momto4kings Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Would you send your son to a school that is 15 miles away and it meant that you would be the one driving him back home? (In the morning he can take public transportation, but in the pm there are no busses at the right time.) We are in UT. This a public charter high school and the students are able to earn a two year college degree for free. Although the school is required to accept (through lottery) anyone who applies, it is clear the school is not for slackers. They require an extra math, science and two engeneering classes in addition to the state graduation requirements. My son insists he really wants to go there next school year. I'd like him to go there, mostly because I want to give him the freedom to chose and because getting college credits for free is very attractive to me. My concerns: --he is exceptionally smart, but needs external motivation (mom &dad staying on top of it) to work hard; --a particular girl might be going there --the long drive for me --I have another son in a different charter school who also needs transportation and will need to spend extra time on the road with me to pick up older brother --I'll continue to hs two youger children and take a college class myself. --because we moved here a year and a half ago and he has been attending a school outside our neighborhood, he has no friends in the neighborhood (walking distance, church congregation boudaries). If he were to attend the neighborhood high school he would be bussed back and forth and he will be with the same kids he sees at church on Sunday, scouts, and youth group activities. I just don't know what to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CarolineUK Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I have a friend who takes her two children that distance to school every day, drives back home, then does the same trip again in the evening to pick them up again. However, she doesn't have any other children, nor does she work. I think what you're describing, involving other trips with other children and an already very full schedule, sounds most unappealing. If it were the only realistic option, for myself, I might do it, but I would expect to feel very worn down and resentful, which is not good. Only you can know whether you could cope with the extra time, effort, and in the current climate expense with regards to fuel for your car (although I think fuel costs are probably considerably more here in the UK than over there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 If I thought this was the best school of choice for my son, I would have no problem with the commute, or requiring other schedules to be modified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesa Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I did this for awhile for a Montessori preschool. My son went M-F. The school was 35 minutes away... it was somewhere around 20 miles. The gas was a huge issue, as well as the time I had to spend in the car driving to "town" and back twice a day. All while trying to school my older kids and run to town and back before all our after school activities started in the evenings. Had it only been once a day it wouldnt have been such an issue. As it was I only made it a year. It was too much driving to get school done with my older kids. If you decide to send your ds there, I dont think the driving would be too big of an issue if you were only going once a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I would try to make it work. It sounds like a great school and a wonderful opportunity. Having those college credits will be something he (and you) won't regret. He might become internally motivated with such difficult classes. For our dc, I'd be very clear about what happens if this doesn't work out, ie if he slacks off and fails, he knows what happens next. This is a good time for him to take responsibility for his studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a magnet Early College program here. It is 15.2 miles from my house. If my kids were interested in going, I would send them in a heartbeat! So far, my kids have expressed interest in homeschooling through college if possible, so I am thinking it won't work for us, but to answer your question, YES I would! Now, ours also had a bussing system. We can take them to drop points and a bus will pick them up there. Maybe there is an option like that or a carpooling option????? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 If I thought this was the best school of choice for my son, I would have no problem with the commute, or requiring other schedules to be modified. Yep, me, too. Of course, many people think it's insane how much I drive. But, sure, if I thought this particular school was the best option for one of my children, I'd make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) YES!!!!!! We are also in Utah and I will be driving dd 9.5 miles each way to and from her charter school. That's about the same amount of time in car daily as you will be driving. When dd is older maybe she can bus or carpool, but she's young now and we are the very farthest stop from the school so it would be 1.5 hours each way on the bus. No thanks. I'm driving. I'm already planning carschooling a lot of my planned afterschool stuff, and scheduling a weekly stop after school at a huge park we will drive past, etc. I think I've looked at that school (planning ahead, lol, as dd is a science buff) and I would totally do it. I am also planning to stop at that same large park on the way home & do a lot of my schooling with the younger dd there after letting her play off some extra energy, & maybe bringing a snack, and therefore get most of our schooling done around the drive route itself. Edited March 23, 2011 by LittleIzumi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 If I thought this was the best school of choice for my son, I would have no problem with the commute, or requiring other schedules to be modified. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I do that right now to send my oldest two to a charter, middle school. My dh drops them off in the morning on his way to work and I pick them up every afternoon. It is worth it. One advantage of a commute is that it gives you time to find out about their day, homework load and what is on their mind. If your children are going to attend school out of the home then a 15 minute drive will give you a chance to reconnect without other daily distractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 We do this. Ds1 (10th grade) attends a private school that is about 17 miles from our home. This year ds2 (7th grade) is also taking 2 classes there. I also have a 6yo dd. We drive there in the morning. Ds2 goes to his first class. The rest of us wait in the car because ds1 doesn't start until 2nd period. After he goes in dd and I run a quick errand because we have to be back to pick up ds2 after 2nd period. Then we go home. Later in the afternoon I drive back to pick up ds1. Part of what make this manageable is it's a University Model School and the boys only go 3 days/week. Next year ds1 will have classes 5 days/week. I'm not ready to think how that's going to work, as the Tues/Thurs classes are on a different schedule than the M-W-F classes. But so far it has been worth the effort for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 If I thought this was the best school of choice for my son, I would have no problem with the commute, or requiring other schedules to be modified. :iagree: But it would have to be a lot better than the local ps high, not just a bit better. Can he take dual credit classes at the ps or not. Here, all the high schools have dual credit classes, so it wouldn't be worth it just for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Maybe there is an option like that or a carpooling option????? He might become internally motivated with such difficult classes. For our dc, I'd be very clear about what happens if this doesn't work out, ie if he slacks off and fails, he knows what happens next. This is a good time for him to take responsibility for his studies. Exactly what I was going to say ... :001_smile: Good luck! These decisions are hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 What did you mean exactly by there not being any buses at the right time in the evening? How long would he have to wait? Waiting for a bus is a good time to do homework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto4kings Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 What did you mean exactly by there not being any buses at the right time in the evening? How long would he have to wait? Waiting for a bus is a good time to do homework. He'll have to wait 1 1/2 hrs after school, coming home around 6 pm. I don't know if he'll be able to stay that long at the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Is there a coffee shop or fast food place or such near the bus stop? He could buy a small snack (probably still cheaper than gas), and work on his homework while he waits, assuming he can't, say, hang out in the school library until close to time for the bus. It would make for getting home late, but if he's got his homework done or nearly so most days, that's not so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.