Anonymous wrote:PP that is the commute we are possibly looking at in the future. I would think the morning would be longer with rush hour, and the afternoon would be shorter, since it's around 3:30, or do you stay for clubs/sports in the afternoon?

I should qualify that I mis-typed. It's 13 miles from home to school, then additional 6 to work (thus the 19). So that first 13 miles is the 30 minutes.

As for the timing, it's surprisingly easy in the morning. We take Rt.123 to the Beltway, and then on to River Road. At 7:30 there are usually few delays as we're on the road before most commuters leave home. On the other hand, pickup at 3:30 tends to run smack into the beginning of rush hour going from Maryland back to Virginia (which seems to run from 3:30 to about 8:30 pm). I don't get it either. People in this area seem to work odd hours.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1.8 miles. 10 minutes each way, twice a day, with traffic. Wouldn't have it any other way. Remember that you have to do this EVERY DAY. No school is worth the hassle of a commute, for you or your kids.

I disagree. I switched to a school an hour from my home for high school and it made all the difference in the world to me. The academics were far superior, with many more opportunities for acceleration. The classes were much smaller, and the teachers more friendly and available. Ironically, the students were far less competitive with each other, perhaps because pretty much everyone who did well was accepted into a top-tier college. I was happy to have the commute time with my mother, and I think we had some of our best conversations back on those drives. Not the case for everyone, of course, but the right school can make a big difference, and may be worth a commute.

Similar experience for me and my HS in Massachusetts. I drive my kids about 1/2 hour each way here in DC and I don't mind for the same reasons. Great time to catch up and talk.

PP that is the commute we are possibly looking at in the future. I would think the morning would be longer with rush hour, and the afternoon would be shorter, since it's around 3:30, or do you stay for clubs/sports in the afternoon?

We have been doing the Vienna to Potomac commute for three years now. It is about 19 miles door-to-door in about 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the afternoon. It has not been too bad, although it can get rough when there's an accident on the American Legion Bridge (as there often seems to be). We have carpooled in the past, which has relieved some of the stress. We may consider the bus in the future, but frankly my DC and I enjoy the uninterrupted time together on the drive.

There are kids coming from as far away as Alexandria, Germantown, and even Stafford(!!!!). Compared to theirs, our commute is a piece of cake.

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to figure out how one can drive 5 miles in 18 minutes in rush hour traffic around StA?

We are driving from close-in Chevy Chase in MD.

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to figure out how one can drive 5 miles in 18 minutes in rush hour traffic around StA?

Depends on where you're driving from. I don't drive to StA, but I believe I could travel 5 miles to StA in about 18 minutes from where I live, because I live east of Rock Creek.

Our kids are in school in NWDC and have several options for getting to/from school: 10-minute drive or 20-minute bike ride or 45-minute walk, plus option to take Metro (20- 30 minutes). It's worked out really well for us, especially as the kids have reach middle school and high school years. You have to keep in mind that high school kids often stay at school in the afternoons for sports, theatre or other after-school activities. Once they do leave -- nearly always around 6-ish -- they are hungry, in need of a shower if they've been doing sports, and facing several hours of HW. A long commute can really makes life tougher for them --and, of course, it means less sleep in the a.m. as they need to leave earlier.

On the weekends, the logistics of having many/most friends living farther away can also be a challenge. Our kids have a number of friends who live in VA and who spend many nights at our house and at the homes of other friends. This isn't a problem at all for us -- they're delightful kids -- but I know their parents worry they are wearing out their welcome. Finally, I should add that having classmates and teammates living nearby can also make your life easier because of the carpooling possibilities. Bottom line: I would definitely look at the schools closer to you or consider moving if you really love a school that's farther away.

I'm trying to figure out how one can drive 5 miles in 18 minutes in rush hour traffic around StA?