small town near baltimore, but work downtown baltimore (home, schools)

[schooner]

I have a job at one of the universities in the downtown Baltimore area and am looking for a place to live that won't be the commute from hell. BUT I need a place that is a smaller community due to an adopted teen who rolled to the bottom of the social heap due to her social issues (nice kid but troubled due to her past) and gets into trouble exiting the window in the middle of the night to hang with friends (and then they take off all night and sometimes for a day or two - but staying locally having 'fun'). I am afraid if I live in a huge area that isnt' "small town" she will get herself into too much trouble or vanish with having a bigger area to run to. We live in a town of 18,000 in the middle of wheat fields right now which prevents leaving town. This job was not my first choice due to the big city factor, but it was my only choice so I need to make the best of it.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[losingmylycosa]

I don't think there is any easy way to have "Small town" living in this major metropolitan area without a hell of a commute. Bus lines run far into the county. So you are going to have to make the choice of either long commutes or risk her getting into trouble... The closest small towns are in Harford and Carroll Counties, and many people commute from there but it gets tiring after a while.

[doreen moran]

I live in a small town in Cecil County Maryland, 45 minutes to camden yards, Inner Harbor etc. I have a 16 year old so I understand! There isn't much but Amish, waterfront towns and antique shops here. The kids get bored, we have bonfires at our home and invite the kids. At least we can keep an eye on them. This county is Known for famous race horses being bred here and the 5 rivers of waterfront. We have the MARC train to ease the commute also. The Schools are ok and the kids too. There will always be trouble if our children are destined to hunt it down. If you are in the wheat fields now this will be much the same! Feel free to email me directly for more town info.