I would live in Lyon Village or some other walkable part of Arlington/Clarendon, but on a quiet tree-lined street. That would be ideal, but I cannot afford a 2 mil house, so we bought further out in N.Arlington about 2 miles from the metro.

I never thought of GF as being exclusively rich. We have friends who live in GF and they moved there because they could not afford Mclean, from their own blatantly honest words. This is not the first time I heard this either, i know another recently married couple who would live in Mclean if they could afford a certain type of house they want, but are considering GF instead because they can get more for their money.

Anonymous wrote:So not true in my home. My boys always seek out the one or two kids of different ethnic race or nationality. However, they have always been in schools and environments with diversity. We are in N.Arlinglin and my kids do hang out with less fortunate kids and gain perspective. There are all types of living situations---ritzy to bare-bones apartments. I grew up in a very wealthy area of Ffx co. and wanted a more diverse atmosphere while still having great schools. I also didn't want my kids around some of the attitudes and excess that were so very common in my HS.

Sounds like your kids would have had a similar experience in Fairfax. Just about any part of Fairfax County, with its more sizable Asian population, will be more diverse than the North Arlington neighborhoods that feed into Jamestown, Nottingham, Taylor or Tuckahoe. These areas of North Arlington are really the Upper Caucasia of 2012.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:51--very well said. i also notice even young children self segregate to be with children similar in race, academics and i guess financial situation. so if you live in a slightly diverse area like falls church or arlington, what is the chance your kid will actually hand out with someone less fortunate and get the perspective.?

Fairly high, compared to GF. I've observed a lot of high school students over the years and there's no question that students from GF tend to be more self-conscious about their families' wealth than students who live in other parts of NoVa that are less uniformly affluent.

So not true in my home. My boys always seek out the one or two kids of different ethnic race or nationality. However, they have always been in schools and environments with diversity. We are in N.Arlinglin and my kids do hang out with less fortunate kids and gain perspective. There are all types of living situations---ritzy to bare-bones apartments. I grew up in a very wealthy area of Ffx co. and wanted a more diverse atmosphere while still having great schools. I also didn't want my kids around some of the attitudes and excess that were so very common in my HS.

I think 7:12 is being ridiculous. Most people in Great Falls are well-educated and gracious. Because they live on large lots, they generally spend less time than people in FCC and Arlington worrying about their neighbors or what's being built next door (unless, of course, someone wants to build a replica of Versailles in the neighborhood).

There are a lot of beautful properties in Great Falls. The drawbacks, in my opinion, boil down to the following: (1) it's a tough commute to jobs, particularly in DC; (2) most houses are on septic systems (not a deal-killer, but a bit of a nuisance); and (3) it's a crap shoot as to whether a kid will thrive in the rarefied social envionment of schools like Cooper and Langley. As to the last point, my sense is that there are more unhappy kids strugglng under the weight of high expectations than at more diverse schools.

Maybe it's just another way of saying that parenting has its own set of challenges there, just as in other areas. I have friends who own a house there with a pool and tennis courts. Their kids are both smart and well-mannered, so it clearly has been a "healthy environment" for them.

My experience with GF "people" is exactly the opposite...I recently moved not to GF but nearby Vienna and so my son goes to an elementary school that has lots of GF kids. I've met some of the families due to my son's playdates/school events, etc. and I have been pleasantly surprised that the people I've encountered are nothing like the stereotype...they have all been very down to earth and not a one has mentioned $$, mansions or college. To be honest I've found people I know from FCC and Arlington to be much more obsessed with this kind of thing...

My experience with GF people is that they're completely obsessed with their children and what they have financially, and have no other lives. All they talk about is where their kids are going to college-as if there is nothing more important in life. I suppose it might be because there is nothing to do out there but sit around your mansion thinking about how you can outdo the neighbors. Not a healthy environment for anyone.

PP I agree about the part of "lesser means" but not sure I understand what you mean exactly by "more diverse situations." There is a wide variety of cultures, nationalities, races, religions and ethnicities represented in GF. Almost even number of Democrats and Republicans. The majority of the people I've met at our schools are hard working folks who have done well professionally, not trust fund babies. We have stable home lives, support and encourage our kids to likewise work hard and excel at what they do. We probably have a bigger share of tiger moms but so what? A lot of the kids are competitive like their parents but I don't view that as a bad thing --- it motivates the whole class to do more, to do better. As for the "us vs. Them" mentality I think that goes both way don't you? That didn't even cross my mind until you raised it. Is the assumption then that your kids must be among "those with lesser means and more diverse situations" in order to view them as "peers with valid ideas and cultures"? I disagree.

I disagree with 12:51. It is still very much a "us vs. them" mentality. We are rich and they are poor so we will help them or we will take special time out to be among "them". Not at all the same as being among those with lesser means or more diverse situations and viewing them as peers with valid ideas and cultures.

Country club hills in Arlington. It's the most beautiful neighborhood in Nova in my opinion and there are great schools.

Anonymous wrote:12:51--very well said. i also notice even young children self segregate to be with children similar in race, academics and i guess financial situation. so if you live in a slightly diverse area like falls church or arlington, what is the chance your kid will actually hand out with someone less fortunate and get the perspective.?

Fairly high, compared to GF. I've observed a lot of high school students over the years and there's no question that students from GF tend to be more self-conscious about their families' wealth than students who live in other parts of NoVa that are less uniformly affluent.

hang out

12:51--very well said. i also notice even young children self segregate to be with children similar in race, academics and i guess financial situation. so if you live in a slightly diverse area like falls church or arlington, what is the chance your kid will actually hand out with someone less fortunate and get the perspective.?

I agree it's possible to live in a bubble in GF, but it is not hard to gain perspective from sources other than school. You can select outside activities that will involve your kids with kids of differing socioeconomic means. We can teach our kids not to be judgmental, not to discriminate, and to appreciate the fortunate circumstances in which they live. We can involve our kids in volunteering and helping others. My point is, it's not only where you live that matters. Perspective comes not just from school, but from the life experiences that you choose to involve your child.

Anonymous wrote:But are there really the apartments and starter home types that are also found in these areas? Is anyone struggling financially there? I feel like that area has a lot of upper middle class and rich people, but no middle class, lower middle class or poor. Maybe I'm wrong, but I personally prefer a little more diversity financially than just upper middle class (making around $100,000 or more) and rich people.

You have a point. By the time GF kids reach HS age, it's possible that they've been surrounded their entire lives by other mostly white and Asian kids who ranged from merely upper middle class to filthy rich. In no other part of NoVa (including Arlington, Falls Church, McLean and Vienna) is that so likely to be the case. It doesn't mean that many aren't nice kids, but it's hard to think it wouldn't affect their perspective (or lack thereof).

But are there really the apartments and starter home types that are also found in these areas? Is anyone struggling financially there? I feel like that area has a lot of upper middle class and rich people, but no middle class, lower middle class or poor. Maybe I'm wrong, but I personally prefer a little more diversity financially than just upper middle class (making around $100,000 or more) and rich people.