Single dad moving to DC with 3 year old - recommendations for where to move and preK 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rent IB for Shepherd. Easy commute. Tree-lined neighborhood and even if you get on Waitlist for just living IB, you should be able to get in by end of summer. If not, there is a lovely new private preschool in the neighborhood.

This is actually not a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Brookland is much less urban / more livable, for what it's worth. If you pick the right spot, there's less traffic noise and way more green trees and playgrounds. Also less general mayhem.

OP here: Any specific part of Brookland you'd recommend? For some reason, having lived in DC before, the only image I have of Brookland is the street with the Busboys and Poets, so I can't imagine living there - there's much more to Brookland than I realize obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Brookland is much less urban / more livable, for what it's worth. If you pick the right spot, there's less traffic noise and way more green trees and playgrounds. Also less general mayhem.

OP here: Any specific part of Brookland you'd recommend? For some reason, having lived in DC before, the only image I have of Brookland is the street with the Busboys and Poets, so I can't imagine living there - there's much more to Brookland than I realize obviously.

Dude: Google is your friend. Look at a map, drive around Brookland.

[Anonymous]

Lots of crime in Brookland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Brookland is much less urban / more livable, for what it's worth. If you pick the right spot, there's less traffic noise and way more green trees and playgrounds. Also less general mayhem.

OP here: Any specific part of Brookland you'd recommend? For some reason, having lived in DC before, the only image I have of Brookland is the street with the Busboys and Poets, so I can't imagine living there - there's much more to Brookland than I realize obviously.

Dude: Google is your friend. Look at a map, drive around Brookland.

He doesn't live here yet, see thread title.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Brookland is much less urban / more livable, for what it's worth. If you pick the right spot, there's less traffic noise and way more green trees and playgrounds. Also less general mayhem.

OP here: Any specific part of Brookland you'd recommend? For some reason, having lived in DC before, the only image I have of Brookland is the street with the Busboys and Poets, so I can't imagine living there - there's much more to Brookland than I realize obviously.

Well, I live across South Dakota in Riggs Park, but if I were to choose a part of Brookland to live in (and rent not buy), I would rent one of the single family homes in the areas around 12th Street / 13th Street / A little further east on either side of Michigan Avenue.

[Anonymous]

Here are some homes I would consider renting.
If you're willing to spend more money there are nicer homes available.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2852-Belair-Pl-NE-Washington-DC-20018/504136_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4314-12th-St-NE-Washington-DC-20017/496946_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1210-Allison-St-NE-Washington-DC-20017/497652_zpid/

[Anonymous]

What about 16th St Heights and/or Crestwood?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of crime in Brookland.

Not nearly as much as in Columbia Heights. Check actual crime statistics before you make decisions on based on perceived crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of crime in Brookland.

Not nearly as much as in Columbia Heights. Check actual crime statistics before you make decisions on based on perceived crime.

OP, join the group “Brookland DC” on Facebook and ask folks who live there. Lots of shootings in Brookland. Lots in Columbia Heights too.

[Anonymous]

I say this as someone who grew up with a single dad. Why is that an important part of your search? What difference does it make it you are a single dad, single mom, foster family ect?

You want a good school for your kid. Not sure why your gender/household status matters at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who grew up with a single dad. Why is that an important part of your search? What difference does it make it you are a single dad, single mom, foster family ect?

You want a good school for your kid. Not sure why your gender/household status matters at all

Some schools have better before and after care options that could be a positive in a single parent household.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who grew up with a single dad. Why is that an important part of your search? What difference does it make it you are a single dad, single mom, foster family ect?

You want a good school for your kid. Not sure why your gender/household status matters at all

He probably thought that he would get a ton of free insightful advice from bored UM women on this board. And nine pages later...he's correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say this as someone who grew up with a single dad. Why is that an important part of your search? What difference does it make it you are a single dad, single mom, foster family ect?

You want a good school for your kid. Not sure why your gender/household status matters at all

OP here. Lots of reasons I included it.

Main reason: I'm new to this and have no idea what does or doesn't matter. So I just included as much info as possible because I'm nervous about the move and single parenting.

I want a good school yes, but I don't have the support of another parent or community to just go with the best. I work in a certain part of the city - if I get a call one day from school saying my kid is sick, what do I do? So people have pointed out that since it's just me, I should try aiming for a shorter commute, as an example of how including that info changed advice.

Including my gender and household status on another thread also showed that I probably am gonna need a full time nanny, something I didn't think or realize until others pointed it out.

So no I did not include it to find bored UM (urban moms??) as someone else suggested, just trying to get as much help/guidance/direction as possible. Another reason was in case there were other single parents who could give me their advice/input as well, which I did receive, as well as looking for other single dads to help start building my community.

And lastly I think it does also help with factoring in that I might not want to be in a part of the city that's comprised of mostly old retired folks and totally secluded from other young 30s crowd (not sure if such a neighborhood exists!) if I want to also be able to meet someone, though that's lower on the priority list, but certainly something to consider in my search for where to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of crime in Brookland.

Not nearly as much as in Columbia Heights. Check actual crime statistics before you make decisions on based on perceived crime.

OP, join the group “Brookland DC” on Facebook and ask folks who live there. Lots of shootings in Brookland. Lots in Columbia Heights too.

Great suggestion, thanks so much!