I only experienced that in Sylvania Ohio (a suburb of Toledo). In Vicksburg MS, where I was living in the county...it was a real neighborhood (not the sticks) but we had no parks, well it was the deep south. In outside of Bothell Washington it was the same thing, but I could drive by then so whatever.
I guess I romanticized the big city as a kid, leading me to prefer urban over suburban living for my own kid. Maybe this will backlash and he will choose suburbia for his own kid(s).
I grew up in Madison/Ridgeland, Ms, where I did experience this. To some extent, at least. I had neighborhood friends. We rode bikes, crossed the tracks to go to the comic book store, etc.
Still, I’ve always romanticized the big city. Never lived it, though, so maybe it’s a grass-is-greener thing, but maybe I’ll be able to give it a whirl someday.
Grass is greener for me, but you have to choose the right big city, and those cities are expensive because lots of people make the same conclusions.
As a curiosity, I checked out the neighborhood I used to live in on google maps to see if they had put any parks or sidewalks since. Nope, exactly the same.
The important thing is just having some sort of space, as the article puts it.
>> As described by Ray Oldenburg, “third places” are locations where locals can meet, interact, and relax in a place that isn’t their home or place of work. In these locations, kids get the chance to socialize and develop intellectually. American suburbs don’t have these places.
There's rightfully no stipulation whether that's a corner store, mall, park, empty lot, or wild area.
The important thing is that it's accessible to kids and parents aren't around.
I was born and raised in Vicksburg, MS. As kids, we rode bikes, made makeshift dams in Clear Creek, threw dirt clods at each other in the woods, played sports in backyards, and I don't remember ever asking our parents to take us to the park or downtown. We had grass, trees, fresh air and good company. I miss those days.
I guess I romanticized the big city as a kid, leading me to prefer urban over suburban living for my own kid. Maybe this will backlash and he will choose suburbia for his own kid(s).