Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I need some advice, thinking of relocating to WW, DH works there, I will be commuting 5 days a week. Is it possible to do that?
Also we live in jersey city now, mainly moving to WW for the school. We also looked at Edison, I have heard the commute form the train station to the homes in that area is very bad and getting a seat in the train is tough. Hence chose WW. If there is any other spot between WW and NYC( Penn )with one train commute( would like to avoid bus rides) with good public schools, please advice on that too
JerseyJ, Thank you for your reply. Gives me some hope. I am yet to meet a woman( a mom) who does this commute .
I do not think you will find that there are many working moms who make this commute. Mostly due to the logistics of being a mom and the long commute distance. I am not saying it is impossible, but for many reasons moms simply do not do it. One thing to consider is logistics of being a parent. Whom is going to watch the child before school, as well as when there are delayed openings, early dismissals, etc which frequently occur during inclement weather? What happens when (god forbid) you child becomes ill or in injured during the school day? Remember a parent must be able to come get the child from the school promptly when this happens. The majority of times, these things fall to the mom to accomplish. Obviously with you being in NYC, you would not be able to get to the ill child in a timely manner. Nor will you be able to pick up kids during an early dismissal. IIRC the express trains only run a few times early morning and evening, at other times your commute times will be much longer. In your case since your husband works in WW, and therefore would be close to your home and school, is he willing and able to assume these responsibilities? Can he stay at home with kids until the school day begins? What about leaving his job to pick up kids for early dismissals or due to (god forbid) illness? What about his employer? are they willing to accommodate his having to leave work at the drop of a hat if need be? These are things to think about before deciding on where to live. Don't get me wrong, WW is a wonderful community with great schools and plenty to offer families, just be sure you have your bases covered where your children are concerned, and that you are ok not being the one on call for your child, (and that their father will be.)
Very good advice on this thread. If I am reading this correctly, your husband would be working in West Windsor and you would be commuting?
The schools do have before hours and after hours care (but I think they have to be picked up by 6. not certain of the time, maybe someone can comment).
I think if you were both commuting it would not be workable, but if your husband is going to be working locally then it can work.
My kids are grown, and I didn't work until they were in middle school and did not need the additional programs, but I do think if you go to the train station you will see moms doing the commute. I just don't think there are too many couples where both are doing the commute (or if they are, they have live in nanny help). You do need to think about the what if's.... sickness, early dismissal for snow, etc. If you have that figured out, West Windsor will definitely work .
JerseyJ, Thank you for your reply. Gives me some hope. I am yet to meet a woman( a mom) who does this commute .
I have known several moms who have done the commute. As Koala says, it is difficult but you have the advantage of having one parent in the neighbourhood.
A lot of the Day Cares in the neighborhood have agreements with the district and bus the kids there for early closings etc. And there is early morning and after school care at all of the elementary schools.
Is it ideal? Absolutely not. What you have to decide is what you are comfortable with. Is the school district worth the effort? Is your child adaptable?
We used all the resourses of the community while we where both working and a child in elementary school.
Only you and your SO can make this decision.
And there is early morning and after school care at all of the elementary schools.
In most school districts, the aftercare programs close when school closes for inclement weather. The OP needs to make other arrangements for their child during bad weather. It also impacts in the delayed openings, (so if school is delayed 90 min, EDP is also delayed 90 min.) so again the OP would have to arrange alternative care for their child. Morning care is not available at all at the middle school level.
This is per the handbook for the extended day program
Delayed Openings If the school district announces a delayed school opening due to emergency conditions, EDP will open the corresponding number of hours of said delay. For example: school delayed 90 minutes (10:30 AM opening), EDP delayed 90 minutes (8:30 AM opening)
If school is listed as CLOSED for the day, EDP is CLOSED as well.
I am not a mom, but I live in West Windsor and commute to NY on a regular basis (not daily, however). It's most certainly the right place to move to if public schools are important to you. It also has the most express trains (along with Trenton and Hamilton) that go directly to Newark. There's a train practically every 15 minutes during rush hour.
The down side is that it's crowded at times. I find that taking the train before 8am or after 9:30am (the last express in the morning is 9:35am) mitigates having to deal with the crowd.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
