What's the best environment to raise kids?

[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.

Not really.  My wife grew up suburban and would never move back; I grew up rural and would never move back.

WHy's that?

[jimmy olsen]

Hunter gatherer environment. It's what we've evolved to live in for the last 2 million years after all.

[merithyn]

As weird as it sounds, I think that where we live now is perfect for raising kids. It's a good mix of all of the above. We have urban-type things like museums, great libraries, University lectures, shows, art exhibits, great diversity, and Chicago/Indy/St Louis only a 2-3 hour drive/train ride away. It's also a small enough town/city that it isn't long before you get to know people quickly and easily, and often have friends in common. We also rarely lock our doors, crime is minimal, and I have no problem with my kids being out running around. And while we're not rural ourselves, a 15-minute drive has you in the middle of rural communities and state parks.

I grew up in an urban area with a large yard and great natural places to explore, so I know that you can have those in an urban setting. I lived in the suburbs of Chicago for 13 years and hated it with every essence of my being. I haven't lived in a rural place - yet - but I can definitely see the charm of it for raising kids, so long as you're close enough to cultural stuff, too.

I guess my answer is a small city not far from larger cities, which you don't list as an option.

[Malthus]

Hunter gatherer environment. It's what we've evolved to live in for the last 2 million years after all.

Try it for a week. 

[mongers]

Strictly the environment, I don't think has too much impact, the more important things to get right are peer group, parenting and school influences in that order. 

For looking at the widest social conditions I'd say that means cultural and country characteristics, which we and parents don't have any direct inflence on.

[Razgovory]

Hunter gatherer environment. It's what we've evolved to live in for the last 2 million years after all.

Try it for a week. 

These days it's called being a "bum".

[Josquius]

As someone who was raised in a suburban/rural area- do not condemn your kids to that shit if you have a choice, they will hate you for it.
For young kids its fine, they aren't allowed to leave your sight anyway, but once they enter their teenage years it becomes a hell in which they are artificially trapped.

[Neil]

Diversity is a bad thing.

[Neil]

As someone who was raised in a suburban/rural area- do not condemn your kids to that shit if you have a choice, they will hate you for it.
For young kids its fine, but once they enter their teenage years it becomes a hell in which they are artificially trapped.

Unless there's a coal mine, right?

[Ed Anger]

Somebody didn't have a car.

[Josquius]

As someone who was raised in a suburban/rural area- do not condemn your kids to that shit if you have a choice, they will hate you for it.
For young kids its fine, but once they enter their teenage years it becomes a hell in which they are artificially trapped.

Unless there's a coal mine, right?

It would have given the town an economy of its own and thus made it a bit less shitty. We may even have had the fabled McDonalds.
But.....relevant much?

[Sheilbh]

Rural. I think urban would be good too.

I hated the suburbs.

[Neil]

Rural. I think urban would be good too.

I hated the suburbs.

Wasn't that mostly ideological though?

[Sheilbh]

Wasn't that mostly ideological though?

Partly. But I just hated it. I moved from the Highlands to a suburban town in the commuter belt. It was pretty enough and it was nice having a cinema less than a 2-3 hour drive away, but the whole place was pretty grim.

Some people I know since love it. But I don't know I think there's an excitement and joy for a kid in cities and the countryside. In the suburbs it's all just a bit more controlled and reined in. In the countryside I spent all my time cycling, my friends who grew up in London always had things to do and lived seconds from each other. In the suburbs you hang around the market square until you're old enough to start under age drinking.

[Barrister]

Wasn't that mostly ideological though?

Partly. But I just hated it. I moved from the Highlands to a suburban town in the commuter belt. It was pretty enough and it was nice having a cinema less than a 2-3 hour drive away, but the whole place was pretty grim.

Some people I know since love it. But I don't know I think there's an excitement and joy for a kid in cities and the countryside. In the suburbs it's all just a bit more controlled and reined in. In the countryside I spent all my time cycling, my friends who grew up in London always had things to do and lived seconds from each other. In the suburbs you hang around the market square until you're old enough to start under age drinking.

That's what people have already said about living in rural areas.