Country vs City Life For Your Children
- Accessibility—Errands are easier to run in a place where you live close to shopping, laundry, entertainment, and healthcare.
- Cultural experiences—Living in the city may provide an opportunity for children to be exposed to different cultures. Children can learn about different and exotic cuisine, art, and traditions.
- Simple Living—Small spaces encourage families to live smaller and simpler. There is no room for excess belongings. Families need to learn to share smaller spaces and boosts potential bonding experiences.
- Public transportation—Taking the bus in a city full of cars saves you money on car payments, insurance, and fuel. Even more, you are teaching your children about saving both money and the environment.
Country Farm Living- Open spaces—In the country children have more room to run and explore. What’s more, with fewer vehicles than in the city, it is safer. Even homes tend to have more open space allowing for more adventurous with you decorating (check out my article about rug rules).
- Prettier Skyline—There are also fewer buildings taking up the skyline, rather than skyscrapers you will see the occasional steel building used by farmers and others living in the country. Steel buildings like warehouses and horse arenas made by Rhino steel building systems are much less imposing and leave room for the sun to shine.
- Being exposed to nature—Children with more room to explore will inadvertently learn about nature by simply being exposed to it. Try that in the concrete jungle of the city. When you live in the country you are surrounded by forest, farmland, and animals.
- Quiet—With few cars and people, the country is quiet. When it is quiet, children become more attuned to the sounds of nature.
- Independence—living on a farm out in the country, a child learns to become more dependent. Farming and country living teaches skills that you will not learn in the city.
When it comes down to it, there will always be parents who swear that city living is the best place for a child to develop, just as there will always be parents who say that country living is the optimal environment to raise a child. The truth is, both environments have their advantages and disadvantages.
Personally, country living offers more traditional ways of living and teaches independence. Not to mention the ability to visit quiant businesses such as country pubs near Richmond North Yorkshire for a pint and a delicious meal. Sure, city living seems like it offers more opportunity for worldly education but it can get so busy and competitive among families; there is no time to enjoy life. Raising children in a country setting gives children a good balance of structure and unstructured activity, providing them with a more balanced upbringing. Besides, you can always visit the city. One of my favorite destinations has always been New York City and of course you know I have great insights on saving money in the Big Apple.
18 Comments
Rebecca Kellerman
This is something that I have thought about. I love the city, but their are certainly benefits to living in the country.
Angelica
I grew up in the suburbs and now live in a small city. I’m working my way out to the country and have absolutely zero intentions of raising our future children anywhere but the country. We’re hoping to buy 20 acres out in Idaho and set ourselves up a nice little homestead. I wish I was raised that way.
Shayna Gier
I don’t know that there is a best-option, sadly. I would love to be able to say the country, because of the natural living, the open spaces, the star views at night… but in today’s day and age, commuting to work, and other errands is a real concern. Gas can get pretty expensive, so living in the middle of nowhere, and driving to get to where everything is, isn’t really a practical answer to life.
Debbie F
I currently live in the country and I agree with a lot of your points.
Lots of nature to explore – bugs, furry little creatures that wander into your yard, snakes, beautiful lightning bugs that light up the night, etc.
One (and really only one) big drawback: try to find decent internet providers if you live even 3 or 4 miles out of what is considered a big city. It’s a nightmare.
You can get it but it’ll be veeeeery slow and very expensive and very spotty.
A while ago, no problem, but it has become a necessity.
Kids need internet for homework now so it could be a problem.
thanks!
Sarah L
No kids. I prefer to live in the suburbs half a block from a lake and a park. I get the best of both worlds.
Sandra Watts
I am all about country living. I grew up that way and personally would not want it any other way for my kids.
Nikolina
I grew up in a big city, but I’d choose country life for my kids!
Nataile Brown
While I was growing-up I spent several years living in a large city and many years living in the country. For me, the country was a better fit. Although, my son was raised in a pretty big city and did well & thrived. I think it’s more about the parents attitude toward each by staying open-minded and not getting caught up in the silliness.
Natalie
I was raised in suburbia so I got a nice mix of urban and country.
Marnie G (Derrick Todd)
We live about an hour outside of Chicago so I think we can get the best of both worlds. We’re close enough to enjoy all of the perks of the city yet far enough out that we also have some of the benefits of the country.
Tiana
I grew up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, CA with everything easily accessible while still living in a suburb area. My parents then moved me to a 7,000 population town where we had to drive an hour to be able to even shop at a mall, go to dinner at a restaurant like Red Lobster, Outback, etc or do any kind of fun activity. This was in my teen years too when having things to do for fun shouldn’t be an hour away! lol
Rosie
I grew up in the country and it was wonderful. I can’t imagine how much I would have disliked growing up in the city. I live close to a city now and despise it, but haven’t figured out how to get back to the countryside, but I’m working on it.
Pamela Gurganus
I grew up in the country and loved every second of it! While the city has a lot to offer, I find traveling there while living in the country is better than living in the city and traveling to the country for what it has to offer.
Tamra Phelps
Both have their pluses & negatives, I guess. I like to visit the city, but prefer to live in a small town (just big enough to have all the necessary shopping, lol.)
Lea
Sometimes job accessibility can play a factor in where children will have to grow up. Most of us no matter where we were raised have good and bad stories to tell. We as children adapt well and fun can be found in both arenas.
Laura
I would love to move to the country! Hopefully someday!
John Thuku
I was brought up in the city and for me, I would find it almost impossible to live in the countryside. It is nice to see how the other side is.
KATE SARSFIELD
I was brought up in the countryside, lived in the capital city (Dublin) for 30 years and now live back in the country. To be honest, the only thing I miss about city living is the easy access to public transport, theatres, museums, galleries etc but with Dublin only a 2+ hour drive away it’s still easy to get to. I certainly don’t miss the ‘no-go’ areas, the traffic, crime, drugs and crowded streets. Where I live now I could walk around all day in the nude and nobody would know (and if they did, they probably wouldn’t mind!), the only man-made noise is the sound of tractors etc.going about their daily toil and where else would the local postman go out of his way to pop into elderly people while on his rounds?