not2old

When you moved back to the UK, did you move back to the same area that you lived before leaving, or to a more upscale posh area?

BadgeIsBack

Sure, money can buy the best education for your child but it won't change your education later in life. Again Becks case in point.

The best education might not knock off rough edges. Depends also on what an education is : to me it's a cultural paradigm and experience (where to start!) not just exams or attendance somewhere.

The Private vs Comp debate could run. It's a bit of a cliche that private schools = better drugs etc (very churlish) but ultimately you buy an experience: that is all.

not2old

its all about the 'money' not just the 'smarts' or the drugs IMO. An example would be a child in a private school could get them into a better job just from 'hobnobbing' association.

Comp vs Private educated. Take two children one from each that have the same number & grades of 'A levels' (both equally as thick as each other), neither one goes to university.

The Comp child may struggle with great difficulty these days to find work, while the Private schooled child will fit in just fine (door opens wide) at some corporation, local government etc. It's not what you know, more the 'who you know'

Therefore 'money' can (in many cases) buy or open doors that are not available to a child from a lower, even middle working class family.

On the University side, suppose the '(money) 'Private schooled' educated child doesn't have what it takes to get into a UK university, then there are ones offshore that will take the money, groom, educate, access to all the drugs they need & will graduate that child with a degree that is 'Accredited' by the UK system.

Case in point are the very well respected finishing schools in Italy or some other place, straight to a European university. All kinds of possibilities

For the A Levels entrant, there are medical schools in the Caribbean (accredited), all it takes is money.

Or, suppose the money child wants to be a 'commercial pilot' - well there are places that money can buy your child just that

Money can buy that qualification which gives the money child the advantage.

Money can buy some 'Happiness' & peace of mind.


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not2old

Happiness of the child is all that matters, love conquers all

Would you want your comp educated working class child to marry into a 'one leg up' on the social ladder into a money family (Kate & William as one example)

Or have your money child that went to private school, marry down a couple of rungs into a 'benefits street social class' - well that does happen, but what would it take for you to stop that from happening?

brits1

We moved back to the North West but not to the same area, we think its a nice area, some might say its a very nice area and others might say its just okay it all depends on what your looking for really, what matters is that we have enjoyed our time here, it has suited our needs, we are not sure if we will stay in the North West when our youngest leaves home but that would only be because we would like to try somewhere completely unfamiliar to us.

brits1

"Happiness of the child is all that matters, love conquers all". We cannot really try to stop someone from falling in love no matter where they come from. As long as both parties are happy with each other and can deal with what life throws at them then that's all that counts even if we don't agree with their choices. I've known friends who've married into different social backgrounds/cultures and for the most are still happy with their lot in life, like most things in this world, compromise, hard work and love makes a relationship work for the most part...anything else then it was not really love.

TeamSpirit

I was born and grew up in the UK but I never managed to feel "right" there, though I love lots about it. I experienced feeling something click when I came to Spain as a student: I got to feel what "right" felt like. People who just feel natural where they are don't know how bizzare and disorientating feeling "wrong" is and it's very hard to explain in words. I went on to live in other (western) countries and the basics are similar in all, but not MY feeling in me. Returning to Spain after many years, that "click" feeling is still the same. It is totally illogical, as I can't say I feel wild about the culture, I'm not Catholic, etc and there are enough difficulties in Spain. However, inwardly I feel at peace. I found that feeling "wrong" never went away, despite all my efforts in other countries, and that living where I feel "right" for me is the only solution. Perhaps you could try negotiating a win-win with your husband in moving to a part of the UK where he has more opportunity to live his preferred lifestyle and you are nearer your family? Good luck!

Howefamily

Money doesnt buy happiness apparently as so many lottery winners will attest but it is a requirement.
If you are broke then what is a frustration to some can really set you back and be a threat to your meagre lifestyle if you are poor.


Eg. Your car breaks down. To those that can afford to fix that car its frustrating. If you dont have the cash to get that car fix it just escalates. Say its broken down on the side of the road and you cant get it towed so you get a ticket or worse, its impounded. Now you have a broken car that you cant afford to fix and a penalty you dont have cash for. Now, what if you need that car to get to the job you have. Will you end up losing that job or do you need to find public transport?, does the bus timetable mean you now have to find additiona childcare and pay for it..... and so it continues.


So yes, you do need money otherwise its not lack of happiness you are facing, its way deeper than that.

cheeky_monkey

i think kids are a little more well rounded and self reliant in the UK..maybe a little more traveled and worldly wise and generally more competitive as a rule probably because they have to be to a certain extent.