Anyone feel like DC just isnt ideal for kids?

[Anonymous]

We spent ten days outside of Akron, Ohio (fair lawn) in a very nice neighborhood where my sister and brother in law live. They have been in the area for about 4 years but this was the first time we spent real time there as they usually come here or else we meet somewhere. Let me just say it wasnt anything like the “ohio” or midwest you hear about on dcum. My nephews are split going to either a great public option and one goes to a jesuit highschool and both schools seem great. We went to a neighborhood pool a few times and the families seem normal/educated/ fun. Diversity wasnt as bad as I expected either, many black and Indian families in the development. There wasnt a “lack of things to do” either? We found beautiful metro parks with amazing hiking near by, we did things like top golf and trampoline parks. And what really got me thinking is my brother in law came for a 250k job that might pay a wee bit more in DC but not much and they got a really nice house for 560k and every dollar just seems to go much further. It really made me wonder if perhaps Ive glorified this area a bit too much. My nephews seem really happy and theres a airiness and relaxed undertone the entire household seems to have that I just yearn for. Anyone go somewhere else random and feel similar?

[Anonymous]

you know dcum will chew you out for ever considering "fly over country"....total faux pas on this website

[Anonymous]

I moved from DC to a small little town. There are of course benefits to all places. I miss the museums and never ending supply of activities and opportunities and events and diversity of thought.

I love that my kids can bike around town with their friends and that they know everyone and that they feel a great sense of place in their childhood.

But a childhood with all the opportunities they would have had in DC would also have been great. There is no reason to denigrate one place to decide you would prefer another.

[Anonymous]

We left 13 years ago. It’s a lot more expensive here now so we got in at a good time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spent ten days outside of Akron, Ohio (fair lawn) in a very nice neighborhood where my sister and brother in law live. They have been in the area for about 4 years but this was the first time we spent real time there as they usually come here or else we meet somewhere. Let me just say it wasnt anything like the “ohio” or midwest you hear about on dcum. My nephews are split going to either a great public option and one goes to a jesuit highschool and both schools seem great. We went to a neighborhood pool a few times and the families seem normal/educated/ fun. Diversity wasnt as bad as I expected either, many black and Indian families in the development. There wasnt a “lack of things to do” either? We found beautiful metro parks with amazing hiking near by, we did things like top golf and trampoline parks. And what really got me thinking is my brother in law came for a 250k job that might pay a wee bit more in DC but not much and they got a really nice house for 560k and every dollar just seems to go much further. It really made me wonder if perhaps Ive glorified this area a bit too much. My nephews seem really happy and theres a airiness and relaxed undertone the entire household seems to have that I just yearn for. Anyone go somewhere else random and feel similar?

OP you committed a major DCUM faux pas, suggesting that fly-over country is desirable, especially more than oh so cosmopolitan and educated and sophisticated DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent ten days outside of Akron, Ohio (fair lawn) in a very nice neighborhood where my sister and brother in law live. They have been in the area for about 4 years but this was the first time we spent real time there as they usually come here or else we meet somewhere. Let me just say it wasnt anything like the “ohio” or midwest you hear about on dcum. My nephews are split going to either a great public option and one goes to a jesuit highschool and both schools seem great. We went to a neighborhood pool a few times and the families seem normal/educated/ fun. Diversity wasnt as bad as I expected either, many black and Indian families in the development. There wasnt a “lack of things to do” either? We found beautiful metro parks with amazing hiking near by, we did things like top golf and trampoline parks. And what really got me thinking is my brother in law came for a 250k job that might pay a wee bit more in DC but not much and they got a really nice house for 560k and every dollar just seems to go much further. It really made me wonder if perhaps Ive glorified this area a bit too much. My nephews seem really happy and theres a airiness and relaxed undertone the entire household seems to have that I just yearn for. Anyone go somewhere else random and feel similar?

OP you committed a major DCUM faux pas, suggesting that fly-over country is desirable, especially more than oh so cosmopolitan and educated and sophisticated DC!

NP. My siblings-in-law are also in flyover country (KC metro area) and I'm totally sold on parts of the midwest also.

I'm sure there are parts that conform to the stereotype, but I haven't visited one yet. Not even in Iowa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spent ten days outside of Akron, Ohio (fair lawn) in a very nice neighborhood where my sister and brother in law live. They have been in the area for about 4 years but this was the first time we spent real time there as they usually come here or else we meet somewhere. Let me just say it wasnt anything like the “ohio” or midwest you hear about on dcum. My nephews are split going to either a great public option and one goes to a jesuit highschool and both schools seem great. We went to a neighborhood pool a few times and the families seem normal/educated/ fun. Diversity wasnt as bad as I expected either, many black and Indian families in the development. There wasnt a “lack of things to do” either? We found beautiful metro parks with amazing hiking near by, we did things like top golf and trampoline parks. And what really got me thinking is my brother in law came for a 250k job that might pay a wee bit more in DC but not much and they got a really nice house for 560k and every dollar just seems to go much further. It really made me wonder if perhaps Ive glorified this area a bit too much. My nephews seem really happy and theres a airiness and relaxed undertone the entire household seems to have that I just yearn for. Anyone go somewhere else random and feel similar?

Akron is a city, so I'm not surprised there was stuff to do and decent options for schools. I grew up in a small town and I wouldn't want to raise kids there, because there genuinely isn't much to do, especially for kids and teenagers (who mostly drink in the woods). A city like Akron, though? Sure, I could be very happy there.

On the other hand, what you've described isn't that different from my life in DC. The kids I know are happy and relaxed. We do similar kinds of stuff on the weekends. We're happy with our schools. The biggest thing you seem to be talking about is how far your money goes for housing. Is it worth moving and leaving a place we're happy to get a bigger house? It wouldn't be for me, but I can see why someone would do it.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had kids yet, but i'm TTC right now and my partner and I talk a lot about it. We love living in the city, but our incomes do NOT go far here at all and it's a real consideration whether our future kids will grow up happier in a rented three bedroom apartment here versus a house that we could afford somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

If you feel like you fit in there and would enjoy it go for it.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Alexandria and caught the first flight out for college. Never looked back. I would never raise my kids in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I moved from DC to a small little town. There are of course benefits to all places. I miss the museums and never ending supply of activities and opportunities and events and diversity of thought.

I love that my kids can bike around town with their friends and that they know everyone and that they feel a great sense of place in their childhood.

But a childhood with all the opportunities they would have had in DC would also have been great. There is no reason to denigrate one place to decide you would prefer another.

What do you think that they're not getting where you live vs DC? Honestly, your kids childhood sounds great!

[Anonymous]

The problem is the average tenure of a job is 3-5 years. You need to be in a good job market to keep employed.

[Anonymous]

Their kids will end up in NYC/DC/Chicago/etc. for jobs. I grew up near Akron too - the job market is pretty poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the average tenure of a job is 3-5 years. You need to be in a good job market to keep employed.

DP here. This has always been my husband's excuse to keep us in DC. I'm not sure I buy it though.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely. We moved out of DC and now we have a house on the water, an amazing neighborhood that is not like anything I saw anywhere in the DC/VA/MD area, and the same jobs but our money goes a lot farther. Our kids are also in a great school, we still have access to an airport close by (although not as many direct flights as we had out of Dulles), sports teams close enough, etc. I'm so glad we left!