Are your kids bored in the suburbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids don't get bored in the suburbs. But they do get into trouble of the sort that most parents will never know about. And parents who think "not MY kids" are in denial. Most end up fine in the end, though -- like kids everywhere.

I got bored as hell in the suburbs and that is why I did drugs. It was boring before the drugs and boring after the high came down.

[Anonymous]

Everyone always thinks that where they live is boring when they are teens. Our kids complained incessantly about the beach town where they live until they went to college and their friends all! Wanted to visit our house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone always thinks that where they live is boring when they are teens. Our kids complained incessantly about the beach town where they live until they went to college and their friends all! Wanted to visit our house.

This.

They'll be bored no matter what.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Up until I was 12 or 13, suburbs were great. But teen years were incredibly difficult for me. I spent way too much time driving around like an idiot because there was nothing else to do. I'm lucky to be alive. It was very isolating.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP-- we live in a SFH neighborhood in Clarendon. There are tons of kids here and the parks and courts are always filled. We moved from NWDC when our oldest was 2 and I was pregnant with 2nd kid.

I am a 100% walkability/city-type person. This neighborhood has fit all stages of my kids.

They are now 13 and almost 16 and will bike or walk up to one of the many parks, schools to hang out with friends--basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. Then, they will walk to any of the many food places in packs. The movie theater is also walking distance. This alleviates the need for mom and dad driving them everywhere and gives them a very big dose of independence.

My nephews in their 20s will often take our basement room when they are home on college breaks (my sister lives in outer suburbs) since they can walk to bars/restaurants or take Metro or a very cheap uber into DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids don't get bored in the suburbs. But they do get into trouble of the sort that most parents will never know about. And parents who think "not MY kids" are in denial. Most end up fine in the end, though -- like kids everywhere.

I got bored as hell in the suburbs and that is why I did drugs. It was boring before the drugs and boring after the high came down.

Same. I was bored as hell. You can't just go do stuff until you're 16 because you need a ride. And once you can drive, you just speed all the way to the mall and that's it. I didn't do drugs from boredom, but I did other dangerous stuff like trespassing, stealing, etc. I needed stimulation and got zero. I could've felt more "dangerous and alive" if I had a city to wander in, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids don't get bored in the suburbs. But they do get into trouble of the sort that most parents will never know about. And parents who think "not MY kids" are in denial. Most end up fine in the end, though -- like kids everywhere.

I got bored as hell in the suburbs and that is why I did drugs. It was boring before the drugs and boring after the high came down.

But this isn’t to say that if you move to the burbs your kids will do drugs! I was a very troubled teen and lots of kids in the city do drugs so I might have done them anyway. I was just thinking that kids don’t always avoid boredom with drugs, it’s more about alleviating boredom, if that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is 15, and I am very glad that we chose to live in a suburb where we are walking distance to a metro station. She love to take the bus to Georgetown, the metro to downtown DC etc. It also makes it possible for her to see her friends without us driving her. Would highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone always thinks that where they live is boring when they are teens. Our kids complained incessantly about the beach town where they live until they went to college and their friends all! Wanted to visit our house.

This.

They'll be bored no matter what.

This. Regardless of where they are, kids seek outlets.
City, Suburban and Rural kids all find the “I’m not supposed to” activities. It’s often just a question of degrees and k don’t think location dictates that.
I would consider finances - prices for house, transportation and activities may differ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP-- we live in a SFH neighborhood in Clarendon. There are tons of kids here and the parks and courts are always filled. We moved from NWDC when our oldest was 2 and I was pregnant with 2nd kid.

I am a 100% walkability/city-type person. This neighborhood has fit all stages of my kids.

They are now 13 and almost 16 and will bike or walk up to one of the many parks, schools to hang out with friends--basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. Then, they will walk to any of the many food places in packs. The movie theater is also walking distance. This alleviates the need for mom and dad driving them everywhere and gives them a very big dose of independence.

My nephews in their 20s will often take our basement room when they are home on college breaks (my sister lives in outer suburbs) since they can walk to bars/restaurants or take Metro or a very cheap uber into DC.

Not needing a car (or parents driving u around) to do all of that stuff as a teen is priceless.

[Anonymous]

No I didn't get bored. My friends and I found plenty to do. And no, we didn't get into trouble. And it is a generalization that kids will become trouble makers

[Anonymous]

Why deal with the NYC suburbs if you can live anywhere? Sounds like you have a lot of options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why deal with the NYC suburbs if you can live anywhere? Sounds like you have a lot of options.

OP here. Thanks everyone! To answer your question, pretty much all of our family is in the area and we'd like to be close to NYC for various different reasons.

Really interesting insight from some posters. We are looking at suburbs like Larchmont and Greenwich that have a lot of amenities and walkable "downtown" areas along with beaches and easy access to the train so we're not looking in the middle of nowhere. My kids are already so sporty, always wanting to run around, so I do see lots of sports and backyard time in our future. Nice to know NYC will always be there though, just in case.

[Anonymous]

I agree that teens will be bored no matter what even if they aren't bored. Also of a kid is going to experiment with anything or get into trouble they most likely were going to anyway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that teens will be bored no matter what even if they aren't bored. Also of a kid is going to experiment with anything or get into trouble they most likely were going to anyway

+1. I remember having this conversation with my friends in college. Every single one of us (from Orlando to LA to Cambridge, UK) said that we either hated where we grew up or it was fine but boring and we'd like to move somewhere else. Interestingly, the only person who said they loved where they were from was from Athens, GA.