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I agree. Here people move away, but once they start having kids, they quickly move back. Its not always true of course, but it happens a lot.
Yes, it does seem like half the kids want to leave this area as soon as they can [that is our impression from talking to our children's friends].
After living somewhere else for a while, they begin having children, and suddenly they become focused on coming back here [We sure see it often enough on the forums].
A high population density urban environment can be fun and exciting for young people. But the high crime, high taxes, and high cost-of-living that usually accompany the urban lifestyle does not make it a place where a sane person would want to 'settle down' or to raise children.
Yes, it does seem like half the kids want to leave this area as soon as they can [that is our impression from talking to our children's friends].
After living somewhere else for a while, they begin having children, and suddenly they become focused on coming back here [We sure see it often enough on the forums].
A high population density urban environment can be fun and exciting for young people. But the high crime, high taxes, and high cost-of-living that usually accompany the urban lifestyle does not make it a place where a sane person would want to 'settle down' or to raise children.
Yep. And one more thing I noticed. When they come back to visit, they always mention the big money they are making out of state, and yet when they come back, they don't have a penny to their name. Why leave in the first place if you are going to come back with less than what you started with?
Yep. And one more thing I noticed. When they come back to visit, they always mention the big money they are making out of state, and yet when they come back, they don't have a penny to their name. Why leave in the first place if you are going to come back with less than what you started with?
Everyone wants to go and earn the big bucks. Not realizing that big buck areas also come with high cost-of-living indexes.
They might be earning $80k/year but if it costs them $120k/year to function; they are losing in the end. It is a hard lesson to learn.
Return to a place where $20k/year can support a family, and actually a $25k job begins to look real good.
Yes, it does seem like half the kids want to leave this area as soon as they can [that is our impression from talking to our children's friends].
After living somewhere else for a while, they begin having children, and suddenly they become focused on coming back here [We sure see it often enough on the forums].
A high population density urban environment can be fun and exciting for young people. But the high crime, high taxes, and high cost-of-living that usually accompany the urban lifestyle does not make it a place where a sane person would want to 'settle down' or to raise children.
If I was in middle school and high school, I would have done fine in an urban setting, provided the schools are good. I am speaking from personal experience. I was bored living in a small town and it made me angry that I didn't have much to do. I don't think a small town is a good place to raise children because what will they do?
I grew up just outside a small town and we raised our boys in what many would consider to be a small town and we always managed to find plenty to do. It depends on if you want others to provide you with things to do or if you are willing to find your own things to do.
In my experience, country kids need less guidance and hand holding about what to do than city kids. They may not have the 'entertainment' laid on the way kids in urban areas do, so need to be a little more self-sufficient. A co-worker of mine helped out a young hoodlum from the outer burbs of Sydney, and as she was relating the story to me, said that he couldn't be blamed 'because there's nothing out there for kids'. So now the local council is at fault if your kid is acting like a brat? Spare me the hand-wringing.
In the village near our property, I was hanging out on the front porch (y'know, chewin' and staring at city folk), and a young local kid walked past with his bike, couldnt have been more than 8 or so. He bade me a good morning, asked how long we'd been living there, and where we were from. Very polite and well spoken. Nice change I thought. And no, he wasnt with his folks and didn't have a bike helmet. (Compulsory to wear them in Aust). I'm hoping he wasn't the exception, so I'll say "you know you're in a small town when the kids are polite and can string two words together".
If I was in middle school and high school, I would have done fine in an urban setting, provided the schools are good. I am speaking from personal experience. I was bored living in a small town and it made me angry that I didn't have much to do. I don't think a small town is a good place to raise children because what will they do?
I've seen a couple studies that turned up that alcohol abuse and marijuana use rates were significantly higher among rural teenagers than they were under either suburban or inner city urban teens.
You are right about those stats. It's not the 'nothing to do' syndrome, though, that creates the alcohol and drug abuse. Our small towns, with the low pop., often contain people with low paying jobs and they are trying to raise kids with little money and few parenting skills...just as you would find in industrial areas of the city. (That's not to say that some of the problem isn't found within the better paid echelons, as well...just like in the city.)
If I knew how to solve the problem, I'd be on TV, but you know as well I do, it's a massive problem and the solution isn't "in a box," for sale at Walmart.
I raised well-adjusted kids who would be kind to you, in an instant, and can support themselves. And, I did it in a rural area. I have to tell you, though, they both started earning their own money, at an early age. AND, school work and activity was our priority. The small school supported my efforts to participate.
Last edited by roots'nbulbs; 05-20-2009 at 03:08 PM..
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and a young local kid walked past with his bike, couldnt have been more than 8 or so. He bade me a good morning, asked how long we'd been living there, and where we were from. Very polite and well spoken. Nice change I thought. And no, he wasnt with his folks and didn't have a bike helmet. (Compulsory to wear them in Aust). I'm hoping he wasn't the exception, so I'll say "you know you're in a small town when the kids are polite and can string two words together". 
