For what it's worth, I've got two kids and live in a 2bd. apartment in SF. I'll never be able to afford a house in the city, but I like my job and I'm not willi

For what it's worth, I've got two kids and live in a 2bd. apartment in SF. I'll never be able to afford a house in the city, but I like my job and I'm not willing to commute from the outermost burbs I could afford. And it's totally worth it. Yes, having kids brings some limitations with it, but it's also one of the very best experiences that one can have. I hear a lot of young professionals express fear that they can't afford "a big enough house" or that "the city isn't good for kids." Here's the thing, the kids do not care. They don't think they they live in a small apartment. They just think their home is next door to the bakery that sells their favorite oatmeal cookies. That they can walk to beautiful parks and libraries and schools. It's just normal to them, they're happy, and they aren't comparing themselves to the 50's era stereotypes of what "lifestyle" is "healthy" for kids. SF is a great place for kids. All the parks and rec programs are so much fun and so cheap, the kids here have access to the abundant cultural and educational resources that aren't available at any price in most of the world. I say this not because anyone should be convinced to have a kid. But, if you want to have children and the thing that is holding you back is a materialistic fear that you won't be able to "provide a good enough life" for them, or that the city "won't be a good place for them," just know that isn't necessarily true. The best way I know how to express this for young urban professionals is to compare it to world travel. You probably know people from your home town who have never left, and how their world view is kind of small. It's not that they need to move away from home, but you know from experience how much traveling has opened your mind and enriched your life, and you wish they would choose to have that experience too. If they say to you "oh, but travel is so expensive," you know that isn't necessarily true, you can have an amazing travel experience on a dime if you want to. Parenting is a lot like that. What kids care about is having parents that love them and care about them. If you can do that part, they won't care too much about the rest.