Last Wednesday afternoon, son #2 had to catch a ride with some classmates to take a high school placement test to finalize next year's schedule. When I picked him up, he asked me a very important question.
"Mom, can we not get an Escalade?"
Now, I can be a tad annoying at times. I love being difficult, just for the sake of being difficult. But this time? I knew how distressed he was. I knew how deeply he needed reassurance, to feel safe in his life again.
So I gave him the answer he longed for, "Yes, I'm pretty sure we can not get an Escalade."
And I'm just glad he didn't beg for one. Because I'd still be pretty sure we couldn't get one.
12 comments:
that must be difficult.
we thought about sending my son to a "private" high school. but it cost too much.
we don't have extreme issues (in most schools) with the public system here that i think i understand occurs a lot in the US (crime/socio-economic/cultural), so the need to send to private schools isn't as great - even if we (stbx and i) used the automatic social and economic stratification of putting our kids in french immersion as a barrier to not attend a school with more, um, downside elements/people
but the second issue (we could have afforded [scraped together] tuition) was the social context where we would be middle class and the rich kids would have their own new cars and lots of money and clothes.
i feel/felt the issue enough with the stbx's oil millionaire brother-in-law a couple of times a year while visiting
don't need it everyday
i am glad it was able to be dealt with easily this time
Yay, son #2! Good for him. May it always feel a little bit wrong in his gut to keep up with the jones's.
Cadbury, Actually the kids are really good about it. The boys anyway... they kind of see being the poor cousins as a joke. They laugh at all of the spoiled rich kids. No school is perfect, but I think this is worth it - I want them to be able to focus on education rather than on gang fights and drug dealing and all of the other issues that our local public schools are dealing with right now. I'm just glad they aren't becoming rich snobs over it.
Maggie, I think his view was more because of comfort (it was too crowded, and no leg room) than keeping up with the Jones's, but he's made numerous comments before ever being in one too, so he does have SOME of the right attitude anyway. :)
Freaking great!
I'm considered a poor cousin teacher to many of the kids I teach. I've received more than one "confused" look from parents who think they somehow understand and can offer more in life due to the fact that they make 10 times or more than I do. Poor, misled souls.
BG, I don't care how much status there is in a particular vehicle, if it guzzles gas and has no leg room, I am NOT interested. Status, just for the sake of status, is just ridiculous.
Unless it's a cute red car. Cause I really think I'd look good in a cute red car.
And I can tell you from personal experience - a cute red car can keep you very safe. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :)
If he starts to beg you could always play the "it's not green to drive an escalade" card. Global warming has to be good for something. (Kidding)
Daisy, I'll have to use THAT one on my hubby. He really doesn't want me to get a cute red car! Of course it's still not practical for us... but before TOO long...
Chanda, trust me, he hated it, so he won't argue at all. He said there was NO leg room. Plus he kind of likes playing the "poor kid" role... spent the winter wearing an old Vietnam army coat, complete with zigzagged patches where it had torn, and frayed cuff threads hanging down!
Well, I am now deleting your link from my blogroll. I mean if you don't drive an Escalade this relationship is obviously doomed before it even begins. Darn it and I really liked you too!
Aww Jennifer, it's still ok to like me. Because what fun is it if you can't look down on me a little, right? So if I drove an Escalade instead of my boring Chevy minivan, you wouldn't have anything to look down on me for.
That makes it ok, doesn't it?
I guess since I drive a gas sucking, ozone depleting Suburban, we can still be friends. But I am still going to look down on you; it's not personal or anything. I just have very high standards!!
Jennifer, Then all is good. I'd expect nothing less than to be looked down on. I drive a Chevy Minivan, for God's sake.
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