9. Stop and Reflect
Building in “stopping” points throughout the search process allows you to make sure you are focusing on your child and your family’s key needs and priorities (see #1, 2, and 4) throughout the search process. Having uninterrupted time (translated - get a babysitter) to stop and reflect with a partner, a trusted family member, or an educational consultant throughout your search is critical in making sure that you are on the proper course and you haven’t lost sight of what is most important. In addition, if you are making this decision with another person, you both could have completely separate takes on the schools you are looking at - so spending time together reviewing thoughts, information gathered, and perceptions is key to making sure that you both are on the same page throughout the process.
10. Realize That No Choice is Permanent
This thought is actually what got me through the process of buying a house in the Bay Area. Really (really) there is always a way out of a decision if things go awry. As I was signing my mortgage papers, I would deep breathe and tell myself, “you can always sell the house and move back to an apartment” - over and over again. In the school choice scenario, it is also true. Of course, no one wants to change schools in a year - just like no one wants to sell their house in a panic. But if you have to you can and you do. There is never a place where you can't change course.
If your family does need to start fresh in your search after a not-so-great first year, the silver lining is that you will have already gathered key information about what DOESN’T work for your child and your family - and you will have come out the other end smarter and more savvy than you were before.
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