How far would you travel to farm out academics?

[Angela in NC]

Is it worth 80 miles round trip for an excellent Latin, History, English teacher (I have heard he is excellent)? Is it worth it when you also have to have younger sibling in the car too? Or would I be better off doing Latin online and focusing on the math and science bent that my dd has? I feel capable (with a good curriculum) to teach history and english. What would you do? I have not yet farmed out anything, but we are approaching the HS years and I may need too. Thanks for the advice. Angela

[Myrtle]

How many times per week?

Is this a daily trip?

I'd do it once or twice a week.

[Kelli in TN]

Are we talking 80 miles round trip as in you travel 40 miles there, 40 miles home and then a few hours later you travel 40 miles there and 40 miles home?

Or do you travel 40 miles there, hang out with the sibs and do workbooks in the car and then 40 miles home?

And like Myrtle asked, how many times per week?

Count the cost carefully.

[CynthiaOK]

I would do it if it is for a high schooler and I didn't feel I was doing a good enough job with those subjects. I don't think I would look at having the younger sibling along as a problem - in fact, I would view it as a bonus. You can use the hours the older one is gone to focus on the younger one. I have found that those focused hours are far more productive!

I enrolled my son in a concurrent class at a university about 40 miles from home. He wasn't yet driving so I took him (2x weekly). I really didn't want to 'teach' trigonometry so I utilized the university. I have 3 youngers who went along. We would find ourselves a nice niche with a table and do school. I'm amazed at how much we accomplished without all the distractions of home.

[Gwen in VA]

I'd go the online route. 40 miles each way is a LOT of driving! (But we're from the East, so this may indicate a parochial viewpoint!)

[Rebecca in VA]

My 16-year-old is a junior in a classical Christian school several towns away. Usually my husband takes him to school early in the morning, and I pick him up in the afternoon. If my husband is out of town, I drive both morning and afternoon. It's very expensive ($8.00 per trip in tolls alone) and time-consuming.

HOWEVER, he will come out of the situation with an honors degree from a respected school. This is my gifted child who has always been asocial and unmotivated. Two years ago he was "being homeschooled," but that mostly meant that he sat in his room and stared out the window. He had to be pushed out of his comfort zone and forced into dealing with other people. Thankfully, he has responded well, and he is now happy and involved in many activities.

[Jan P.]

It would depend on the costs of all of this. Is this teacher charging something? How much gas will this cost over the entire period of the tutoring? My dh drives about this far every day, and he is paying at least $200/month in gas bills ( probably more). It might be cheaper to use an Online program and there are so great ones out there. It would have to be a very good teacher at a reasonable price for me to go that far.

[Angela in NC]

I am in prayer of the direction we need to go.

[Plaid Dad]

We routinely drive almost that far just to get to the closest Target. ;) So yes, for the right teacher, I would certainly do it, particularly if it was only once a week and the cost of the tutor and gas fit into my budget.

[StaceyinLA]

run errands and stuff while they're in class. I think it's worth it.