Why do some parents of DC private school children choose to live in the suburbs?

[Anonymous]

I'm really puzzled: I thought that the main reason why people choose to take on a long commute from the suburbs is so that the kids can attend good public schools. If you send your child to a private school in DC, why do you live in the suburbs?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I sent my kids to a DC private school for a while. I live 1/2 mile over the DC line so distance was not a big deal. I chose to live in Bethesda long before I had kids because I grew up here and like it. I lived in DC for a while but at that time it was not ideal. Had my apartment and car broken into, city services were lacking and difficult to access. I know things have changed since but in the meantime I am back in Bethesda and have no plans to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sent my kids to a DC private school for a while. I live 1/2 mile over the DC line so distance was not a big deal. I chose to live in Bethesda long before I had kids because I grew up here and like it. I lived in DC for a while but at that time it was not ideal. Had my apartment and car broken into, city services were lacking and difficult to access. I know things have changed since but in the meantime I am back in Bethesda and have no plans to move.

Two people were stabbed last night (one killed) at the Woodley Park Metro. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[Anonymous]

We want a private school experience for our child that has religions. So we are at a DC School. We live closer than a lot of DC people..no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Also, don't forget that sometimes people move to the suburbs with the idea that they'll send their kids to public but later change their mind for a host of reasons. Some reasons could be subsequently learning the schools aren't as good as they thought, special needs of their children that cannot be addressed in public school, or changed financial circumstances or shifting financial priorities of the family.

[Anonymous]

a) not all suburbs have great schools;
c) some of us start of in the suburbs and like the place we live, and don't particularly want to sell up and move just to be a couple miles closer to the kids' school;
b) not all suburbs are a long commute. I live in Alexandria, and get to work downtown each morning more quickly than my friends in NW DC.

[Anonymous]

Suburbs generally have a higher quality of living than in D.C. Plus, some of us like having representation in Congress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:a) not all suburbs have great schools;
c) some of us start of in the suburbs and like the place we live, and don't particularly want to sell up and move just to be a couple miles closer to the kids' school;
b) not all suburbs are a long commute. I live in Alexandria, and get to work downtown each morning more quickly than my friends in NW DC.

This. And, for some of us our jobs might not be in DC and our choice of home location is a balance between school and work.

[Anonymous]

Because I like that my boys can ride their bikes around their neigbhorhood and I don't have to supervise them or worry. The minute they stop, though, I'm moving back in.

[Anonymous]

We live in Chevy Chase, MD, only a few blocks from DC. We just happen to really like this neighborhood. It's a 15 minute drive to our private school, which we do not find to be burdensome.

[Anonymous]

Where you live is where you live, which sometimes is a decision made in advance of making a school choice (if you go the private route). And some people dont want to live in DC, with the high cost of living, rats, parking issues, etc. Also, living in MoCo, for example, also offers the "back up" plan of public school in case things in the DC private dont work out, or you get sick of paying in excess of $30K for private. We looked at homes in AU park in DC and found that for the price, we did not feel it was worth it. We live a few miles up the road in Silver Spring and get way more house for the money, and deal with our 30 minute commute to and from home/work/school. And our neighbhorhood is family friendly and all that we want for our kids in a community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really puzzled: I thought that the main reason why people choose to take on a long commute from the suburbs is so that the kids can attend good public schools. If you send your child to a private school in DC, why do you live in the suburbs?

Thanks.

First, it's private school. As long as you are willing to pay (and commute) it's none of anyone's business where you choose to live. DC does not own the rights to privates b/c they are in DC for heavens sake.

Ok, I'm done with that.

It's very possible that people enjoy the suburbian lifestyle but want a specific type of education for their children. My own brother when to a big 3 and we lived in Rockville. I remember he looked at several with my parents and felt most comfortable at one specific. He was failing public miserably. He was bored out of his mind and decided not to do any work. He was finally challenged where he ended up and loved school after that point. I remember my father dropping him off at school on his way to work. Eventually my brother got a car (think yugo type) and would drive himself to school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sent my kids to a DC private school for a while. I live 1/2 mile over the DC line so distance was not a big deal. I chose to live in Bethesda long before I had kids because I grew up here and like it. I lived in DC for a while but at that time it was not ideal. Had my apartment and car broken into, city services were lacking and difficult to access. I know things have changed since but in the meantime I am back in Bethesda and have no plans to move.

Two people were stabbed last night (one killed) at the Woodley Park Metro. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yeah, people are getting stabbed all the time in the Woodley metro...not. The only reason you even know about it is because it was unusual. If it was typical, it wouldnt be all over the news. And no one ever gets stabbed in the 'burbs? Lululemon, anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sent my kids to a DC private school for a while. I live 1/2 mile over the DC line so distance was not a big deal. I chose to live in Bethesda long before I had kids because I grew up here and like it. I lived in DC for a while but at that time it was not ideal. Had my apartment and car broken into, city services were lacking and difficult to access. I know things have changed since but in the meantime I am back in Bethesda and have no plans to move.

Two people were stabbed last night (one killed) at the Woodley Park Metro. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yeah, people are getting stabbed all the time in the Woodley metro...not. The only reason you even know about it is because it was unusual. If it was typical, it wouldnt be all over the news. And no one ever gets stabbed in the 'burbs? Lululemon, anyone?

Georgetown. Not the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Nope, Bethesda.