An old friend’s kids are being raised in New York, in a city environment where they get a taste for everything. A fast pace, a sense of independence my kids don’t have, and maybe a more cynical approach to life. Not cynical in a negative way, but almost immune to differences they see. They are used to it, and they are not left wide eyed at things my own kids have never experienced.
I also wonder who and how my kids would be if they were raised in say Boulder, Colorado. Would they be more laid back and spend more of their time outside in nature than they do now. Would my son be able to ski and play and find things to do on these cold snowy days. Instead of wanting me to drive him to the rec center, would he have more freedom in another climate and area? Maybe there are kids who want to stay in and play video games in Boulder, but in my mind they are all outside all the time.
When I think about raising my kids in the Midwest, it seems boring. The Midwest brings about images of comfort food and simple and nice people. Our schools are good where I live, and the resources for a child with a disability are wonderful, but am I limiting the people they “could” be? I don’t know exactly. Growing up on a horse farm in Montana seems like a much cooler thing to bring to the table then a suburb in the Midwest. And I don’t think it was a conscious choice to be here. It was for my Mom, who raised my brothers and sisters here to be close to her family. But for my family, it just sordof happened. We put down some roots, bought a house or two, enrolled our kids at school, and here we are. I’m not certain I have it in me to pull up all of that and make a big move, although I secretly envy people who do.
People who pull their kids out of school, sell their stuff, and travel for a year. Who yank out those boring stakes and move to a new community or state or climate with their kids. I envy their bravery and their resilience, and I wish I was like that.
Maybe I am just boring and Midwestern, and comfortable here.
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