Sunday Post: Cities…A Good Place to Raise Children?

Posted on October 22, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is CITIES.

Do you live in a big city like Chicago?

Or are you raising your family in a smaller town?

Wherever children grow up, they enjoy doing things with their parents.

“If you want to be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you need to be in their lives today.”

How can we do this?

Read with them. This is Carter with the interactive Cheerios Halloween book that was part of the Halloween Prize Package I sent to his family.

Introduce them to nature and let them get dirty! This is my grandson, Jeremy, having a ball with mud!

Share your interests with them! This is my granddaughter, learning to fish.

Be joyous with them! Laugh with them! Love them!

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

Sunday Post : City (restlessjo.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: “The City” San Fransisco & Other Scenic Views (piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com)
sunday post: city (starlight427.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Favorite Spot – Wherever Loved Ones Are! (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Black & White…or Do We Parent in Shades of Gray? (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Delicious…Healthy Snacks for Kids’ Backpacks (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Toys…Top Ten Toys for Young Kids (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)

38 thoughts on “Sunday Post: Cities…A Good Place to Raise Children?”

patientdreamer on October 22, 2012 at 3:38 am said:

Love these pics Vivian… what memories!

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- viviankirkfield on October 22, 2012 at 3:41 am said:
  
  Thank you, Diane! They are great memories…I think kids can be happy growing up anywhere…as long as they are surrounded by love. Unfortunately, so many children around the world are surrounded by war and famine and other conditions that make their childhoods very sad…not child-like at all.
  
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Stacy S. Jensen on October 22, 2012 at 5:30 am said:

Enjoyed the pictures. You know, we always hope where we live in the best place to raise a child. We really like our “city” now and hope it stays a great place to raise our kiddo. We try to make the best of where ever we find ourselves.

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:32 am said:
  
  I agree, Stacy! People can be unhappy amidst the most glorious surroundings…and find joy in a crowded shanty. I’m glad we have connected…not only through the blog, but also at our local SCBWI meetings. 🙂
  
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Perfecting Motherhood on October 22, 2012 at 6:15 am said:

Nice pictures! We live next to a big city but in the suburbs with lots of nature to enjoy, so I can’t complain. I spent the first 10 years of my life growing in the hood, with lots of projects and no green so I’m glad my kids get to enjoy a nicer environment to grow up in.

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:33 am said:
  
  Hahaha…I also grew up in the projects in the ‘hood’…NYC for me…where for you?Glad you are happy where you are with your kiddos…sounds like the best of both worlds…city and country. 🙂
  
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  - Perfecting Motherhood on October 23, 2012 at 5:51 am said:
    
    In the Northern suburbs of Paris. Suburbs in Paris are very different from the suburbs here. They can be all good or all bad. Honestly, I wouldn’t drive through where I grew up by myself today. Then we moved South of Paris and that was better (we lived on the right side of the freeway!).
    
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    - viviankirkfield on October 25, 2012 at 12:40 am said:
      
      Yup…I wouldn’t walk by myself in the projects where I grew up…but back then I never thought about it…it was somewhat safer, perhaps, but back then parents didn’t worry about a young child going out to play by herself…or climbing up and down 7 flights of stairs…or walking to and from school or coming home for lunch alone. 🙂
      
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      - Perfecting Motherhood on October 25, 2012 at 1:37 am said:
        
        Oh, I wasn’t allowed to play outside without supervision outside my building. Women got raped here and there, so not very safe overall. It felt good to move!
        
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johanna.bradley@ntlworld.com on October 22, 2012 at 7:37 am said:

Wherever you are with your child, that’s the best place to be, Viv. Many thanks for the pingback. Mine was a bit long to do it this week!

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- viviankirkfield on October 24, 2012 at 6:09 am said:
  
  I agree with you, Johanna…I believe I could be happy just about anywhere…as long as I had the people I love nearby. 🙂
  
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cobbies69 on October 22, 2012 at 9:06 am said:

You have a lovely post and blog here, and enjoy it..I run one with a partner you might like..http://geeton1.wordpress.com/ Thank you.. 😉

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:38 am said:
  
  I went to look…what a great blog…such an important topic to address…missing/abused kids need all of us. I will try to share your message and site. 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words!
  
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cyclingrandma on October 22, 2012 at 10:05 am said:

Great photos! Adorable kids. So much fun experiencing the world through the eyes of the grandkids.

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:45 am said:
  
  Lisa…what a perceptive comment. 🙂 One of the greatest joys of being a parent is also that you can see the world anew through the eyes of your child…but often moms and dads are so busy and overwhelmed with day to day responsibilities, they miss that point.
  
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Spanish Pinay on October 22, 2012 at 10:34 am said:

I so totally agree. I am always thankful that my mom has always been there for us. She’s a stay-at-home mom and even though my dad wasn’t earning enough for all of us (we are six!) my mom chose to stay at home and take care of all of us and be there for us. Now that I live oceans away from my parents, I miss them all the more and would sometimes just wish that I am back to being a toddler getting tickles from my mom 🙂

Now that I am now a mom myself, I’d like to be the same mom to my daughter as my mom to me was.

Spanish Pinay

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:47 am said:
  
  Oh Marilou, I do understand. I’m sorry you are so far from family…but from what I read on your blog, I believe you are that mom that you want to be. 🙂 Little SP is a lucky girl to have you for a momma. 🙂
  
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thiskidreviewsbooks on October 22, 2012 at 11:25 am said:

Great post! It is so true. Excellent advice! 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:48 am said:
  
  Thank you, Erik! I know you and your family make beautiful memories with each other. 🙂
  
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Susan Case on October 22, 2012 at 11:40 am said:

Love this post – especially the getting dirty part. Looks like some happy times.

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:49 am said:
  
  I know, Susan…isn’t that why there is soap and water. 🙂 Kids have so much fun and their joy is contagious!
  
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jakesprinter on October 22, 2012 at 2:17 pm said:

Excellent entry Vivian , Good inspiration for parents thanks for sharing my friend 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:50 am said:
  
  Thank you, Jake…I’m always happy when you like my response to your Sunday theme. 🙂
  
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Beth Stilborn on October 22, 2012 at 2:31 pm said:

Excellent, indeed. City or country — a child’s upbringing is what the parents make of it. Great pics, too!

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- viviankirkfield on October 23, 2012 at 3:51 am said:
  
  Thanks, Beth…your perceptive comment is so true…parents don’t need a lot of money to make kids happy…just give them your time, love and simple activities. 🙂
  
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Indira on October 23, 2012 at 4:16 am said:

Fine post. Lovely pics.

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- viviankirkfield on October 24, 2012 at 6:10 am said:
  
  I appreciate your visit, Indira! Kids make wonderful subjects for photos…they are filled with joy!
  
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  - Indira on October 25, 2012 at 5:18 am said:
    
    Totally agree with you dear.
    
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Tracy Campbell on October 23, 2012 at 1:48 pm said:

Wonderful post, as always! And great pics as well!

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- viviankirkfield on October 24, 2012 at 6:14 am said:
  
  Thank you, Tracy! I will try to get to your amazing blog by Thursday…I’ve just been overwhelmed…my husband has been really ill (pneumonia) and so my ‘spare’ time has been needed. 🙂 I’m really excited though…I just got word that my airfare and accomodations will be taken care of for that conference in Singapore next May!!!! It is an international event…I wonder where the other presenters will be coming from. 🙂
  
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  - Tracy Campbell on October 25, 2012 at 6:30 pm said:
    
    Oh Vivian, I am so sorry to hear that your husband has pneumonia. Please don’t feel like you have to apologize for not hopping over to my blog. At the moment, I am swamped and am having difficulty trying to response to other blogs as well. That’s life.
    And how wonderful that everything is taken care of for your trip to Singapore! Amazing!
    
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    - viviankirkfield on October 26, 2012 at 5:41 am said:
      
      Tracy…Thank you for the kind wishes for him…I will let him know that! The Singapore trip is an amazing opportunity of a lifetime, for sure…a miracle actually. 🙂 I only hope I can add enough value to this fantastic international conference!
      
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nrhatch on October 28, 2012 at 9:24 pm said:

Wonderful post, Vivian. Such HAPPY faces. 😀

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- viviankirkfield on October 29, 2012 at 4:24 am said:
  
  Thanks, Nancy! How are you faring with the storm? I’m praying for all those in its path. 🙂
  
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Susanna Leonard Hill on October 31, 2012 at 1:45 am said:

Just lovely, Vivian (both the sentiment and the pictures of your grands :))

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- viviankirkfield on October 31, 2012 at 4:50 am said:
  
  Thank you, Susanna! They are sweeties. 🙂
  
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eof737 on November 12, 2012 at 10:38 am said:

Wonderful photos of your grandkid… Love them all. 😉

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- viviankirkfield on November 13, 2012 at 3:20 am said:
  
  Thanks, Eliz…they are all pretty special. 🙂
  
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