Worrying about a child we don't even have...

Disclaimer: Let's just start this post off with I am pretty sure there will be no human children (Jake is sitting by me, don't want to offend him) for a couple of years. Why, did I even think about schools today? Well, our cute little neighbor was trying on his "big boy uniform" for school next week. Such a cute 3 year old in his lil khaki shorts and polo shirt. What blows my mind is that Geoff was already checking out schools??!! Wow....very impressed. Unfortunately the look of horror after he did research made me in turn due some homework on schools and reach that same look of horror... Ya see, in our neighborhood (or lets just say our street ). MOST (minus our "progressive" neighbors who had their child go to the arts academy down the street) of the kids go to the #1 private school in the city. This private school is also WAYYYYY on the other side of town. When I say WAYYY I mean I would basically have to be a taxi driver. There are no buses and I don't think most people believe in carpool out here. There's no freeway/highway ...just one road that takes you and the rest of our city there. Remember that cute 3 year old at the beginning of my post. That 3 year olds tuition for Pre K is $7,390. Kindergarten (includes lunch, books and fees) $ 10,760 First - Fifth Grades (includes lunch, books and fees) $ 13,160 Sixth through Eighth Grades $ 15,380 Ninth through Twelfth Grades $ 15,690 Soo...for 1 child I will be paying close to $200,000 for their entire K-12 education. (I am sure they will jack up the price by the time we have school aged kids) That's not even counting college??!! Lord knows college will be another ludicrous amount. My options...or lack of them Option 1: Public school- not going to happen in this city (they make Los Angeles school district look like a country club) The kicker....all the property tax I an paying to the schools and my child will never benefit from it. That's another story for another day. And yes, I know I am part of the problem with busing my child out of the bad schools to a better school, but I also don't want my child to be the social experiment. And for the record, most of the kids in public school were not even on grade level in reading, science and math. They failed the state tests and had to b mandated to summer school. Option 2: The #1 private school- Basically we would only have 1 child with this option. Period. And even then, I doubt Geoff would be all for this. But this is the only school that doesn't shove religion down the poor kids throat (all for religion....just not the Southern "in your face" type) Option 3: The mid priced private school down the street- My poor kid would be going to chapel more times than I want to imagine. (hey I went to catholic school until junior high and then conservative Christian school through high school...I know what they would go through...if they like it...great! But if they don't...I don't wanna force them and then them despise organized religion...case in point) Option 4, 5, 6: Move, Rob a bank, marry a rich widower Geoff's option...Wait and see if our kids seem "bright" no use spending money on them if they are not an above average student (my poor mom is glaring at him from heaven). "Sorry Geoff Jr. you want go with all your friends to the same school. We just don't see any real potential in you and our investment in your education would just be a wash." We might save money on schools but the therapy alone for the poor child would be over the top! Oh and this is the tuition of the private school if we lived back in my hometown in California. (Our school was in the Prep League...all the schools were private and expensive...except ours, but we had the conservative religion jammed down our throats) Grades K-5 = $18,675Grades 6-8 = $21,950Grades 9-12 = $25,225(School Year 2008-2009) So I guess I really shouldn't complain... Excuse me while I get some Tums...