Family Matters
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Moving to a more kid-friendly place?
Lately, we've been thinking a lot about starting our family. Currently we live in a small one-bedroom apartment in a nice area of Los Angeles (not dangerous dump but not Beverly Hills) and we would definitely need to move into a bigger place after we have a baby, but I've been thinking a lot about moving to a smaller, more family-oriented city. Maybe in New England or even a small city in Europe (DH grew up in England, I lived in Switzerland for four years). Also, both of our jobs are relatively flexible.
Not sure suburbia is the place for me...but I might as well do my research.
Any suggestions for family-friendly places that are relatively close to big cities and good private schools?
Re: Moving to a more kid-friendly place?
If I had the chance and money I would move the whole family to Zurich or one of many other amazing places in Switzerland!
Boston is a great city...Denver...
I grew up in a huge city and honestly it was amazing! The experinces and atmosphere, diversity and culture...I wouldnt have chosen any different for myself. Having children does not condem you to suburbia!
While Mags is correct, Switzerland is wonderful, it is also EXTREMELY expensive.
If you like the concept of Europe, there are some amazing cities that are smaller and more kid friendly, but have easy access to the trains for a quick zip to a major city. Metz, France (one of my favs), Luxembourg City, Brugge, Belgium, Trier, Germany and Maastricht, Netherlands are a few that might fit your bill.
As for the US, any of the smaller towns outside of Boston are amazing. And if you do not mind the cold, Madison, WI is beautiful.
I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and it was fabulous. I sometimes read the posts on here about where people live and am shocked. In my town, kids ride their bikes everywhere, there are sidewalks on each and every street, a local swim club that everyone goes to, soccer/baseball/softball leagues, etc... the works. It is a *great* place.
The only other thing I mention is that since not all public schools are created equal, private isn't always necessary if you pick the right place. My parents purposefully chose the town I grew up in so my sister and I could have a quality education. It was a public school system and the best in South Jersey. I had a *wonderful* public school education at no extra cost to my parents.
Just something to keep in mind.
Another thing- you dont' mention family. Great neighborhoods and schools are important, but I think family can be too. My parents have been an AMAZING support for us, and as they are out of town for 2 weeks (almost 3!!), I'm realizing it even more.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
While Mags is correct, Switzerland is wonderful, it is also EXTREMELY expensive.
Yes, it is, but I figured she already knew that since she lived in the country for 4 years.
I grew up in Newton, MA, a suburb of Boston. The schools are excellent so you could avoid private school tuition. Also, the subway was about three blocks from our house so we went into Boston all the time to Red Sox games, hanging out in Harvard Square, etc.
I live in Rhode Island now and I would say that in RI and in CT there are a lot of really picturesque towns that are VERY kid friendly. The town I work in is amazingly kid friendly as far as a parade through the downtown on Halloween for the kids, hayrides through the town around Christmas, concerts in the park in the center of town, etc. Also you don't have the suburbs feel that Newton would have, yet these towns are not too far from both Boston and NYC.
Oh I definitely wasn't saying public schools are bad, it's just that DH and I both grew up in private schools so we'd feel more comfortable staying with them.
Zurich is great but I'd definitely have to stick to the French-speaking parts of Switzerland. Geneva maybe. My German is...pathetic! But really, Europe would take a lot more planning (and money of course). Not sure if I want to go that route yet.
I've heard a ton about towns around Boston and Philadelphia, and that's really what I'm most interested in right now. Raising children in an urban area would open up a lot of opportunities, but I'd like to live in a place with a more family-oriented environment. Most of our friends in Los Angeles aren't thinking about starting families yet..
Sapphire - those RI and CT towns sound incredible!!
As for the family part, EastCoast, the in-laws live in London and my parents live in DC! Both pretty metropolitan
But it'd be a plus to find a nice town near either of those places.
DC suburbs can be very family oriented, yet you still have easy access to cultural events, etc in the city itself. Personally I like the Ashburn, Reston, South Riding Area. VERy family friendly and lots of activities for families. You also close (easy drive) to mountains, beaches and cities. Great central location.
good luck!
Those sound perfect! Definitely looking into it.
Thanks for the advice, all.
Any beta-level city should work for you.
What kind of weather do you like?
I think Dallas, Houston, Denver, Atlanta or suburbs of Seattle would all be fine choices. Check out the message boards on city-data.com. Lots of people there can advise you to the ins and outs of any particular city.
This doesn't fit your bill of New England or Europe, but as PP said, Madison is an ideal city. I live in Minneapolis-St. Paul and it has the same advantages. Everything you could find in a city, you can find there (except after 2am. Silly Midwest, shutting down early). But you can live within walking distance of the urban fun and still be in what used to be a suburb and is now a gorgeous, safe, affordable neighborhood. So you basically live in a suburb without the disadvantages of having to commute as far, or feeling like your neighborhood is boring/cookie cutter. Lots of gorgeous old houses and the like.
DC has amazing neighborhood, inside and out, but I was under the impression they were insanely expensive.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/04/best-places-family-lifestyle-real-estate-cities-kids.html
This article might be a good place to start. HTH
Breastfeeding and pregnant!