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SF will never be a place people will want to have children. Americans do not believe children can grow up in cities. They do not believe kids can take buses or

SF will never be a place people will want to have children. Americans do not believe children can grow up in cities. They do not believe kids can take buses or trains. We're going to see the effect of this suffocating parenting style in a next generation that is dominated by fear and discomfort with unfamiliarity.

spiznnx 8y ago
Perhaps its American cities rather than American attitudes? I can't quite pinpoint why, but I would much sooner raise children in Paris than Los Angeles.
- Aromasin 8y ago
  I know many people from various cities around Europe that would quite happily jump ship to an American city if given the opportunity (at least, prior to number 45). I think it's more of a 'the grass is always greener' situation.
abeppu 8y ago
But SF has its own issues beyond those of many other American cities. There are blocks and muni buses where many adults feel understandably uncomfortable with what they see during their normal commute. I see drug use and nudity and feces on the street almost daily. I've kicked needles while walking down SF sidewalks with some regularity. I'm not a parent, but in those conditions, I wouldn't want a kid I cared about to go around unchaperoned. Yes, America may have a fixation on children needing yards and minivans, but SF could become a much more appealing place to raise kids if it we could better address factors like the cost of housing, or the opioid crisis.
- scarejunba 8y ago
  > But SF has its own issues beyond those of many other American cities. I agree with this. But this > Yes, America may have a fixation on children needing yards and minivans means that fixing those problems won't make this any likelier > SF could become a much more appealing place to raise kids if it we could better address factors like the cost of housing, or the opioid crisis
notfromhere 8y ago
its mostly about school districts and housing costs. people don't want to rent forever and buying property in the city is generally prohibitive unless you're in the top sliver of income earners.

spiznnx 8y ago

Perhaps its American cities rather than American attitudes? I can't quite pinpoint why, but I would much sooner raise children in Paris than Los Angeles.

Aromasin 8y ago
I know many people from various cities around Europe that would quite happily jump ship to an American city if given the opportunity (at least, prior to number 45). I think it's more of a 'the grass is always greener' situation.

abeppu 8y ago

But SF has its own issues beyond those of many other American cities. There are blocks and muni buses where many adults feel understandably uncomfortable with what they see during their normal commute. I see drug use and nudity and feces on the street almost daily. I've kicked needles while walking down SF sidewalks with some regularity. I'm not a parent, but in those conditions, I wouldn't want a kid I cared about to go around unchaperoned. Yes, America may have a fixation on children needing yards and minivans, but SF could become a much more appealing place to raise kids if it we could better address factors like the cost of housing, or the opioid crisis.

scarejunba 8y ago
> But SF has its own issues beyond those of many other American cities. I agree with this. But this > Yes, America may have a fixation on children needing yards and minivans means that fixing those problems won't make this any likelier > SF could become a much more appealing place to raise kids if it we could better address factors like the cost of housing, or the opioid crisis

notfromhere 8y ago

its mostly about school districts and housing costs. people don't want to rent forever and buying property in the city is generally prohibitive unless you're in the top sliver of income earners.