Here is what I think of all of the terribly negative people on this post: they are miserable people who would not be happy anywhere. Talk about ungrateful. The location isn't the problem- you are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How shallow are you people to make the weather a major factor in where you live? It's all about jobs and education for the kids. Anything else, like real estate values, follows the jobs and education picture. Anything else is much less important.

Oh god, you're obnoxious. Weather matters because it's about being able to get out and enjoy the outdoors with your family. Where I grew up people spend most of the summer hiking/biking/camping/fishing and most of the fall and winter skiing, hunting, etc. It's about a lifestyle and values. And FWIW, I grew up in the sticks where people didn't obsess over jobs and education like they do here, and somehow I'm still smart and motivated enough to have a great job in this seriously competitive city. It's not so cut and dried.

But you probably can't manage to live in "the sticks" yourself as a smart and motivated adult because there are no jobs that would meet your needs, right? That's the rub where many of us get stuck.

And I agree, of course the weather matters. It's a HUGE quality of life issue.

We moved out and are now moving back! I am so excited. Yes, it can be nicer away from DC but that is our home and where we want to be. It is just what you want for your life. I grew up on a farm so it took me quite some time to adjust to living in DC. We moved out -- to a farm, and it made me realize that my kids don't need a yard or wide open spaces or non-Maryland drivers. We are city people and while our house is going to be a lot smaller my kids just as happy to move back to our old row house without a yard and in NE and play frogger with the MD drivers to get to the park.


Ahhhhhhhh........

Don't make assumptions. The are a few of us who dwell "East of the River." Muhahhaha.

My husband and I frequently say that we would move out of the area if we couldn't live in or near downtown; the commute would just eat up any advantages of being here. But, we stay because we don't mind living in a condo, we love being able to walk everywhere, we like the sense of community involved with sharing outdoor spaces, we love the access to museums, our jobs are both decent, and as we only have one child, we might be able to meek up enough for private. If we had more kids, we would likely end up moving to Arlington or far away.

I hear you on the cost of living. It is more expensive that many other cities. For that reason, we have considered moving at times, but honestly, it is worth it to us to live here, and we can afford it as long as we make tradeoffs that we see as worthwhile (i.e. the big one being space). I don't spend much at all on clothes, by the way, although I do spend a bit (around $30-40) for shoes as my child's feet are wide, so there are limited comfortable options.

I have a twelve year old and a 14 month old. The twelve year old is in Oyster and the little one bounces between DH and I since we are both self employed artists so no child care costs. We have a garden in our very modest backyard and we live off of it and the farmers market and make things from scratch since we are home for work most of the time. We love it here. We saved like crazy having rented for 5 years in Woodley Park and then bought a house in LeDroit Park which we have renovated steadily since we got here 3 years ago. We are active in the community and enjoying seeing it transition and I guess just liberal enough that I dont give a crap about heli moms and havent taken the time to notice the Joneses. For us, DC is perfect. We get more work here so our incomes are higher ( lived in the burbs 5 years too) and the only part of the weather that is currently getting to me is today which is the worst day of the year so far I think. My 14 mo old is climbing the walls and we have two big dogs who wont like their walk later...
I think for some people/families to be happy in DC you have to have work very nearby and pare life down quite a bit. It also helps to be able to make your own happiness for free - as artists, we are lucky that way. I was also telling DH the other day that if we werent both of us great cooks we would be in financial trouble for sure. We spend very little on groceries because of the way we cook and eat. We stockpile every other household thing when we see savings as well.
I do empathize - I cant imagine the commute you have plus that amount of hours at work and then childcare on top so you dont see your kid as much as you would like. I would fry under that kind of pressure. Not every person is under that kind of pressure though in dc raising kids.

Anonymous wrote:How shallow are you people to make the weather a major factor in where you live? It's all about jobs and education for the kids. Anything else, like real estate values, follows the jobs and education picture. Anything else is much less important.

Oh god, you're obnoxious. Weather matters because it's about being able to get out and enjoy the outdoors with your family. Where I grew up people spend most of the summer hiking/biking/camping/fishing and most of the fall and winter skiing, hunting, etc. It's about a lifestyle and values. And FWIW, I grew up in the sticks where people didn't obsess over jobs and education like they do here, and somehow I'm still smart and motivated enough to have a great job in this seriously competitive city. It's not so cut and dried.

I'd be very surprised if you couldn't live further away and take an alternate method of transit to work in less time.

We live quite far out by DCUM standards and my husband is to work in an hr, door to door, without having to drive. Thanks HOV lanes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you work that you are 5 miles and 45 minutes commuting? Not being snarky but really?

Yes, really. We live in SE DC, over the bridges. Not a section many moms on the DCUM board know exist, I suspect.

Ha- sorry nope not familiar with that area. Thats terrible. Im sorry!

How shallow are you people to make the weather a major factor in where you live? It's all about jobs and education for the kids. Anything else, like real estate values, follows the jobs and education picture. Anything else is much less important.

For me it's not so much the heat as it is the humidity and the bugs. I grew up in California's perfect climate so I am a bit spoiled. I would move back in a heartbeat if California wasn't going to hell in handbasket so quickly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The crazy part is some people LOVE the weather here. I don't like the hot summers, but we have mild winters and exceptionally long spring and fall. Also, where is it that has year-round ideal weather? Maybe in Northern California which is just insanely expensive.

It's 100 degrees today and it's May!! DC's seasons = Hot (May - October); Mild (November); Unplowed streets (December - February) and Tourist (Apil).

It's May 31. And it's unseasonably hot today. Which sucks.

We had great weather for almost all of March, April, and most of May. By mid-September it will cool down and it will again be lovely for October, November, and if we are lucky part of December. The last few years we've gotten big snowstorms. But we have gone years here without a flake of snow. If you think we have a serious winter, spend one in Western NY. Or Chicago. Or even Boston. These are places that have real winter from October - March/April.

The summers suck. No question.

Anonymous wrote:The crazy part is some people LOVE the weather here. I don't like the hot summers, but we have mild winters and exceptionally long spring and fall. Also, where is it that has year-round ideal weather? Maybe in Northern California which is just insanely expensive.

This is me. I wish the summers weren't SO hot, but wouldn't trade in our fall/spring and mild winters.

Anonymous wrote:The crazy part is some people LOVE the weather here. I don't like the hot summers, but we have mild winters and exceptionally long spring and fall. Also, where is it that has year-round ideal weather? Maybe in Northern California which is just insanely expensive.

It's 100 degrees today and it's May!! DC's seasons = Hot (May - October); Mild (November); Unplowed streets (December - February) and Tourist (Apil).

We live in SE Cap Hill East. Most parents (especially my neighbors) are not intense, helli parents. My 3 kids are all in DCPS schools. My DH and I both commute 35 minuntes each way. He works 40 hrs a week and I work 32 hrs a week. He leaves his blackberry at home on the weekends and I don't carry one. It took a lot of work to get here, but it works well for us. The weather doesn't bother me, but I grew up in the UK and Texas so I'm used to bad weather.