[Stylo]

Teenagers usually stick to their group of friends and their own town.

Either way, I don't know why everyone is getting so defensive. I never said towns like Brookfield or New Fairfield are bad, just that it's not so clear cut which town is "best" so that Bethel gets dumped to the bottom of a list arbitrarily. Everyone has different preferences.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Teenagers usually stick to their group of friends and their own town.

That is not entirely true. When my oldest were teens there were kids from out of town on their sport's teams/ recreational activities, and vice versa. And once my teens started driving, they and their friends were always in nearby towns shopping/dining etc. Sure, teens usually hang out with friends from their own town, but they certainly don't limit themselves to it unless they are really isolated.

[jdhall1]

There many postive things happening in Danbury itself. There is a new middle school opening. The high school has many great things for everybody including programs, classes and clubs that many of the surrounding towns do not offer. The town is a mix of people, more like the real world. The schools have many great teachers. There is less likelihood of getting bored. Danbury itself is the safest city in the state and one of the safest in the country for it's size. The outlying areas of Danbury blend into the other towns. Getting onto the highways and into NY is the easiest in Danbury compared to all the other towns on the list.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

That is not entirely true. When my oldest were teens there were kids from out of town on their sport's teams/ recreational activities, and vice versa. And once my teens started driving, they and their friends were always in nearby towns shopping/dining etc. Sure, teens usually hang out with friends from their own town, but they certainly don't limit themselves to it unless they are really isolated.

Spot on--- they are doing sports or getting together at someone's house. Boredom is a mindset.

[Tubeworm]

Oh boy. If anyone thinks New Fairfield and Brookfield are boring, never come to Redding. The high school is also the towns of Redding and Easton, so kiddies who live in West Redding would have to take a 40 minute ride through the woods on a goat path to get to their friend's house on Sport Hill.

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I really can't stand that "nothing to do" insinuation. Most people don't need gathering spots or downtowns to get together, nor spend all day at art museums. Peddle or get a drive to a friend's house and throw the ball, watch a movie or talk. It's the same in quiet towns as in bustling cities.

^spot on! I grew up in NYC, and guess what I was when I was 16? Yep, "bored!" I think every teenager complains about this at some point, and then all of a sudden your 20s roll around, and life couldn't possibly be any better. At 42 though, a satisfying social life to me is some quality time with the family, dinner out with my husband once a week (if we're lucky, but more like twice a month in reality), and weekend get togethers with friends at either our house or theirs. It might seem "boring" to some, especially younger/single ones, but it's a perfect, satisfying lifestyle and speed for me. And my trips to museums are pretty much limited to class trips and when we're entertaining out of town guests . LOL!

[Behamama]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

True, none of the areas immediately surrounding danbury (or Danbury itself) is particularly exciting and it wouldn't be my top choice for someone in their 20s and single, but for families it's an absolutely wonderful area! I've lived in New Fairfield for almost 20 years and couldn't be happier. I don't think you could go wrong in any of the towns mentioned. And if you're happy in Danbury, I wouldn't discount staying there either -- you certainly can't beat the convenience, and I too think it sometimes gets unfairly trashed and written off. I know there are issues with the schools, but there are also some wonderful things going on there too -- a friend of mine had 2 of her daughters go through the magnet school near WestConn and she was beyond thrilled with the experience. Granted, admission is by lottery so there's absolutely no guarantee. Private or parochial is always an option too -- a lot people I know went that route. Anyway, good luck!

Thanks Lalalally! We tried the magnet school lottery as well, but didn't get picked. we have also considered private school as well, but we were also thinking with the private tuition, we can probably just move to a town with good school district. Argh, it's tough when you have family and have to factor in everyone circumstances when making any decisions.

[Behamama]

Originally Posted by Tubeworm

I'd personally recommend Brookfield, Bethel and New Fairfield. Ridgefield will get you a little less for your money, but it's as close to Danbury as all the other towns mentioned. Needless to say, the schools are great in all of these towns, too. I WOULD NOT recommend Redding because I find it a very isolated town. After living in Redding for 13 years, you pretty much need to go out of your way to do anything normal, like going to the store, ect. Driving is required in CT, but in Redding, that's made extremely obvious where a 10 to 30 minute car ride is the norm. The schools are great in Redding, but I don't recommend it unless you're really wanting to go "rural" by FFC's standards.

Thanks for the info about Redding.

[Behamama]

Originally Posted by laulob

Because for families, education often far outweighs activities and shopping. Some people prefer the stores and theatres not be in their own town. 10 minutes away, the next town over is fine. I grew up in the area and I worked for 17 years in Bethel. My mother was a teacher in Brookfield and also worked for a time in the Bethel School system.

My list would be:

Ridgefield
Newtown
New Fairfield
Brookfield
New Milford
Bethel

If you work in Westchester or take the train Ridgefield and New Fairfield would move to the top.

Just curious, why are some of the perks Newtown has over Brookfield, in your opinion?

[Behamama]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Well, I went to school in the area in a top school and I knew kids that went to Bethel. I never got the impression they were getting an inferior education in any way. I also lived there for 25 years, including Bethel. Bethel downtown is full of families, and the town has some great parks and also the orchards. It's very family friendly. Kids do become teenagers too, and in Brookfield and New Fairfield there's really nothing to do. At least Bethel and Ridgefield have more gathering spots and activities for teens. I wish I grew up in Bethel, honestly. I'm not saying it's better than Brookfield and New Fairfield, just different. To arbitrarily put it at the bottom of any list is not fair.

That's certainly something to factor in as my kids will become teenager before I know it, right.