To Mbachur: I beg to differ. I can definitely quote Rabbi Orlowek on this, and he is not a daas yachid. He says that it is so crucial for kids – yes, boys – to be home during these critical years that assuming that they are living in a stable loving home, it might be better for them to be in a local yeshiva that is not so perfect rather than out of town at a perfect yeshiva. Of course, there is the caveat that this is just a mehalech and eitza tova, and the decision should be made carefully by the parents in conjunction with his rebbeim who know him.
We’ve been spoiled. Our local yeshiva is minutes away and there’ve been times I’ve barely seen my boys till Shabbos. And they do their own laundry, to boot, so they are getting some valuable skills, are they not?
P.S. Sense of dependency?