The Pros and Cons of Raising Kids in Suburbia

I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles. As a kid, it was all I knew until I went to college. Although I lived in San Diego for a while, my husband and I moved back to suburbia a few years ago before having kids. Now that we have two children, there are definite pros and cons of raising kids in suburbia.

Pro: Safe

Crime is everywhere. However, in many suburban areas, you can take a walk at night and not worry about getting mugged. Around here, we know our neighbors and watch out for each other's children.

Pro: Nice Parks

Every few blocks, there are well-manicured parks. With two young kids, it's nice to have plenty of places for my children to play. We meet our friends at the park and can have weekend picnics. In Southern California, it's great to be able to get outdoors a lot.

Pro: Free Community Events

Having kids puts you on a tighter budget. In the suburbs, there are plenty of free community events. All summer long we have concerts and movies in the park. There are library story times, petting zoos and holiday events. During holidays, our town has free craft events.

Pro: Good Schools

While public schools are often criticized, I feel many suburbs offer a great education. The class sizes may be getting a little too big. However, as a teacher, I know firsthand that the educators in my community work very hard. Since we probably can't afford private school, this puts my mind at ease.

Con: Living in a Bubble

Although the area we live in is not small, sometimes it feels like everyone knows everyone else. As a result, your business can quickly become everyone else's business. In addition, intense parents often try to be over-involved in sports and school activities. It can become hard to distance yourself from these people.

Con: Having to Drive

We may have plenty of community events. However, we have to drive quite a ways to get to museums, the beach or the city. Going to the mall, the park and the library can get old sometimes. Sometimes, I miss living closer to the city.

Con: Lack of Authenticity

Everything looks the same in the suburbs. The cookie cutter houses and the strip malls leave one wishing for more locally owned coffee shops or mom and pop stores. I want my kids to grow up knowing there is life beyond Starbucks and Chili's.

Since we have young children, we will probably stay in the suburbs. However, I don't think we will retire here.

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