If money were no object

[drjuliadc]

I wonder what educational opportunities you would take if money were no object.

 

Money IS an object in our situation but it is a fun question I still like to ponder.

 

I have 4 kids, oldest is 5, so I like to think ahead.

 

Anything from Swiss boarding school to "the same thing I am already doing."

[regentrude]

world travel to match history, literature, geography and foreign language studies

foreign language immersion, and upon return a private tutor who is a native speaker for several hours per week

[frugalmamatx]

Money is very much an object here as well. What I would do with it changes from year to year. 

 

In a perfect world, I'd probably opt for private school this coming year, since I'm pretty much burnt out. 

[Rachel]

If money were no object we would travel a whole lot more. If we were reading about Africa, we would go there. Space camp would be high on my list too.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I wonder what educational opportunities you would take if money were no object.

 

Money IS an object in our situation but it is a fun question I still like to ponder.

 

I have 4 kids, oldest is 5, so I like to think ahead.

 

Anything from Swiss boarding school to "the same thing I am already doing."

 

 

Having taught briefly in a Swiss boarding school... I can assure you all that it would be a TOTAL waste of money, unless your goal was to produce incredibly bratty children who know how to ski well.   :laugh:

 

I'd want a daily foreign language tutor and possibly a daily French tutor as well.  And possibly a mother's helper to deal with the toddler.  

Edited June 11, 2016 by Monica_in_Switzerland

[wintermom]

If money was limitless, then I'd have time as a limit! ;)  There just wouldn't be the time to do everything I'd want to do.

 

But staying within reasonable limits, money would provide more opportunities for travel to learn language, culture, history, music and sport/dance. Also it would be great to have opportunities to study specific natural environments such as marine, tropical rainforests, desert, mountain, arctic.

 

I'd probably love to spend a year or two in each different place to really learn in-depth.

[AggieMama]

If money were no object I would have a ton of fun. I would be able to quit my job and homeschool full time. I would have weekly field trips including memberships to the zoo, science museum, children's museum, and other attractions. I would have a room dedicated to homeschooling that was large and stocked with whatever I needed. I would have books galore for my girls to read and lots of comfy places to read. I would take my kids on monthly trips so we could explore new places and probably every three mo tha or so take a week or two off to go on a trip and explore what we are learning. I would have my girls take piano and violin classes. I would have a private tutor that comes in several times a week for both Spanish and French. We would continue with dance and swimming, but probably add more dance classes and private swim lessons. I would probably add gymnastics, karate, and at least one team sport per season. My girls like to stay very busy. I would probably join a co-op and buy all the curriculum I've been drooling over since before my kids were born. I would get computers and iPads for the kids and myself. I would definately get a maid and a mommy helper to keep my girls individually occupied while I work one on one with them. All of this would be nice, and I have thought it over a lot, but I like my life the way it is now too!

[drjuliadc]

I knew this would be fun. I never in a million years thought I would get an answer from a former Swiss boarding school teacher though. Ha ha. That was just the most expensive thing that popped in my head. Also, my mother used to say that the rich had it right and sent their kids to boarding school when they were teens. She had 4 juvenile delinquents so I'm sure that colored her perception.

 

Since my kids aren't really school age yet, as I ponder homeschooling them, and it seems impossible to me, I wondered how many homeschooling moms would choose private school if they could afford it.

 

There is an expensive private school here that is very well regarded. I think it would be a great educational choice, but I think it has the "bratty" problem too.

 

Our public schools here are considered very good too, but rampant cussing is prevalent in middle school and heroin is a thing in the high school.

[momof4inco]

I would hire a maid to do the cleaning and laundry, freeing me up to concentrate on the kids and not the carpet that needs cleaning, the laundry that will never truly be done, or the ferret poop that needs to be scooped. I would buy all the awesome curriculum I've been looking at online. I would stop worrying about how we are going to pay for dual enrollment classes once they are in high school. We could finally travel to see the neat stuff we are learning about instead of putting everything towards medical bills.

 

Without all the money in the world... I'll still be happy that I am able to be home with our kids, teaching them the way I want to. I'll still be okay with not ever being able to take a vacation with the kids, because wishing away those medical bills would be wishing away two awesome kids. My kids are happy that I can't afford all the awesome curriculum, because their days would be crazy if I bought all of it. I would still love to hire a maid...

[Targhee]

I would get a maid, cook, gardener, and chauffeur so I could actually do those fun adventures!

[73349]

More travel.

A 3- or 4-day-a-week in-home Spanish tutor.

Maybe a house that was designed around homeschooling (major library/science lab space, outdoor track around the yard, etc.).

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 5, 2016 by cathey

[Farrar]

Like others - travel, foreign language tutors.

 

Summer camps up the wazoo. 

[Guest]

Housecleaner - someone comes weekly and deep cleans. ;)

 

School - I'd buy all my TOG books + alternate resources, BJU science DVDs and expensive science kits. We aren't really needing tutors yet, so that's not on my radar. Books, books, and more books. And more bookshelves. And a bigger house to hold said bookshelves. :p

 

Extras - we were able to do quite a bit this last year, but we found time to be a major constraint. So, I'd say more dog classes, museum memberships, and field trips, but I don't know how much time we'd really have to put into all that anyway. A grand piano. Because since we are getting a bigger house, we need a bigger, badder piano, right?!?

 

Travel. That's one thing we don't do and I would love to. Like, Norway traveling. Cruise to Alaska. My friend's in Ireland right now and I drool everyday at her FB pictures. Far away....

 

Okay, back to my regular life!

[PeterPan]

Save for college and use the library.  If money is no object, save for college.  Because your homeschooling will be over very soon.

 

Other than that, buy hands-on stuff.  

[BrittanyM]

I would have a regular housecleaner and either a cook or use those meal subscription services for dinners to help with home keeping. I would also use a language tutor and travel more, save for college and have memberships to museums and such. I'd also have my kids in piano lessons and probably ballet for my daughter as well. I would move to somewhere with better access to those things because I currently live 30 minutes from a small city and an hour from a larger one. I'd have a bigger house with a room dedicated to being a library and I would buy more books. :P

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Peaceful Isle]

We would have an expensive field trip weekly. :)

 

I would also buy lots of books for them to read, get iPads for them all, enroll them in even more activities , buy lots of expensive art supplies, and get myself a house cleaner.

 

Music lessons for all!

 

We would travel as well. I would love to visit each state, and see all the different land marks and main things there.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Peacefulisle

[Jackie]

Travel for both language and cultural immersion. We would take a few years and not have a "home", just move about from country to country as our tourist visas expired. And then, when we returned to the U.S. someday (assuming we did), we would go live in one of those expensive cities that we love but can't figure out how to comfortably live in.

 

I wondered how many homeschooling moms would choose private school if they could afford it.

 

 

Honestly, if I could find a school that would be a good fit for my daughter's academic and social needs, private school is what we would have done in the first place. Availability is the issue, not finances. (Well, at least at what the private schools around me charge. If we were in one of those places where private school costs $30-40k, it would be an issue.) Edited June 11, 2016 by Jackie

[EmilyGF]

Having taught briefly in a Swiss boarding school... I can assure you all that it would be a TOTAL waste of money, unless your goal was to produce incredibly bratty children who know how to ski well.   :laugh:

 

I'd want a daily foreign language tutor and possibly a daily French tutor as well.  And possibly a mother's helper to deal with the toddler.  

Hey, my dad went to a swiss boarding school (and that was pretty much his experience). But man, can he ski!

 

Oh, and some illegal things that were very much available among the kids at the school.

 

Sometimes things that seem great in theory aren't so much in real life.

 

Emily

[Loesje22000]

I would have hired a technical education teacher for TE so dd would have passed this exam.

 

If dd would like to go to school this would be an option:

http://www.scholanova.be/EN/admission.html

or one of the European or British Schools.

 

But I think she still would like homeschooling :)

 

Maybe I would buy 2 houses.

One like where we live now, a cultural area, with choirs, music, musea and a decent library.

I've missed that soooo much...

And one cottage in the lake district area (UK)

 

But first I would find a decent car drive teacher and pay her/him until I dare to drive.

Alone

AND with other people ... 

[eternallytired]

There's a one-day-a-week school around here for homeschoolers that offers Spanish, music, PE, art, and communications classes.  I think that would be awesome because it would cover all those extras that I never feel like I'm doing well enough (or that are hard to do with just three kids or that I don't know enough about).  We also know several families who send their kids there and love it, so it has a good reputation and the opportunity for the kids to make friends (a current struggle).  Buuut the cost ends up being a little more than we can spend comfortably--even moreso since DD would still want to do dance and ODS would never want to give up guitar.

 

If we're really dreaming big then I'll add a housekeeper and quite a bit of travel.  And a house with some land--ideally with a creek and a house for my parents. 

[Dramorellis]

Private language tutors, all the music lessons and sports at the best facilities. Books, so many books and a maid. Personal assistant for me to juggle appointments, bills and scheduling and then go pick me up some coffee whenever I need.

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

Oh fun! If money weren't an issue at all...

 

I would stop teaching piano lessons and focus on the most enriching homeschool experience I could make for my kids.

 

We would have lots of memberships to museums and visit them often. We would add swimming lessons, art lessons, second instruments, and try anything else the kids were interested in. I would buy tons of books and all the awesome curriculum supplements I drool over but can't buy.

 

We would buy computers or iPads for the kids to work on (right now we don't have a computer at all). We would have nice art supplies and tools for the kitchen. We'd also have plenty of science tools like a microscope, telescope, and lab supplies.

 

We'd buy a new house. Slightly bigger maybe but with much more property and waterfront. Plenty of space for gardening and raising animals. We'd also travel a ton and actually see the things we were studying.

 

Can money buy extra time? I'm pretty sure we'd need it if we could actually afford and try to do all those things. LOL

[Porridge]

Travel. Personal chef. Private language tutors. Chauffeur.

;)

And I might buy a house next door to another homeschooling family with kids of similar age range,

Edited June 11, 2016 by JHLWTM

[foxbridgeacademy]

Travel, lots and lots of travelling. We'd probably unschool everything but Math and go all over the World learning.  Okay, now I'm a bit sad.

[abba12]

An in-home art and music teacher 2-3 times a week, definitely.

Self defence classes

A huge home library of books

Individual tablets/computers instead of sharing mine

 

Honestly, that's about it. I'm pretty happy with what we're doing right now, which is nice.

[rdj2027]

A cook, I loath cooking.  

[LisaKinVA]

I'd hire a house keeper.

I'd hire a tutor, who was fluent in several languages.

I'd hire a driver.  Seriously.

My kids would all have music lessons.

I'd have a mi-fi for each laptop computer/tablet, so online lessons/lectures would not be an issue.

I'd have more books, newer texts, the types of supplies I wanted vs. what we can just get by with.

I'd have a library of The Great Courses DVDs.

 

I actually kind of enjoy the lesson planning/scheduling/interacting with the kids daily parts of home schooling.  It's only stressful when you have to try to cobble things together in the least efficient manner, due to funds being low.

 

[SKL]

I'd rather have more time than more money.  :)

 

With more of both, I would travel more, like do a slow road trip to all 50 states, studying geography, history, and science in each location.  And spend more time on our international trips, so we could soak up more of the surroundings and the languages.

 

I'd do more field trips and spend more time at museums and such.

 

I'd buy and use a subscription to the orchestra.  Get someone to give my kids music lessons and make them practice.

 

Maybe I'd buy a farm, LOL.  Why hold back?

[mom2att]

As others have stated, if money were no object, we would still homeschool. We would just use the money for lots and lots of educational experiences, namely travel.

 

I actually had a friend ask me the "if money were no object would you choose private school instead" question very early on in my homeschooling. I had sort of fallen into homeschooling as a default because there's no way we could afford private. It was probably only six months into homeschooling that she asked me that question, and I surprised myself by answering no. In that short time I found that homeschooling was so much more than what and how we learned, it was about relationships and time and who we are as a family. It's going on 15 years later now, and my answer remains the same.

 

If Hogwarts were an option, however, I suspect that would have been my children's choice.

[BlsdMama]

I wonder what educational opportunities you would take if money were no object.

 

Money IS an object in our situation but it is a fun question I still like to ponder.

 

I have 4 kids, oldest is 5, so I like to think ahead.

 

Anything from Swiss boarding school to "the same thing I am already doing."

 

 

Extensive travel.  

 

And, because I've read others' responses, I'd hire help - gardening help, cleaning help, cooking help, shopping help.  We'd still homeschool and I enjoy teaching, but I really would love to minimize the "running the house" workload. ;)

Edited June 12, 2016 by BlsdMama

[alisoncooks]

Music lessons

Sports teams

Art classes

Singing/choral club

Theater club

 

I'd get the testing done that I currently can't afford for oldest DD.

 

We'd travel and go to the museums more often.

[Runningmom80]

Travel, lessons in more than one instrument, Spanish tutor.

 

We actually aren't that far off from having at least the travel budget, thanks to living in a low COL area.

[The Girls' Mom]

If money were just falling out of my ears or something, I would have started a free private school for classical education and the arts.  It is kind of a foreign concept here in rural TN, and most kids here don't have any kind of exposure to those kinds of things.  So yeah, private school, but on my terms.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

No private or public school here. I homeschool because homeschool provides things that even the best schools can't offer.

 

Absolutely no boarding school. I went to a "good " college prep boarding school from age 11 on and have the emotional scars to prove it. In fact all four of my siblings do as well.

 

I would love to have money for travel and experiences. And for a house remodel ( which applies because this is HOMEschool.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jjeepa]

More travel.

A 3- or 4-day-a-week in-home Spanish tutor.

Maybe a house that was designed around homeschooling (major library/science lab space, outdoor track around the yard, etc.).

 

Yes to the house designed around homeschooling!  I'm always thinking about the fun science labs we could do if we had a real lab  :001_smile: 

 

And, our own library.....heaven!

 

The house should be located not too far from an airport so we could frequently travel to the areas we're studying.  However, it also needs to be somewhere surrounded by nature and not people with lots of wildlife.  

 

Instead, I have a cantankerous neighbor with too many chickens in his chicken coop that is rarely cleaned.  Lovely aroma in the summer.  

[Caviar]

Ahhh, yes, I would have my children go to private school.  And, I would still hire a maid, butler, chef, gardener, and several ranch hands (we would live on a ranch with lots of horses so that we could call down to the stable to saddle up a horse whenever we wanted).  We'd buy a motorhome and travel the contiguous USA, and/or buy our own airplane.  We'd travel outside the USA too.  We'd buy several dogs, a bearded dragon, a leopard gecko, etc......  We'd have an indoor pool and whirlpool!  Oh, and a indoor ice-skating rink! And indoor trampolines with pits.  Art lessons, music lessons, self-defense lessons, archery lessons, shooting range lessons, etc.....

[BooksandBoys]

If money were no object, I would homeschool, but I would have a nanny so that I was free to focus on the children individually and no longer have to scramble for childcare during all the therapy appointments. I'd be a much better mom if I had another set of hands to go around. :-) I would love to be able to do lessons while the toddler is otherwise productively occupied!

 

I'd travel a lot. With said nanny.

 

I'd have a part-time cook/cleaner so that I had more time to focus on my kids instead of on the allergy-friendly cooking and the messes. My kids would be in lessons upon lessons upon lessons. Art, music, sports, all the things they want and I want for them. A science lab in my house. They want a horse and a horse would be great therapy and important lessons in responsibility and love, so that's probably on the list. And I'd work part-time because I like to work.

 

It's fun to dream!

[Tsuga]

We have money for once a week private lessons in language and music.

 

I would not travel more. I want my kids to have roots. We take a vacation once a year starting in the US and camp. Last summer it was the temperate rainforest and Cascades and Sequoias. This summer it will be shorter--a jaunt to the pueblos. Maybe the Grand Canyon. Then we do the Oregon trail, the nation's capital and the South perhaps, and New York. But money is an object. This is just my choice I guess. We can travel in a crappy car and camp. :)

 

I think the main thing I would do if I had money was save more for college. To ensure tuition at least.

 

I think my kids are getting a great education. We just need more time. Time to use our science center membership, to practice instruments more, etc. They will swim an hour or two a day all summer, read their target language, travel to one historical site... We aren't rich but we have enough for educating kids.

 

My main concern is to take scholarship pressure off. I am saving. I should save more.

 

Private tutors here are well within reach on my salary. The main question is following up. Groceries, housing, petrol, those cost a lot.

[kolamum]

Mm, if it were no object then:

 

The eldest would take online courses through some of the lovely online Co-Ops that are available {I'm presuming if money is no object then time won't be either & the 15+ hour time difference won't be an issue hehe} for maths, & science.

He'd stick with what he's doing for history because he LOVES it. 

 

 

The youngest would take an online science class, use the TImberdoodle Curriculum Kit for most of everything else, & maybe an online math class. He's still at a level of math I can teach with reasonable ease though so maybe not. :lol:

 

 

We'd hire a private French Tutor to give us one-on-one help there.

We'd do proper art classes on a weekly basis.

We'd buy LOTS of the lovely "extras" that TD offers.

And, maybe a spare house in order to expand our library. :lol:

[Upptacka]

I would travel. Hire a housekeeper and a cook. ;-)

 

I would continue homeschooling, but would buy more books and curriculum packages, and pay for tutors and all sorts of fun classes. We have many expensive private school options here, but to be honest, I don't think they are THAT great and at all superior than our public schools. If/when we stop homeschooling, we will enroll in public school (good district) and save our money for college.

[TKDmom]

I would sign my kids up for all the interesting classes at a local hybrid school

Hire a native speaker to come to my house for foreign language

Travel to foreign countries

Buy "that" curriculum just to look at it

Send high school-age kids off to foreign exchange programs.

   Sidenote: Both my older kids want to go to London as exchange students. DS keeps asking if "British" would count for his foreign language credit. :lol:  DD14 actually wants to learn Japanese, and I'd love to send her to Japan in a few years.

 

Hire a personal chef.  Not homeshool-related, but major stressor in my life. I'm gradually getting my kids to start cooking for me, so I suppose no personal chef is good for their education....

[mamiof5]

I'd gladly just travel...all over the world

[blondeviolin]

Travel! See all of the stuff we are learning about!

 

A cook and a maid for sure.

 

No nanny because of we were rolling dough, The Husband could stay home with me.

 

I'd stop teaching piano and hire someone to teach my kids.

 

Let my kids pick a secondary instrument.

 

Skating lessons for my third.

 

Books and more books!

[Melissa in Australia]

if money was no object I would have a private tutor for ds12

[Ausmumof3]

Hire a cleaner so I could focus on schooling better

Bribe the people next door to move out and a nice homeschooling family to move in so we had easily accessible play dates

Buy all the books

Better quality art supplies

Get a storage consultant to organise it all for me so we could keep it that way

Once or twice a year travel with educational goals

... Yep I don't want much 😆

Honestly I suspect if we had unlimited money it might not be good for my character.

[OnMyOwn]

If money was no object, I'd make full use of private tutors for one of my children. We spend a good chunk on online classes now that we've hit the high school years and many of those have been wonderful. They are expensive, but well worth it most of the time. Most of our "extra" money from February to September goes to paying for classes and activities for the kids. There are summer programs that I'd like to be able to afford. Oh yes, and I'd like to be able to afford for my dd to take guitar in addition to piano.

Edited June 16, 2016 by OnMyOwn

[Guest]

Private school for kids with learning disabilities for 2 and private school for gifted kids for 1. Then Montessori for the youngest when he's old enough! I would be busy volunteering and being involved.

 

But I really love homeschooling so---K12 for all our gravy subjects and use parts of LA (the phonics and lit) without feeling guilty for chucking the rest. I would never switch CLE Math, though! Outside music and language lessons, and science labs for sure.

 

Travel to the UK and Europe. DH's family all live over there.

 

The thing about unlimited money is I would still have limited time and energy. 

 

Edited June 16, 2016 by Paradox5

[Wabi Sabi]

Travel, native speaking foreign language instructors and more help in the form of tutors! Basically, I'd love a governess.  :lol:

[Ausmumof3]

Private school for kids with learning disabilities for 2 and private school for gifted kids for 1. Then Montessori for the youngest when he's old enough! I would be busy volunteering and being involved.

 

But I really love homeschooling so---K12 for all our gravy subjects and use parts of LA (the phonics and lit) without feeling guilty for chucking the rest. I would never switch CLE Math, though! Outside music and language lessons, and science labs for sure.

 

Travel to the UK and Europe. DH's family all live over there.

 

The thing about unlimited money is I would still have limited time and energy.

Yes this. I think the biggest thing you could do with the money is use it to pay away some of the energy sapping meaningless tasks of life. But then philosophical me would be wondering whether we were actually missing some benefit by not cleaning the toilet and whether it was really fair to pay someone else to do it.