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You want your child to be in a daycare with friends
You want your child to be in a language immersion program
You want your child to go to a specific school that you aren't zoned to
The list of potential reasons go on and on, but what is your limit? I think most pple anything under 10min is an acceptable drive, how about 15min? 20min? 30min? For most pple, they just look at daycares that are closest to them. What time are you willing to sacrifice to give your child whatever due to whatever reason?
We didn't use daycare and I homeschooled through 8th grade, but my oldest child went to a private high school that was 30 minutes away. We carpooled with another family so I only had to drive up & back once a day (1 hour). That wasn't bad, but when my middle child started at the same school, there was no carpool opportunity, so I was driving there and back twice a day--two hours of driving. That was awful, but I did it until she got her driver's license.
So I guess my absolute upper limit is 30 minutes away, considering that two round trips equals 2 hours. And that much driving every day really is a sacrifice, in my opinion. If there had been any acceptable option that was closer, I would have taken it.
The drive time really is relative to where people live. When we lived in the Chicago suburbs I drove my children 15 minutes or so to go to the preschool I determined to be the best based on my criteria. When a new elementary school was built for which we were zoned I decided to send them there (about a 5 minute drive or 10 minute walk) because we would be moving at the end of the semester. I would have happily driven them 10 minutes to their old school. Their neighborhood friends were going to the new school, and that's what they wanted to do. If we had not been moving, I probably would have kept them in the old school. Most of their activities were a 10 minute or less drive. It was a pretty small suburb, but depending on a game or event, it could be up to 30 minutes.
We now live about 15 minutes outside of town. Driving our kids to any type of activity was at least a 20 minute drive. For some activities is was about a 25/30 minute drive. My son became eligible for the gifted/talented program while in elementary school. The school with the program was about 35/40 minutes away. The distance was one factor we considered. There were others. Primarily we knew that we could provide him with the extra kinds of experiences and opportunities to learn without spending an hour or more driving daily.
You want your child to be in a daycare with friends
You want your child to be in a language immersion program
You want your child to go to a specific school that you aren't zoned to
The list of potential reasons go on and on, but what is your limit? I think most pple anything under 10min is an acceptable drive, how about 15min? 20min? 30min? For most pple, they just look at daycares that are closest to them. What time are you willing to sacrifice to give your child whatever due to whatever reason?
My wife and I bought our home in the school district that we wanted out kids to attend. It worked out for us and we are about done with education. We never did anything for them to be with friends. They made new friends where ever they went as kids. Some stuck around, some did not. As someone who lives in a rural area, 30 - 40 minutes drives each way to friends' homes is pretty common. Glad they are driving themselves now. Most parents work together on driving. Never had any problems.
My kids were in a good school district, and the grade school was less than 5 minutes away, although they took the bus. Middle school was right next to the grade school, so same thing. High school, took the bus.
I drove the kids to piano practice and recitals, and soccer and baseball practice and games.
I wasn't willing to drive at all. We just moved to the best district we could afford, which had a neighborhood elementary school that was within easy walking distance. From middle school on, they rode a school bus, taking the late bus if they had after school activities.
I wanted my kids to go to a charter school because I thought it was a better school than the school we were zoned for, so I drove my kids 15 minutes each way to school. However it really took longer than just that because the parking was a nightmare so I would arrive around 30 to 45 minutes early before school let out so I could easily park and pick my kids up. They could not ride a school bus home since we were not in that district.
I did this drive for seven years until we moved to another state. Now my kids ride the school busses, and there are no charter schools here.
It depends upon what you are calling a "better" school.
If you are only talking about day care, then I would drive far enough to get the child into a safe school, where the facilities are child safe, where he wouldn't be abused, and where the staff is qualified.
To be with his friends? No. He can see his friends on the weekends and for play dates.
For immersion programs? No. Under the age of five, I don't want any more than for my child to play and to learn how to socialize with others his age. Pre-school is too young for immersion programs.
Day care has school zones?
I was a work from home mom and my kid got home schooled when he was pre-school age and none of his friends went to day care. He, and all of his friends, could read and do some math before they got into kindergarten and that was all they need to go into school and be successful in their learning..
It depends upon what you are calling a "better" school.
If you are only talking about day care, then I would drive far enough to get the child into a safe school, where the facilities are child safe, where he wouldn't be abused, and where the staff is qualified.
To be with his friends? No. He can see his friends on the weekends and for play dates.
For immersion programs? No. Under the age of five, I don't want any more than for my child to play and to learn how to socialize with others his age. Pre-school is too young for immersion programs.
Day care has school zones?
I was a work from home mom and my kid got home schooled when he was pre-school age and none of his friends went to day care. He, and all of his friends, could read and do some math before they got into kindergarten and that was all they need to go into school and be successful in their learning..
Depends how easily he makes friends.
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