David Letterman began his monologue last night this joke:
You know it’s springtime in Manhattan…when the carjackers break in through your sunroof.
Funny, sure. But cracks like that are one of the reasons people can’t imagine living in New York City…especially if they have kids.
Now, I don’t have kids. But I do have a dog that I walk in Central Park pretty much every morning. And on weekdays, I see moms and dads with their kids, walking or riding scooters or bikes.
Mom and Dad are dressed for work. The kids are decked out for school. And they are together in this beautiful park, talking and spending time before work and school begins.
It seems like a pretty nice way to start the day.
Out in the country where I grew up, kids either took the bus or walked to school. There was no need for our parents to go with us; we lived in the middle of nowhere. Nothing much happened, including crime.
I know the kids in Manhattan are walked, scooted and/or rode to school by their parents because it’s not considered safe to be out on their own. But I think the time spent together as a family is a pretty nice trade.
Plus, they get to live in the greatest city in the world.
Hear, hear. When our son was little, we took him to New York City at every opportunity. Far better than Disney as a vacation destination. Personally, I feel safer in places where there are people on the streets.