
To boot open the front door of work, run out, and go build a tree house.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:48, Reply)

See you in the woods in 5
don't forget to bring the penknife that one of your friends will inevitably stab you with.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:57, Reply)

*joins scouts*

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:58, Reply)

Penknife, check.
Kaol, check.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:59, Reply)

Sacrificial virgin, check.
Though in central Manchester, most "virgins" are second or third hand.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:00, Reply)

oi!

( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:31, Reply)

He said 'most'

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:44, Reply)

Hahaha
Let's have a knife fight outside a london pub :D

Where is Kaol now?
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:02, Reply)

Kaol's in Wales with Melicious

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:02, Reply)

Kaol's in whales
Dirty bugger.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:09, Reply)

Can I come with?
It's on my bucket list. Building a tree house that is, not stabbing Labs with a penknife.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:00, Reply)

Tree houses are ACE!
This is official.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:02, Reply)

NO GIRLS ALLOWED!
Oh, ok then, if you bring cupcakes.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:03, Reply)

I might make you a man-corset instead

( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:31, Reply)

Honestly Mont,
It's possible to have the best of both worlds.
You're right to be worried though. If my nephew hadn't passed the entrance exam for the school he's in now, I think we'd have poisoned him to spare him the terror that is our local 'Academy'. He just couldn't have coped. He's little bit on the autistic side sometimes and he hadn't mixed with the savages from near his house.
I, on the other hand, was a little better prepared and my local school, while it was rough, is nowhere near as bad as the one he'd have had to go to. Also, I was more sociable, was a good blagger, and wasn't easily led, so my academic achievements weren't in jeopardy because of a bit of bullying or attempts to distract me. My nephew would have caved though.
His school doesn't take fees, but you have to be shit-hot brainy to get in. My mother picked it for its ethos more than anything. He got into another school that was just too 'white and Catholic' for our tastes. So you will be able to find 'good' and 'nice' schools for her wherever she lives, that won't cost a penny, but will have her if she passes the entrance exam. And let's face it, she's looking like she's going to be a bright kid already.

My mum had me booked to sit entrance for a good school. From what people told me about the exam, I reckon I'd have passed too. But I knew I'd be swapping one kind of bullying for another. I stood out in the local comp for being polite and bright, and I'd have stood out in the private school for being a common little scholarship kid from Town. So I chose to stick with the devil I knew.

I grew up in the grey and grime of the city, but because of that, my nana could regularly walk me five minutes along the road to the opera, the ballet, the art gallery and whatever else was happening. And I appreciated my holidays in the country more because it wasn't the norm.

Do whatever you can for her and she'll be ok. There will still be educational options open to her that don't cost a lot, and fight tooth and nail to get her into those rather than somewhere that will frighten her. I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag, but I survived because I was mentally strong and my parents loved me. Don't fret. You're doing the best you can.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:45, Reply)

Thank you for posting this. Really.
I'm feeling a bit emotional today.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:51, Reply)

One day when she's about 19/20
you'll be sat having a beverage with her, and she mightn't actually say "Thanks for all you've done for me." but the fact that she's sat there, and you're buddies, well you'll just know that she's grateful you gave a fuck.
Trust aunty Roota.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:58, Reply)

*blubs uncontrollably*

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:13, Reply)

Sorry about that!

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:27, Reply)

I did both
Private then state school. In hindsight I am glad I did both now as the private school experience really did develop my character quite strongly so by the time they got fed up me and kicked me out I was ready for state school. This post is boring and useless but I am sat here bored and wanted to play.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:51, Reply)

With you around her, she'll turn out just fine
Of this I am certain.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:48, Reply)

(!)

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:50, Reply)

I agree.
Most parents don't give a flying fuck about their kids upbringing and think that cladding them in replica shirts and throwing a Wii at the nippers entitles them to parent-of-the-year awards. The fact that you are even considering changing your own lifestyle/job/comfort zone for the long term good of your daughter makes you something of a good parent.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 10:58, Reply)

hehe
hard on
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:02, Reply)

*handshakes*

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:03, Reply)

*tips hat*

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:04, Reply)

*tips waiter*

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:08, Reply)

You said 'hard on'.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:02, Reply)

(I said 'hard-on')
Edit - fuckers.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Thu 26 Aug 2010, 11:04, Reply)