[ladycolorado]

baukunin yes in usa sometimes can choose with a child's schools. in the south where used to live had to live with my folks after my ex husband decided to leave. there in memphis, tn tri state area you had to have child go to designated district. the schools were so bad there that had metal detectors even at elementary level and was not unusual for children to smuggle in knives and guns. whitehaven was not a nice area of memphis at all. it was once nice but area where elvis' home graceland was. highschools in that area were not even able to read. they threw out phonics said did not work, and i did not want my children to be beaten up on a daily basis. of all the private schools, the only one with good education and not exorbitant in price was the catholic school there. on an income of 26-28k a year, i bought my own home, had two cars paid for, and put my kids through private school. my ex was always sporadic about paying child support, i had to go through two attorney for divorce and two to try to get child support and nothing was ever done. he was making like 56 k a year at that time, while my kids wetre running around in clothes with holes in them. sarah my daughter i started there at st. pauls at age four. here in colorado however, the public schools are pretty good. like germany i imagine, where you live can have an effect on how good the schools are. but there in the south, there was no choice. so i paid with grant for kids school. here in colorado can choose what district your child attends, but still have to go through some red tape. thank god at that time i had ability to work for the casinos tunica mississippi had job opportunities for me or i would have been on welfare. all the other jobs for the most part paid minumum wage. and thankfully cost of living was cheap there. i am proud to say during that time was a cocktail waitress, a table games blackjack dealer and a slot attendant. i guess why i know people so well, lol. i have no shame in this, i did what i had to do to get by. i met my husband about four years ago, and in a way still getting by with him doing contract aviation work. to live i have had many times he has had to work away from home. just like now, with him working about five hours away in albuquerque new mexico. i am stuck here because my doctor is here, our home here (although still not sure what will happen to this place with my having gotten ill and ruined things) . i have four pets again because like dummy took puppy home when alphie the collie died. my point is, we do what we can do to get by. i have been dealt lemons in my life alot, and just make the best of it and crank out lemonade when i can. (LC)