Do you feel kids are deprived living on a homestead or in the country?

**homesteadmamma** · 08-26-2002, 09:52 AM

Do you feel they are left out of so many things the city has to offer? Do you feel they are deprived from learning about life when living on a homestead or in the country?

Thoughts?

**QuilterMom** · 08-26-2002, 12:23 PM

Or you could put the shoe on the other foot and ask if they are deprived from learning about life when living in the city!

I think it all equals out no matter where you live as long as you (the parent(s) ) take an active part in their learning, activities, experiences, etc.

**~Sherry~** · 08-26-2002, 12:29 PM

I grew up in the country and there is no other place that I would want to grow up. Sure, I was a little bored now and again, but when I think back I'm glad I was raised in the country.
I live in the city now... and I see all these children running the streets getting into trouble. Nothing better to do than hang out on the corner. Its sad in my opinion.
I have so many good memories of things that my family did together... thats what I want for Tyler.

**AandAmom** · 08-26-2002, 12:46 PM

I'm with Kahana. My kids are missing out big time living in the city. My fondest memories as a child were going away to the country every summer. What fun! Nowdays, I cannot even let my kids play in front of the house. How sad

**justGina** · 08-26-2002, 12:47 PM

No!

I think kids that live in the city are deprived.

We kinda have the best of both worlds where I live, boring though it may be. A small town, with everything we need, but still rural enough to be considered "the country".

**Dixie** · 08-26-2002, 02:23 PM

No, country kids are not deprived. I live in the country and was raised here, and I wanted the same for my kids.

**yolo** · 08-26-2002, 04:59 PM

I definitely do not feel that kids raised in the country are deprived. I grew up in the country, and I loved it, which is probably why I am raising my children in the country. I want my children to know the peacefulness of a campfire in the yard on a cool autumn evening or in the middle of the summer. I want my children to have memories of making s'mores and hotdogs over the campfire, popping popcorn over the campfire, chasing fireflys at nighttime, watching the stars and picking out constellations. I want them to know the joy of planting a garden, weeding it, and watching what they planted turn into something to eat. I want them to know how to can, freeze, cook from scratch, etc. There are so many things a person can do in the country, take a long peaceful walk in the woods, watch the various animals, sit on the deck on a summer evening or swing on the porch swing, go for long bike rides, all this right out their front door. Sound deprived? I don't think so. Sound spoiled? Maybe.

yolo

**AandAmom** · 08-26-2002, 06:02 PM

Well put Yolo! Someone give that girl a Brownie point

toile · 08-26-2002, 09:50 PM

I think where ever you live is great. Each has its benefits. I personally am happier in a slow quiet small town. It may get a little boring but thats ok. I dont enjoy the rush rush rush, and the traffic. The only traffic jams you see here are parents picking kids up at school LOL. Ofcourse the city or almost city is just 20-35 minutes away etc....
Recently as yet another home had to have trees removed, everyone came out and watched. LOL. To me thats the type of simple enjoyment you get around here

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 08-26-2002, 11:07 PM

I grew up in a small town that is remarkably like th eone we live in now. We have the best of both worlds. We have all the small town closeness of friends, but are only anour thirty minutes away from Portland if we need something that we could truly only get in the city.

**doodlebug** · 08-26-2002, 11:55 PM

My dd is definitely not deprived by living in the country. Yolo said it best!!! And if we want to partake of city living we can drive there for a ballet, theatre, museum, whatever and then come back to our wonderful country life

**Heather** · 03-11-2003, 12:36 PM

I don't think so (they may at times now that the boys are hitting the teenage years) but all in all they love the space and the opportunities here as far as their horses, dirt bikes, that kind of stuff but bottom line ~~ where ever we are as long as we are together is all that matters!

**guest2** · 03-11-2003, 01:24 PM

My kids love growing up in our small rural farming community.

They can walk anywhere in town and I know they will be safe. One of my sons helped his best friend, our retired neighbor Uncle Bob, build a pole barn. He also works at a plant nursery. All the boys go fishing at a local pond and bring home trout for dinner. We have 2 cherry trees and an apple tree and a small garden. The kids and I all have learned how to can, dehydrate and freeze our produce. We also make our bread from scratch and love the whole wheat goodness of it.

We do get up to Spokane, WA once a week, and get our "city fix", but we'd much rather live here!

**MJsLady** · 03-11-2003, 01:34 PM

wel for my kids i guess its different.
They were raised in the city until around 5 years ago when we first moved to the country.
To be honest their life has not changed much! I mean, I didn't let them go out when we lived in the city, they spent their time in our yard with us.
Now its the same. On occassion they mention friends they miss from the city, but they never ask to go back.
Now they are generally content to stay home and play on the pc or do stuff here.
Infact I realized the other day, 2xs they had a friend come ask if they could go with him to skateboard, it was the firt time the ever left with someone other than dh or myself! And the oldest will be 18 in july!

**Mom23boys** · 03-11-2003, 10:21 PM

I don't think they are deprived of anything. I think they love the country and have lots of friends and family here. We travel when we can and they get to see the sights and sounds of the city. They are always ready to get back home though...just like thier mom.