Watching your friends relocate to the burbs for "schools"

[Anonymous]

It's always crowded at Turkey Thicket playground. What playgrounds are you looking at?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

How often do you need to buy strollers? Order books online.

Same problem in Ny. I don't remember living anywhere near a big box store for strollers or a bookstore.

Albee's. They also delivered. And Greenlight, B&N union square, park slope, all the libraries. Kids are on the playgrounds in NYC. They're not here. It's noticeable.

You are romanticizing NY and need to get over it. The union square b&n is hardly that cool. There are Barnes and nobles all over this country. There are also libraries. Yes, the playgrounds are crowded but that's because you have to get out of your tiny apartment. Your child can play in a yard here and still live in the city. You have to practically be independently wealthy to live in even Brooklyn and have a yard.

Keep looking for your neithborhood in DC.

[Anonymous]

Wtf are you talking about with that kids aren't at the parks here? do you have some sort of illness that prevents you from going outside?

[Anonymous]

Huh? Not sure who you are talking to, pp. When I would take my 3-year old to parks in my neighborhood, the kids who were there were younger with their nannies. Just my experience.

[Anonymous]

there are lots of kids of all ages after school at the playground at 13th and V. when school is in session obviously it is mainly younger kids. At the playgrounds with good structures for older kids (like Turkey Thicket, Palisades or Beauvoir) I see tons of older kids on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

I live in Brookland. I borrow book from DCPL (Woodridge, Mt Pleasant), order books from Amazon Prime, or purchase books from Bus Boys and Poets (Brookland/CUA), Politics and Prose (DuPont), and Walls of Books (Georgia Ave). Purchased my stroller and baby carriers on Craigslist. My children enjoy activities at Dance Place (Brookland/CUA 8th Street), Turkey Thicket Rec, Smithsonian Museums, and Capoeira Spot. Lots to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh? Not sure who you are talking to, pp. When I would take my 3-year old to parks in my neighborhood, the kids who were there were younger with their nannies. Just my experience.

what is your point about the nannies? Are you SAHM and want to make friends with same? fair enough but for that, yeah, you'll find it more in certain suburbs than in gentrifying DC neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

How often do you need to buy strollers? Order books online.

Same problem in Ny. I don't remember living anywhere near a big box store for strollers or a bookstore.

Albee's. They also delivered. And Greenlight, B&N union square, park slope, all the libraries. Kids are on the playgrounds in NYC. They're not here. It's noticeable.

You are romanticizing NY and need to get over it. The union square b&n is hardly that cool. There are Barnes and nobles all over this country. There are also libraries. Yes, the playgrounds are crowded but that's because you have to get out of your tiny apartment. Your child can play in a yard here and still live in the city. You have to practically be independently wealthy to live in even Brooklyn and have a yard.

Keep looking for your neithborhood in DC.

plus one.

saying you want to live walking distance to a stroller store is like saying you want to be walking distance to a Home Depot. It's NBD to drive to the burbs a couple of times a year for that stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

amazon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

I live in Brookland. I borrow book from DCPL (Woodridge, Mt Pleasant), order books from Amazon Prime, or purchase books from Bus Boys and Poets (Brookland/CUA), Politics and Prose (DuPont), and Walls of Books (Georgia Ave). Purchased my stroller and baby carriers on Craigslist. My children enjoy activities at Dance Place (Brookland/CUA 8th Street), Turkey Thicket Rec, Smithsonian Museums, and Capoeira Spot. Lots to do.

Dolly Parton also sponsored a program where you can easily registered online, anyone can do it quickly, and they send you one free book a month to encourage reading. They are very nicely selected books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It always comes down to racism. That's why people move. Racism.

Good joke, I get it.

No, really.

[Anonymous]

^^^^ Yeah, it's a joke alright. People move for safety and quality academics: two things DCPS fails at. Or you can pay for privates so your kid isn't beat on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^^ Yeah, it's a joke alright. People move for safety and quality academics: two things DCPS fails at. Or you can pay for privates so your kid isn't beat on.

Nice euphemisms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our children have now attended two well-regarded DC schools: one a dcps and one a charter.

We are heading to dtss and are THRILLED about it. Yes, the class sizes will be larger. But so will the opportunities. And it is a functional city. I'm telling you, as another Clinton Hill expat, DC is not the same thing. Not any part of it. Not even close.

One of the most annoying tropes on DCUM is the "nothing in DC can compare to NYC so therefore we are moving to the suburbs" trope.

My theory is that some (not all) people who live in NYC end up having a lot of their identity tied up in it, and when they leave New York they experience an identity dislocation, plus they don't have the money for the best DC neighborhoods, so they reach for the trope.

DC is definitely not NYC, but I don't understand that as an excuse for moving to the burbs. That's like the Bernie Bros voting Trump because they're mad Hillary isn't Bernie.

Ha, good one! Agree!

Please the utter lack of decent public schools, playgrounds in any neighborhood other than NW, and literally no stores for children stuff it makes sense to move to suburbs if you have a family. NYC is completely different landscape, and DC proper lacks much of what functions in a city.

Not true at all.

Where can I buy a stroller and a kids book in DC? target in Columbia heights, Costco, and $$$$ boutiques in Georgetown.

I live in Brookland. I borrow book from DCPL (Woodridge, Mt Pleasant), order books from Amazon Prime, or purchase books from Bus Boys and Poets (Brookland/CUA), Politics and Prose (DuPont), and Walls of Books (Georgia Ave). Purchased my stroller and baby carriers on Craigslist. My children enjoy activities at Dance Place (Brookland/CUA 8th Street), Turkey Thicket Rec, Smithsonian Museums, and Capoeira Spot. Lots to do.

I live in Capitol Hill and have my choice of 2 used and 2 new bookstores within 10-15 minutes walking distance and the parks are full of kids! Not sure why walking distance to a stroller store would be a barometer of anything, but there's the Extremely Fancy Baby Store in Eastern Market where you can get gear, and tons of yard sales and MOTH for used stuff, if you absolutely can't just use the internet like the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm AA and left for the burbs because I sought more diversity for my children. DC is pretty segregated along race and class.

I am considering a move to the DC area from Brooklyn and am also concerned about the lack of diversity in many of the neighborhoods I have looked at in the District. Several people have told me I may find more diversity in certain suburbs - Silver Springs and Takoma Park? Are there others I should consider? I was very reluctant to consider suburban living because I love urban life. But the things I value about urban life - walkability to local businesses/parks/playgrounds, diversity (racial/religious/socio-economic/family makeup), and community activism/involvement - I am realizing are not a guarantee in the District. If these things are priorities for me - along with schools and, let's be honest, getting more house for the money - which suburbs should I consider?

NP, NYC transplant here. We are from Manhattan so not exactly the same as Brooklyn but struggled at first with the move for the same reasons you've mentioned. I found everything west of the park to be painfully suburban. We ended up in what they're calling North Shaw now (I know, I know, but I'm lazy and it's an easy description) and it's not so bad. It's not NYC, but it's pretty lively, good restaurants, walkable (we don't own a car) and relatively diverse. Having just looked around, the cost per square foot is very high here relative to other neighborhoods but it probably won't phase you if you're coming from New York. Everything still feels like a deal here. Our DCPS schools, especially at the upper levels, are stiff iffy though.

I wanted to weigh in specifically on this question, since we moved (not from NYC but from another major city) and ended up buying in Silver Spring. For us, because we already had school-aged kids, we wanted someplace that was walkable to public transportation and amenities but where we could feel comfortable with the school situation even if we didn't get one of the handful of spots that came open at that grade.

Now, PP might have a different financial situation coming from NYC. We had a budget of about $650K to spend on a house and that just wasn't getting us anything in the District. I'm really happy with where we landed, though. Our local public is extremely diverse and our kids are doing well, we are walkable to Metro and shops/schools/restaurants, and we have about 1400 square feet plus a small yard, which feels just right for our family. For us, Silver Spring gave us the diversity that we wanted as a family with kids of different backgrounds, as well as letting us live with a minimal dependence on our car.

We bought within that budget, on Capitol Hill, 4 years ago. We have all the things you're talking about, are closer in and have 1.5x the number of square feet. Maybe you bought in the last year or two and were just barely priced-out? Otherwise, I'm confused by your post.