Moving to DC Area - HELP Please!

[ToddlerMom]

Hi DC Moms,

I recently switched roles for my company and we are moving to the DC Area in September from Chicago. I'm so excited but I've never visited & don't know anyone so I'm very lost and overwhelmed.

My company will give me 2 months of housing before we find a permanent home but I want to enroll him in the daycare right from the start so he doesn't have to move again.

Areas to live: Where should we live that is within 30 mins commute max to Dupont Circle? Any good communities?

Is it true that all daycares have long waiting lists? My son is at a daycare now and he loves it so I'm hoping to find something similar, any recommendations?

We live in the city now and are used to taking the CTA everywhere - any tips will help! Thanks a lot in advance!

[Anonymous]

For help with communities, you will get the best advice if you share your budget for rental/purchase. A 30 minute commute is pretty close to the city, even if you use Metro - which can be pricy.

[Anonymous]

As far as waitlist length, it depends on your son's age, whether you prefer in-home or center care, and location. I think it will be harder to find immediate care near your work in Dupont than near your home, based on my experience...

[ToddlerMom]

Thanks so much!

Rental Budget - 3bdr place for 3200$

Son will be 2 in Sept

Appreciate you help!

[Anonymous]

Where are you in Chicago? What environment do you like? I lived in Lakeview (east) and found home in Kalorama / Adams Morgan. Maybe look around Adams Morgan, Kalorama, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Mt Pleasant, maybe Columbia Heights. Super kid friendly, easy commute/walk/bike or public transit, etc.

[Anonymous]

We used this daycare in Van Ness - a short commute from Dupont.

http://www.bcdconline.org/

They often have openings for 2 year olds without much wait.

[Anonymous]

Tenleytown, Cleveland park,woodley park would be good options. Red line west side will get you that commute. These are very kid friendly close-in walkable neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you in Chicago? What environment do you like? I lived in Lakeview (east) and found home in Kalorama / Adams Morgan. Maybe look around Adams Morgan, Kalorama, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Mt Pleasant, maybe Columbia Heights. Super kid friendly, easy commute/walk/bike or public transit, etc.

Yes, these are great family neighborhoods but finding a 3 bedroom for $3200 in them will be next to impossible without really low standards. We pay $3k for a 2 bedroom in Adams Morgan, which was the very top of our budget and had very limited options at this price point for a place decent for young children.

[Anonymous]

Check out 4000 Massachusetts Ave NW apartments. They have 3 bedroom apts in that range and it's an easy bus trip to Dupont Circle. There are a ton of families in the building. I'm not sure about daycare in the area but there are probably some nanny share opportunities close by.

[Anonymous]

Check out School for Friends (http://schoolforfriends.org/) and First Baptist Child Development Center (http://www.firstbaptistdc.org/cdc-home/), both of which are near the Dupont Metro, get good reviews, and typically have openings for 2 year olds.

[Anonymous]

If you're willing to do two bedrooms you could live in the neighborhood or close by in Logan or Shaw or Adams Morgan. Three beds will be very hard to find for that budget in the city. We live close to DuPont and have two kids in a two bedroom. We know LOTS of families doing this.

[Anonymous]

Also join the dupontcircleparents listserv for non anonymous advice!

[Anonymous]

You should be able to rent a townhouse in Arlington for that.

[Anonymous]

Are you the Rosslyn/DuPont Circle poster?

[Anonymous]

OP, just FYI that "good, family friendly" community on DCUM is code for UMC and white. You will have trouble finding a three bedroom apartment at that price point within 30 minutes of Dupont, if you're limiting your search to those communities. I live in Petworth and have DS in daycare in Fort Totten, those neighborhoods are racially and socioeconomically diverse, safe, and very friendly. There's a baby boom happening, so TONS of small kids and babies. To stay within your price point, take a look at houses on the other side of the red line - Brookland, Fort Totten, Takoma, Silver Spring.