CA Family moving to Owasso area (Tulsa, Broken Arrow: apartment, rental, day care)

[MonikaAnn]

Hi ALL!

Need some help and incouragement here. My husband got a job at Owasso High. I have no job and hope I can easily find something. My daughter is still a preschooler. We think we found a school for her BUT they have the same schedule as his schedule. Where should I look for "summer" care?
We are searching for a rental home or Duplex. We don't want to have to give dog away. CA is soo expensive. We were making 80 a year and not getting anywhere. Someone told me we will always be broke if we move to OK.
We liked what we have seen and the people are so friendly and what traffic? Not like it is here. We are counting the days til we leave here and start new. But of course I worry about everything.
Thanks,
Monika

[Chancellorman]

I live in Collinsville (10 minutes north of Owasso) and I work in Owasso. Owasso is really growing. Areas that were once fields are now being turned into housing divisions. Owasso has many new businesses opening because of the population growth, so finding employment shouldn't be a problem. If you have trouble finding a job in Owasso, Tulsa is a 20min commute and you would find a broader range of employment opportunities there. As far as summer care, there are many different day care businesses such as the Children's Depot, Mom's Day Out, etc. that were just recently built. Many churches also have day care programs. Oklahoma is different than most states because we have such a low cost of living. Someone could wait tables and still afford a nicer apartment in OK. Traffic is only a little hecktic during certain times of the day, but it is always moving. Probably nothing compared to traffic in Cali. People are very nice for the most part. One word of advice is slow down. People in OK do drive under the speed limit sometimes. My parents do this occasionally. Any more specific questions? I will try to answer them as best as I can.

[jeffncandace]

Just adding my 2 cents...I lived in Tulsa from 1979-1981 (as a small child) and again from 1993-1999 in my late teens and twenties. I was born and raised in California (except for those 2 years in Oklahoma and 2 more in Texas).
Since it's been awhile I obviously can't speak for anything current, but when I lived there Owasso was a very nice town with good proximity to Tulsa, and I have only heard good things about it as far as schools, safety ect. I had a friend who lived there and I remember it being a very nice town that was already starting to grow then.
Being from California you will definately be in for a bit of culture shock. Things are slower in Oklahoma, which will take some getting used to. For the most part it is positive but sometimes when you get stuck behind Grandma doing 30 under the speed limit...LOL.
People in general are nicer in OK. Friendlier and more willing to help their fellow man. Once aspect that is both a positive and, at times, a negative is that Tulsa is known as the buckle of the Bible Belt...there is a church on every corner. I myself am a Christian and for the most part this leads to positive things...people trying to be good citizens, have happy families, ect...but sometimes it means that if you don't agree with the status quo you can be stigmatized as heretical and the like. In general though the Tulsa area is a great place to live.
As a Californian, you might appreciate the midtown area of Tulsa, which is (approximately) from 15th St down to 41st, and from Riverside over to Yale. If you look at a map its roughly bounded by the Arkansas river, the 44 and 51 freeways. Especially down Peoria, there is lots of eclectic shopping and dining, and also along 15th (Cherry St.) and 21st (Utica Square) streets. Check this area out for nights on the town.
I hope you guys love it there as much as I did. It's not without it's issues but basically the Tulsa Metro area is a great place to live and raise kids.
I don't miss those hot summers though! Good luck!

[Honeybee]

I hope you will find a great child care provider :O) I know you will love Owasso we live in Ca. also and just bought in Broken Arrow we plan on moving next month .My daughter and her hubby also bought in Broken Arrow .It is beautiful there right now my friends tell me .Very Green they have had some flooding in some areas though . Best to you and your family on your new home and hope you find a great place for your little one :O) I am a stay home Granny and I take care of my grand daughter :O) I love children . and the seniors .

[jkathey]

Hey! I grew up in Owasso (graduated in 1983) and most of my family still lives there. Last summer, a woman hired my teenage nieces to care for her children during the summer months. It was a win-win situation because it was pretty cheap for her but a lot of money to the girls, KWIM? Anyway, with your husband working at the high school, I thought he would be in a good position to ask around about any girls who might be looking for this type of arrangment.

Good luck!