What's the best environment to raise kids?

[Barrister]

Been thinking about this off and on since we moved to Edmonton.  What is the best situation to raise kids in?

There are obviously pros and cons to each.

If you're living in an "urban" area, you're probably in a condo/apartment.  No big back yard to run around in, probably much more exposure to street crime.  But living in that kind of density exposes you to a lot more diversity.  There will be far more programs and options available to you.  And possibly with so much available to you within walking distance, kids don't spend so much time in the back seat of a car.

A suburban area is the compromise.  You can have a back yard to run around in.  You still have access to a decent number of programs and options.  There will probably be less diversity than living downtown, but these days you won't find any pure whitebread suburbs (our neighbors on either side are south asian).  You will spend more time in a car.

Then there's rural.  All of nature is your playground.  You can actually see the stars at night.  Depending on the town, you might actually not even bother locking your door at night.  But very few programs, and what is available will have you driving everywhere.

So what says Languish?

[MadImmortalMan]

Straight rural would be my choice. They'd have to get exposure to the city from time to time though.

[Eddie Teach]

Humid subtropical.

[Syt]

Needs "subterranean" option for Austria.

[Admiral Yi]

I have yet to meet a city kid (non-projects) who was poorly adjusted.

[Valmy]

Rural communities in the US make me think of Meth and trashy values and horrible schools.

[Barrister]

Rural communities in the US make me think of Meth and trashy values and horrible schools.

Meth depends on the individual community.  Schools tend to be... average.  No terrible ones, and no OMG awesome ones.

Values... that gets a bit tricky now doesn't it.  Religion is going to be stronger out in the country, now isn't it...

[derspiess]

Burbs all the way.  Preferably a gated community (adjacent to a golf course) with a nice big pond, swimming pool, tennis courts, and a nice wooded area to explore.  Like what I had as a kid.

Wife used to insist urban was the way to go but her time in the US has soured her on that.

[Barrister]

Like what I had as a kid.

I wonder if everyone's reaction essentially boils down to that.

I of course grew up suburban, my wife rural.

[Martinus]

Probably suburban. Although in the internet age it really doesn't matter anymore.

[derspiess]

I wonder if everyone's reaction essentially boils down to that.

Yeah but seriously it was a friggin' childhood utopia.  I really had no idea at the time how well we had things.  Only downside was that it was in West Virginia and 3 hours away from a city with decent museums, pro sports teams, zoo, etc.

Where I'm raising my kids, it's a nice street and we have a wooded lot with a big-enough yard, but there's a little too much traffic on the street for my tastes.  But on the other side, I've gotten in probably as much "city stuff" with Tommy as I had my entire childhood.

[Barrister]

I wonder if everyone's reaction essentially boils down to that.

Yeah but seriously it was a friggin' childhood utopia.  I really had no idea at the time how well we had things.  Only downside was that it was in West Virginia and 3 hours away from a city with decent museums, pro sports teams, zoo, etc.

Where I'm raising my kids, it's a nice street and we have a wooded lot with a big-enough yard, but there's a little too much traffic on the street for my tastes.  But on the other side, I've gotten in probably as much "city stuff" with Tommy as I had my entire childhood.

What you describe sounds fairly rural to me.

[Valmy]

Like what I had as a kid.

I wonder if everyone's reaction essentially boils down to that.

I of course grew up suburban, my wife rural.

Well....even if I wanted urban I lack the piles of cash necessary to try it out.

[derspiess]

I wonder if everyone's reaction essentially boils down to that.

Yeah but seriously it was a friggin' childhood utopia.  I really had no idea at the time how well we had things.  Only downside was that it was in West Virginia and 3 hours away from a city with decent museums, pro sports teams, zoo, etc.

Where I'm raising my kids, it's a nice street and we have a wooded lot with a big-enough yard, but there's a little too much traffic on the street for my tastes.  But on the other side, I've gotten in probably as much "city stuff" with Tommy as I had my entire childhood.

What you describe sounds fairly rural to me.

No.  Just a gated community with a lot of space.  We were in a suburban area east of Huntington, WV which had a little over 50,000 people and I think 250,000 in the tri-state area.  Not a big city by any means, but big enough to have suburbs.

Look up 38.416768,-82.327783 on Google Maps or whatever.

[crazy canuck]

Vancouver and most particularly North Vancouver.