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Our daughter was born here and is now 2.5. We're moving out of town this summer, mostly to do with my husband's job, but we didn't want to stay here forever with her anyway.
The schools are generally bad, and I'm saying that mostly as someone married to an ex-UNLV prof. He taught honours students who could barely read and write. These weren't dumb or lazy kids, but their education failed them.
We've long questioned how we can raise a daughter with self-respect when there are stripper/pseudo-prostitute billboards on every street and on the back of every cab. If we had a son, we'd wonder if it was possible to raise him with a healthy respect for women.
It's also really, really, really hot. You can't do much during the summer with a small infant without jeopardizing their health. Cars become ovens in the vast parking lots, so even if you go out for quick errands, you have to strap your kid into an oven to get home, and the AC can't cool you down fast enough. You learn to take precautions like covering the seat with a white blanket and having fluids around ALL THE TIME, but still, it's not fun.
The good points: there are gobs of good playgrounds in town. The builders of large communities make sure to put them in to attract homebuyers.
There's Family to Family, a FREE service for ages 0-4 that does playdates, classes, crafts, etc. There's one in Summerlin and one in Henderson. I'm quite sad to be leaving that behind.
There are good hiking opportunities around town. Red Rock is great, especially the Children's Discovery Trail. You can play in snow up on Mount Charleston during the winter, then drive back to warm temperatures when you're done. Springs Preserve is AWESOME...it's a new educational theme park hosted by the water authority, and it has low-level hiking trails, a playground, exhibits of animals and history...my daughter loves it to the point of obsession.
Basically, there are things to do and a few perks that you don't find elsewhere, but overall this isn't my first choice in where to raise my daughter. I would say that if this is where you can get a good, stable job, then it's something to consider, but if you can get gainful employment elsewhere, there are reasons to not come here too.
Location: central, between Pepe's Tacos and Roberto's
2,086 posts, read 6,848,281 times
Reputation: 958
Quote:
Originally Posted by envirogirl
Our daughter was born here and is now 2.5. We're moving out of town this summer, mostly to do with my husband's job, but we didn't want to stay here forever with her anyway.
The schools are generally bad, and I'm saying that mostly as someone married to an ex-UNLV prof. He taught honours students who could barely read and write. These weren't dumb or lazy kids, but their education failed them.
We've long questioned how we can raise a daughter with self-respect when there are stripper/pseudo-prostitute billboards on every street and on the back of every cab. If we had a son, we'd wonder if it was possible to raise him with a healthy respect for women.
It's also really, really, really hot. You can't do much during the summer with a small infant without jeopardizing their health. Cars become ovens in the vast parking lots, so even if you go out for quick errands, you have to strap your kid into an oven to get home, and the AC can't cool you down fast enough. You learn to take precautions like covering the seat with a white blanket and having fluids around ALL THE TIME, but still, it's not fun.
The good points: there are gobs of good playgrounds in town. The builders of large communities make sure to put them in to attract homebuyers.
There's Family to Family, a FREE service for ages 0-4 that does playdates, classes, crafts, etc. There's one in Summerlin and one in Henderson. I'm quite sad to be leaving that behind.
There are good hiking opportunities around town. Red Rock is great, especially the Children's Discovery Trail. You can play in snow up on Mount Charleston during the winter, then drive back to warm temperatures when you're done. Springs Preserve is AWESOME...it's a new educational theme park hosted by the water authority, and it has low-level hiking trails, a playground, exhibits of animals and history...my daughter loves it to the point of obsession.
Basically, there are things to do and a few perks that you don't find elsewhere, but overall this isn't my first choice in where to raise my daughter. I would say that if this is where you can get a good, stable job, then it's something to consider, but if you can get gainful employment elsewhere, there are reasons to not come here too.
I cannot agree about the schools. I would imagine that not everyone at UNLV is from Las Vegas or schooled in Las Vegas. Also, what about a parent's responsibility to assist in the education process? I am very happy with my son's school. He is a very intelligent young man (thanks to nurturing) and if for some reason the school does fail to provide my son with the education I believe he deserves then I will be the one to pick up the slack.
As far as respect for women and a woman's self respect, I grew up in SoCal. There were plenty of women walking around with questionable attire. I used to go to the beach quite often. The beach shows more skin than any of these billboards. I understand where you are coming from and respect your belief, but in this new age of internet communication and more liberal television standards your child will be exposed to these things whether you like it or not.
I do agree with you about the heat. That and the fact that local developers see it more profitable to build condos then family fun center type establishments are really my only gripes about raising a family in Vegas. I tried to take my family out for a day of mini-golf a few months ago, not realizing that Skandia and Mountasia had been leveled. Quite frustrating to say the least.
All that being said, everyone's situation is different. What one might want and need for their family will likely not be the same for everyone. As such, I believe that judgement in a blanket form must be reserved for one's own person. Is Las Vegas a good place to raise children? Well, that depends.
I lived in Vegas when my kids were kinder/toddlers/babies. There are some wonderful people there and some nice "normal" neighborhoods. The suburban parks are fabulous and there are a lot of resources for people with young children and a lot of outdoor activities outside of Vegas for the hiking/off-roading types. Our son went to Kindergarten there and we were happy with the school. That said, we now have an opportunity to move back to Vegas and I have told my husband not only no but He!! no! The reason is that while you can have a "normal" life off of the strip, the entertainment and gambling industry there does invade every part of the city and aspect of life to a certain degree. Now that my kids are older and would be spending their teen years there, that thought terrifies me. Once your kids are no longer under your watchful eye every spare moment, the dangers there outweigh the benefits. Your daughter's 18 year old high school senior friends may very possibly work as strippers by night while being high school students by day (no lie) and your next door neighbor may very likely be a call girl. These professions are legitimate and very in your face in this city and ,while I don't like to judge others on their personal choices, I certainly don't want my daughter growing up to think these are normal or acceptable professions for her. Nor do I want my son thinking of women primarily as sex objects. Vegas is a city that takes teens and young adults and uses them up and spits them back out. Can you have a nice life there, yes - but I would only recommend it to people who have very young children (and then move away when the kids get out of elementary school), are retired, or who are without kids. Sure any city poses dangers for teens, but Vegas just seems worse than most.
As someone who has been living here a very long time, raising and raised kids here..I totally disagree with anyone who says you shouldn't or can't raise good kids in Las Vegas.
I have raised kids to be good, moral, church going young adults...and other the young people I know that have been raised here are the same.
Because they come from good families, and from parents with good parenting skills. Parents who made a point to keep the kiddies off the Strip where they don't belong. In our neighborhoods, there is no "Strip" influence? It's like any other suburban place...with parks, schools, stores, churches, restaurants.
Unless I go into a local casino or see that "Las Vegas Strip" skyline in the distance...there is no "Strip" influence or mentality as far as parenting and raising kids goes? And that excuse about going to local casinos and seeing "bare ladies"...you don't need to go there with the kids, bowling alley's and movie theaters in most of the local props have separate entrances...and you don't need to go to a restaurant in a casino, there are plenty others that are NOT located in casinos.
If you feel you can't do a good enough job in keeping the "Vegas" adult tourist activities out of your own personal family life, then yes, you need to move away.
But please, keep in mind that kids get into adult things even in the most smallest, family friendly villages and towns across the country. Keep the kids off the internet completely, don't allow them to look at magazines near the checkout stand, don't allow them to watch most of what's on TV and don't ever allow them to talk to their friends unless YOU can monitor the conversation...
If you want your children seeing naked women everywhere they go
In all seriousness, we have two kids and are moving out of here this year. We loved Henderson but I am just tired of the bad environment of Vegas.. It's not a place to raise kids in my opinion.
I have to disagree with you. I also grew up in So cal and go there quite often. There is nothing there as promiscuous as here. It's just not the same. Also, I am aware that technology increases your child's exposure. But it's not just something to say "oh well" about.. Too early of an introduction to anything, sex, drugs, alcohol, will increase the child's chances of having problems in the future. It is detrimental to our children and we shouldn't just accept it. It's a shame because there are some nice things about certain areas of So. NV but it's just not kid friendly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daddys///M3
I cannot agree about the schools. I would imagine that not everyone at UNLV is from Las Vegas or schooled in Las Vegas. Also, what about a parent's responsibility to assist in the education process? I am very happy with my son's school. He is a very intelligent young man (thanks to nurturing) and if for some reason the school does fail to provide my son with the education I believe he deserves then I will be the one to pick up the slack.
As far as respect for women and a woman's self respect, I grew up in SoCal. There were plenty of women walking around with questionable attire. I used to go to the beach quite often. The beach shows more skin than any of these billboards. I understand where you are coming from and respect your belief, but in this new age of internet communication and more liberal television standards your child will be exposed to these things whether you like it or not.
I do agree with you about the heat. That and the fact that local developers see it more profitable to build condos then family fun center type establishments are really my only gripes about raising a family in Vegas. I tried to take my family out for a day of mini-golf a few months ago, not realizing that Skandia and Mountasia had been leveled. Quite frustrating to say the least.
All that being said, everyone's situation is different. What one might want and need for their family will likely not be the same for everyone. As such, I believe that judgement in a blanket form must be reserved for one's own person. Is Las Vegas a good place to raise children? Well, that depends.
If you want your children seeing naked women everywhere they go
In all seriousness, we have two kids and are moving out of here this year. We loved Henderson but I am just tired of the bad environment of Vegas.. It's not a place to raise kids in my opinion.
Where is better. You can move to the rural sticks...no jobs unless you are into mining...You can move to the places like Henderson - La Jolla, Palo Alto, Irvine...bring money and have a highly marketable skill.
You can move back to the rust belt - crime and bad schools...
Chicago, Los Angeles, NYC? Worse schools...expensive
If you want your children seeing naked women everywhere they go
In all seriousness, we have two kids and are moving out of here this year. We loved Henderson but I am just tired of the bad environment of Vegas.. It's not a place to raise kids in my opinion.
Like I said, people don't realize that you need to keep kids off the beach, away from pools, off the internet and don't allow them to watch TV until they're of legal age...
Anyways, much good luck to you and your family with your move to Washington...
Location: central, between Pepe's Tacos and Roberto's
2,086 posts, read 6,848,281 times
Reputation: 958
Quote:
Originally Posted by kowalskified
I have to disagree with you. I also grew up in So cal and go there quite often. There is nothing there as promiscuous as here. It's just not the same. Also, I am aware that technology increases your child's exposure. But it's not just something to say "oh well" about.. Too early of an introduction to anything, sex, drugs, alcohol, will increase the child's chances of having problems in the future. It is detrimental to our children and we shouldn't just accept it. It's a shame because there are some nice things about certain areas of So. NV but it's just not kid friendly.
There is plenty that is as promiscuous or more so in SoCal (do I really need to bring up the San Fernando Valley?). The difference here is that because we live in a valley surrounded by desert, it is difficult to live far enough away to buffer one's self from the "sin" aspect of the city. SoCal is so vast that you could live in a suburb of the Inland Empire and never have to deal with that. As far as drugs go, SoCal has Vegas whooped handily. Furthermore, nowhere in my post did I mention anything about saying "oh well" about the perceived "ills" of our society. I said, as I have many times, that parental involvement is everything. However, I personally don't believe in parental involvement via shielding the child from the realities of life. I make sure that my son is aware and educated about some of the pitfalls that may lie before him and will raise him in a manner which will help him make the right decisions, due to his awareness of said issues.
That being said, that is my parental philosophy and I know that many won't agree with me on that. I definitely respect your opinion, and certainly hope that your next locale offers you what you want/need.
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