[Muggy]

It's that time: my wife and I are looking to start a family. I'm not thrilled to start one here in Pinellas County. Should we make a go of it, or is middle-class, family-friendly Florida gone forever?

Our only real option would be moving back to upstate New York. I'm over "new places." I want to be near family and friends which is either Pinellas County or Monroe County, NY.

All opinions welcome.

(Flaming, Florida-hating, New York-hating, COL-hating, snowbird-hating, traffic-hating, illegal-hating, crime-hating, snow-hating, rust-belt-hating, boomer-hating, hipster-hating, bad-health-care-hating, Kodak hating are welcome as well )

[HockeyMom72]

You children WILL receive a better education in NY. Hands down. I worked in the NY school system (LI) and I work now work in the Florida (Collier) school system. I can see the difference first hand. Florida Education officials are meeting with New York Education officials about implementing a NYS type Regents program. Doesn't that speak volumes?

I will say nothing else. This is as impartial as I can get.

[Muggy]

Originally Posted by HockeyMom72

You children WILL receive a better education in NY. Hands down. I worked in the NY school system (LI) and I work now work in the Florida (Collier) school system. I can see the difference first hand. Florida Education officials are meeting with New York Education officials about implementing a NYS type Regents program. Doesn't that speak volumes?

I will say nothing else. This is as impartial as I can get.

Thank you for the honesty. Be as partial as you please.

[Lilybeans]

If you let people on the internet decide your family issues, you are in for some tough times.

[alexander59]

While you are childless give a thought of living your dream, move where you want to live, get all the education you will need and you will find jobs that will be what you love and your children will benefit by having happy parents living the life they were meant to live.
The Florida school system is one of the worse, research it, even the best schools in Florida are mediocre compared to many states.

[Muggy]

Originally Posted by alexander59

even the best schools in Florida are mediocre compared to many states.

What's interesting, however, is that I've met some well-balanced Floridians that - compared to my friends back home (who are lazy, jobless idiots (despite being nice)) - are doing quite well in the "real world."

I have noticed that reading and writing seem to be a problem here.

[JimKing]

We are falling into the classic trap. Using school 'rankings' as a predictor of our children's education.

There are doctors who went to school in the ghettos. There are unemployed sponges who went to elite academies. The X factor is the parents and how they raise and direct their kids.

Also, many kids who go to the 'best' schools have no common sense or creative ability. Some of the brightest kids were home schooled or learned outside the box.

You could raise amazing and happy kids in Pinellas County or NY. If they stayed in FL, you could get them into tennis, golf, and other outdoor activities. You could also raise very happy kids in NY.

But don't chase a school system, kids can make good or bad friends in any school system. If you are miserable in the cold and spend your days wishing for Florida, that does your kids no good.

We have friends that could choose the NE or Florida. They readily admit the Florida school is not as highly rated as the one they could be near up north. They decided to supplement their child's education down here to make up for the difference. The extra time they spend, to them, is an easy trade off for staying in Florida. So there is no hard and fast rule for education, school ratings, and quality of a child's life.

We also know people who work extra hours down here to make extra money. To them, they love the activities Florida has to offer and hate the cold. So it is worth it to work a little harder for those benefits instead of moving up north. You can make it work no matter where you are.

However if you feel you can make a better living in NY and would be happier overall, so be it.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by Muggy

It's that time: my wife and I are looking to start a family. I'm not thrilled to start one here in Pinellas County. Should we make a go of it, or is middle-class, family-friendly Florida gone forever?

Our only real option would be moving back to upstate New York. I'm over "new places." I want to be near family and friends which is either Pinellas County or Monroe County, NY.

All opinions welcome.

(Flaming, Florida-hating, New York-hating, COL-hating, snowbird-hating, traffic-hating, illegal-hating, crime-hating, snow-hating, rust-belt-hating, boomer-hating, hipster-hating, bad-health-care-hating, Kodak hating are welcome as well )

kids absorb whatever you see around you that is what they will be in 15 years.
pick wisely.

[JimKing]

Originally Posted by Bunky39

kids absorb whatever you see around you that is what they will be in 15 years.
pick wisely.

As a father of 3, this quote is not very accurate. Research has shown the parents and immediate family are the key. The very close friends have to be known by the parents.

An area will not cause kids to be good or bad. It all comes down to the household, no matter what the location.

I know amazing kids who are living in Philadelphia, gunshots in the neighborhood every night. One is headed to Duke on a scholarship, he wants to be a doctor. He did not, in any way, become what was around him. I know jerky kids who were raised in the heart of the bible belt.

Its the parents, plain and simple.

[121804]

Originally Posted by Muggy

It's that time: my wife and I are looking to start a family. I'm not thrilled to start one here in Pinellas County. Should we make a go of it, or is middle-class, family-friendly Florida gone forever?

Our only real option would be moving back to upstate New York. I'm over "new places." I want to be near family and friends which is either Pinellas County or Monroe County, NY.

All opinions welcome.

(Flaming, Florida-hating, New York-hating, COL-hating, snowbird-hating, traffic-hating, illegal-hating, crime-hating, snow-hating, rust-belt-hating, boomer-hating, hipster-hating, bad-health-care-hating, Kodak hating are welcome as well )

All our family is in the midwest & NE. None of them have any desire or intention to move to FL. It took a few years & missing bdays, holidays, & just overall get togethers to understand just how important their proximity was to us & our son.

Schools, weather, crime, COL...it's all relative to the person & their needs/likes/dislikes.

Parents raise their children. But there are better areas than others to raise a family. So, a child who grew up in the ghetto became a doctor..what? We should all move to the ghetto & let them hear gunshots? At the same time, some of the most affluent kids become drugs addicts & kill their parents in the middle of the night.

There is absolutely NO ONE on here who has the perfect answer on being the perfect family & raising children in the perfect place. It does not exist. Perfect parents do not exist. It is a learning process that has many highs & lows.

You are lucky, you are family in both areas. What area are your wife & you happiest? What area do YOU feel is the best to raise a family? What family members are the ones you are closest to & could help out if needed or vice versa.

It all comes down to how you decide to parent & that you make logical & reasonable decisions based on your own personal circumstances.