Is Austin a good place to raise kids? We cant decide whether to accept a relo - help! (Houston: low crime, neighborhood)

[Melissa78703]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

The four years I lived in Chicago, I knew exactly why Russian peasants think Vodka for breakfast is a good idea. I'd much rather sweat than freeze and as the old joke goes, you don't have to shovel humidity.The U.S. has generally terrible weather. The only place with a decent climate is coastal Southern California, and there you have earthquakes. Pick your poison. I am choosing heat.

I lived in the Pacific Northwest, so I feel your pain. I lasted all of one year then ... fleeeeee! The cold nine months out of the year I could take ... lack of sunlight and some sort of wet precipitation always falling on my head was a big N-O. Outside of work, there was nothing to do but sit inside and watch t.v. People seem to just stop interacting with each other, and I can't blame them. I have never complained about the Texas summers once since I moved back.

Oh, and I did take to drinking vodka as a past time ... (!)

[Fenn]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

Depends on your disposition, but I would take August in Austin over February in New York, or March in Chicago in a heartbeat. On a bad August Austin day, I go sit in Barton Springs for a few hours. On a bad winter day in Chicago, it once took me 6 hours to dig my car out, never mind the five lane skid across Lake Shore Drive or the multiple times a year the snot in your nostrils freezes or the time in New York I went outside with wet hair and it froze and broke off in clumps. In a northern winter all intelligent life either leaves or sleeps, only humans, cockroaches, a few deer and idiot Canadian geese stick around. While I find a Texas summer something to endure, it is to me a million times preferable to the soul-destroying horror of the frozen grayness dark by 4pm Chicago winter. The four years I lived in Chicago, I knew exactly why Russian peasants think Vodka for breakfast is a good idea. I'd much rather sweat than freeze and as the old joke goes, you don't have to shovel humidity.

The U.S. has generally terrible weather. The only place with a decent climate is coastal Southern California, and there you have earthquakes. Pick your poison. I am choosing heat.

It's always funny to me when people mention earthquakes. I have lived in So. California all of my life and I have never had one injury or broken item from an earthquake. Maybe I have just been lucky.
Kaenhu-
That is a shame to ever have to feel that way.

I am also looking at Austin, TX we recently visited Boise and it was great, but my wife saw the weather reports recently and decided it wasn't for us. She hates the cold and wants to stay in CA, but we can barely afford where we are and we want to raise our kids with a yard. So, I am looking in the Austin area now at housing, but we can't afford much so we will see.

[joanagondeck]

Our children are all adults now but Austin is a wonderful place to live. If we could do it all over again, I would move to a more conservative area like some of the suburbs of Austin. We are from the midwest (Chicago area) so the winters are wonderful and once you make it through your first summer, you will adjust to the summers.

[60sfemi]

I can only imagine a little liberal bias would only do your children very well indeed. Exposes them to other than the basic lock step of the rest of Texas. Expansion of thought and ideas is good for the soul.

[bothsidesofthepond]

I've just finished reading this thread with great interest. As I am considering a move to Austin from the UK, I lived in Austin for 2 years back in the mid 90s, and then Dallas for 7 years. I've been in the UK for 7 years now, and am sick of the miserable weather. I also feel it's a good time to move back to the states with my daughters (age 8 & 10). I can't remember much about the neighbourhoods, I am not too bothered about liberal/conservative. My number one requirement are the schools. Here my girls are in some of the best schools in Britain (public not private). So I don't want to downgrade their education in any way. However, i am do love the US education system in general.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by bothsidesofthepond

I've just finished reading this thread with great interest. As I am considering a move to Austin from the UK, I lived in Austin for 2 years back in the mid 90s, and then Dallas for 7 years. I've been in the UK for 7 years now, and am sick of the miserable weather. I also feel it's a good time to move back to the states with my daughters (age 8 & 10). I can't remember much about the neighbourhoods, I am not too bothered about liberal/conservative. My number one requirement are the schools. Here my girls are in some of the best schools in Britain (public not private). So I don't want to downgrade their education in any way. However, i am do love the US education system in general.

I would recommend running a search of "good schools" on this forum. Eanes, Lake Travis, and certain pockets west of 183 tend to get the nod for quality public options.

cheers!

[MsMayes]

Hello, I am a mother of 4 teenagers. i was looking to move to Austin, TX soon. My question is I have three children that play basketball and what are the suggestion on what school to send them to that develop education and to have a good experience with basketball as well. I am coming from a Division 1 area and would like to stay in that division for my children. i am moving from Wisconsin and would like to get some feed back on this. How is the housing because i will be renting an apartment or duplex or home. What is a good area for me to rent. Is there a good area? I would need a 4 or 3 bedroom with a 1.5 bath. please help.

[JudyBlue]

Mercy. Bring lots of money with you. You will need it if you want to find a decent place to raise your kids.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by MsMayes

Hello, I am a mother of 4 teenagers. i was looking to move to Austin, TX soon. My question is I have three children that play basketball and what are the suggestion on what school to send them to that develop education and to have a good experience with basketball as well. I am coming from a Division 1 area and would like to stay in that division for my children. i am moving from Wisconsin and would like to get some feed back on this. How is the housing because i will be renting an apartment or duplex or home. What is a good area for me to rent. Is there a good area? I would need a 4 or 3 bedroom with a 1.5 bath. please help.

Im originally from illinois and basketball here does not have the respect that football has compared to the midwest.

what kind of price range are you talking about for what size apt?

[cdelite]

Originally Posted by Austin97

Im originally from illinois and basketball here does not have the respect that football has compared to the midwest.

Seconded. Here in Austin I hear about youth sports programs in soccer and football mostly. I rarely hear much about basketball. I'm sure there are basketball programs here, but they're less widespread. I wonder if your kids would find the level of competition here lacking.