Bad place to raise kids? (Seattle: renting, houses, neighborhoods)

[seattlenextyear]

I've heard this statement more than once in this forum. As a maybe-future-parent-someday-perhaps-when-I'm-over-32, I'm wondering why this is the perception.

For me, the city I raise my kids in should have
1. Montessori schools
2. Public parks
3. Good recreation/hiking
4. Cultural activities (symphony/art museum/plays/etc.)
5. A good science museum
6. Good libraries

Ok, Seattle has all of those. What am I missing?

You can make the weather excuse if you want, but I was raised on a 3 month outdoor period as well. I'm more interested in other reasons.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

What am I missing?

Safety. Seattle and surrounding areas are clearly quite safe enough for children, animals and adults, as there are so many of each who survive in good health.

Please remember that some people who post anonymous statements in public do so just to pass the time, not necessarily to inform, or to express anger instead of heal it... You're quite on the right track.

[seattlenextyear]

I would accept safety as a valid answer. It's something to think about when you move into a large city. There's always neighborhoods with bad high schools or parks that you don't want to walk around at night.

Also acceptable: detergent/water costs from washing muddy clothes.

[SeattlitefromNC]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

I've heard this statement more than once in this forum. As a maybe-future-parent-someday-perhaps-when-I'm-over-32, I'm wondering why this is the perception.

For me, the city I raise my kids in should have
1. Montessori schools
2. Public parks
3. Good recreation/hiking
4. Cultural activities (symphony/art museum/plays/etc.)
5. A good science museum
6. Good libraries

Ok, Seattle has all of those. What am I missing?

You can make the weather excuse if you want, but I was raised on a 3 month outdoor period as well. I'm more interested in other reasons.

I think the big downside for a lot of families here is the cost of living. That stands whether or not you have kids, but it is more of issue when you have them.

As for safety, I'm not sure that I buy that argument. Seattle is far and away the safest place I've ever lived.

[CityGirl72]

You can't understand how abosolutely occupied your life with your family is - what is needed is a family (suburb) community that has LOTS of weekly activities together, and other families nearby otherwise you are by youself on a long string of houses.

so.....
1. Montessori schools - Okay, we went to a Montessori and it was not a good experience PING me for a longer answer

2. Public parks - it moist here - all year long...the park gets really really old really fast, there's only so many times you can go to the park and just stand there watching your kid run around while until you don't want to go anymore (until it's sunny and warmer)

3. Good recreation/hiking - okay that's a great idea. I love hiking, but being a working mom I have very little time, and once again the cold and moistness keeps me away. Plus you have to yell or run after your kids - oh it's so much fun...

4. Cultural activities (symphony/art museum/plays/etc.) YOu can only go so many time - you going to the museum weekly? We've been to all those places multiple times - and now my kid says "The museum again?"

5. A good science museum - great - see above answer

6. Good libraries - we go twice a month, this is actually a good idea.

It's not all fun and roses here. It's not fun and roses everywhere, whereever. That's just parenting, and there are no breaks.

It's actually sunny today and close to being warm - we are going to the zoo. But we had to wait since Sept to go.

Raising a young child in the city is different than the school age child. I live near Greenlake, and there is ONE other family on this street - it's also not safe to ride a bike, and it's WAY too close to Aurora and all the "yuck" for my tastes.

You won't see these things until you have kids. I didn't - I've always lived in urban areas.

This souds grouchy - but I'm not trying to be, I'm just being bugged by kid complaining that something he was creating is "too hard" and he wants me to fix it....ahhh joys of parenting.

[pwright1]

Citygirl, are you making excuses? It's moist here year around? I don't think so. 'All these things get old pretty fast?' Do they? I think its great to have these things close by. As I look outside today my neighbor is setting up their backyard for their kids birthday party. Out of about 18 houses and 2 apt. bldgs. on my block a little more than half have kids. Is it really that bad? I don't think so.

[CityGirl72]

you don't have kids (I'm not trying to argue) - and I admitted to be grouchy

But I did say on this sunny day we are going to the zoo

And yes being a parenting and having to entertain your kids day in and day out - gets old. Maybe if parents got breaks to go back to the kid-less years - it wouldn't be so duanting.

And yes moist all year - seriously one sunny saturday is not parent friendly. My son's birthday is in June it was raining cats and dogs and durn cold last year

When we lived in California, we went hiking more, biking more, and out to the parks more.

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by SeattlitefromNC

I think the big downside for a lot of families here is the cost of living. That stands whether or not you have kids, but it is more of issue when you have them.

I'll also accept cost of living as an acceptable answer. If we find ourselves not being able to afford a house when we decide to spawn, we'll probably want to move somewhere else.

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

You can't understand how abosolutely occupied your life with your family is - what is needed is a family (suburb) community that has LOTS of weekly activities together, and other families nearby otherwise you are by youself on a long string of houses.

You should trade places with those Seattle suburb moms who complain about how there's nothing for their kids to do except take them to the mall and how going in town to the museums is so expensive.

[mlv311]

I must have interpreted the other posts differently from you because I didn't hear anyone say that Seattle was a bad place for raising children. I did hear several people, including myself, express a preference for raising children (particularly toddlers and preschoolers who realistically can only tolerate museums and cultural activities in small doses), in a place that offers all the amenities you listed for Seattle plus four seasons. It's a personal preference. I love to see my children engage in active outdoor play most of the year (e.g., jumping into the Fall leaves, building a snowman, riding a trike/bike, enjoying slides and swings and playdates in the park, swimming in the pool during the summer, etc.).

ETA: Another disadvantage that I found by the Seattle weather (again a personal preference) is that SAHM with small children don't just hangout in the neighborhood and parks. It's nice to grow up in a community where you find children playing together in a cul de sac or community tot lot.