Raising a kid in the city... (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: apartment, to rent, house)

[525600minutes]

I live about two blocks West of the Plaza in an old apartment building that I love. My girlfriend also lives with me and we would love to make this area our home for a long time.

The problem I notice is that not many people are that wild about raising a kid in the city. I grew up in Brooklyn, and I think that my experiences growing up in the city made me a very dynamic, open-minded, artistic person. I know these ideals are not exclusive to urban living. People raise kids back home in NYC all the time, and they turn out just fine!

I guess my question is, for those people with families, could you ever see raising a child while living in the city? Does anyone here do it currently? Any advice?

[westender]

The decent public high schools in Kansas City have changed or have been closed. Up until the 1980s Southwest High was a college-prep-type high school. Westport High, which serves the Plaza area, hasn't been a great school since the 1960s.

However, private schools are scattered throughout the west side: Pembroke Hill, Rockhurst, Sion. Some of the public elementary schools are decent, just prepare for the 6 years of tuition to follow.

The Johnson County schools used to allow a small number of KC residents to pay tuition. And some enterprising KC parents used to rent a small apartment in the SM East district during the school year.

[loudestchick]

I know that Brookside isn't really "city" to some folks (we have a yard) but it is still close enough to enjoy all that the city has to offer...including public transportation (if gas prices continue to climb). My kids love to hop on a bus to go down to Crown Center, or the Plaza Library, or ride their bikes down the trolley trail to Foo's for a custard.

My sister lives in Lee's Summit where you must drive to get anywhere and culture is an unknown. I'd go nuts out there in sanitized suburban hell!

Don't let the negative talk about schools freak you out. Academie Laffayette is a terrific K-8 french immersion charter (free and public) located on Oak at 70ish, Border Star is a good public Montessori school in the heart of Brookside (Organic Farmers Market there, too YUM!)

I'd much rather raise my kids with the diversity of the city than the false security of the burbs.

[christina0001]

I suspect it is KC's poor schools that turn parents off to raising kids there. I know it is a deal breaker for me - we will definitely stick to the 'burbs.

[loudestchick]

But all the schools aren't "poor"...and the perception hurts, too. When most of the children in your school come from families with well educated parents who value education it is much more likely that they will excel. Hence those "rich" suburban test scores. There is also a correlation between family income, nutrition, healthcare and student performance. Not saying we shouldn't be doing more, but opting out and fleeing to the burbs isn't a solution either.

[violet70]

Stick to the city... it doesn't sound like you want 'burb kids!! There are always options in town in KC... Academie Lafayette was mentioned, I have many friends with kids there (mine would be too but we've moved). The Foreign Language Academy is another (many families from Coleman Highlands are starting to send their kids there too). That's public charter schools. There are some great private schools too, like Sion and Visitation (both Catholic).

Personally, I'd never live in the 'burbs. I'd wilt and die! (And I have two kids and another on the way!)

[ptdrummajor]

I see no problem with raising kids in the city. As a teacher at University Academy, which I feel is a school that provides city kids with a quality education, I believe I can say that just because a school district has a "bad reputation" doesn't mean that there arent' any good teachers or good students there. I personally live in the suburbs, mostly because I was young when I bought my home and my parents were scared to have "a young girl living alone in the city" so they offered to help me buy a home in the suburbs. However, I have chosen to work at a school in the city because I believe that "city kids" deserve a good education just as much as any suburban kid, and I believe that is possible. Maybe I'm idealistic, but that's what I believe. As far as you raising your kids in the city, I see no reason why that should be considered "wrong" at all. There's been times when I've wished I wasn't "tied down" to this house so I could move to the city! I say, Good for you!

[KevK]

There are good schools in Kansas City but you have to shop them out and then try to get your kids in them. But if you do, they are as good as any in the suburbs.