Reply to Is it harder to be a SAHM in the suburbs?

Forum Index » Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Reply to "Is it harder to be a SAHM in the suburbs?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the OP just picked a really sucky suburb.  We had a kid when we lived in DC (DuPont) and it was miserable, moved to Arlington and it was ideal!  I stay at home and there are tons of other moms here to be friends with, excellent playgrounds, bike paths, family friendly restaurants, pools, etc.

There are probably urban neighborhoods that feel the same. This isn't a suburb vs. city debate, you just picked an in-family-friendly area.  [/quote]

OP here.  You're right, we did pick the wrong suburb.  We moved here many years pre-child when we were DINKs who didn't think to think about whether or not the area was family friendly or not.  Anyhow, we are stuck here, and moving is not an option.  But I definitely agree, Arlington or Falls Church or somewhere similar would be much better if you're a SAHM.  When I go out for a walk, I rarely see anyone, most people are at work and there is no one out on the streets, since everyone is pretty much empty nesters.  There is nowhere to meet moms who live in the same neighborhood/community, though I imagine once my child starts Kindergarten I'll meet more people locally that way (though that is still many years away).

My neighborhood does not have a listserv (should have been another clue before we bought the house about how family un-friendly our area is, neighbors don't know each other or help each other).   There are also no neighborhood events.  I don't know any of our neighbors and none of them have kids (all empty nesters who seem to be content mowing 1 acre yards and taking care of 5 bedroom houses).  [/quote]

Where are you OP? There are pockets of non-walkable neighborhoods and it sounds like you're in one of them.

We're in Burke and there are tons of families, walkable, events, etc. [/quote]

OP here.  We're near Great Falls.  Completely non-walkable unfortunately, with big 1-2 acre lots, no sense of community.

Yes, we chose poorly but we can't move (husband refuses to move).  But I do think it's more difficult to be a SAHM when you happen to live in the distant suburbs, in a non-walkable area, with no kids in the neighborhood/un-family friendly neighborhood.  We get out every day in the morning-lunchtime, but it's the afternoons-dinnertime that are tough (spouse usually isn't home), and the fact that it feels very isolating to be a SAHM when there aren't other moms around/activities/everything is a drive.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics