[email protected]

Hi again!

We have decided (finally) to leave the city and head back to the rural area
where we grew up, to be closer to family, nature, etc.

We are having a hard time trying to decide where we want to live when we do
move. The area has a larger town, where we don't want to live, and a very
small town where I went to school that is built around the large Central School
for the area. I am torn between living in the small town where we could walk up
to the one room library, bank, mini-mart, ice cream stand, playground, etc,
and living out of town with more land. I can see pros and cons to each side.

In town, we could walk places we like to go to. And have playmates after
school! However, in this tiny town, life REVOLVES around the school- football
games, you name it! It would be nice to be close to use the playgrounds and
track, but seem very odd (to the neighbors, the kids, I dunno?) not to attend
the schools that will literally be in our back yard.

If we live out of town, obviously we'll have nature, land, and space, but I'm
worried about the kids having friends! that I won't have to drive them to all
the time. Plus, how will they meet any kids in an area where there are
hardly any hsers? In town, they could at least meet the neighbor kids and have
playmates after school. But, I'd like to have woods and a creek plus friends.

Guess we probably won't get everything we want, but I do want the kids to
find friends. As they get older I know they can join scouts, 4H, sports, etc to
meet people, but for now, I don't know. I can start another SAHM group for
the youngest, but the oldest is school age and I don't see us finding many other
kids his age who are ever available during the week.

Ok, sorry this is sooooooooooooooooooooo long and rambling, just trying to
get some other opinions on life in a small town in the country that revolves
around the school versus life in the country without neighbors. Both options are
in a very rural area- it's farms and apple orchards as far as the eye can
see-until you hit the mountains.

Amanda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lisa H

Amanda,
You are very lucky if your family is supportive and willingly involved in your kids lives. As wonderful as they may be, my sibs and parents are not as family oriented as *i* would like them to be, thus I am the one reaching out to maintain relationships between kids and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.

For me living in an area with many homeschoolers, a good number of unschooling families and many relaxed homeschoolers is paramount. When we talk about possible moves to new locations, my first priority is being part of a larger and eclectic homeschooling community. My kids are very social as I am, and we need to be around others who do like us so as not to feel crazy and weird, etc. Not to say we don't engage with our local nonhomeschooling community - we most definately do. And as much as i like time to myself or being with just my family, we crave socialization and socialization where we feel accepted and comfortable.

So that's my 2cents. I know your concern was more about in town or out of town, but other comments you made raised flags.

Lisa H.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

moonwindstarsky

maybe consider a place that has unschoolers/relaxed homeschoolers in
a rural area?

--- In [email protected], Mattamandab@a... wrote:
> Hi again!
>
> We have decided (finally) to leave the city and head back to the
rural area
> where we grew up, to be closer to family, nature, etc.
>
> We are having a hard time trying to decide where we want to live
when we do
> move. The area has a larger town, where we don't want to live,
and a very
> small town where I went to school that is built around the large
Central School
> for the area. I am torn between living in the small town where we
could walk up
> to the one room library, bank, mini-mart, ice cream stand,
playground, etc,
> and living out of town with more land. I can see pros and cons to
each side.
>
> In town, we could walk places we like to go to. And have
playmates after
> school! However, in this tiny town, life REVOLVES around the
school- football
> games, you name it! It would be nice to be close to use the
playgrounds and
> track, but seem very odd (to the neighbors, the kids, I dunno?)
not to attend
> the schools that will literally be in our back yard.
>
> If we live out of town, obviously we'll have nature, land, and
space, but I'm
> worried about the kids having friends! that I won't have to drive
them to all
> the time. Plus, how will they meet any kids in an area where
there are
> hardly any hsers? In town, they could at least meet the neighbor
kids and have
> playmates after school. But, I'd like to have woods and a creek
plus friends.
>
> Guess we probably won't get everything we want, but I do want the
kids to
> find friends. As they get older I know they can join scouts, 4H,
sports, etc to
> meet people, but for now, I don't know. I can start another SAHM
group for
> the youngest, but the oldest is school age and I don't see us
finding many other
> kids his age who are ever available during the week.
>
> Ok, sorry this is sooooooooooooooooooooo long and rambling, just
trying to
> get some other opinions on life in a small town in the country
that revolves
> around the school versus life in the country without neighbors.
Both options are
> in a very rural area- it's farms and apple orchards as far as the
eye can
> see-until you hit the mountains.
>
> Amanda
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]