Nursery University

Have you heard of this show? Nursery University is a documentary that follows several Manhattan families as they make their way through the pre-school acceptance process. The New York Times says (and who reads that paper anyway -but ...) "If you thrill to the sight of a preschool teacher bringing an investment banker to his knees, then "Nursery University" is for you."

Do people actually thrill to that site? Apparently the NYT thinks they do. Sorta sick and twisted in my book, but that's just me...

Now, I don't live in Manhattan, so all me crazy but I thought this stuff was an urban legend. You know, kinda like Sasquatch or going on a date and ending up packed in ice, one kidney short. But apparently I am sadly ill informed.

It's real.

The promo for the film states "Set in New York City, NURSERY UNIVERSITY is a feature documentary that reveals the oddly competitive, yet often humorous, world of nursery school admissions."

Hmmm...

I DO realize I'm biased due to the homeschool thing - but seriously, at what cost? The Price of Perfection seems to be the ability to shamelessly demand your child to perform on cue, to fork over thousands of dollars for a hand print painted in primary colors so as to make yourself appear willing to go above and beyond the tens of thousands of dollars required for tuition, and to feel dejected and small when your child doesn't get in.

I obviously, do not live in that world. I spend, Oh, about $1000 a year on homeschool, some years less, some years more, and I put in more quality time with my kid in one morning than the Manhattanites I am supposed to be jealous of, do in a month.

Yet, this "documentary" is clearly supposed to make me loathe them and envy them at the same time.

Uh, no.

I came away feeling sorry for them. Even the mom who packed her stuff up and left Manhattan for Boston and the one who said her son was fine in a co-op preschool...until he got into an exclusive one.

I guess I just don't get it. I don't understand anyone anymore who thinks that sending kids off to strangers (especially those "Young 3's") to be taught BASIC - I'm talkin' BASIC - stuff all the while taking out a fourth mortgage on their home to pay for it.

It is crazy.

But anyway - it did make me feel happy that I'm not part of their world and it did make me feel like a great mom, so I guess I did get something out of my afternoon spent watching investment bankers being brought to their knees by pre-school teachers.