When Free Isn't Free

We have been considering whether or not to enroll our younger son in a charter kindergarten this year (at age 4, turning 5 in November) or wait until he meets the birthdate requirement next year and send him to the district school to which he can ride on the bus with his brother. Obviously waiting seems like the best option, but I work from home and it is getting a bit hectic as the boy is practically itching to learn to read and write. I try to spend as much time with him as possible, but I do also have an obligation to spend a certain number of hours on the computer for my teaching position. There is no money for preschool; I have no friends with whom I could kid swap. So, when I saw a flyer at our local bookstore for a free all-day kindergarten at a charter school that is somewhat near to our house, I was ecstatic; here was my chance - it was free, sort of close, and seemed like a great place.

At dinner that night, I broached the subject with my husband. Could you help me figure out whether we should sign C. up for this free kindergarten, I asked as sweetly and respectfully as I could manage while wanting to jump out of my own skin with excitement. Sure. The school is about 12 miles from our house. Earlier that day, I had clocked the commute at 20 minutes and had made up my mind already that 1 hour 20 minutes of my day lost to drive time was a fair trade to gain 6 hours of uninterrupted work time. But, here my husband was adding up the miles for an entire school year. Twenty four miles roundtrip, twice a day, times 180 school days is...8,640 total miles you would drive just so C. could be out of your hair. What? That's 24 tanks of gas and two oil changes that I would add to an already stretched-to-bursting budget. At nearly $3 a gallon for gas and $20 to change fluids each time, this adds up to almost $2,000 over the course of one school year. This is when "free" is definitely not free.

Teaching an old dog new tricks

I'm taking a workshop to help students become better writers and what I noticed is that I need to become a better writer, too. To that end, I will be posting journal topics as well as reponding to my own questions. My friends and family, you will be able to enjoy new posts from me! Primavera Students, you will create your own blog and link it to mine, as a way of earning extra credit. Beginning tomorrow, I will be writing about my vacation preparations. Next week, you'll be able to read about our adventures as we travel from here, to Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, Page, AZ, Zion National Park in Utah, Las Vegas, NV and the Hoover Dam. I hope you enjoy and I welcome your feedback!!!