Raising a family in the city??? (Chicago, Lincoln: condo, house, neighborhood)

[crazylilkelly]

Hi,
My husband & I are still a couple of years from graduation & moving to chicago but I still was hoping to get some opinions. I REALLY want to live in the city,city not the suburbs. What are your thoughts on raising 2 kids in a condo in the city???? The only part that bothers me about not having a house (Lord knows we can't afford a house in a decent part of the city, ever!) is that we won't have a yard & having to worry about being too loud so we don't annoy our neighbors. Nonetheless, it's still something both of us would like to do. Also, do any of you have suggestions as areas of the city that have good school sytems & are pretty safe???? Thanks!

[NSH]

try this website, as this neighborhood is well known to be family friendly

www.bapa.org

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by crazylilkelly

Hi,
My husband & I are still a couple of years from graduation & moving to chicago but I still was hoping to get some opinions. I REALLY want to live in the city,city not the suburbs. What are your thoughts on raising 2 kids in a condo in the city???? The only part that bothers me about not having a house (Lord knows we can't afford a house in a decent part of the city, ever!) is that we won't have a yard & having to worry about being too loud so we don't annoy our neighbors. Nonetheless, it's still something both of us would like to do. Also, do any of you have suggestions as areas of the city that have good school sytems & are pretty safe???? Thanks!

There are a lot of places where folks are raising kids in the city. The sticking point is schools. Chicago Public Schools are notoriously bad and most who live in the city with kids send their kids to the many many private schools within the city limits.

Look at it this way ... you can live in a suburb that has good schools. The city is always going to be there to enjoy.

I lived in the city for a few years, but once we had kids, we bolted.

[NSH]

If schools are an issue, don't be frightened. Some of the best high schools and grammar schools in the Chicago area are part of the CPS.
Lane Tech, Morgan Park, Chicago Agricultural, Northside Prep, Lincoln Park all do consistently well in scholastics and extra curricular activities in IL. Your children will also benefit from being around a diverse population at a young age.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by NSH

If schools are an issue, don't be frightened. Some of the best high schools and grammar schools in the Chicago area are part of the CPS.
Lane Tech, Morgan Park, Chicago Agricultural, Northside Prep, Lincoln Park all do consistently well in scholastics and extra curricular activities in IL. Your children will also benefit from being around a diverse population at a young age.

Ah yes, the Magnet schools. LT, Whitney Young etc. Forgot about those.

[crazylilkelly]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Ah yes, the Magnet schools. LT, Whitney Young etc. Forgot about those.

why do you say forget about those?

[NSH]

Here is a website where you can get more info about the performance of schools within the CPS. A dream job for a teacher in IL is to work for the CPS. The teachers are extremely dedicated to their work and community. My dad, myself, and my son all have had the same grade school teacher for example. (We all went to Clissold Elementary in the Morgan Park Neighborhood)
http://cps.k12.il.us/Schools/

And even though I went to a private school for High School, I don't think I can talk my son out of going to Morgan Park HS (a community HS, not a magnet school) as all his friends are going and he wants to play football in one of the top programs in IL.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by crazylilkelly

why do you say forget about those?

I didn't say forget about those ... I said I FORGOT about those. Geez.

[crazylilkelly]

Originally Posted by domergurl

I didn't say forget about those ... I said I FORGOT about those. Geez.

lol....sorry! maybe we shouldn't move to the city, i heard they have signs everywhere that you actually have to read to get around.....don't think i can hang!

[domergurl]

You'll be alright. I have good friends who live in and are raising their daughters in Bridgeport (near Sox Park). Their oldest went to Whitney Young and is now at University of Chicago and their youngest just started Whitney Young. They are doing great.