I live in Skokie. Is your neighborhood like mine? (Chicago: appointed, real estate)

[justnice]

We've lived in Skokie for over 7 years and we're very disappointed with this diverse neighborhood. I'm European, my husband is an American and most of the people who live here seem to be foreign born or first generation Americans . We've noticed that they are just not friendly and they are very cliquish, and no matter where we go, what we do, how we approach them, we feel we can not befriend anyone. At the grade school where our oldest attends second grade, people are so robotic and unapproachable. For example, when I drop/pick up my oldest at school, the other parents just stand there, do not talk to anyone, and rebuff any attempt at conversation. Same thing happens at field trips, or any other activities at the school or the neighborhood. I know it is not a language issue. The instances where it seems that parents do talk would be among their own ethnicity. ( greek, asian, indian, assyrian, armenian, ... )

Does anybody see the same behaviour at your school/ neighborhood?
If not, where do you live? I want to move there.

[linicx]

I thougth that 40 years ago when Skokie was a Jewish enclave. Oak Park has a differnt diversity and less Middle-Eastern. Oak park is a mix of old and modern architecture, big mature trees, its quaint and I think it is a lot of fun. Wheaton and St. Charles get good reviews from residents. Here's a link to Oak Park. It is a large website. Click on all the links and all the picures to get an better idea of OP. The non-profit housing center will help you find a place and get settled. They also have short leases, but I suspect you will like it. Click on Sample Apartments in all the categories. There are some gorgeous properties.
Oak Park Regional Housing Center .

The Village of Oak Park. Be sure to click on all the pictures.
Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, house prices, home value estimator, recent sales, cost of living, crime, race, income, photos, education, maps, weather, houses, schools, neighborhoods, and more

C-D Forums Wheaton Thread. There is a lot of information from residents here.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...area-help.html

I'm sorry but I do not have a link to St. Charles. Perhaps someone else can provide one.

Please remember no town, city, or school district in America is perfect. Some communities are friendlier and some schools are better. OP has private K-12 schools, too. You will also find couples that are racially mixed. There is good rail and bus transportation at OP, too.

Good luck on your search for better life for your children.

[cubssoxfan]

Does anybody see the same behaviour at your school/ neighborhood?
If not, where do you live? I want to move there.

A little bit. But typically if you converse with a stranger at a school function, they will reciprocate.
Our district, Prospect Heights 23, is very diverse. Over 25 different 1st or 2nd languages spoken at home. I have noticed some of the Polish & Russian parents tend to group together and speak their native tongue with one another, but the approachability factor could also be due to my reluctance to approach them. We had a phenomonal 2nd grade teacher last year that brought the parents together through classroom activities like pot-luck supper. It was a real ice-breaker. The kids did Flat Stanley's to talk about their cultural heritage. I wish every teacher would do this to encourage more communication and friendships between the parents.

So, some of it is inherent and some may be your particular school.
Where in Skokie/What school? If you have a lot of rentals, many parents may not see the need to establish deeper friendships because they will be moving once the lease is up.

I also see a normal trend of foreign born parents being less comfortable in approaching others. It may be as simple as a lack of confidence in their English. This would explain staying within their own group, where the same language and culture creates a comfortable commonality.

[justnice]

We're in Fairview School District 72, which is a top grade school in Skokie. Our kids will be in the same grade school and high school, and it's sad that parents, no matter what ethnicity, do not make an effort to befriend other parents.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by justnice

We're in Fairview School District 72, which is a top grade school in Skokie. Our kids will be in the same grade school and high school, and it's sad that parents, no matter what ethnicity, do not make an effort to befriend other parents.

have you tried volunteering at school? How about friendships through church/synagogoue/mosque? How about having your kids friends parents over?

[justnice]

I do valunteer for verious things at the school. Each year I am a picture person, a room parent, a music helper, field trip chaperone and other activities. Other parents valunteer as well, but everyone seems to keep to themselves.

[sandstorm93]

At least you're not in the Lincoln Junior High District 69 area. It's about 10x worse in this part of Skokie. Most parents in District 69 are foreign born and don't even speak English.

[yxz8]

You are kidding...

Originally Posted by sandstorm93

At least you're not in the Lincoln Junior High District 69 area. It's about 10x worse in this part of Skokie. Most parents in District 69 are foreign born and don't even speak English.

[tamfromskokie]

I love living in Skokie, although the area could use a boost. Skokie has its diversity in spots. It is kind of like a microcosm of Chicago though. People think it's diverse, but it's really not. Families do tend to hang with their own kind mostly. Some people think there is nothing wrong with how segregated Chicago is, I think they should force the yuppies in Lincoln Park at gunpoint to live on the southside or near west side. Then we will see the true colors fly!

[cubssoxfan]

I think they should force the yuppies in Lincoln Park at gunpoint to live on the southside or near west side. Then we will see the true colors fly!

So what will that accomplish? How about somebody force you to live somewhere that is not of your choosing?