I'm moving (my family) to LA

[HomerS3]

Originally Posted by JKB

Homer, you're throwing a lot into one bag. Are you arguing that, say, Hazard County, Kentucky is a more kid-friendly place to live than many neighborhoods in L.A.? There's poverty everywhere. And drugs. You don't have to choose to live where the poverty and drugs are rampant, but they're there. Just like in L.A.

You want me to say that there are places in the mid-west worse than LA as a whole? Duh. Undoubtedly. That's not what was being asked. The question is whether LA is tougher on kids than your average town. Answer? Yes.

[JKB]

Originally Posted by HomerS3

I love LA. But the original poster asked if there were any reasons to be wary of raising kids here. The answer is yes. LA is tougher on kids than most of the rest of the country. I talk to kids all the time who have lived in both areas. It's just a fact. The assault on me for pointing this out is ridiculous.

But your 'evidence' for that state of affairs was to imply that kids in L.A. are all on drugs, and the stats apparently don't bear that out.

I guess I'm reacting cuz I hear this same argument about Brooklyn - which I love - from people who would never live in Brooklyn.

Fine, that's an excellent choice. Live where you're happy. But most of their information on Brooklyn is uninformed prejudice and unwarranted generalizations about a huge, diverse city.

I'd say there are reasons to be "wary" of raising your kids anywhere. Sure, the OP should be cautious. He shouldn't be paranoid or misinformed.

[HomerS3]

Originally Posted by JKB

But your 'evidence' for that state of affairs was to imply that kids in L.A. are all on drugs

Who said that?! Ok, I respectfully bow out of this meaningless debate. I offered my insight into the prospect of raising children in LA and stand by the simple fact that it is less kid-friendly than the majority of middle America. I hope the OP can glean something useful. It's a big decision and one that deserves all the necessary considerations. LA's great, but with every plus there is a minus to weigh.

[jimjimgrande]

Answering the OPs question based on personal experiences, as Homer did, as I have done, is naturally subjective.

But to assail our experiences as incorrect or too generalizing is just plain idiotic.

If the OP wants to base his decision to move his family based on statistics, or have it be informed by the lives of others, that's entirely up to him.

But don't tell us what we've lived through is wrong.

[JKB]

Originally Posted by HomerS3

You want me to say that there are places in the mid-west worse than LA as a whole? Duh. Undoubtedly. That's not what was being asked. The question is whether LA is tougher on kids than your average town. Answer? Yes.

No. The answer is maybe, and it depends. There are a million variables.

Look, I'd be concerned about my kids in a move to L.A., too. But, I think it's overgeneralizing to compare "L.A." to the "Midwest". You can land in a great place for your kids in L.A. and you could land in a terrible place for your kids in the Midwest.

It's not helpful to say, in general, that one is better than the other. You don't move to a city, in general.

[JKB]

Originally Posted by HomerS3

Who said that?! Ok, I respectfully bow out of this meaningless debate. I offered my insight into the prospect of raising children in LA and stand by the simple fact that it is less kid-friendly than the majority of middle America. I hope the OP can glean something useful. It's a big decision and one that deserves all the necessary considerations. LA's great, but with every plus there is a minus to weigh.

Apologies to Homer. He never implied that all kids in L.A. are on drugs. We disagree on the state of things in Middle America, but his original post was fair on L.A. I didn't read it before posting.

And that's why I should always go the source before chiming in.

[victoriafalls]

@ Cheese:

You're jumping the gun. SO MANY PEOPLE are not ready for LA and moved here. only move to LA when you have a firm offer in hand and made a $$$$ sale. by moving here before your career is ready reminds me of TV show, Entourage... that idiot movie star ( his character) always buys a high price house before the check is cut. that was TV fun to watch. in Reality, you will drown and go bankrupt. wait for a final sale. LA is not for you right now. it will swallow you alive and crap you out the back.

[Cheese]

Thought I'd drag this thread back up, as we're looking hard at making the move this summer. My wife may have a great opportunity at a hospital in Santa Monica. So, if they make an offer, we'll probably pull the trigger.

A while back I had said that Thousand Oaks/Agoura Hills would be a desired location for us. But we're now thinking we'd have to live closer if this hospital pans out. How's the commute from the valley (places like Encino, Reseda, West Hills, Sherman Oaks) to Santa Monica these days? We visited LA last summer (the week prior to Carmegeddon, no less), and I regret (not really) that we didn't have the opportunity to drive that stretch of the 405 during the morning rush to get a feel for it. We've also been hearing mixed reviews on raising the fam in Culver City as an alternative to the valley, so chime in if you've got an opinion.

As always, you guys are the best.

[Bunker]

I've lived in Culver City for 4 years now and love it. It has a certain small-town vibe despite the fact that it's in a major city. We bike everywhere; the Ballona bike path is a 5 mile straight shot to the beach.

However, housing is cheaper in the Valley, especially if you want an actual house with a yard for the kids. But that's why everyone lives in the Valley and commutes to the West Side.

[ScriptGal]

I live in Sherman Oaks and husband commutes to Santa Monica. Rush hour commutes are not great - will your wife be on a typical 9-5 schedule? Valley living for kids is good - decent public schools in Tarzana, great ones in Calabasas. And great private schools - Buckley is around the corner from me in Sherman Oaks. I don't know about family life in Culver area - but I would imagine it's only getting better and better (the area has really become vibrant over the past 5 years.)

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Cheese

Thought I'd drag this thread back up, as we're looking hard at making the move this summer. My wife may have a great opportunity at a hospital in Santa Monica. So, if they make an offer, we'll probably pull the trigger.

A while back I had said that Thousand Oaks/Agoura Hills would be a desired location for us. But we're now thinking we'd have to live closer if this hospital pans out. How's the commute from the valley (places like Encino, Reseda, West Hills, Sherman Oaks) to Santa Monica these days? We visited LA last summer (the week prior to Carmegeddon, no less), and I regret (not really) that we didn't have the opportunity to drive that stretch of the 405 during the morning rush to get a feel for it. We've also been hearing mixed reviews on raising the fam in Culver City as an alternative to the valley, so chime in if you've got an opinion.

As always, you guys are the best.