What neighborhoods are best for kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somerset is amazing for kids. The kids aren’t any more warped than anywhere else in NW DC or Bethesda, Potomac, etc

OP asked about diverse neighborhoods. Somerset is one of the few majority white elementary schools.

Each year, Somerset Elementary has families who speak 35-40 different languages at home. Lots of World Bank, IMF, and embassy families. From that perspective, it has a ton of diversity. Just on our street, I can think of people from 4-5 different countries. Many people are rich but many are also having their housing paid for my their employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flora Singer, Forest Knolls, or Rock Creek Forest ES areas of Silver Spring

Bancroft or Ludlow-Taylor ES zones in DC

Not as familiar with VA--Falls Church, Del Ray, and South Arlington all seem nice. I know a recent grad of ACHS who is lovely and had a great childhood, so it seems like lots of parts of Alexandria could work.

We lived in the L-T elementary zone. We moved because of the high crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Del Ray, hands down.

OP said good public schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somerset is the first place I think of

Yup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somerset is the first place I think of

This is hysterical. “Not so wealthy…” Somerset? C’mon!

Honestly I was trying to decide whether it was “so” wealthy the kids are warped and I decided probably not but literally it was the first place that came to mind.

East Bethesda is if anything closer to DT Bethesda with somewhat less expensive houses but it doesn’t have the pool. Rock Creek Forest or neighborhoods closer to SS would also be nice if you are worried more about having wealthy neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somerset is amazing for kids. The kids aren’t any more warped than anywhere else in NW DC or Bethesda, Potomac, etc

OP asked about diverse neighborhoods. Somerset is one of the few majority white elementary schools.

Each year, Somerset Elementary has families who speak 35-40 different languages at home. Lots of World Bank, IMF, and embassy families. From that perspective, it has a ton of diversity. Just on our street, I can think of people from 4-5 different countries. Many people are rich but many are also having their housing paid for my their employers.

Omg I grew up here and I lol so hard everytime someone pulls out the “international diversity” card!!! Can we put this to bed? It’s so cringe.

[Anonymous]

Kensington or Rock Creek Forest (part of the neighborhood is in Chevy Chase and part in Silver Spring).

[Anonymous]

This is the OP, I actually used to sled down Cumberland Ave as a kid! That said, I’m not sure I want the same neighborhood for my kids. It was wealthy then and it seems like it’s even more wealthy now. Can a place where all the houses are $2m + be ideal for kids, even if we can afford it? I guess I’m trying to figure out where the Somerset of the 80’s is now. Because Somerset of now feels more like Kenwood then, or something. Maybe I’m being unfair.

You have to ask these things on dcum, because no one can have this conversation in real life. It’s too obnoxious. But I think we must not be the only ones in a situation where if we were childless, we might spend more, but for now we’re basically crafting our home life in service of raising our kids, and it’s maybe not optimal to just buy the most expensive house we can.

I’m not even sure what I’m worried about with the homogenous wealth, I just feel wary of it. Maybe it’s entitlement? Maybe it’s a sort of helplessness that some kids develop from having the skids greased too much? Maybe it’s pressure to maintain that lifestyle that I don’t want my kid to have?

But who am I kidding that if I buy my kid a used Camry instead of a Range Rover or whatever it’s going to make a meaningful difference? And in the meantime, would it be a better life if we lived in a big house near a pool?

[Anonymous]

Trying to avoid wealthy neighbors is, frankly, odd. You're stereotyping, assuming that all wealthy parents raise their children poorly and impart bad values; you're assuming exposure to a well to do lifestyle is somehow going to have a negative influence on your own children. There is no basis for believing either proposition is necessarily true.

You could just as easily assume that wealthier parents model behaviors necessary for success - ambition, education, determination, persistence, organization, flexibility, self-discipline, vision, and other behaviors sometimes absent in those who achieve less financially.

You seem to have forgotten that you have a role to play in imparting values to your children, who are exposed every day to behaviors and beliefs which you may find abhorrent and which have nothing to do with income or assets.

Forget about using income as a criterion in itself, and focus instead on objectively valuiable neighborehood attributes, like excellent schools, without regard to whether they are in high-income neighborhoods. Consider, too, why such schools are usually/always in higher-income neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

I feel like we have this in Westover in Arlington. Agree that Kings Park West is a great one though I don't know that I agree it is 45 min from the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like we have this in Westover in Arlington. Agree that Kings Park West is a great one though I don't know that I agree it is 45 min from the city.

Should add - my husband commuted by VRE from there to DC for awhile and I remember it being longer than that.. but otherwise fantastic neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

McLean south of 123 and Falls Church/22043.

[Anonymous]

Silver Spring - 4 corners. I have that it is safe. Nothing is truly 100 safe but it’s a great place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to avoid wealthy neighbors is, frankly, odd. You're stereotyping, assuming that all wealthy parents raise their children poorly and impart bad values; you're assuming exposure to a well to do lifestyle is somehow going to have a negative influence on your own children. There is no basis for believing either proposition is necessarily true.

You could just as easily assume that wealthier parents model behaviors necessary for success - ambition, education, determination, persistence, organization, flexibility, self-discipline, vision, and other behaviors sometimes absent in those who achieve less financially.

You seem to have forgotten that you have a role to play in imparting values to your children, who are exposed every day to behaviors and beliefs which you may find abhorrent and which have nothing to do with income or assets.

Forget about using income as a criterion in itself, and focus instead on objectively valuiable neighborehood attributes, like excellent schools, without regard to whether they are in high-income neighborhoods. Consider, too, why such schools are usually/always in higher-income neighborhoods.

Peer group matters a lot for values once kids are in middle and high school. More than parenting.

[Anonymous]

Somerset?? What a joke. The school is the worst - wealthy, snobby, uber anxiety entitled filled kids. The houses are 2 - 3 mil..