LA! I'm coming home!! (Los Angeles, Westwood: school, income, living in)

[Mike121]

Originally Posted by the one

but honestly, the city doesnt raise kids, parents do.
LA IS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE KIDS.

I don't know much about raising kids, but, I do know that there are a lot of kids in Los Angeles.

1 out of 75 kids in the nation lives in the city of LA
1 out of 30 kids in the nation lives in LA County

It it were truly impossible to feed, clothe, and educate children here, I'd expect those numbers to be lower.

(Yeah, bring on your arguments about how you can't raise your kids like the masses because your kids are special and the masses are wrong or evil or lazy.)

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by Mike121

I don't know much about raising kids, but, I do know that there are a lot of kids in Los Angeles.

1 out of 75 kids in the nation lives in the city of LA
1 out of 30 kids in the nation lives in LA County

It it were truly impossible to feed, clothe, and educate children here, I'd expect those numbers to be lower.

(Yeah, bring on your arguments about how you can't raise your kids like the masses because your kids are special and the masses are wrong or evil or lazy.)

Kids shouldn't be had anywhere anymore. We should let our species die out. But that's a whole different story.

You have a good point. Growing up in LA is bad for kids, but I'm not sure growing up in Valencia or somewhere even more rural is better. It's more about the parenting and surroundings than the city.

[West of Encino]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

Kids shouldn't be had anywhere anymore. We should let our species die out. But that's a whole different story.

You have a good point. Growing up in LA is bad for kids, but I'm not sure growing up in Valencia or somewhere even more rural is better. It's more about the parenting and surroundings than the city.

People who have kids in LA don't care about the surroundings or what's going on. They have them just because. A lot of people in LA can't control their kids. Kids today are capable of lying, disrespecting adults, have a high risk of being involved in gangs.

Besides, people with children are always harassing people with no kids, asking bingo questions. They seem to have a problem with childfree married couples. There should be childfree communities in LA, but age segregation and discrimination is illegal.

[ycipsrice]

I really enjoyed reading the original version of this thread. ANd I think she's right about the kids thing. I honestly think people , IN GENERAL should just stop having kids. THe world is overpopulated as it is...I've never lived in LA, but after reading the thread, it made me feel as if it were really possible. THanks for your honesty about the whole" kids issue" .

[the one]

who a punk? whats that got to do wit h the conversation.

Originally Posted by kingfish22

.... as in punk be atch type of punk.
P
U
N
K

[the one]

wow, this thread really brought out some interesting types.

"People who have kids in LA don't care about the surroundings or what's going on...Besides, people with children are always harassing people with no kids, asking bingo questions."

WTH!?

[jeffredo]

The "kid factor" kind of depends on ethnicity or race. White people (for whatever reason) generally won't send their kids to central city public schools anymore. My town is that way for the most part. Its private schools or bust. I imagine anything that falls within LAUSD is similar to SFUSD.

[MathieuL]

I say don't raise kids if you like to party, like to go out and have complete freedom, and that goes for anyone anywhere. There are a lot of kids in LA and a lot of families

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by kbbr

4. Stay childless. If you want or have kids, LA is not for you.

After growing up on the Westside and going through graduate/professional school in Westwood, I can only deeply echo this statement. I'd also add that LA is not an ideal place to be married. Certainly not with a spouse who has expecations of a "normal" life. Obviously, the reason for this is that "normal" life (i.e. "go to school, get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids, save $$") is not really possible when the "buy a house" piece is no longer realistic in a decent area unless you: (i) are a major sitcom star, (ii) inherited money young, or (iii) make $250K - $400K per (though, realistically, that may still not be enough for an above-described "normal" life in LA unless one is willing to live in the distant dregs which, I'll admit, I'm too much of a beach-community snob to do without also being bitter, which is no way to go through life ).

I grew up in the 90402 and now live 1000 miles away in my beautiful and historic city's 90402 equivalent neighborhood, with a spouse who has the freedom to not work while we raise our kids. The idea of trying to recreate the incredible life I enjoy here but doing so back in the 90402 is just stupidly ridiculously impossible to conceive. I'd have to make 8-10X my current income. And even if I could pull it off with 90-100 hour weeks, what would be the point? To raise my kids in a city they'll eventually have to flee to have any realistic chance at normality? To see my grandkids (if I'm so blessed) once or twice a year if I'm lucky? In that sense, even success would be a form of failure, living in LA.

If I'd intended to be hedonistically single my entire life, then renting or sharing an apartment in LA forever would have made a GREAT DEAL of sense. (I'd also probably have been spayed @ age 23 to be on the safe side) If, however, one hopes to create an actual, real-life, healthy, multi-generational family life, I agree with the OP that one would do well to, and quite possibly MUST, look elsewhere. Sad, b/c I loved so many things about LA, but for this born-and-raised Angelino, also deeply true.

To the OP, I'm stoked for you, despite the above. It was not the right place to do what I needed to do, but if no kids/spouse are the plan, LA's The Place!

[readymade]

People with kids DO tend to harrass people without them, I agree. And guess what. After I had my baby, I now get harrassed by total strangers ALL THE TIME to have another one! All. The. Time.

"You going to have more? NO?! WHY NOT?! Oh, you HAVE to have more than one!"

While I don't agree that people should "just stop having kids," I do believe people should stop having so many kids.

On another note, I grew up on the east coast and hated it. If anywhere is no place to have kids... it's there. LA is filled with lots of culture, diversity, friendly people, great weather & outdoor activities. I think it's a great place to raise kids.