would you rather bring kids up in NYC or the NY burbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grew up in Rockland County and loved it! Had a 2 acre yard, learned o drive at 15+ but was close enough to the city that we could enjoy everything it had to offer.

❤️❤️❤️

I also grew up in Rockland. It was the best childhood ever! Rockland is much more down to earth than Westchester (which I like but I recognize that it’s generally more competitive) and than Long Island. It’s a great place to raise a family.

I raised my kids in NYC and disagree with the idea that living in Rockland County somehow allows you to enjoy everything NYC has to offer. Thinking that flitting in and out on occasion is enjoying all the city has to offer is laughable and just screams “sheltered suburbanite”.

Like most people in the city, you have no idea about Rockland, do you? I went to elementary school and high school in NYC. I could get into the city faster than my cousins who lived in Brooklyn. My doctors, dentists and afterschool activities were in NYC and from the age of 12yo, I rode the subway alone. (Okay, I was usually with my sibling but no adults.) But frankly, most people don't do that. They have their kids attend school in suburbia because they prefer the suburbs (more fields for sports, etc) and go in and out of the city selectively (museums, theater, medical care). To each his own. The beauty of living in southern Rockland County is that you can make that choice because you can get into Manhatttan in under 30 minutes.

OK, I used to live in Fort Lee, NJ, so I know exactly where southern Rockland County is. There is no way you are getting into Manhattan in under 30 minutes, unless you are driving at night AND you count crossing the GWB as “Manhattan” (yeah, it’s technically correct, but it’s also at least another 20 minutes from anywhere you want to be in Manhattan).

[Anonymous]

Split time b/t Darien and Manhattan before going to boarding school. Manhattan is so, so much better than the burbs.

[Anonymous]

NYC

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I would worry about the provincialism I see in wealthy kids who grow up in NYC. Kids in suburbs around the country, especially ones focused on education, adopt the idea early on that they’ll eventually leave for education, work, whatever. They may love their hometowns, but they don’t believe their hometown is the center of the world. As a result, they are mentally open to the idea of spreading their wings as young adults.

But wealthy NYC kids grow up absorbing the message that where they live is the best place in the world. And they are so weirdly provincial about it. I’ve met native New Yorkers who won’t go to Milan or Shanghai, for Pete’s sake. There is a proud myopia that exists that’s puzzling, and it would worry me. No amount of city activity can make up for a refusal to engage with the rest of the world.

+1
I’ve seen this too. There’s also so many people who would be much happier elsewhere but their identity is dependent on staying there. Bizarre.

Yes, what is odd about native New Yorkers is that for people whose identity is so tied up in being “the best,” they are often shockingly provincial. It’s a really weird disconnect.

Yup- this is my cousins!

sure. native new yorkers are all unsophisticated and narrow minded. That totally tracks with everything we've ever heard/ read about/ seen/ understood about the entire essence of new york city since forever. Glad your cousins could nail that data point for us.

*immediately decamps to Hempstead to get some of that sweet open mindedness you always hear about coming out of Long Island.

seriously people. lot of reasons to move to the burbs but fear of my kids being provincial is not one of them.

LOLOL