As I shop for the pieces of my son’s new school uniform and stock up on crayons, glue sticks and tissues, I have been trying to prepare both of us for his journey to kindergarten at a Catholic school this fall.
Several people have asked me why and how I chose a private/Catholic school, and it’s a question I have posed to many parents over the years. Each one has his or her own version of the decision-making process and not to spoil it, but it usually ends with the phrase, "I just fell in love with it."
Falling in love with the school definitely played a role, but for me it came down to a choice of what was right for my son.
Let me explain. I agonized over the decision because I live within walking distance of a fantastic public elementary school that came highly recommended by nearly everyone in my town. I went back and forth, weighing the differences between the schools. I looked at everything from uniforms to extracurriculars and tuition bills to school prayer.
The faith factor was the deciding factor for me. What it comes down to is this: There will come a day when my son will confront friends he trusts who tell him there is no heaven, even though I have taught him that his dad and grandpa are in heaven and that we hope to join them there one day.
I would rather that he starts out in a school environment in which his growth in faith is supported. We live in a secular world, and I want to make sure that my son is ready to face that world — and that doubt — without losing sight of who he is.
