Kid + Private School = Expensive!

Fact: The 2006 census showed 2.35 million 4-year olds were attending preschool, which was an all time high.

The most tolerant school in Lubbock, Aidan's private school is, at least on paper, less expensive than his previous school. Just like his previous school, he brings his own lunch but at the new school we pay $10 per week for him to eat Chick-fil-A on Tuesday and Friday. And then we pay for field trips at least once per week ($5), and then there are the constant fundraisers. Jason calls this the "pizza toppings." I say just raise the tuition and bill me. The surprises are killing us!

Today my angst is uniforms. I'm having trouble deciding if I can justify the uniform issue. He wears the same thing each day, which means that we don't have to worry about the name brands of his other clothes (not that he's at that point yet, but he will be soon enough). And his uniform is adorable. But being a family that always bought second hand or clearance for our boy, it's hard to shell out the $25 per shirt or pant; $50 per jacket; $40 per sweater (required), only available at the school or at Land's End.

I keep telling myself that it will be totally worth it in a few years when he discovers name brands, but Jason says he'll still want those clothes for his off days. The school has a trade-in allowance as the kids outgrow their uniforms, but Grandpa pointed out that the boys roll around so much on the playground that there's no way we'll have anything left to trade in! Now if I can just settle my dissonance about the cost of these uniforms...