Anyone regret not taking a good spot when you had the chance?

[Anonymous]

Just checked our lottery numbers and we jumped down to #2 for Key for pre-k 4, so it feels like we will probably get in at the last minute. We are perfectly happy with our CBO for this upcoming year but don’t have good plans beyond that as we wouldn’t stay at our IB for more than a few years and we’d prefer to just send our kid to one elementary instead of jumping around. We probably wouldn’t buy again, so we would just rent somewhere with a solid IB ahead of K. The Palisades wouldn’t have been our first choice to move to since we are a 1 car family and it helps to be near the metro, though we could make it work and we could be happy there. I’m more concerned about the commute this year to Key which would be at least 45 minutes from home to Key to DH’s office and it would be totally on DH to do drop off and pick up because of our work locations. Not to mention our kid gets car sick pretty easily. I’m also very concerned about finding aftercare since it seems like it’s impossible to get into Key aftercare and we don’t have an option to pick our kid up at 3:30. We really love being a short walk from our CBO, but I wonder if we will regret not accepting the spot when Kindergarten rolls around and we inevitably do poorly in the lottery. I see lots of people saying that things will just work out, but I’m wondering if there’s anyone who regrets not taking a spot because things didn’t actually work out.

[Anonymous]

i wouldn’t do it. a short commute for elementary school is invaluable.

[Anonymous]

If you're already planning to rent somewhere (and likely not that area) ahead of K, I wouldn't take this spot. If you didn't have any plan for getting a decent spot anywhere I would say suck it up.

[Anonymous]

If you are considering moving to the Palisades, you'll be in for kindergarten without worrying about the lottery. If you're happy where you are and planning to move, I would not take the PK4 lottery spot.

[Anonymous]

Key gives you the Hardy/MacArthur feeder which is going to be harder and harder to get as MacArthur gets solidified.
I would take it now

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it, especially if that's a conservative commute estimate. Traffic will get much worse once school starts and if the Return to Office Mandates start coming true. That's so much car time for anyone. For a kid who gets carsick, that's torture!

FWIW to answer your title question, I am so thankful we didn't pick the first "good" spot we got, but I do understand the anxiety of giving something up.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the responses! And to PP, I think you’re right that it’s a conservative estimate for the commute. Especially not knowing how long drop off would take. I think we’re definitely leaning toward not taking the spot. We have had such an easy commute for so long that I think I’m underestimating how valuable that is because I don’t know anything different!

[Anonymous]

It seems like you do not actually want to go to Key. "The Palisades wouldn't be our first choice" and "I guess we could make it work" are not good reasons to take on this commute or to move there.

You can bide your time through PK4, the K and 1st grade lotteries are much easier, and failing that you can move to somewhere you're actually enthusiastic about, which clearly isn't Key.