City livin'

Here's what I've been struggling with lately:
We have an almost three year old.
We live in the city.
We have no yard.

And we've decided to stay.

Most of the time I'm fine with it. You know, we'll be raising this tough, streetsmart, take-no-bullshit kid. She doesn't notice when the el streaks by. She barely glances up when police cars with sirens blazing go by. She doesn't even seem to notice the crap and litter all over the sidewalks and streets. And I love that. She's a city kid...so far.

But then I think of how I was raised. In a beautiful suburb with a big backyard, kids throughout the neighborhood, being able to ride my bike anywhere, walk to school with my friends. There were trees and grass and Capture the Flag tournaments. And quiet.

Sounds kind of creepy, but that's how I grew up.

And yes, it was a different time–things definitely seemed safer back then. I could take off on my bike at 9am on a summer morning and come home by dinner, without my parents batting an eye (although that may be another issue entirely). It seemed like there was more freedom there than there is in a city.

So herein lies the problem. I can raise an urban, sophisticated, cultured, we-order-chinese-takeout-at-4am, aware-in-more-ways-than-the-average-suburban-kid kid.

OR I can raise a suburban kid, who can take two steps out our back door to a manicured yard (I told you my husband was nice) and the smell of homemade pie baking in [someone else's] oven.

Don't get me wrong. This decision is made. We're all signed up, about to move into a new construction condo (don't even get me started on raising her in a condo). But I still sometimes wonder: Are we doing the right thing? Shouldn't we consider moving just five itty bitty miles west to a great suburb with great schools? As set as this decision is in stone, I'm still torn.

At times, I can see it. I can see my kid going to her little urban school with her little urban friends. Then going to the little urban park and coming home to her mom's takeout dinner.

But then there are other times...wow, that whole house and yard and block party thing is appealing, too.

I know whatever decision we make is the right one for our family. Blah blah blah.

But still...when it's your kid and you have to decide what her life is going to be right now...that's a big burden. And I'm a lazy person.

But I think we're doing the right thing.

At least I do right now.