Daughter Upset About Leaving Private School
DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I are making the difficult decision to pull my daughter from private school and put her in public school. Our family simply can't afford it anymore because they keep hiking the price for tuition. My daughter is crushed about it because she's been going to this school for five years and all of her friends are here. She doesn't want to change schools because she loves the teachers, curriculum and other students. I feel horrible because this is by far the best school in the area and the quality of her education will be lowered at the public school. We've spent weeks going over our finances, trying to find another way to make it work, but the numbers just don't add up. We've cut back on other expenses and even considered taking on additional work, but we still can't justify stretching ourselves so thin just to keep her enrolled. She keeps asking if there's anything she can do to stay, and hearing that breaks my heart because I know this isn't something she can fix. She's worried about losing touch with her friends, having to start over with new classmates and feeling like the new kid. Do you think there is another way, or are we doing what makes the most sense for our family financially? -- No More Private School
DEAR NO MORE PRIVATE SCHOOL: Before you leave, talk to the school. Find out if they offer financial aid. Many families receive partial financial aid from private schools. Based on your salary, expenses, number of children and other factors, the school determines eligibility. In some cases, if the school likes a student and their parents, it will make an exception. Pitch them for aid before you give up.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I met a nice guy a little over a month ago. We've gone on several dates since we met and have been enjoying each other's company. Our interests seem to align on so many things. We've even taken instructional classes together. For a long time, I avoided dating, but this, oddly enough, feels special to me. Though we've been dating for several weeks, it only just crossed our minds to share our nationalities and cultural backgrounds. It turns out that our families are from two countries that have a historically volatile relationship -- the kind of history that has troubled our families and even ancestors for decades. This discovery has really tainted the momentum of our relationship. The rest of that evening was quieter, and all the days since have also been quieter. Is there a way to move forward, or is this blissful romance over? -- Of Two Worlds
DEAR OF TWO WORLDS: This seems Shakespearean, doesn't it? If you really like each other, talk about it openly. Be honest about your family's views and experiences. Discuss whether you think you can find a way to get your family members to welcome each other. Can you yourselves see past national differences to who you are as individuals? Is it worth it to find out?
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(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
Copyright 2026, Harriette Cole
COPYRIGHT 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication. This feature may not be reproduced or distributed electronically, in print or otherwise without the written permission of Andrews McMeel Syndication.
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