If you’d asked me a decade ago if I’d ever move out to the suburbs, I would have grimaced, given you a “girl, please!” look and ended the conversation right then and there. I was a Big City Girl, living in New York City, reveling in all the urban glory and feeling as if there was no other place on earth I’d rather be.
| This? Not interested… |
When we moved to Denver from Manhattan, I was pretty nervous about getting away from the concrete jungle and being swallowed up by suburban life. We were very precise about where we chose to live, picking an area of town that was still pretty hip and happening, yet not downtown, not out in the ‘burbs with cookie-cutter architecture. It was an adorable part of town (Washington Park, if you’re familiar with Denver ‘hoods), with lots of charm and homes a century old. However, we lived on a busy street, full of foot traffic, loud cars and motorcycles idling at our corner, and 8 foot privacy fences. We never let our kids play outside in the front yard without being out there with them, the kids never rode their bikes further than 10 feet without some kind of obstacle. Sure, the fence provided a boundary for the kids in the backyard, and we could let them run loose back there. But Mr. B couldn’t hit a baseball in the backyard without it jumping a fence and rolling into the alley. After 6+ years, we were finally ready for some space.
Enter: our house here in Ohio. The antithesis of urban living. Not that where we live is entirely rural, but on the other side of the street that serves as the boundary for our subdivision? Farms. FARMS, y’all. We have seen deer in the empty lot across the street. There are hawks flying overhead (to which, when asked by the kids what they’re circling and looking for, I tell them “little children who misbehave and don’t listen to their parents.” Gives them nightmares, sure, but it also makes them deliciously quiet for a minute or two.)
Moving out here to the suburbs was a bit of a pill to swallow. So much so that when Mr. B told one of his teachers last year “We’re moving to the suburbs!”, his teacher exclaimed, “Wow, I can tell that’s a really big deal for your family.” Big deal, indeed. I think my fear was that we would move out here and find there was no diversity, no character. Everyone would be driving minivans and playing tennis and show up on our doorstep all fake smiles, stepfordish and all that. But so far, things haven’t been as vanilla as I’d feared. Our block actually has a diverse ethnic makeup, which is great. I haven’t seen too many houses that look the same. The neighbors have been warm and welcoming, even bringing over mass quantities of baked goods and offering advice for pediatricians and grocery stores. Our next-door neighbors even graciously invited us over to their home last week for dinner while we experienced our very first power outage, and appreciated the warm glow of lights and microwaveability from their generator. In Denver? Yeah, we’d be on our own in that scenario, toughing it out by ourselves as they other neighbors waited things out in their own homes. So, I guess there are some cons to living in the urban jungle after all.
Still, there are things I’m not quite accustomed to about this type of living. I’m still not comfortable leaving our doors unlocked. So much so that we got ourselves locked out of the house last week (but, hey, I now know the number of the nearest locksmith, so, BONUS!). Jon is fine leaving the garage door wide open as we take a walk around the neighborhood, and the city girl in me fights the urge to want to run back and lock things down. I still can’t seem to let the kids leave the confines of our house without me being on their heels. Perhaps someday soon I will be able to let go of all of my fear and pessimism and enjoy the security and openness that the suburbs promises.
What’s been your experience with the suburbs? Feel free to share you tips on surviving suburban life…
I so relate to this post!! I was raised in the suburbs of Long Island but was very happy to ditch it when I went to school and was a happy NYC twenty and thirty something for 14 years, we made a small move to queens for 3 years and then, wouldn’t you know it we bought a house 6 blocks from where I grew up! My kids go to the same schools I went to. Somehow when kids come into the picture I found so many of my NYC friends making the same choices we did. Backyards and minivans replace subways and apartment hallway playing!! Glad you are enjoying it. We have been here 11 years and I enjoy it. Love the picture of the dear!! xo
I grew up on a farm, so when I went away to college I felt VERY claustrophobic with people having a house right next to my apartment. I could look out my window right into someone else’s window? That was really hard for me.
Over the long years, I’ve adapted…a LITTLE. lol. I now live in a suburb area, with nice neighbors and all, but I still feel a little claustrophobic. I love having the closeness of friends when I want to just walk across the street to chat with my friends, or when my kids want to play with their friends. But I really would like a little more space between my house and the neighbors…a little more privacy.
Just the wonders of how differently life is depending on how you’ve grown up.
Gina… I too had a life changing move… Growing up in Los Angeles and had lived in Seattle as well…if you would have told me that one day I would be living in El Paso, Texas… well my reaction would have been no different than yours!
… but four years later… we are adjusted and have learned some of the ins and outs of this town. Helps tremendously that my husband’s family lives here 
otherwise this girl would have moved about three years ago. Here’s to your new adventure!! btw.. I would never ever stop being on my daughter’s heels! no matter where we live! 
with grace, wishing you peace and many blessings… Carla
Kathy – thanks for sharing! I know this is the time to transition, that other families are in the same place as well, but it feels so strange as well. Having the deer around here is a bit bizarre, we’ve almost hit a couple as they dart across the street out of the blue.
Amber – What a complete 180 from my experience! For me, the quietness of our surroundings is a bit eerie, and I can’t quite get comfortable with it. I imagine I will eventually, though.
Carla – Thanks for your kind words and sharing your experience. I know I’ll look back on this in a few years and laugh and how awkward I felt. But it’s still a big adjustment for me, and one I wasn’t entirely prepared for.