Religion in School Necessary? Is Private schools the only way to get smaller classes?

I am far from a "Bible Thumper", but I may sprinkle in some Merry Christmas, blessings, prayers, hope, etc here and there.  I think everyone has what they need to survive this wicked world.  But, how this foundation of enlightenment is established can start anywhere in this journey called Life.  For some it is through family, in jail, after a life threatening experience, rehab, school, work, etc  Be it God, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah, Waheguru, Beer, The Wife, or whomever it is, that is your choice.

The Husband and I both went to Catholic elementary schools.  We talked about schooling for our son long ago.  We agreed to have him go to a Catholic elementary school and then he can choose for high school if he wished to go to public or catholic school.  For both of us, it reinforced our foundation of right and wrong, do unto others as you would like others to do unto you, 10 Commandments, and has left me with a bright light of hope during my darkest and loneliest hours.

But, in recent news, there will be a new school built within walking distance from our home.  Another path that both the husband and I walked during our young days.  Walking to school.  Coming home to a hot lunch.  I remember running home at 12pm, shoveling the food down within 10 minutes so I could hurry back to school, but my mom would never let us leave before 12:30.  I only appreciate it now, but I realize she was keeping us out of trouble.  She is so smart, my mom.  I want that for my son.   I want him to come home to a hot lunch.  I want him to be able to walk to school.  Unfortunately, the school will be a Public school.

Now, here is the dilemma.   Do we choose to have him close by and walk home for a hot lunch, but at a public school or drive/bus him to the Catholic school with daily drives home for lunch.  It will be challenging to have The Husband go pick him up everyday for lunch.  But, the foundation that our son will have for life would be worth it.  The argument could be made that we provide the religious foundation while he goes to Public school.  With Sunday school being the reinforcement.  Neither The Husband nor I went to Sunday school.  And I don't know if that will be enough.

Do we send him to a school that is convenient or to the one we feel will educate him on more than just ABCs and 123s?

And just to throw more options into a difficult decision, do we send him to a school near my parent's place so they could help pick him up/take him to school?  They will be watching my Baby 2 for half day and Franklin the other half.  So, it makes it convenient to drop everyone off there.  Not sure if they were going to pick him up for lunch.  We still have time to decide, but I just want to make sure I'm making the best choice for my son's future.  So, now I'll start analyzing like a mad woman.  Read Paralysis by Analysis post to see the inner workings of the gajillion thoughts that go into my decision-making.

ADDITION TO ORIGINAL POST: This is one bonus to writing electronically vs. print.  I can make edits after it has been published.  I wanted to add an argument to include Private schools.  For most of my readers, you may have noticed or read about the increased number of students in the classroom.  For those who currently have children in school do you sometimes feel like you are the after school program with the amount of homework they send home?  We never went to private school, but the idea of smaller classes, individual attention, better marks, and well behaved children sure sound attractive enough to pay their mortgage fees.  Ooops.  I mean their school fees which is equivalent to paying my mortgage.  But, even with the cost, as parents we always make sacrifices when necessary to provide a better future for our children.  Is this one of those necessary charges? or is it just a bubble world that is just all hype?  Montessori is the buzzword when it comes to sending your kids to school.   But, you have to be careful with that too!  Are they just charging Montessori prices, or are they practicing all the great techniques?  How would I know?

Your thoughts?  How did you choose your child's school?  Where did you go?  Did it make a difference to who you are today?

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Spidey Pudding "Poke" Cake

I had a great suggestion from Jilly about a Jello "Poke" Cake.  That set me off to google and go through tons of sites and recipe ideas.

This is my version that I made for Marcus' birthday:

Ingredients:

1 box of Golden cake mix

1 box of chocolate instant pudding

1 tub of whipped cream

Steps:

1. Make cake as per directions on the box


2. After you pull it out of the oven poke holes 1-inch apart.  You can use the end of a wooden spoon, straw, thick end of a chop stick, to give you some ideas


3. Only after the holes are poked, mix the pudding mix with 2-cups of milk until well blended.  Immediately pour over your cake filling the holes (it's ok for spillage all over the top of the cake.  we'll cover that up)


4. Cover and put in fridge to have the pudding thicken.


5. Take it out of the fridge,  uncover, and spread cool whip all over it.

Decorate:

Black rope licorice

Spiderman decal set from the Bulk Barn (or try the baking isle)

Gummy spider candy

1. Make an X using the rope on the cake


2. Make an + using the rope on the cake, now it should kind of look like a star/asterisk *


3. Place rope with a little bit of a dip in between to straight ropes, Web created

1. Add decals and spider candy

Marcus LOVED it!  Especially the Spidey decals and candy.  Everyone loved it.  Even my nieces who don't like pudding.

NOTE:

• Don't take too long pouring the pudding into the cake, otherwise it will thicken and will not pour down the holes


• Try different cake and pudding combinations


• Instead of pudding you can use Jello


• Mix some pudding into the cool whip before spreading


• Make 2 packages of pudding to fill holes and spread over top of cake, then either top with whip cream or omit it


• Playing around with contrasting colors can be fun too. Such as; white cake with chocolate pudding, chocolate cake with vanilla pudding or a real pretty one is white cake with pistachio pudding.

Original Recipe that I've seen several times during my research:

Pudding Poke Cake

1 pkg. (2 layer size) cake mix (white, yellow or chocolate)

Topping:

2 pkgs. (4 serving size) Jell-O chocolate instant pudding and pie filling (may also be creative with different flavors)

1/2 or 1 cup confectioners' sugar

4 cups cold milk

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 13x9 inch cake. Remove from oven. Poke holes at once down through cake to pan with round handle of wooden spoon (or poke holes with plastic drinking straw, using turning motion to make large holes.) Holes should be at 1 inch intervals. Only after the holes are made, combine pudding mix with sugar in large bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Beat with electric mixer at low speed for not more than 1 minute. Do not over beat. Quickly, before pudding thickens, pour about 1/2 of the thin pudding evenly over warm cake and into holes (This will make stripes in cake.) Allow remaining pudding to thicken slightly, then spoon over the top, swirling it to "frost" the cake. Chill at least 1 hour. Store cake in refrigerator.