Moving to an Apartment
I was hoping that you could put together a collection of perspectives from your readers on their experiences with the benefits to living in an apartment or other high density housing (especially from those with children). Moving into a city and likely high-density housing (apartment) may be in our future. Having only lived in small towns and never an apartment, I have no idea what the advantages are. In true "cup half full" fashion, I was hoping to hear what apartment dwellers with children do to make it work for them.
Jasmine T. in Canada
Family Time Abounds
We lived in an apartment for over three years and our daughters were preschool age to early school age at the time. There were several advantages to living in an apartment. The biggest one was the fact that without the upkeep of a house, we had so much more extra time to spend quality and quantity time with the girls. Also, because we did not have the space to stash a lot of items, we found that we spent less money. We refused to pay for a storage space, so we always considered where an item would fit before we made a purchase. Finally, the complex that we lived in had several amenities, including a pool, a playground, and an exercise facility. Therefore, we had easy access to free entertainment, which is something that every parent of a young child appreciates. It has now been several years since we moved out of our happy little space and our girls are preteens, but we still fondly remember those years as good ones.
Pam
More Resources for Children
Big cities often have wonderful resources for children that are not so easy to find in a small town. Search out the city's library. It will most likely have wonderful programs for children, such as "story times." This also gives the parent a chance to meet other parents who have young children and to make new friends. We lived in an urban apartment when my children were young, and I have very fond memories of it.
Ronda
The Benefits of Cultural Diversity
Having lived in NYC for 10 years and now in a semi rural area of Pennsylvania, I can see a lot of advantages to city apartment dwelling.
Safety issues are largely related to neighborhood, so choose wisely and take reasonable precautions.
O.F.
Pros, Cons and Suggestions
Apartments can be wonderful, but you should go in with your eyes open.
The Positives:
The Negatives:
Suggestions:
A Quick Call to Maintenance
As a single mom with a young daughter when we moved in, I really appreciated the security of living in an apartment complex. If there was a plumbing problem or a broken appliance, a phone call took care of everything. We developed relationships with the management and maintenance staff during our eight years there, as well as our neighbors. Our complex had an indoor pool and clubhouse that we used quite a bit. Sleepover parties were what I called "Swim 'em, Feed 'em, DVD 'em!" The girls always had a lot of fun and used up the excess energy that can be a problem in an apartment.
BB in Michigan
Take Advantage of Public Transportation
One advantage is that in the city, you are within walking distance of everything. The bus lines go everywhere and there are more of them in the city. I loved living in downtown Sacramento, CA with the Capitol Park blocks away. The community center was nearby; we could walk to concerts and theatre. My son got to know all of the local merchants and even the homeless looked out for him because he was tender hearted and gave them empty cans. I never felt a greater sense of community than when I lived "downtown." I live out in the country now, and have to have a car to get anywhere. Neighbors here are great, but there is a reason why our acreage separates us! Most folks in the country like their space. People in the city are used to living with/near others, and in some ways, they are just friendlier. At least, that was how it was when I lived in the city.
Sheila
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