We've lived in a "mature" neighborhood with no kids and where the houses are far apart for years now, we're used to it. I have come to accept the fact that our kids won't ever have the traditional neighbors and neighborhood like where I grew up.
As an adult, I now realize having neighbors may not be all it's cracked up to be (Hi, Claire.), but, part of me would love to have what I had where we used to run around all day and go to each other's houses and only come home when our mothers stepped outside to call for us when it was getting dark. It was a Norman Rockwell (look it up) painting, for sure.
Even if we had kids in the neighborhood, the sad truth is that the world just isn't what it used to be, and, I'm not sure we could let the kids run free anyway. However, I've always been a little jealous of people at the kids' school who can say, "Oh, the so and so's? They're our neighbors." I have just consoled myself by saying that since we live out in the country (kinda) we're too special to have neighbors. Neighbors, bah. Who needs 'em? Shut up, it works for me.
But, now? A funny thing has happened. We now have people on our street who are our age AND have kids AND those kids go to the same school as ours do. Neighbor Boy and Busy Boy are on the same football team and we *gasp* take turns getting them to and from practice like real neighbors do. I was so excited, we even chatted last night. Like real neighbors do!
Though the physical set-up of our street and neighborhood would prevent Busy Boy and Neighbor Boy from safely walking to each other's houses, I can still use the words, "our neighbors".
Neighbor Lady (whee!) brought Busy Boy home last night and we chatted in the driveway (like real neighbors do!) and she's really nice. Nice like we could be friends. Nice like I could invite her to Bunko and say, "This is my neighbor, Neighbor Lady. Did I mention she's my neighbor?"
OK, you're right. I guess I need to get a grip, I'm scaring myself. I don't want the scare the neighbors.
Did you know if you write the word "neighbor" so many times it starts to look like it's spelled wrong or written in a foreign language?
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Jenn has a new blog! Find out what happens when a Mommyblogger becomes a gamer over at Aggroqueen.
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Recent Entries on Busymom.net:
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Our next door neighbor's back gate is right by our driveway and they leave it open as a signal for when their 5-year-old little girl is out playing. It's kind of nice, unless we're trying to sneak in with groceries or liquor store brown bags (her dad works at one of the big Baptist churches in town). ;)
During all the pre-school years, during which time I was a SAHM, we lived in a very quiet neighborhood in a very small village. Almost ALL our neighbors were our age, with kids the same age. For the most part it was WONDERFUL, but it did lack a certain degree of privacy!!!
Neighbors can be a good think but on the other hand....
I wrote a post a few days ago about that. If you want you can check it here: http://soleflor-en.blogspot.com/2006/08/living-too-close-to-neighbours.html
We live in a mature neighborhood. My children have no other kids to play with. I came from a life where we, as children, stayed outside all day until our moms came out and hollared our names. Yes, yes, you captured it quite precisely.
Right now, there are THREE houses near us for sale. I am wishing on stars and tossing pennies in water and even, yes, gasp, praying to GOD that someone with kids moves into each of those houses. Please let it happen. Please.......
If I ever move again (which I never ever ever ever will, I swear) I would go door to door to find out about the kid situation before buying a home.
I grew up much like you. Now I live at the beach on streets and avenues, (not a neighborhood). There are no kids anywhere around us, so we use to hang around out front watching cars and chatting with the old folk. We built a pool a few years back thinking we could invite kids over to pretend to be neighors. But now we just hang out by the pool as a family, and our front yard looks like we are never home?
I totally get your point. Although we currently live in a subdivision neighborhood & the kids "know" other kids in the neighborhood - none of them go to the same schools as my kids. So, naturally they aren't on the same teams and don't have the same school friends. It's tough sometimes.
I'm happy for you!
We have next door neighbors with children close in age to my daughter, in fact one of the girls is in her first grade class. It has it's pros and cons. But I like that my daughter and their daughters can go back and forth between our homes with no problems or safety issues.
Thanks for the Aggroqueen shout out! I am having fun with it. It makes it more fun when I see people actually see it! How much longer before I get you to start gaming, HA!
We're lucky 'cause we live in an urban setting with lots of neighbors and kids. But still, it's different than when we were younger.
No one lets their kids ride bikes alone anymore...
Sigh.
I totally know what you mean. We too live in the country and our neighbors aren't that close.
A few are walking distance but they have no kids.
My sons best friend lives 45 mins away!
But I wouldn't give it up to live in a "neighborhood".
I grew up in a town of 200, and we all had the run of the place. We knew to go home when the fire siren went off at 6 every evening (maybe it was 5). They claimed they were testing it, but I think they had a deal with the moms.
We're in a subdivision, but for years there were no kids at our end. I was thrilled when the house next door was sold to a family with 3.5 kids (now 5), but it's actually been a little difficult because it often seems to be all or none. My basic rule has become that my daughter can play with them OUTSIDE. I grew up as one of 6 kids, but there's a reason I didn't have that many myself.
All that said, our daughter's now become friends with a girl a couple of blocks away. At 11 and 12, we let them travel between houses in the daylight. It's been great not having to make arrangements for playdates!
Our neighborhood is half-half. We have older couples with NO kids and then families with kids. We know all the families that have kids. We're on a "waving" basis with the childless couples (who tend to keep to themselves).
We've had both good kids and bad in the neighborhood. Same with the adults. I almost envy your isolation. Glad you're happy, though!
This is one of my most favorite parts of where I live - the people next door have two kids relatively close in age to ours, and the older ones can hop the fence and go back and forth. Now, we had to set the ground rules early (you have to be invited into the yard - no salivating at the back door for breakfast!), but it is a FABULOUS relationship!
We live in a neighborhood with few kids, though my corner is a school bus stop. Tony thrills in running outside to chat with the older gentleman walking his dog, or his friend and her dog Oliver. Off course, there's Miss Mary, his adopted grandma, up the street a ways.
The couple across the street has taken a real liking to me and despair at the thought of us moving.
its so awesome to be part of an ACTUAL neighborhood. they're rare these days, i understand.
Thank you for posting info for The 2,996 Project! Before reading your post yesterday I had not heard of it, but went immediately and signed up Ü.
I feel sad for the kids of today when I realize they cant just go outside and start playing. Well not that they always cant, but they dont. They have to make appointments to play. Have your sitter call my sitter. We'll do lunch.
I sort of count as a neighbor. Right?
We had a block party with our neighbours recently. Was really nice. A very different mix of families. Some with young kids, some with none, some single, some retired, etc....
Well, what an eye opener! There are some neighbours that are close with each other, and boy, do they watch the neighbourhood!!! They know who's related to who, what they paid for their house, how much money they make, when people come and go (and probably where they went!)
Sometimes I'm happy I'm not with that crowd!
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