Amazing preschool 25 minutes away vs. pretty good preschool 5 minutes away

Anonymous
To me it depends on what your needs are during this time, as well. Are you planning to work or will you be able to run errands or attend to other personal/family needs in the vicinity during this time? That would weigh into my decision. As someone mentioned upthread, if you're a SAHM and quality of the school is the #1 priority, the extra 50ish minutes a day may not be a deal-breaker.

Proximity was a huge factor in choosing a preschool for us. We could walk or bike to ours and I loved that as part of our daily routine.
Anonymous
20 min longer drive does not seem a lot. Our kids went to a preschool that is 10 min drive away, but with parking and drop off was more like 40 min to get there and back. Great school. We planned for private elementary so “great” was much more important than “convenient”.
Anonymous
5 minutes away, hands down.
Anonymous
I've done the 25 minutes each way half day for camp. While it's sort of novel to pack in errands and doctors appts and sit at a coffee shop for a week or two, it's a freaking slog.

The only way it's worth it is if it meets a child's special needs, or if you have the time and $ to spend those few hours at a nearby gym or running errands like groceries or lunch or nails (i.e. luxury SAHM life). Or if it's on the way to work.

Do you plan to have another kid in the next year or two? If so, definitely don't do the 25 minutes away one!
Anonymous
5 minutes drive! Every preschool will love your child!

Every place they give creative activities, outdoor play and relax time to all children.
Choose the close one OP! And the kids will be best friends because they're all from the same neighborhood!!
Anonymous
The amazing preschool would have to be super super amazing and even then I probably would choose the close one. In fact i did look at a super amazing preschool - but being a solo mom - the fact that I would have to pay for preschool on top of daycare led me to conclude the pretty good daycare was just fine - super amazing was not worth the hassle. Now if the pretty good preschool was awful that might change my calculation - but pretty good is just fine at that age.

Unless you have stuff to do in the neighborhood of the amazing daycare that commute seems painful. (I'm trying to imagine what it would be like having only 3 hours of school and driving almost an hour back and forth so only a 2 hour break.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I've done the 25 minutes each way half day for camp. While it's sort of novel to pack in errands and doctors appts and sit at a coffee shop for a week or two, it's a freaking slog.

The only way it's worth it is if it meets a child's special needs, or if you have the time and $ to spend those few hours at a nearby gym or running errands like groceries or lunch or nails (i.e. luxury SAHM life). Or if it's on the way to work.

Do you plan to have another kid in the next year or two? If so, definitely don't do the 25 minutes away one!

This. Is it 25 minutes each way? Or 25 minutes round trip. Because if it's each way, you're in the car nearly 2 hours for a half day program. I picked a school 20 minutes away because it was right next to my office, which was great until COVID. Now that my oldest is starting Kindergarten, we're trying to get our youngest in a Pre-K close to home, because it's so much more convenient.
Anonymous
I did the 25 min thing when I first moved here, I didn't know the area and took the recommendations of friends of an "amazing preschool." Looking back, I'd do a closer program. Amazing meant people knew each other, great community, but it doesn't work when people KNOW you live 25 minutes away and won't be in the same school district/social circle in the future. Playdates, birthdays, other kid classes are painful when it's all a long drive.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:There are a few preschools that are absolutely worth the trek if it’s feasible for your family. A child with different needs who gets a spot at NCRC? Worth it. An entry year spot at St. John’s (Reggio) where they will loop all three years? Worth it unless you really want academics. There are many public and private school parents from MD and VA who send their kids to these schools because they offer something unique and worth the $$ and hassle. I wouldn’t travel for any of the local Montessori’s since they aren’t *that* different. Same with the prek3 programs at top privates. I don’t know much about Washington Waldorf but that is a destination school for different reasons.







I did the 25 mins for NCRC
Anonymous
Start now: not feeling you need to maximize every decision. Good enough will do. Pick the close one.
Anonymous
5 min away hands down
Anonymous
We have relatives who put more thought into selecting their barbecue than picking their kids’ preschool. They’re happy and life is easy since they aren’t trying to maximize. But a few years on they are genuinely shocked at what my kids have been able to experience from ages 2-5. How passionate and committed the teachers are. How we see them outside of school. How tight the community is. The types of materials they work with. The problem-solving and outdoor time. And the cost is comparable.

As PP’s say, you don’t have to maximize at all, and commute matters. But it can also be very worth it.
Anonymous
Do you pick “good enough” for the people *you* spend time with? For your own therapist, say, or a partner in a business? Our kids’ teachers are often the closest adults to them besides us. They are our partners in raising our kids. And the early years really matter.

Some preschool teachers see their work as a calling, engage in tons of professional development and will only work in very well-staffed environments with ample support. They share meaningful communication daily. Others are part of the for-profit group care world. At my children’s preschool the teachers spend equal time preparing for class as they do in class. At other schools they get 20 minutes to prep.

Obviously none of this is necessary and we are lucky. But why not at least try to maximize something that can be maximized for your children’s enjoyment? We have many options in this area and the philosophies vary hugely. Aiden Montessori is totally different than Washington Waldorf, for example. Different enough that the same child may thrive at one and be miserable at the other.
Anonymous
Closer.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Do you pick “good enough” for the people *you* spend time with? For your own therapist, say, or a partner in a business? Our kids’ teachers are often the closest adults to them besides us. They are our partners in raising our kids. And the early years really matter.

Some preschool teachers see their work as a calling, engage in tons of professional development and will only work in very well-staffed environments with ample support. They share meaningful communication daily. Others are part of the for-profit group care world. At my children’s preschool the teachers spend equal time preparing for class as they do in class. At other schools they get 20 minutes to prep.

Obviously none of this is necessary and we are lucky. But why not at least try to maximize something that can be maximized for your children’s enjoyment? We have many options in this area and the philosophies vary hugely. Aiden Montessori is totally different than Washington Waldorf, for example. Different enough that the same child may thrive at one and be miserable at the other.


Even excellent preschools / private schools have a few dud teachers.
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