Where should we move??? (Portland: neighborhoods, theater, pre-schools)

[portlandshaws]

Hi---
I am a 35 yr old woman with a 38 yr old husband and a 3yr old daughter. We live in Portland OR. I grew up here and LOVE living in this city but my husband really wants to move. He grew up in DC, is African American and would like to move to a city with more diversity (I'm white). Brooklyn popped up as a possibility, although I've only spent 3 days in NY and never made it to Brooklyn. What's it like living in the NYC area with a toddler? Is it easy to make friends? Please help!!!
Thanks.

[Ace Rock]

Chinatown is the perfect place for white & black couple bitten by the "diversity" bug. Unless, of course, your hubby is using "diversity" as a code word for "more blacks".

[Viralmd]

Please check the schools in the area! Not all neighborhoods have decent schools.

[ckhthankgod]

I've heard that the Williamsburg area isn't bad. Also, Queens is the most diverse county in the United States. I would think that would be a better fit. Maybe somewhere like Bayside or Flushing in Queens might be better for the family.

[Marie1249]

NYC is not the easiest place to raise a child. That said, plenty of people manage to do it. There are plenty of interesting things to do here with a small child, e.g., museums, theater, aquarium, zoos, parks, lessons of all kinds, etc. You can look up a lot of these things in local newspapers or online at TimeOut NYC.

In my experience, the most difficult aspect of living in NYC with a child is finding good, reliable, affordable childcare. Good childcare is very expensive and can be inflexible. Most places require that you pick up your children promptly or they will charge you exorbitant late fees, or drop them off at the nearest police station. Moderately priced childcare usually doesn't provide much intellectual stimulation or fun, age-appropriate recreation. Very often, the TV is the babysitter in such places.

Balancing demanding jobs that frequently require late hours and childcare services that end at specific times is the cause of much frustration. The solutions to this are either to 1) make sure to have a reliable back-up baby-sitter for the inevitable emergencies, 2) get a live-in childcare provider, 3) get a less demanding, and therefore, less well-paid job, or 4) forgo a second income until the children are in school full time.

It's hard to make a recommendation on a neighborhood since you didn't mention your budget. If you have a high income, Park Slope in Brooklyn might be a good fit for you. There are lots of interracial couples and many young families. You'll find plenty organizations for mothers of young children, playgroups, pre-schools, etc. There are lots of interest groups, e.g., spiritual, environmental, vegetarian, artistic, reading, etc. These will provide an easy way to meet others with whom you'll have something in common. It's not that easy to make friends in NYC because people are generally very busy and tend to be wary of strangers. However, if you're able to meet people in a group setting, where their defenses are down, you should have a much easier time.

The elementary schools in Park Slope are highly regarded.