Weird Question (Gilford, Belmont: school, live, store)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by lisa g

oooh, i cannot stand that - and experience it usually only when shopping in Nashua, usually not in Hollis, and do not remember that brand of misery where I grew up on LI.
I have assumed it was Mass. people but am surprised to hear about it in Concord. Nasty.

Concord is the "big city" of Merrimack County.
I live in the rural part of the county, but have found the people in Concord to be a mixed bag at best.

[KarynO]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Concord is the "big city" of Merrimack County.
I live in the rural part of the county, but have found the people in Concord to be a mixed bag at best.

I've found people to be a mixed bag just about everywhere you go. I guess it all boils down to upbringing.

[BF66389]

I've found plenty of miserable and rude people in every state or country I've ever been to. Likewise I've found plenty of happy, friendly, and polite people in every state or country I've ever been to. I really haven't found much of geographical linkage for it.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by KarynO

I've found people to be a mixed bag just about everywhere you go. I guess it all boils down to upbringing.

Absolutely

[lisa g]

MrTwigg is right - it's common sense - your children should be able to tell who is ok to befriend and who to stay away from. The miserable types, adult and child, are probably everywhere, and it definitely boils down to upbringing, although I think it is realistic to generalize that there is more of that type of population in a place when there is an abundance of evidence of the 'raised by wolves' behavior in a particular locale.

[NH2008]

I really don't think you need to worry about the horror scenarios you're mentioning, and it should be pretty clear which areas have gang problems and which don't, whether you're moving to New Hampshire or New York City. That said, kids are kids. They don't have the same social skills adults do and they aren't as likely to go out of their way to introduce themselves to the new kids in school, include them in social stuff, etc. They just don't know any better, and in middle/high school their insecurities can make them less empathetic than they should be. I don't think it's ever easy on kids to be uprooted and leave their friends behind and start over in a new school, and I wouldn't do it lightly. We moved during the school year and my child did have a hard time at first. It's not that anyone was cruel in any way, it's just inherently difficult to start over from scratch, especially in small towns where many of the kids have known each other since birth. That said, the adjustment period only lasted a (long) few months and was well worth it. So I would say move if you really believe it will be better for your children, but don't kid yourself that it won't be hard on everyone for a while. And pick a place where you can really dig in and stay, so this can be your last move. Good luck!

[seamusnh]

I can only compare NH to MA and have found NH people to be much friendlier and open to newcomers than MA, particularly the closer one gets to Boston. Native Bostonians (I grew up there) have a very parochial view of the world... It seems as if half the people in NH are from somewhere else...

[Mrtwigg]

Originally Posted by seamusnh

<snip> It seems as if half the people in NH are from somewhere else...

Indeed, and the "melting pot" concept seems to be holding in most communities. Some cities have deterioted to the point where they appear to be nothing more than colonies of M*******s.

[KarynO]

Originally Posted by Mrtwigg

Indeed, and the "melting pot" concept seems to be holding in most communities. Some cities have deterioted to the point where they appear to be nothing more than colonies of M*******s.

Your statement is ignorant.

[NewNHguy]

Originally Posted by nicolem

Well unlike NewNHGuy, I don't think that New Jersey is the rudest place on earth- I think NJ has some of the kindest and friendliest people on earth-so you will see that you get many different opinions here on this board. Of course, I was born and raised at the Jersey shore and I spent the beginning of my married life in South Jersey outside of Philly while he was in Bergen county, so that may be where we differ.

Exactly...

I went to College just outside Philly...south Jersey, when it was Glassboro College....now Rowan Univ. Some of the best times were there, and the "philly folk". Great people

Fast forward some 20 odd years, and Bergen, scratch that.....Northern NJ has become NYC. Short of the far north-west of NJ, we are NYC....

Personally, I have grown tired of the 'scratch and claw with everyone' city life, and quite enjoy the woodsy life in Madison.