Will hipster parents send their kids to Kensington high?

**Bobbie3Sheets** · 10-04-2012, 01:00 PM

Eastcoast, I know where you're coming from. My old lady has them suburb dreams after a night around the backyard camp fires. However, it's a two way street. After a night out on the town in the City our suburban friends also must have reservations about leaving the city for the boring suburbs. The grass always seems greener.

**Eastcoast** · 10-04-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Sorry your friends are lame, i guess

but everyone i know that bailed for the suburbs was always on the fence about living in the city in the first place.

since you have friends with middle school-aged children you're probably from the previous generation that had more economic opportunities to migrate to the suburbs in the first place, unlike now. Now your average hipster with kids could A) take their chances in the city B) buy into a cheap (read: likely decaying) suburb that probably doesn't have a lot of bougie BBQ garden parties.

I'm in the first year or so of Gen X so yeah, things were a bit more open for us as far as far as RE prices (compared to the lunacy of today) however that late 80s-early 90s recession was fiscal dose of cold water.

What is the payscale in the Hipster Union?

**thoth** · 10-04-2012, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Eastcoast

I'm in the first year or so of Gen X so yeah, things were a bit more open for us as far as far as RE prices (compared to the lunacy of today) however that late 80s-early 90s recession was fiscal dose of cold water.

What is the payscale in the Hipster Union?

I'll let you know as soon as i actually get paid

**thoth** · 10-04-2012, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Bobbie3Sheets

Eastcoast, I know where you're coming from. My old lady has them suburb dreams after a night around the backyard camp fires. However, it's a two way street. After a night out on the town in the City our suburban friends also must have reservations about leaving the city for the boring suburbs. The grass always seems greener.

Come to West Philly...campfires and walking distance bars!

**Brooke** · 10-04-2012, 02:25 PM

I think the comments about people bailing to the burbs are unfair at best. Your priorities change when you have kids. You just don't go out that much. You don't see people as much. You start to worry about things like schools. You worry about what friends your kid will have and where they will play. Basically, even if you don't talk about it, you think about your kids non-stop.

Some would love to stay in the city but for the schools and they have not the time nor desire to try and work within the system. Speaking for myself, our plan is to stay in the city although I'm not so sure Germantown is very "city like". If our daughter doesn't get accepted into a good catchment, we may have to move when our second child is school age. And trust me, I have NO desire to move anywhere. (It's amazing how the burbs of Rochester, NY enforces the blah of living in the burbs. I too am from there.)

**thegreattwizz** · 10-04-2012, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by John Goodman

Not too sure about that

I am of the same generation and could never imagine living in the burbs again, I think there is a real shift in preference that isn't going anywhere

As am I.

Originally Posted by thoth

Do you really believe that? Sounds more like your generation. You really think they'd be able to afford the burbs anyway?

Having moved to the city 6 months ago, I'm not going anywhere; I do, however, have the privilege of not worrying about the cost of living. For me, the suburbs are WAY cheaper than the city. My daughter is now 9 (in 4th grade), and goes to school by her mother's in the burbs. Her mother and I have long held that she won't progress past grade school in the district she is in. Being in the Meredith catchment, her being a smart cookie, and seeing the plethora of quality HSs in the city, we're VERY seriously considering her starting at Meredith in 5th grade, thus giving her three solid years to prepare for an intense HS.

**Brooke** · 10-04-2012, 02:52 PM

Meredith is very different from Adaire. The average family who is looking for a 3 bed/1 bath in most parts of the City can find similar priced suburbs. I've sold a handful of Glenside-area homes to people who sold very similar priced homes in the City.

It's awesome that some parents are staying. City living offers a bunch of cool positives that we don't want to lose...and for us, specifically Germantown living does.

**thoth** · 10-04-2012, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by thegreattwizz

I do, however, have the privilege of not worrying about the cost of living.

You damn freemasons and your secret gold stashes and goat god that influences the stock market

**LedZep2147** · 10-04-2012, 03:35 PM

I have a backwards view on this.

I grew up at 4th and Vine, went to catholic school, because my only option in 1989 was Ben Franklin, which would have been a nightmare being the only white kid in the entire school.

I moved to the suburbs in 2001, and I wouldn't even think about moving back to the city.

I like having a car and a steady place to park it, and not have to worry about it being broken into every-night (I know it happens in the 'burbs, but not as frequently).
No obnoxious people screaming as they walk down the street at 2am.

Also, in my opinion, there are no good places to eat down there. Too fancy for me.

**billy ross** · 10-04-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by LedZep2147

I have a backwards view on this.

I grew up at 4th and Vine, went to catholic school, because my only option in 1989 was Ben Franklin, which would have been a nightmare being the only white kid in the entire school.

I moved to the suburbs in 2001, and I wouldn't even think about moving back to the city.

I like having a car and a steady place to park it, and not have to worry about it being broken into every-night (I know it happens in the 'burbs, but not as frequently).
No obnoxious people screaming as they walk down the street at 2am.

Also, in my opinion, there are no good places to eat down there. Too fancy for me.

I have noticed for awhile that there is a class difference between those moving from the city to the burbs and those moving from the burbs to the city. Essentially the majority of my childhood peers have been moving to the burbs.

**seand** · 10-04-2012, 04:11 PM

Perhaps its me but it seems like between Masterman and Central and various charter high schools, the crunch for decent high schools in the city is not as horrible. Its the elementary school level where the finger biting about "will I get in" is the worst.

The sad thing is the kids who are not going to make it have often already basically opted out by high school freeing spots in the "desirable" schools that are in shorter demand at elementary level.

**annie** · 10-04-2012, 04:20 PM

Philadelphia's pipeline to college | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

I've heard complaints that, while Vallas opened new magnet schools (Academy at Palumbo, SLA etc.), he also took the magnet programs out of the neighborhood high schools except for the Northeast (anyone else noticing a pattern here?). For parents that might have been okay with a neighborhood high school's magnet program, they're now competing with all the other parents who would never consider a neighborhood high school as "an option" even with a magnet program.

**seand** · 10-04-2012, 04:39 PM

In Philadelphia its better to be a parent to girls than boys, apparently.

**Eastcoast** · 10-04-2012, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by seand

In Philadelphia its better to be a parent to girls than boys, apparently.

Well in case you haven't noticed women will be the next overlords in about 20 years! Followed by the Chinese about 3 years after that.

[/QUOTE]On a national scale, public universities had the most even division between male and female students, with a male-female ratio of 43.6–56.4.[/QUOTE]

The Male-Female Ratio in College - Forbes

**Eastcoast** · 10-04-2012, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by LedZep2147

I have a backwards view on this.

I grew up at 4th and Vine, went to catholic school, because my only option in 1989 was Ben Franklin, which would have been a nightmare being the only white kid in the entire school.

I moved to the suburbs in 2001, and I wouldn't even think about moving back to the city.

I like having a car and a steady place to park it, and not have to worry about it being broken into every-night (I know it happens in the 'burbs, but not as frequently).
No obnoxious people screaming as they walk down the street at 2am.

Also, in my opinion, there are no good places to eat down there. Too fancy for me.

There is also the other side of the coin that both you and BillyR speak about...the kids raised in cities that would never ever think about raising a family in a city. Naturally their children will probably move to a city from the suburbs as soon as they can to get away from the suburbs...rinse and repeat.

**Eastcoast** · 10-04-2012, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by thegreattwizz

As am I.

Having moved to the city 6 months ago, I'm not going anywhere; I do, however, have the privilege of not worrying about the cost of living. For me, the suburbs are WAY cheaper than the city. My daughter is now 9 (in 4th grade), and goes to school by her mother's in the burbs. Her mother and I have long held that she won't progress past grade school in the district she is in. Being in the Meredith catchment, her being a smart cookie, and seeing the plethora of quality HSs in the city, we're VERY seriously considering her starting at Meredith in 5th grade, thus giving her three solid years to prepare for an intense HS.

Wait. What?

Is this the only time you have lived in a city? Because if so you must be having the time of your life, it would be amazing to go back in time and recapture the first 4 years or so.

**thoth** · 10-04-2012, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Eastcoast

There is also the other side of the coin that both you and BillyR speak about...the kids raised in cities that would never ever think about raising a family in a city. Naturally their children will probably move to a city from the suburbs as soon as they can to get away from the suburbs...rinse and repeat.

Maybe, I think this cycle is mostly an outgrowth of the last generation or two living through the utter decline of most urban centers. I think as American cities turn around this phenomenon will reverse. Most of the reasons people cite for cities being inadequate for child rearing - bad schools, preponderance of petty crime - are tied to a localized economic implosions and demographic shifts, encouraged by the govt i'd add, that are unlikely to reoccur. This is isn't how things have panned out in virtually every other city outside of the US.

**Malloy** · 10-04-2012, 06:42 PM

If we stick to Philly, most public schools suck or really suck. Almost all of SW, much of South and West, most of North, some of NW and NE are pretty dumpy by most standards. City wage tax is a joke. Prob taxes will suck soon. Home prices are pretty cheap in dumpy or transitional areas, but the most desirable areas like greater CC are quite expensive.

Crime is hardly petty in Philly, as statistically we have a terrible crime rate for a large city.

I grew up here and never left, so you can't call me a hater or anything typical. I like it here a lot, but I am not afraid to state the truth.

Thankfully, things are getting better. If the hipsters do stick around and have kids, their grand kids will experience an amazing city.

Originally Posted by thoth

Maybe, I think this cycle is mostly an outgrowth of the last generation or two living through the utter decline of most urban centers. I think as American cities turn around this phenomenon will reverse. Most of the reasons people cite for cities being inadequate for child rearing - bad schools, preponderance of petty crime - are tied to a localized economic implosions and demographic shifts, encouraged by the govt i'd add, that are unlikely to reoccur. This is isn't how things have panned out in virtually every other city outside of the US.

**ArcticSplash** · 10-04-2012, 08:04 PM

The lifers in Fisbtown sometimes jab me that ill bail when I have kids.

Then I remind them that I'm a fag and I also bought a gigantic house so I won't have too much of a desire to trade up like first time homeowners usually get after 2 years in a trinity. So don't piss me off since I'm here for the 30y mortgage or ill stick around just for the opportunity to pee on your grave. LOL

**Jtom** · 10-05-2012, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by annie

Philadelphia's pipeline to college | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

I've heard complaints that, while Vallas opened new magnet schools (Academy at Palumbo, SLA etc.), he also took the magnet programs out of the neighborhood high schools except for the Northeast (anyone else noticing a pattern here?). For parents that might have been okay with a neighborhood high school's magnet program, they're now competing with all the other parents who would never consider a neighborhood high school as "an option" even with a magnet program.

Kind of off-topic, but I can't believe that Lincoln is trailing behind the likes of Strawberry Mansion, Fels, and Gratz. If I was a parent in that area, I may just move to the other side of the Boulevard so my kid could go to Northeast.