What have your kids learned growing up in the city compared to Suburb raised friends?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t want my 10 yo bopping all around DC in the subway myself. Plenty of stuff goes on that they don’t tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How to be cool. Seriously. City kids are comfortable in all situations and have a confidence and swagger that stays with them.

Sadly I couldn’t convince DH to stay in the city. We still see friends from our kids’ old schools and they are so self-assured and cool compared to my sweet, sheltered kids.

This is so not true.

It is my my experience. We know lots of city kids and lots of suburban kids. Do you?

Yes. I’m the pp with kids who grew up in both worlds. To refer to kids as “cool” is ridiculous. Are you 15?

The Rat Pack solidified “cool” for adults decades ago - both to use and as a description. Clearly you aren’t cool.

[Anonymous]

I hated the sameness of the suburbs growing up around DC. We’re in NYC and I see my kids with so many more diverse interests and rich lives living in the city as compared to what I had growing up.

[Anonymous]

I am actually glad my tween kids can’t go anywhere without my driving them. I know they are sheltered and I am glad they are safe.

They have lots of friends, are doing well in school, play multiple sports and are thriving.

Maybe they aren’t cool and that is fine with me.

I grew up in ny. I did hang out with cool kids. We went clubbing as teenagers. The coolest kids at my school died driving home from a club. I don’t need that kind of cool behavior for my kids.

I went to college and grad school in Boston and remember thinking how boring and sheltered some of the kids were. I would prefer my kids be the sheltered kids.

[Anonymous]

Oh god. Get over yourselves. Growing up in wealthy mostly white NW DC isn’t making her kid any more exposed to diversity or “urban ness” than growing up in Wheaton or PG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How to be cool. Seriously. City kids are comfortable in all situations and have a confidence and swagger that stays with them.

Sadly I couldn’t convince DH to stay in the city. We still see friends from our kids’ old schools and they are so self-assured and cool compared to my sweet, sheltered kids.

This is so not true.

It is my my experience. We know lots of city kids and lots of suburban kids. Do you?

NP. I’m raising kids in NYC right now and the kids here are no more or less “cool” than any other kids. For the most part, the kids are here because their parents have jobs that tie them to the city. Public school teachers, lighting tech at the Met Opera, quants at a bank, attorneys at agencies, nonprofits, biglaw. Yes, the kids know how to board a city bus and how to get around the city, but they’re no more or less cool than anyone else. The parents are a mix of NYC native and not, and you wouldn’t be able to ID who’s in which group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How to be cool. Seriously. City kids are comfortable in all situations and have a confidence and swagger that stays with them.

Sadly I couldn’t convince DH to stay in the city. We still see friends from our kids’ old schools and they are so self-assured and cool compared to my sweet, sheltered kids.

This is so not true.

It is my my experience. We know lots of city kids and lots of suburban kids. Do you?

NP. I’m raising kids in NYC right now and the kids here are no more or less “cool” than any other kids. For the most part, the kids are here because their parents have jobs that tie them to the city. Public school teachers, lighting tech at the Met Opera, quants at a bank, attorneys at agencies, nonprofits, biglaw. Yes, the kids know how to board a city bus and how to get around the city, but they’re no more or less cool than anyone else. The parents are a mix of NYC native and not, and you wouldn’t be able to ID who’s in which group.

I'm inclined to agree as a fellow parent raising kids in NYC (I was raised in the suburbs), though I think my kids are way more comfortable with the idea/necessity of sharing and waiting. They share a room, they wait for their turn at the playground, we give away toys and pick up toys from stoops bc everyone has too small a living space to store things forever. I guess, no surprise, they're living a more communal life than I ever did in the suburbs. It's obviously not everyone's ideal (people move to the suburbs to avoid pretty much everything I just mentioned) but I do think it fosters a type of adaptability and understanding that is helpful, in general, when dealing with others throughout life.

[Anonymous]

Growing up in the city seems so stifling. Buses metro homeless people crime worrying. Not what I wanted for self or kids. I don’t need to be urban cool that bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the city, got married, moved to the suburbs and now we are back in the city. I probably just haven’t noticed, but what has living in the city taught your kids compared to the suburbs?

which city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:City kids are better at walking long distances, IMO

I agree with this. My kids both have pretty good endurance for their ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the city, got married, moved to the suburbs and now we are back in the city. I probably just haven’t noticed, but what has living in the city taught your kids compared to the suburbs?

which city?

DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hated the sameness of the suburbs growing up around DC. We’re in NYC and I see my kids with so many more diverse interests and rich lives living in the city as compared to what I had growing up.

+1. We are in DC. My son is 7. It’s incredible the experiences he has had on so far that I never had in the suburbs, that his similar age cousin doesn’t have in the burbs.

We just went to the Philips Collection Friday for their 100th anniversary. He did some amazing arts and craft activities. My favorite was an activity based on Alma Thomas work and then we went to the gallery to actually see the art piece. Lots of family friendly events at the Kennedy center, Smithsonian, etc…

Above is just 1 example but the cultural, artistic, musical, theater exposure is just incredible. There’s always lots of things like above going on for families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How to be cool. Seriously. City kids are comfortable in all situations and have a confidence and swagger that stays with them.

Sadly I couldn’t convince DH to stay in the city. We still see friends from our kids’ old schools and they are so self-assured and cool compared to my sweet, sheltered kids.

This is so not true.

It is my my experience. We know lots of city kids and lots of suburban kids. Do you?

NP. I’m raising kids in NYC right now and the kids here are no more or less “cool” than any other kids. For the most part, the kids are here because their parents have jobs that tie them to the city. Public school teachers, lighting tech at the Met Opera, quants at a bank, attorneys at agencies, nonprofits, biglaw. Yes, the kids know how to board a city bus and how to get around the city, but they’re no more or less cool than anyone else. The parents are a mix of NYC native and not, and you wouldn’t be able to ID who’s in which group.

I'm inclined to agree as a fellow parent raising kids in NYC (I was raised in the suburbs), though I think my kids are way more comfortable with the idea/necessity of sharing and waiting. They share a room, they wait for their turn at the playground, we give away toys and pick up toys from stoops bc everyone has too small a living space to store things forever. I guess, no surprise, they're living a more communal life than I ever did in the suburbs. It's obviously not everyone's ideal (people move to the suburbs to avoid pretty much everything I just mentioned) but I do think it fosters a type of adaptability and understanding that is helpful, in general, when dealing with others throughout life.

+1

Lots of sharing -- space, transportation, taking turns, etc., and learning to be considerate of others is built in. You have to learn to let people get off the train before you try to get on. You learn to give up your seat for the person who needs it. You have to encounter other people that you didn't choose, you can't just stay in your bubble in your house and your car and your school. Sometime people are jerks, but my kid has also had lovely conversations with lots of different kinds of people on the train or bus. It's a useful experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids are better at walking long distances, IMO

I agree with this. My kids both have pretty good endurance for their ages.

+1

My kids can walk several miles without complaining. We just...walk places.

[Anonymous]

More exposure to diversity. In terms of ethnicity and also life experience. My son started asking questions about homeless people at like age 3. Also better grasp of public transportation and navigation in general. When you just get in the car and get out when it stops, you don't have a good sense of direction. If you're walking or relying on metro/bus, you have to pay attention to north/south/east/west.