City vs. Suburbs

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I love where I live now. It is a suburb that's still close to metro and allows us to get downtown in 20 minutes, yet we are surrounded by greenery and are a 10 minute drive from any store I could possibly want to shop in. Best of both worlds for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We lived in the city and moved to the suburbs because everyone says it's better for the kids

Everyone is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Well, maybe the issue is the suburb you chose?

Personally, I could not handle using the dc schools. Although high school is far away for you right now, it will come sooner than you think, your kids will be on different schedules, and they may not want to move.

Here in Arlington, I have easy access to stuff and the schools. Not really that different from friendship heights, except in appearance. If you put me in Burke, I might be very unhappy, but plenty of people like it there and it is a lovely community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We lived in the city and moved to the suburbs because everyone says it's better for the kids

Everyone is wrong.

Tell that to the parents in my DC neighborhood that can't afford (or can afford, but can't get into) private school, don't like the middle school option and are anxious as the kids enter 5th grade at our local elementary. Believe me, plenty of us are wondering if we might need to move during this school year so that our kids' options aren't limited b/c of crummy school options! Everyone might not always be right, but on this one everyone might just be on to something.

[Anonymous]

City, but everyone has different wants. I could never live in the suburbs where I had to drive everywhere. Had to drive my child everywhere. Live in a clone of homes and go to the mall on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:City, but everyone has different wants. I could never live in the suburbs where I had to drive everywhere. Had to drive my child everywhere. Live in a clone of homes and go to the mall on the weekends.

This is a stereotype.

I grew up in the city. Walkability was nice but I wished and dreamed of a yard of my own where I could play. So, that is what I did for my own kids. If we did not have kids, we would have stayed in the city.

[Anonymous]

Suburbs, particularly if you're talking about DC. Having to walk everywhere sounds very limiting to me - I love the flexibility of hopping in the car and going basically anywhere I feel like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City, but everyone has different wants. I could never live in the suburbs where I had to drive everywhere. Had to drive my child everywhere. Live in a clone of homes and go to the mall on the weekends.

This is a stereotype.

I grew up in the city. Walkability was nice but I wished and dreamed of a yard of my own where I could play. So, that is what I did for my own kids. If we did not have kids, we would have stayed in the city.

I miss the city, too, but not the stress everyone on here seems to go through for things like day care and schools. Summer camps that don't fill up in February.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suburbs, particularly if you're talking about DC. Having to walk everywhere sounds very limiting to me - I love the flexibility of hopping in the car and going basically anywhere I feel like.

Walkability =/= having to walk everywhere. Walkability = being able to walk everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We lived in the city and moved to the suburbs because everyone says it's better for the kids

Everyone is wrong.

Tell that to the parents in my DC neighborhood that can't afford (or can afford, but can't get into) private school, don't like the middle school option and are anxious as the kids enter 5th grade at our local elementary. Believe me, plenty of us are wondering if we might need to move during this school year so that our kids' options aren't limited b/c of crummy school options! Everyone might not always be right, but on this one everyone might just be on to something.

This doesn't mean that it's better for the kids to grow up in the suburbs. It means it's better for the kids to grow up where there are good public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suburbs, particularly if you're talking about DC. Having to walk everywhere sounds very limiting to me - I love the flexibility of hopping in the car and going basically anywhere I feel like.

Walkability =/= having to walk everywhere. Walkability = being able to walk everywhere.

Thank you!

We just walked to our favorite breakfast place and stopped at the park on the way back. We are going to walk to the pool in a few minutes. Later, I plan to drive to whole foods, even though I can walk to Safeway.

[Anonymous]

City! We live downtown and love it. Everything is walkable and the kid is in a great charter that will take her though 12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City, but everyone has different wants. I could never live in the suburbs where I had to drive everywhere. Had to drive my child everywhere. Live in a clone of homes and go to the mall on the weekends.

This is a stereotype.

I grew up in the city. Walkability was nice but I wished and dreamed of a yard of my own where I could play. So, that is what I did for my own kids. If we did not have kids, we would have stayed in the city.

Stereotype for a reason. I grew up in the suburbs and spent 1/2 my childhood in the car "going somewhere".

Yard, is overrated, there are 3 parks within 4 blocks of my house. And GASP some of us in the city have yards too!

[Anonymous]

Selfish parents stay in the city

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Selfish parents stay in the city

That's absurd. You're assuming all parents have a choice.