Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
It is an irrefutable fact that New York is one of the best cities in the world. It offers the best food, year-round entertainment, cultural events, and a melting pot of cultures, religions, and ethnicities all floating in a magical island.
However, is it a place suitable to raise a family?
Space – mandatory or overrated?
An argument commonly raised: is NYC apartments are too small to have a child; forget a family!
True. Compared to suburbia-land, the concrete jungle will never offer outdoor private space, spare rooms, nor big houses. Living in tight quarters is not everyone. Getting rid of unnecessary items is a yearly routine for New Yorkers. The donation, donation, donation. Since closet space is limited and rooms are small, only the necessary, useful, and updated pieces remain. This is the ideal scenario – after all, we’ve all been through Marie Kondo already. However, hoarders are not discriminated against and also welcomed.
Moving apartments as family needs change is part of the process of living in The City. A studio for the bachelor, a one-bedroom for the newlyweds. A larger one-bedroom for a newborn and so on! The sky is the limit, or more precisely, your budget is the limit.
So many resources are available to assist when house hunting. New startup Nestapple helps buyers and renters by giving money back, sharing the broker’s commission with the client.
Stimulus – is there such a thing as too much of it?
In certain cultures, newborns are kept indoors, sheltered from loud noises, crowds, and germs. As a measure against insanity, in New York, babies are seen out and about from day one. Living in small apartments, poor ventilation, and the need to walk everywhere forces parents to stroll with a plus one straight out of the delivery room.
Consequently, children are exposed to lights, loud noises, smells, and the occasional lunatic from the beginning. Naptime can happen with the ambulance rushing nearby, and feeding can occur in any park bench. Surprisingly quiet spaces and hidden oasis exist in almost every neighborhood. New York Public Libraries are best-kept secrets: storytime, playtime, and mandatory silence provide a heaven for babies and toddlers.
City parks merge with skyscrapers. Unless actively looking for one, it is entirely possible to walk by and not notice them.
City kids – too much info or independent?
Another counterargument to city kids is: since they are exposed to so much, what type of young adults will they become? This one is hard to answer. Too many variables are involved. Factually speaking, having access to get around without depending on a car ride will provide freedom and independence to a person. This freedom can be optimized to gain autonomy and self-awareness. It can be presumed that independent children become resourceful adults.
Private vs. public is a major decision-maker for parents when it comes to schools. Getting high-quality education for free is a luxury in most places. Even though the City has some great public schools, not all of them hold the same standards. Private is, unfortunately, limited to the few fortunate. The beauty of it all is the variety of possibilities NY offers.
Options are available for everything. There are apartments for every budget. Parks and libraries are free. Farmers’ markets happen year-round and on a weekly basis. Delivery services have been optimized to occur within hours. Whatever you need, want, and can be offered is literally available at your fingertips!
