Where to raise kids? good schools? (teens, toddler, parents, smart)
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I am currently living in Miami, FL. I have 2 children. One of them a teenager. I have always lived in miami, and it was a fine place, but my teenage son came home telling me that he saw a high speed chase while in p.e on the street. He also saw a motorcycle crash right in front of his eyes while waiting for me to come pick him up! He's also gone to parties where kids have sex and smoke weed. He also tells me he doesn't learn anything at school when i ask him about his grades. He's even starting to hang out with the wrong crowd. I really don't want my toddler living like this, i don't know what to do. Any city or place that has good schools and i don't have to worry about things like this? And i'd like to hear opinions about raising children in miami.
Sorry to break it to you, but sex and pot are going to exist at just about every high school in the country. The only way to avoid it is to impart the right values to your son so that he is strong enough to avoid them and befriend the right type of people.
Why not stop him from going to parties if you don't know the parents of the kid throwing the party? If no parents are going to be there, he doesn't get to go.
The poster above me is correct.. I live in one of the best ranked school districts in the country, and that junk still happens. Sure, it probably happens more in an inner city school, but every school has that ''rough crowd''.
I am currently living in Miami, FL. I have 2 children. One of them a teenager. I have always lived in miami, and it was a fine place, but my teenage son came home telling me that he saw a high speed chase while in p.e on the street. He also saw a motorcycle crash right in front of his eyes while waiting for me to come pick him up! He's also gone to parties where kids have sex and smoke weed. He also tells me he doesn't learn anything at school when i ask him about his grades. He's even starting to hang out with the wrong crowd. I really don't want my toddler living like this, i don't know what to do. Any city or place that has good schools and i don't have to worry about things like this? And i'd like to hear opinions about raising children in miami.
Thanks.
1. Bad stuff happens anywhere. Big cities, small towns, it doesn't matter. No place is perfect. We've lived in different places and really they have all been basically the same - just the weather, geography, and street names are different. They've all got stupid people doing stupid things, smart people working to make things better, and the others who sit around and do nothing except complain or talk a lot.
2. Find a parenting workshop or parenting classes that discuss parenting teens. These are really helpful in understanding your teenager and also just talking with other parents of teenagers and knowing you're not alone. It can be a strange time. There are also a lot of misconceptions. Love your son, he needs you even more now as a teenager even though he probably seems to place more importance on his friends. Teens need their parents in different ways than they did as younger children.
3. Don't just talk to him about his grades - talk to his teachers. Get the information directly from the source. This will also let him know that you care enough to get involved with his life and his education. If he sees you putting forth the effort to care, he will, too. Ask his school about ways you can get involved like volunteering or fundraising or running the school newsletter or website, etc.
Also - if the sex and drugs bother you, as a parent you can tell him you don't want him to go. It's going to happen though, and more and more the older he gets. The best thing you can do is to help him build up his own character and confidence so that he can make positive life choices and not do bad stuff that will take him down a slippery slope. Is he old enough to work? There are also volunteer opportunities... figure out what he's interested in and find a volunteer opportunity that matches it. If he's interested in music a lot of times the local college radio stations need volunteers. If he likes reading, see if there are opportunities at the library. Keeping him busy with positive things will help you all see that there is good in the world - not just all bad.
The sex and drugs happen everywhere, but I'd still move to a safer area where high speed chases aren't the norm.
I agree. It does indeed happen everywhere but some places are better/worse than others. Also, I don't know if this is feasible for you, but regarding influences at school, have you considered home schooling? If I had it to do over again, I would at least consider it seriously. I would and did try to combat the unwholesome element by encouraging the wholesome element (church youth group etc.) It does help to have others reinforcing the values you desire to see.
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He's also gone to parties where kids have sex and smoke weed. He also tells me he doesn't learn anything at school when i ask him about his grades. He's even starting to hang out with the wrong crowd. I really don't want my toddler living like this, i don't know what to do. Any city or place that has good schools and i don't have to worry about things like this? And i'd like to hear opinions about raising children in miami. 
They've all got stupid people doing stupid things, smart people working to make things better, and the others who sit around and do nothing except complain or talk a lot.
