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As many of you know I have been researching the Tampa/Clearwater/ and now Palm Harbor area for neighborhoods that would be good to raise children. And many of you have been extremely helpful but I have been coming across a lot of web sites that talk about how Florida is a cess pool,drug ridden, drifter-conartist type of place that my kids will be corrupted in???!!! Not gonna lie it does scare me a little because a lot of the stories are very similar. Now mind you a lot of these people don't state which part of Florida they are in, and I realize Florida is a very big state so I'm sure there are all waves of life going through. But they basically say never trust ANYONE, that there are child molestors/abductors on every corner looking to take advantage of any child they can get their hands on. Basically saying everyone is a junky and the Dr.'s and police are extremely corrupt. They state that people only go there to die and that once you go there it may seem nice at first but it eventually will make you depressed and is the worst place on earth to live. Now while I get that some peoples situation may be very bad and they don't exactly express any of that but they all seem to say the same thing. And they say our kids will turn into drug addicts because of how the schools are and every one is on drugs. So my question again is why do so many people hate Florida so much? Why are the stories all so similar?? Has any of you raised good respectable kids that weren't corrupted by outside sources?? I would like to hear a lot of positive stories if possible because what I read last night scared the bejeesus out of me lol. Thanks in advance.
Just a few "bullet" points (no Florida pun intended):
1. FL is a transient state full of people that may have not been super successful in whatever town they came from "up north!" They expected the sunshine and zip code change to solve all their problems, which in many cases do not.
2. FL is full of waterfront mansions but on the flip side it is full of poverty as well but nobody dreams about poverty right?
3. FL is not industry nor education based so the kids may not aspire to those goals. Grow up in the Boston area and "colleges" are on every corner, people come from around the world to attend those prestigious schools. Grow up in Detroit or Iowa those areas will often dictate your future employment (auto industry/farming etc). Florida has a tourism attitude, with the low wage jobs that accompany it.
4. FL has large immigrant populations, their culture good or bad comes with them. Haitians will not improve a community since they came from a 3rd world country, they have lower standards for living....not being mean, just showing an example.
OK, I grew up in Florida (I am a native) and it was never too hot to play outside, I LIVED outside practically, my schools weren't even air conditioned and guess what I survived just fine! LOL I got bit and stung by my share of ants, bees and wasps, and survived those too! Never had anyone attempt to abduct me, either.
Just move into a nice neighborhood with parks and playgrounds accessible to your kids and be good parents and teach them what they need to know about life. I really don't get this extreme apprehensiveness about letting your kids outside, etc. it's no different here than anywhere else! But no one can give you a guarantee about anything, honestly at this point I would say you should probably stay where you are, you just seem way too wary about everything here, and I mean that in a kind way.
I know I sound 'wary' but again it is a BIG move for us just wanting to make sure it is a good choice..put yourself in my shoes and say you wanted to move here really bad just for maybe a new change because you have 'been there done that' in the place where you are from..so you start doing research and you see a LOT of great things about the place but then you see specific web pages(not city data) that go on and on at how much that place is a hell hole, drug infested, lack of soul, kids get corrupted, depressing, place that 6 months out of the year you're stuck inside because you get attacked by giant bugs,spiders or snakes and you feel like it is a living inferno, and there are nothing but untrustworthy con artist type people that just want to use you and take your money !! It makes you question your decision just a little more and if it is the right thing for you to do with your family...Again I just wanted to hear some positive feedback from people that sounded like us that has had success raising a family in the area I was looking into moving to without being someone who is 'rich' (because let's be honest if you have a surplus of money you can live anywhere and make it work) now we may not be rich but we certainly are not dirt poor either so we do have options..so I was more wondering why so many people have to label Florida as such a hell hole and say all the same things there must be SOME truth to it..so again for reassurance I asked again for the people to tell me why they think that and how did they do with their children and if there were things I should do to ensure we don't end up like all those others...I live in a very cold state so I don't usually have to worry about snakes,spiders and fire ants so Idk what to expect the worst thing we have here are bees as far as bugs to worry over so I ask not to be paranoid just to know what to expect..you all may be used to it so it is no big deal to you all because you may have become accustomed to it or w/e so I ask just to know more...
OP, You're doing the right thing with all the research and I would advise you to visit as much as possible if you're having any doubts. I was already pretty familiar with the area when I moved here for work. I have a good job, live in a nice neighborhood, and I'm not miserable, but I still just don't like the area enough to stay. There are some good things about the area but it's really just the *whole package* I don't care for.
I'm really not trying to discourage you from moving here, just giving you a different perspective. Keep in mind that there is a lot of negativity associated with Florida. The reason is Florida is not for everyone. Keep doing your research until you have put away ALL doubts.
THANK YOU!!!!!!! I'm glad someone gets why I post all these questions, it really is to ensure that I will be okay and will be able to make it in Florida..I am a very positive person and believe that if you give it your all and work hard at it you can succeed..but with all of the negative I do get concerned so I just keep asking questions figure it can't be everyone there has to be a lot of people that have good experiences as well as far as raising a family there..I am not stupid and I realize that EVERYWHERE has it's own set of problems believe me where I live is a hell hole of it's own..the crime and gangs are taking over at a rapid pace hence me wanting to leave before it reaches our neck of the woods..I figure if we are going to have to leave I'd rather try something new and exciting ie. FLORIDA!! I am not having any problems of my own that I am trying to run away from I just see this city going in a downward spiral and know that at some point I am going to have to get out of here because it is getting so bad...in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in my city where all the professors, lawyers, doctors, 'rich people' live and the houses go for close to a million dollars just had a 22 yr old get stabbed in the neck last night at a party at his house from people that were not invited that showed up and the news said it is becoming a trend in that area..so if THAT area is getting that stuff we are doomed!! So again sorry if I am annoying some I just don't want to think we can start a new adventure only to find out we were dead wrong and ended up in a worse place..
Just a few "bullet" points (no Florida pun intended):
1. FL is a transient state full of people that may have not been super successful in whatever town they came from "up north!" They expected the sunshine and zip code change to solve all their problems, which in many cases do not.
2. FL is full of waterfront mansions but on the flip side it is full of poverty as well but nobody dreams about poverty right?
3. FL is not industry nor education based so the kids may not aspire to those goals. Grow up in the Boston area and "colleges" are on every corner, people come from around the world to attend those prestigious schools. Grow up in Detroit or Iowa those areas will often dictate your future employment (auto industry/farming etc). Florida has a tourism attitude, with the low wage jobs that accompany it.
4. FL has large immigrant populations, their culture good or bad comes with them. Haitians will not improve a community since they came from a 3rd world country, they have lower standards for living....not being mean, just showing an example.
Makes sense, I figured that may be more toward Miami as far as the immigrants..not saying they couldn't be in Tampa, Clearwater area as they are in Mass as well but I figured they would more likely be more south of that area
You won't know until you do it. Trust me. We lasted 9 months in Pittsburgh...and NOT because it was cold or anything...We can tell you this and that, and once you get here only YOU will "KNOW" if this is the place for you. My advice: don't slam the door behind you up there in case this doesn't work for you.
There is a lot of information online, statistics, stories etc...everyone's experience is different because everyone has a different ideals...
We are raising 3 kids here. We are BOTH on top of them academically and don't let get away with anything, and we are outside all the time. Summer or not. You adapt...like in snow you don't walk around in a bathing suit in 20 degrees! we don't go out at 3PM to walk around...we stay around the shore where there's a nice breeze, and that's that. You shop early in the AM to avoid the 3PM heated parking lots...Anywhere you would move you will have to adapt to the conditions there. In Arizona you'd have to get used to sand storms....imagine having your back yard flooded with sand! We have pest control for bugs....its not like the streets are infested with critters...I don't see bugs anywhere I go....and I go to parks all over the Bay!
You'll be fine so long as you are not going to expect to find MA here. As long as you move and ACCEPT what we have here, you'll be fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vabuda1
I know I sound 'wary' but again it is a BIG move for us just wanting to make sure it is a good choice..put yourself in my shoes and say you wanted to move here really bad just for maybe a new change because you have 'been there done that' in the place where you are from..so you start doing research and you see a LOT of great things about the place but then you see specific web pages(not city data) that go on and on at how much that place is a hell hole, drug infested, lack of soul, kids get corrupted, depressing, place that 6 months out of the year you're stuck inside because you get attacked by giant bugs,spiders or snakes and you feel like it is a living inferno, and there are nothing but untrustworthy con artist type people that just want to use you and take your money !! It makes you question your decision just a little more and if it is the right thing for you to do with your family...Again I just wanted to hear some positive feedback from people that sounded like us that has had success raising a family in the area I was looking into moving to without being someone who is 'rich' (because let's be honest if you have a surplus of money you can live anywhere and make it work) now we may not be rich but we certainly are not dirt poor either so we do have options..so I was more wondering why so many people have to label Florida as such a hell hole and say all the same things there must be SOME truth to it..so again for reassurance I asked again for the people to tell me why they think that and how did they do with their children and if there were things I should do to ensure we don't end up like all those others...I live in a very cold state so I don't usually have to worry about snakes,spiders and fire ants so Idk what to expect the worst thing we have here are bees as far as bugs to worry over so I ask not to be paranoid just to know what to expect..you all may be used to it so it is no big deal to you all because you may have become accustomed to it or w/e so I ask just to know more...
You won't know until you do it. Trust me. We lasted 9 months in Pittsburgh...and NOT because it was cold or anything...We can tell you this and that, and once you get here only YOU will "KNOW" if this is the place for you. My advice: don't slam the door behind you up there in case this doesn't work for you.
There is a lot of information online, statistics, stories etc...everyone's experience is different because everyone has a different ideals...
We are raising 3 kids here. We are BOTH on top of them academically and don't let get away with anything, and we are outside all the time. Summer or not. You adapt...like in snow you don't walk around in a bathing suit in 20 degrees! we don't go out at 3PM to walk around...we stay around the shore where there's a nice breeze, and that's that. You shop early in the AM to avoid the 3PM heated parking lots...Anywhere you would move you will have to adapt to the conditions there. In Arizona you'd have to get used to sand storms....imagine having your back yard flooded with sand! We have pest control for bugs....its not like the streets are infested with critters...I don't see bugs anywhere I go....and I go to parks all over the Bay!
You'll be fine so long as you are not going to expect to find MA here. As long as you move and ACCEPT what we have here, you'll be fine.
Nicely put...I don't want to find Mass there, which is why I want to move there..now a little taste of home is always nice like meeting someone from the area you lived, but it wont kill me if I don't....I have been to Florida many times but of course it was in the winter/spring so hard to tell what the summer is like...again I have an idea because it gets pretty dang hot and humid up here just doesn't last as long and again we don't have the 'bugs' you guys have down there so I just don't know what to expect. I hear both sides from 1 extreme to the other..so..I ask..again we have bees pretty much it..I mean we have spiders but they are small little house spiders that are like the size of a dime including the legs..I hear you guys have huge huntsman spiders and those things looks RIDICULOUS!!! I think I would die if I saw one lol..Just needed to know if it was THAT common to have them in your yards where my kids would be at risk of a poisonous bite or sting ?? I know nothing is guaranteed but is it 'common' to have it happen?? So again thank you all for helping me with my concerns, you really do help a lot and I know I am getting annoying so I will try to chill a bit with the questions
We moved to Ft Myers Florida from Maine and we absolutely love love love it.
I think the stories you are hearing are like the horror stories of Lawrence and Lowell and some of the other towns that people love to hate......they arent typical of all of Massachussets anymore than the haters stories of Florida are. I am sure there are places that are less nice..but my first impressions are great. I couldnt be happier. We also have made more friends in 7 mos....than we had in 6 years in our community up north.
The kids in my neighborhood are well behaved and polite, good kids.
We moved to Ft Myers Florida from Maine and we absolutely love love love it.
I think the stories you are hearing are like the horror stories of Lawrence and Lowell and some of the other towns that people love to hate......they arent typical of all of Massachussets anymore than the haters stories of Florida are. I am sure there are places that are less nice..but my first impressions are great. I couldnt be happier. We also have made more friends in 7 mos....than we had in 6 years in our community up north.
The kids in my neighborhood are well behaved and polite, good kids.
hahaha yeah I dated someone from Lowell so I totally get the comparison..but I also would not want to live in Floridas 'Lowell/Lawrence' either so where those posters never specified the part of Florida they were from I had to make sure it isn't where I was looking to move...Happy to hear another success story..how did you survive the summer in Ft Myers after living in Maine..which imo is colder than MA.?
There are what we call extreme cheer leaders who completely see different thing than the realist. And there are those who go to the extreme to make this place a hell. Why then millions living here, if that is the case?
You would be advised to look at both sides and make informed decision. Don't look for comments that just support your intention.
Often people come here after deciding whatever they want to do for confirmation........that would be a set up for disappointment.
My recommendation is, that you really ask yourself "why do I want to mve to Florida?". Write down all the pros and cons from where you are and where you want to move. Compare cost of living, income, housing cost, schools, etc., also think about how it may affect your family.
That is what I did 18 years ago when I moved from NYC to Chesterfield, VA; and don't regret any second. Have a wonderful career, plus own a number of investment properties. You mentioned that the reason you're moving is because of a possible opportunity with Lowes. If that is th case, you may want to also look at other states, especially those with lower unemployment rates as well as increasing construction jobs.
Good luck.
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Never had anyone attempt to abduct me, either.
so I totally get the comparison..but I also would not want to live in Floridas 'Lowell/Lawrence' either so where those posters never specified the part of Florida they were from I had to make sure it isn't where I was looking to move...Happy to hear another success story..how did you survive the summer in Ft Myers after living in Maine..which imo is colder than MA.?
