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Both nice I'd say Ridgewood. Depends what the op is looking for though. As stated Ridgewood has a great downtown, but Milburn is just a short hop from Summit. Yes Milburn is on the direct train line though a monthly pass out of Ridgewood is likely to be at least a bit cheaper, but will require a connection. Both have good schools. Milburn often ranks in the top 10. That said the schools are so of the most high pressured in the sate, and not for everyone. I think one gets a little more bang for their buck in Ridgewood. Both are great communities.
have lived in Millburn for 17 years, oldest kid is just finishing HS.
Yes, the schools are top ranked. What we didn't know that comes along with that - a lot of stress. Not from us, but from peers and teachers. Lots of kids who have private tutors outside of class. And there is a lot of wealth and entitlement in this town. We are in Millburn, the "poor" side of the township town (where an entry level house will still cost you about 800k). We have all we need, but my kids feel poor because they will not be getting a new car for the 18th birthday and we don't take fancy vacations. It's a little warped here.
Would we do it again? Probably not. The 10th or 20th or 50th ranked school would have given our kids probably just as fine an education with less of the school and social stress.
But my 2cents is spend some time in the towns, see who you'll be riding the trains with. See if you can find a town that shares your values - beyond having good schools.
Thanks for the reassurance 987ABC. Thanks for the Advice nycwbe.
Coming from Brooklyn, my parcel/lot is only 20' x 100'(2000 square feet) so obviously anything in the suburbs is much bigger. My budget would fall around 0.25 acre - 0.33 acre in Millburn but my coworker had advised getting at least 0.5 acres (He has 3 acres in Morris County). Therefore, my question would be should I suck it up and pay more for 0.5 acres in millburn by eating instant noodles every night........or be happy with 0.25 acres.......or look in the near by town like Livingston?
What size do y'all think a family of 2 adults and 2 small kids would enjoy in the suburbs? I have basically live in Brooklyn my whole life. There was a brief time period where i went to a college in rural Virginia.....but basically no suburb experience.
I think the thing with acreage is you need to look at your own lifestyle to figure out what you will be happy with. I think if you have kids who like to play outside a lot, then you will want a little more space. But with allergies, mosquitoes, busy lifestyles, etc. how much time will you realistically be spending to enjoy your yard vs taking care of it?
In my opinion, 0.5+ acres of flat grass looks a little silly. Most people with that size yard have a pool, a giant patio/deck, a ton of shrubbery around the edges, etc. that all add up to $$$. With a smaller yard, you can get away with less landscaping.
I have a little over 0.2 acres and I think it's great. 1/3 of an acre would be perfect. My neighbors almost never are outside so it's nice and quiet. My parents have a bit over an acre in Holmdel, but their neighbors spend a LOT of time outdoors and you can hear/see the kids/parties, etc. That aspect of the privacy vs size argument was a bit surprising to me when I moved to the suburbs.
have lived in Millburn for 17 years, oldest kid is just finishing HS.
Yes, the schools are top ranked. What we didn't know that comes along with that - a lot of stress. Not from us, but from peers and teachers. Lots of kids who have private tutors outside of class. And there is a lot of wealth and entitlement in this town. We are in Millburn, the "poor" side of the township town (where an entry level house will still cost you about 800k). We have all we need, but my kids feel poor because they will not be getting a new car for the 18th birthday and we don't take fancy vacations. It's a little warped here.
Would we do it again? Probably not. The 10th or 20th or 50th ranked school would have given our kids probably just as fine an education with less of the school and social stress.
But my 2cents is spend some time in the towns, see who you'll be riding the trains with. See if you can find a town that shares your values - beyond having good schools.
Thanks for the great information eastcoasterfornow. I was afraid of the wealth and entitlement attitude of short hills, but is it really that prevalent throughout? But we are ok with Academic Stress. How is the recent changing demographics of Asian folks moving in effecting the wealth and entitlement aura? Would you recommend Livingston instead of Short Hills for a more humble upbringing?
Until I have turned 19 years old, I've only gone on 2 family vacations; one to Niagara Falls and the other is Lake George so i know how you feel.
have lived in Millburn for 17 years, oldest kid is just finishing HS.
Yes, the schools are top ranked. What we didn't know that comes along with that - a lot of stress. Not from us, but from peers and teachers. Lots of kids who have private tutors outside of class. And there is a lot of wealth and entitlement in this town. We are in Millburn, the "poor" side of the township town (where an entry level house will still cost you about 800k). We have all we need, but my kids feel poor because they will not be getting a new car for the 18th birthday and we don't take fancy vacations. It's a little warped here.
Would we do it again? Probably not. The 10th or 20th or 50th ranked school would have given our kids probably just as fine an education with less of the school and social stress.
But my 2cents is spend some time in the towns, see who you'll be riding the trains with. See if you can find a town that shares your values - beyond having good schools.
I lived in Millburn Short Hills for over 20 years and there isn't anything going on with those kids or "peers" as you say that doesn't exist in other towns. It's only "warped if you let it be , sounds more like what you feel not the kids. Your kids can have tutors ...free and the school would have set it up for you. You make it sound like the problems you're complaining about don't exist in other towns and you would be wrong on that.
So you don't think those problems exist in other towns? All the towns have the same problems and kids in all the towns feel the same pressure's Millburn Short Hills in not different in any aspect. If there is pressure to keep up it comes from the parents...........in any town.
have lived in Millburn for 17 years, oldest kid is just finishing HS.
Yes, the schools are top ranked. What we didn't know that comes along with that - a lot of stress. Not from us, but from peers and teachers. Lots of kids who have private tutors outside of class. And there is a lot of wealth and entitlement in this town. We are in Millburn, the "poor" side of the township town (where an entry level house will still cost you about 800k). We have all we need, but my kids feel poor because they will not be getting a new car for the 18th birthday and we don't take fancy vacations. It's a little warped here.
Would we do it again? Probably not. The 10th or 20th or 50th ranked school would have given our kids probably just as fine an education with less of the school and social stress.
But my 2cents is spend some time in the towns, see who you'll be riding the trains with. See if you can find a town that shares your values - beyond having good schools.
Is it your point that because many students are using outside tutors, it was hard for your kid to compete and therefore rank high in his class and/or it raised the expectation level for academic performance on the part the teachers? Because this is the only interpretation I can discern for why the school would have been stressful. The social stress I get.
Is it your point that because many students are using outside tutors, it was hard for your kid to compete and therefore rank high in his class and/or it raised the expectation level for academic performance on the part the teachers? Because this is the only interpretation I can discern for why the school would have been stressful. The social stress I get.
There can be a culture of workaholism in some districts that clearly leads to elevated stress. The atlantic did a good piece on the darker side of a super high achievement high school in Palo Alto: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine...icides/413140/.
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