https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 05:05:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2590400 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 05:22:31 +0000 lamariniere 2590400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pick convenience over money just about any day (you know, within reason). Time is money and that seems like a lot of time to be shuttling back and forth every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2590378 Fri, 22 Jul 2016 00:27:25 +0000 erinpye 2590378@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been driving 50 minutes each way, and it's miserable. We are moving because of it. 20 minutes would be fine though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2590177 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 17:35:54 +0000 daniellemybelle 2590177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Yeah, I bet! I took LO to a friend's house for 2 hours so I could catch up on some things and it flew by. I'm sure 4 hours (really 3.5 hours when you factor in pick up time) will fly by too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589937 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 14:06:47 +0000 KayKay 2589937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we were moving to a brand-new city, I found preschools/daycare by doing a lot of online research. I didn't know anyone in the area, but asked anyone I could (e.g., if they had a friend of a friend who might know someone here!) just to get any feedback. I googled near our rental house to see what came up that was close, and then researched those through some combination of state resources, fb reviews, reviews on Nextdoor, their website, etc. I was looking after a bunch would've been filled, so I really just contacted all of them and had this big spreadsheet that had all of the various specifics (what age groups, calendar vs. full year, hours, etc) so that if any had openings, I could easily compare and rank. I wasn't able to tour any, so just picked one, mostly based on the fact that my DD2 could have attended starting at 18m. But once we started, I didn't love it, and ended up switching DD1 after Christmas to one that a neighbor raved about, it was (literally) across the street, and I got to tour before making the switch.</p> <p>Right now, both DD1 and DD2 are going to different places (part-time options for &lt;2 are rare here, so DD2 had to go to a different place). They both go for 3hrs, and I basically have a 30min drop-off and pick-up (e.g., leave the house at 845a to drop-off DD1 by 9a and DD2 by 915a). It's the best I could do, so I would say that the 20m option would be manageable for you. BUT, as others have mentioned, closer would always be better, all other things being (relatively) equal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589912 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:50:59 +0000 PinkElephant 2589912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I hear you! That's just enough to be frustrating. But I tend to agree with @T.H.O.U.: - write it off as the difference in extra gas/miles on your car if that helps rationalize it. :) Believe me, I am a person who really likes to save money, but for things like this I've started to tell myself that for some situations, it's ok to just be thankful that we can swallow the extra cost. Then I do it and refuse to let myself think about it anymore, because I'll just agonize. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589879 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:27:53 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2589879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Even the gas costs can add up and you'll save that by not driving so much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589876 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:26:47 +0000 Foodnerd81 2589876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: it's about $100 a month difference, so not like, life changing different, but a lot considering it's a couple half days. Somehow the difference is much smaller if we went with three days a week. </p> <p>I'm thinking you guys are right though- the extra money will buy sanity, in terms of screwing up naps and everything else anyway, and will help us make local friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589861 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:14:22 +0000 winniebee 2589861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do the 8 minute drive. Your baby will be older then and 20 mins in the car each way would throw off our schedule by letting him fall asleep before nap time, etc. We went from a preschool that was a solid 15 minutes each way to 4 minutes each way and it was a life changer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589856 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:10:44 +0000 PinkElephant 2589856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with what @ShootingStar: (and others) are saying: if the quality is fairly comparable, I would go with the 8 minute drive vs. the 20 minute one for the sake of convenience. The older my kids (and I) get, the less I am willing to put up with to save a penny (I'm assuming the cost difference isn't HUGE?) </p> <p>Also, I'd be thinking about new friend and playdates - chances are the families you'll meet at the closer school will live closer to you. If you're meeting families at the farther school who live 20 minutes in the opposite direction that you do....that's not very helpful for making new friends/getting settled in your new community.</p> <p>Finally, for preschool review...I was able to get great feedback from our pediatrician when we first moved. If you take your kids for a well-child get acquainted visit before you move, definitely ask him/her. If they've been in the community a long time, they are bound to have advice and opinions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589855 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:10:13 +0000 lilteacherbee 2589855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO will be starting preschool (3.5 hours, twice a week) in September and it will be 30 minutes away. However, its only 10 minutes from both my parents house and my in-laws (who we visit regularly throughout the week anyway). There's only one preschool here in our town I would consider, but they were already filled for 2x/week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589849 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:05:14 +0000 fancyfunction 2589849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always thought I wouldn't mind a farther drive but our school is about 10 min away and that is enough. I make the drive 4 times in 3 hours and have some time to do errands, housework and try to relax for 20 min or so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589787 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 12:25:38 +0000 Foodnerd81 2589787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: currently c goes to a 2 or 3 hour drop off thing once a week that is a 3 minute drive from my house. When it's only 2 hours it's really not a lot of time even being that close! It's 3 hours in the summer and it's much nicer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589768 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:57:58 +0000 Truth Bombs 2589768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I think meeting kids C will go to Kindergarten with seals the deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589766 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:56:14 +0000 daniellemybelle 2589766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO's school is about 12-15 minutes away and she will be there for 4 hours. DH will do drop off and I will do pick up. I honestly think the days I have to do both because of work obligations for DH will feel very short! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589765 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:55:40 +0000 snowjewelz 2589765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I literally just googled and googled and googled.</p> <p>Also eventually joined a local moms group; but all the "highly recommended" ones were too expensive and we ended up somewhere cheaper and that we're happy at! </p> <p>Def try different searches b/c the cncenter we're at now I totally found by chance after I was this close to saying yes to a home care. </p> <p>I would not want the place to be over 10 min away from work or home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589664 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:32:33 +0000 Foodnerd81 2589664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't toured either one yet so obviously that will factor in. But I don't think the further one is any better, just cheaper. But I'm thinking 40 minutes a day of my time is worth a lot too. Talking and emailing with both schools, and they both sounded really nice. Also the close one is in my new town so better for meeting neighbors and kids C will be going to school with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589639 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:17:22 +0000 youboots 2589639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ts daycare and what will eventually be her preschool is 15 minutes away on country roads. There are tons of options within 5-8 minutes but when I toured her current school I was more comfortable with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589636 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:15:44 +0000 fuzzypeaches 2589636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the same boat! Who knew I had to sign up LO at birth in my new area? :(<br /> I ended up choosing between 5ish min away but $$$$$$$ vs 2 min away but requiring a lot of parent participation and only 2d/wk were available vs 10-15 min away and seems ok and price more reasonable. </p> <p>I ended up choosing the last even though my dream was something closer. I still don't know if I made the right decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589602 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:47:08 +0000 looch 2589602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That would be a total of 80 minutes in the car, though, assuming you go back and forth. I would feel like there are so many other things I could do in that time that it wouldn't be worth it to me unless I got a really bad feeling about the close school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589599 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:42:28 +0000 ValentineMommy 2589599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the minority. If the school was worth it, I'd drive 20 minutes. My son is going to a new (to him) school next year. It's a 15 minute drive, as opposed to the 2 minute drive we had this year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589595 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:37:10 +0000 cascademom 2589595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer to have the kids close to home when it comes to daycare, preschool, etc. We picked the closer daycare to our house that could offer enrollment to two kids at the same time. I didn't want to run around to two different places for each kid. Lucky for us, the daycare also does after school care, so we'll stay have them in the same place when LO #1 starts kindergarten in fall 2017. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589589 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:32:09 +0000 yin 2589589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally would not mind 20 minutes away, but I live in the suburbs where it is common to drive 20 minutes to get to a destination. My kids go to preschool that is only 7-10 minutes driving distance away. I'll admit that it is very convenient. Another mother in LO's class traveled 30-35 minutes everyday with two kids who had different schedules (3 hour morning for her 3 year old and 5 hour program for her 5 year old). I don't know how she did it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589576 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:13:55 +0000 yoursilverlining 2589576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unless the one 8 minutes away is horrendous compared to the one 20 minutes away or a *ton* more money, that’s the one I would do. Realistically speaking, it’s 2.5 hours a day. Even if that’s 5 days a week, it isn’t like I would expect them to have a groundbreaking experience in that amount of time. That’s fun and socialization and making some friends. Your time is worth money too, remember. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589574 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:11:51 +0000 cat620 2589574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: I agree with this. I already feel like I spend most of my son's preschool time dropping him off and picking him up, and his preschool is only 5 minutes away. The problem is there is a car line, and everyone starts lining up 10-15 minutes early. If you're not there early, you're at the very end of the line and have to wait forever. And if you want to walk in and get your kid, all the parking spaces are gone! I'm not sure if it would be the same situation for you, but it's something to think about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589569 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:09:00 +0000 ShootingStar 2589569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't do 20 minutes. The 8 minute would be probably the absolute max, 5 would be preferable. Since it's only 2.5 hours you don't want to do drop off, get home and then feel like you sat down for 5 minutes before you have to go back out to get her. Either that you'll end up trying to kill time for 2 hours close to her school and never getting much of a break. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589562 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:01:20 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2589562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have other business or activities around the further away one? Or after drop off would it be a completely wasted trip and you would turn around and come home? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-would-you-drive-for-half-day-preschool#post-2589559 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:59:59 +0000 Foodnerd81 2589559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are moving at the end of the summer and now I'm scrambling to try to find a preschool for my just about 3 year old. I'm curious, how far/ long would you consider driving for a 2.5 hour half day of preschool? How much extra would you pay for someplace closer? </p> <p>In this case, there is a school 8 minutes away that is more expensive than one that is 20 minutes away. I haven't toured any yet but have friends at both. We are in the city now so I don't know what is a normal drive time. </p> <p>Also how do you go about finding a preschool if you aren't already in the area? Google is overwhelming. I tried posting on a list serve but it is for a pretty broad area and I only got one response. </p>