[jentwentynine]

hi. my family is considering a move to florida and i am looking for advice about where to live. we have two small children (5 yrs and 16 months) and are fairly liberal. not in a dogmatic way, but more in a live and let live way. we'd like to be on the coast (gulf, preferably). i am a massage therapist and my husband works for the YMCA so we don't have a ton a money, but we do ok. the main motivator for our move is to live someplace where our kids can play outside year-round and to be near the beach. any info shared will be appreciated.
thanks.

[cmdavis]

Cape Coral nice, cheap rent, and house, nice for kids, I like the schools, I have dislikes , but it is a nice place to live. Jobs are hard to find at this time, but not impossiable.

[007.5]

If youre looking for an area where people are generally apathetic toward one another as to how they live, act, talk and desire this for your children...then virtually any place outside of the FLorida Panhandle would meet this criteria . I would examine the local newspapers for jobs wanted in the more major metropolitan areas of the State that are near the coast and if you find there are some to choose from, to schedule a time to come down and visit these areas .

[doggiebus]

If you want to stay on the gulf side of Florida I would recommend you look at the Tamp area and its suburbs. As far as playing outdoors year round, the kids in my neighborhood do not play outdoors much in the summer, other than going in their pools. You just will not see kids playing in the yard when its hot, humid and mosquitos in the evening come Mid May through October.

[southernnaturelover]

You'll be better off in Hawaii.

[vaughanwilliams]

Trading Seattle for Florida? To each their own. I live in the Tampa Bay area (Pinellas County), and have lived in other parts of the state. Tampa Bay is about as good as it gets. I'm not necessarily bragging on Tampa Bay, but it's the most tolerable place I've lived in Florida.

[007.5]

Originally Posted by vaughnwilliams

.... I'm not necessarily bragging on Tampa Bay, but it's the most tolerable place I've lived in Florida.

When you say tolerable are you referring to the general weather conditions , or do you mean it in another way ? Thanks.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

If you want to stay on the gulf side of Florida I would recommend you look at the Tamp area and its suburbs. As far as playing outdoors year round, the kids in my neighborhood do not play outdoors much in the summer, other than going in their pools. You just will not see kids playing in the yard when its hot, humid and mosquitos in the evening come Mid May through October.

That's because kids today would prefer to play video games and be on the computer.

I'm only 27, so I had some of the same technology, but not nearly as much as a kid (plus we didn't have a lot of money, so that helped). I grew up in Florida and played outside all summer long, including sports as I got older.

[StilltheSame]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

That's because kids today would prefer to play video games and be on the computer.

I'm only 27, so I had some of the same technology, but not nearly as much as a kid (plus we didn't have a lot of money, so that helped). I grew up in Florida and played outside all summer long, including sports as I got older.

I thought so too - until we moved out of Florida and because the weather is cooler - more temperate - my kids (who never played outside) will go out at 10 or 11 in the morning and not come in until 5 or 6. I cant put my finger on why - I think part is the weather, part was my paranoia about child abduction and part was the lack of community in our development. Warmer weather doesnt necessarily mean better quality of life.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

I thought so too - until we moved out of Florida and because the weather is cooler - more temperate - my kids (who never played outside) will go out at 10 or 11 in the morning and not come in until 5 or 6. I cant put my finger on why - I think part is the weather, part was my paranoia about child abduction and part was the lack of community in our development. Warmer weather doesnt necessarily mean better quality of life.

Paranois about child abduction? Most abductions are parental or family related abductions. Adam Walsh style abductions have only been documented 115 times since the Center for Missing and Exploited Children have began keeping records.

incipit vita nova: Facts on Child Kidnapping in the US


Lack of community in a development CAN lead to a lack of opportunities for kids to get together in a development, but that can be experienced anywhere in the country.