River Forest kids? Snobby? (Chicago, Evanston: environment, for sale, vacation)

[Pebbles81]

I recently moved to Chicago and while we are renting in the city right now, we are looking to buy in the next year or so. Like so many others we are looking into the near sub urbs--particularly Oak Park, River Forest and Evanston.
We went and visited OP and RF this last weekend, and, well, we loved it. There are several TH for sale in both areas that are in our price range right now and meet our space needs. The community seems so nice, the treelined streets are gorgeous. People seem really friendly.


The only issue with RF particularly is that my husband is concerned about living in RF in a TH and sending our son to the neighborhood school considering the affluence of the community. We are both pretty young parents by modern standards (mid 20s), and for now what we could afford in that area would either be a TH in RF or a SFH that would need lots of work in Oak Park. In any event, who knows what our $ sit will be in 4 years, but for now we would be comfortable in a townhouse there.

I have heard others comment about the kids in certain burbs being a bit snobby and monetarily competitive, just wondering if anyone has any information about this and RF? Just wondering if he's right? Do you all think he's right that my kid might feel really awkward assuming we still lived in the TH by the time he started elementary school?
Or is it not so much the case in this suburb that the kids and parents are all about keeping up with the Jones because of its proximity to very liberal and more affordable Oak Park, Forest park etc?

thanks!

[Johnny Northside]

Originally Posted by Pebbles81

I recently moved to Chicago and while we are renting in the city right now, we are looking to buy in the next year or so. Like so many others we are looking into the near sub urbs--particularly Oak Park, River Forest and Evanston.
We went and visited OP and RF this last weekend, and, well, we loved it. There are several TH for sale in both areas that are in our price range right now and meet our space needs. The community seems so nice, the treelined streets are gorgeous. People seem really friendly.


The only issue with RF particularly is that my husband is concerned about living in RF in a TH and sending our son to the neighborhood school considering the affluence of the community. We are both pretty young parents by modern standards (mid 20s), and for now what we could afford in that area would either be a TH in RF or a SFH that would need lots of work in Oak Park. In any event, who knows what our $ sit will be in 4 years, but for now we would be comfortable in a townhouse there.

I have heard others comment about the kids in certain burbs being a bit snobby and monetarily competitive, just wondering if anyone has any information about this and RF? Just wondering if he's right? Do you all think he's right that my kid might feel really awkward assuming we still lived in the TH by the time he started elementary school?
Or is it not so much the case in this suburb that the kids and parents are all about keeping up with the Jones because of its proximity to very liberal and more affordable Oak Park, Forest park etc?

thanks!

Had a roommate in college who was a latter-day version of Sonny Drysdale, the banker's nephew on the Beverly Hillbillies -- not so much snobby, but just completely out of touch with anyone who didn't come from money.

Also, knowing many other people from Oak Park and surrounding areas, I learned that the universal term for River Forest girls at OPRF is "RFRBs," as in "River Forest Rich B......" -- so named specifically for their "snobbiness." Whether that's a misguided perception may depend on the class sensitivities of the beholder.

[Lookout Kid]

Carlos Zambrano lives in River Forest. But I don't know if he has RFRB daughters or not... (that acronym cracks me up, though I'd be mad as hell if someone used it to describe my wife or daughter).

I've known a lot of kids from Oak Park over the years--including members of my family--but can't think of any kids I know that grew up in River Forest. However, the Oak Park kids have always struck me as friendly and intellectually curious, but it could just be the crowd I run with. I'd say some of the nicest people I know grew up in Oak Park, and they still love it to this day.

But of course, what about all of the rich kids from Oak Park? Someone must be living in all of those $Million-plus homes north of Madison and west of Ridgeland. A friend of mine who grew up in River Grove always complains about those "Oak Park kids", and says that this sentiment was pretty common in River Grove. It seems that there is always a pecking order for snobbery (or reverse snobbery).

[Anthera]

Snobby kids will always be snobby. If you live in a million dallar house there will be some who will sneer at you because they live in a 3 million dollar house.

Generally speaking the people I've met from RF have all been pretty down to earth and non-snobby. I'm sure there will be bratty kids somewhere in RF, just as there are in every community. It seems to me, if you are living in a TH and someone looks down on you, that is a really quick way for you to judge what they are about.

If you like the RF school district better than OP, buy the Th and move up to a SFH later if you want.

Both choices are good.

[mia220]

I actually had the same qualms about buying a townhome in River Forest. I grew up in Oak Park in the 80's and went to school there through high school. I always realized there was money around, but didn't quite get the extent of it. I should mention that I grew up east of Ridgeland! No one ever treated me differently because my family wasn't rich. I suppose some times I didn't understand why our house wasn't as nice as some of the kids I went to school with or why we couldn't take exotic vacations all of the time.

High school at OPRF was fine also. I was fairly oblivious to class difference. Although once I dated a guy in high school from RF who was terrified to park his beat up Mercedes station wagon in front of my house because we lived to close to Austin.

If I were a parent living in RF I'd probably feel more insecure about money and snobbery than my child! Let us know what you decide!

[Nysee53]

River Forest is not very snooby. It is affluent but it does not have the type of affluence you would associate with snobby residents.

[Anthera]

Snobs can found everywhere. I imagine in trailer parks, there are some kids living in doublewides who taunt the kids in singlewide trailers.

Interestingly enough, the people with the most to brag about are hardly ever snobs. Its usually the socially insecure.

[Pebbles81]

thank you for all your responses. i agree kids can be snobby everywhere. good points.

i was curious in part because i have a cousin in miami who attended a school where the kids were all really, really hung up on material things. she was "friends" with a girl who told her when they were 7 that they couldn't play at her house because her house wasn't big enough. she came home one day asking my aunt how much their house cost when she was 8. the kids would make fun of kids who had never been to europe, etc. anyway, it wasn't a nice environment, and needless to say, my aunt decided to pull her out of that school.
i was just wondering if growing up in river forest, that kind of attitude and focus on materialism is there.

i for one grew up in miami and went to a private catholic school for 13 years. we had kids from all over, of all socio-economic backgrounds, and sure there were a few snotty kids, and there were many kids who drove beamers and benzs to school, but it wasn't the prevailing attitude of the school. i wouldn't like my kid in that environment where he might grow up with a skewed perception of the world or feeling like he's less because his mom doesn't think he should have an iphone in teh second grade...you guys understand what i mean...i am sure.

thanks again! this board has been so helpful in my move!

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Snobs can found everywhere. I imagine in trailer parks, there are some kids living in doublewides who taunt the kids in singlewide trailers.

Interestingly enough, the people with the most to brag about are hardly ever snobs. Its usually the socially insecure.

Anthera,

I am in total agreement with you.

I see it at all economic levels and every location. There is way too much emphasis on material possessions and not enough on behaviors- what you do versus stuff.

[nanannie]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Snobs can found everywhere. I imagine in trailer parks, there are some kids living in doublewides who taunt the kids in singlewide trailers.

Interestingly enough, the people with the most to brag about are hardly ever snobs. Its usually the socially insecure.

Amen, so very true. And the generalization that an entire population in a town are snobs is outragious and silly. And those who are, why let them effect your life?