I haven't figured out how people raise children in DC

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm a native of DC (a rare bird). I understand and empathize with your concerns/complaints. We live in Dupont with 2 young kids. It's true that we pay a lot for preschool + nanny. I dont have commute issues like you but I probably pay alot more mortgage than your rent so I understand the pain.

The lines of work my DH and I are in we simply cannot move somewhere where our lifestyles would be drastically different. SF, LA, Boston and NYC are places we've considered or had offers but none of those places are cheaper, less traffic, etc. It's all the same if you decide to live in a major city. You will need to scale down to smaller city or town. I don't think many of the things you are saying about DC are unique to DC.

[Anonymous]

Did you all miss the part where I said "generally speaking"? Here it is again:

"I suspect it is because folks that (generally speaking)live on Cpaitol Hill have the means to consider private school and folks in Brookland generally do not"

GENERALLY SPEAKING (is that the problem-- would it have helped you if I had bolded both of the "generally"s that I used above?) people on Capitol Hill are wealthier that people in Brookland. In my personal experience, there aren't nearly as many rich people in Brookland as in Captiol Hill-- plus a quick google search indicates that the median family income in Brookland is appx. $50K per annum and on Capitol Hill it is over $100k.

you need a hobby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sitting in my lovely and spacious (albeit old) apartment in Glover Park, DC. The windows are wide open with a lovely cross breeze coming through. It's dead quiet. DD is in bed. She goes to Stoddert (two blocks away), and plays in the terraced huge back yard behind our apartment. I catch a bus to work (the D2), and am there in 25 minutes. I rarely take the subway, and we don't have a car. We walk to Whole Foods, to Surfside and then to Max's for ice cream about twice a week. We run into neighbors and chat with them as we walk around the neighborhood. People are pleasant and relaxed. I (happily) don't know what most of you people are yammering about. It's all about choices. If you don't like it here, find a way to leave. Otherwise, bloom where you're planted, for your sake and for others.

Good luck when JP's Strip Club opens back up soon a couple of doors down from Surfside and next to Z Burger. You'll have hobos trying to cadge change from you for burgers and booze right before they defacate and vomit in your yard.

Who pissed on your shoes? The PP is happy in Glover Park. What's it to ya?

[Anonymous]

09:01, you have too much time on your hands.

[Anonymous]

Brookland and a handful of other pockets are up and coming post Barry years. The sad thing is, the residents did not know/admit what a train wreck he was at the time. They thought that him giving out jobs to his friends and neighbors was a good thing, sadly.

Different cities have different problems. Many metropolitan cities are apples and oranges. I would not say they have the same problems by any means. You have to choose your set of problems and find out what works best for you, OP.

I miss proximity to the ocean (3 hours is by no means a treat), among other things, so I know what you are saying. It is not all rainbows and sunshine here like many would like to believe. I would rather be realistic than "rose colored glasses" any day. Your not liking it here does not mean negative this or negative that about you, it just means you have to find what works for you, which may take a lot of effort in this area. This is being realistic, and I commend you. Unfortunately, it also menas a lot more sacrifice than most people are used to, but that might not be a bad thing, as there are so many who feel entitled!

[Anonymous]

dear G-d, is this thread really still going?

[Anonymous]

Every thread always ends up being suburbanites vs District dwellers. Thing is DCUM is such a small subset of both factions that it's probably the same posters arguing over the same thing over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Capitol Hill is the BOMB! We love, love, love our relatively spacious open-plan 3 bed rowhouse with a nice-sized backyard, commute (25 minutes walking door to door) to interesting jobs, our stumbling distance neighborhood park, and the many restaurants and shops within walking distance. And, two GS 15s make plenty of money to send our one child to private school if we decide we're unhappy with our well-regarded (walking distance) public elementary.

Okay, we're very lucky - I admit it! And, a big negative for us is the lack of any family nearer than a lengthy plane ride away . . .

I think it's a shame that people limit themselves to one child so they can live in a small house or apartment in an over-priced area and afford private school if necessary. Having siblings is a good thing for so many reasons. Most of the folks I know who decided to "stop at one" did so because they're not willing to give up anything for their kids, rather than because they think it's the best environment for a child. Not criticizing. Just keeping in real.

[Anonymous]

So after 19 pages, I'll try to summarize:

Some people who actually live in DC are very happy, not stressed out, and not looking to flee.

Others are.

Some people suggest fleeing to Howard County, and others to San Diego.

If those who are happy living in DC with kids, it is only because they haven't lived anywhere better.

If they are still happy, but have lived somewhere better, then other posters don't know what to make of them.

In between, are suggestions about what OP could do to destress her life in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Capitol Hill is the BOMB! We love, love, love our relatively spacious open-plan 3 bed rowhouse with a nice-sized backyard, commute (25 minutes walking door to door) to interesting jobs, our stumbling distance neighborhood park, and the many restaurants and shops within walking distance. And, two GS 15s make plenty of money to send our one child to private school if we decide we're unhappy with our well-regarded (walking distance) public elementary.

Okay, we're very lucky - I admit it! And, a big negative for us is the lack of any family nearer than a lengthy plane ride away . . .

Uh . . yeah. Sure. Except there is no such thing as a spacious rowhouse on Capitol Hill. If you mean spacious relative to a one bedroom apartment, then OK.
A couple of friends of ours sold their modest sized, but comfortable SF home in Silver Spring to buy a townhouse on Capital Hill. I admit that I was shocked at how little space they had relative to their other house. After about a year, they adopted and moved out to 'burbs for the public schools.

Like an earlier poster said, it all depends on what makes you happy. I'm not sure I could ever be truly happy in a house of less than 3,000 sq. ft. Those smaller houses are just too suffocating.

[Anonymous]

Like an earlier poster said, it all depends on what makes you happy. I'm not sure I could ever be truly happy in a house of less than 3,000 sq. ft. Those smaller houses are just too suffocating.

I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you just have no idea how spoiled this statement makes you sound. Unless my sarcasm detector is malfunctioning . . .

[Anonymous]

I can't even begin to look at all the responses, but we're leaving. We love it here actually, but we are tired of making what would normally be a living wage (about $75K combined income) and being totally dirt poor. In other places, we could afford a whole house! We live in a 750 sq ft tiny apt. We live in the city to avoid traffic so we can actually TRY to spend some time with out toddler son who goes to bed at 7:00. We bust our britches constantly, take on extra jobs for money, and barely ever make it paycheck to paycheck. We don't feel like we can move way our where we could afford more home because then our commute would make it so we never saw our son.

I won't even start with daycare costs and freaking out about what to do with public school.

We're moving somewhere in the fall where money goes farther and traffic isn't an issue and the public schools are better. We're tired of being totally broke and stressed and not having time with our son.

That said, we love living in DC - there is so much opportunity for our son in terms of activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm a native of DC (a rare bird). I understand and empathize with your concerns/complaints. We live in Dupont with 2 young kids. It's true that we pay a lot for preschool + nanny. I dont have commute issues like you but I probably pay alot more mortgage than your rent so I understand the pain.

The lines of work my DH and I are in we simply cannot move somewhere where our lifestyles would be drastically different. SF, LA, Boston and NYC are places we've considered or had offers but none of those places are cheaper, less traffic, etc. It's all the same if you decide to live in a major city. You will need to scale down to smaller city or town. I don't think many of the things you are saying about DC are unique to DC.

Actually, Boston has much less traffic than DC does. There are studies about these things.

The housing there is somewhat cheaper and far more interesting/diverse than it is here.

[Anonymous]

I am native DC and I hate the summers. Otherwise, I think we have perfect weather (i really do like seasons). I can't believe how bad the traffic has gotten. Really it's horrible. Thank goodness I was able to buy my house in a close in neighborhood and beat the housing bubble (my mortgage is reasonable). Otherwise, I don't think I would love it here so much. I have family (all of them) in the area so from my perspective there is no reason to leave. I love my career/field and I love it that I know I could get a job if I lost the one I had. I love my neighborhood because it is not pretentious. We have alot of people that make quite alot but everyone has smallish houses that are nicely appointed and yeah I buy $50 shoes but I also do most of my kids shopping at consignment sales.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Capitol Hill is the BOMB! We love, love, love our relatively spacious open-plan 3 bed rowhouse with a nice-sized backyard, commute (25 minutes walking door to door) to interesting jobs, our stumbling distance neighborhood park, and the many restaurants and shops within walking distance. And, two GS 15s make plenty of money to send our one child to private school if we decide we're unhappy with our well-regarded (walking distance) public elementary.

Okay, we're very lucky - I admit it! And, a big negative for us is the lack of any family nearer than a lengthy plane ride away . . .

I think it's a shame that people limit themselves to one child so they can live in a small house or apartment in an over-priced area and afford private school if necessary. Having siblings is a good thing for so many reasons. Most of the folks I know who decided to "stop at one" did so because they're not willing to give up anything for their kids, rather than because they think it's the best environment for a child. Not criticizing. Just keeping in real.

See if you can work in a pro-spanking angle, and an attack on non-breast-feeders, and you just might have the perfect troll post. Keep on keepin' it real!