10 Reasons We Love Being Parents in Chicago
A family mirror selfie in the Peggy Notebaert Butterfly Habitat
My husband and I are both transplants to Chicago. I grew up in Texas; he grew up in Utah. When we had the opportunity to move to Chicago some friends and family were shocked and even scared for us. We have found that as long as you’re not in the wrong place at the wrong time you’re usually perfectly safe. In fact, we love it here so much we plan on staying here for as long as life will allow. Chicago is the city where we discovered whole new identities, as parents. And we love being parents in Chicago.
So many museums!
I love being able to take my children to all the different kinds of museums across Chicago. A few of our favorites are the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Shedd Aquarium, and of course, the Chicago Children’s Museum. But we’ve also had a great time at the Field Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. You know how your three-year-old is obsessed with that ONE THING (trains? dinosaurs? dolphins?), you will likely be able to find some exhibit about that thing among the many museums that line Chicago’s streets. We’re so lucky to be able to expose them to stories, history, life, and culture that I just can’t provide at home or in their normal school/daycare environment.
And yes, I know, it was a real bummer when they phased out Chicago Public Library stopped the Library Passport Program, but at least one free admission a year is better than nothing? If you’re a Chicago resident (heck you may just even have to be an Illinois resident) and haven’t taken advantage of the Explore More Illinois Program, you should take a look into it. It basically provides discounted or free admission for adults/children. All you need is a physical library card, digital cards won’t work.Proximity to a large airport (or two!)
Wow. Just so extremely convenient. In some cases I can just take the train straight to the O’hare International Airport. If I’ve got the kids in tow…we either call a friend or take an Uber. But still, it’s not too expensive, because it’s so dang close! Although it's a 40-50 minutes drive for us, we are able to find flights from Midway International Airport to Utah, where we have family, for less than $150 round trip! As a family that has no family nearby, this is huge for us. And that’s all I need to say about that.
So many different kinds of people
I know I live in a fairly “white” part of Chicago. Still, in our northeast neighborhood we have neighbors on our one street alone from all over. We’ve got some Polish neighbors, several multiracial families, neighbors from Ghana, Morocco, Guatemala, Germany, and Ukraine. Also, as we walk down the street you can tell from the neighbors’ yard signs and flags that they come from all different kinds of political and social backgrounds. I really appreciate this. I want to show my children that there are many different types of people with different perspectives based on their lives and experiences. There isn’t only one way to think and see the world. This helps them ask questions and look for answers instead of just doing what everyone else is doing. It also teaches them empathy.
Korean grocery stores
This one is more personal, but it makes a big difference for our family. We moved from Utah where there just aren’t a lot of Koreans and so not a lot of Korean stores and restaurants. We love being able to easily (and affordably) expose our children to Korean food, which I think is my husband’s favorite way to share Korea with our children. Not only is there a Super H Mart in Niles, but we’ve got the local Joong Boo Market chain around Chicagoland.
All four seasons
I grew up in Dallas, Texas. The summers there are brutal. 100 days straight without dropping below 100 is not unheard of. But some people complain about the Chicago winters. I guess you just pick your poison. But do you know what Dallas doesn’t have? A beautiful and lasting spring and fall. Everything grows here. In the spring you will see tulips and peonies. And you’ll see the hydrangeas blooming almost all year. I grew some tomatoes last year and didn’t water them at all after June but they just kept growing and producing! Chicago definitely has a distinct winter, spring, summer and fall, and that makes up for the cold winters. Oh and, as my husband just reminded me, everything dies in the cold winter–which means bugs die, so they are rarely a problem.
So many possible day trips
Are you and the kids feeling a little stir-crazy at home or wanting to see something new? Whether you venture out to Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, or Iowa (okay, I honestly don’t know what there is to do in Iowa), there are many day trips or weekend trip possibilities. Depending on what you’re into, you’ve got the Wisconsin Dells, Milwaukee, Indiana Dunes State Park, Ann Arbor, Holland, MI, Starved Rock State park in Illinois, apple orchards, pumpkin patches. I could write several blog posts on the possibilities alone. Or just link you to Kid List, where they list and summarize practically all possibly activities for you!
Public transportation
I’ve got this one listed for the kids more than for myself. One child is obsessed with trains and the other one with buses. So we opt to take the bus and the train to school every morning instead of drive. For the whole first year, my oldest would shake with excitement as he saw the L coming his way at the Jefferson Park station. And it still hasn’t lost its magic. I know, you’re probably thinking “the magic of the blue line??”. But you see, that’s the beauty of having children and seeing the magic in the least magical things.
Sometimes on the weekend we go downtown on the L just for the heck of it. Yeah sure we may check out Maggie Daley Park or another attraction. But the real highlight is taking the train down and back.
Okay, okay, I will say I like to give myself a pat on the back when I take it too just because it makes me feel like I’m making better choices for the environment. And I don’t have to pay for parking.
…but still easy to drive downtown
Another simple one. Chicago is not as crowded as New York City. I’ll admit, I have yet to visit The City That Never Sleeps, but would you really want to go somewhere with a nickname like that? Anyway, Chicago is driveable. Yeah, you’ve got to get used to paying for parking anywhere and making sure you got your special Chicago city sticker, but it is manageable driving through the streets and getting where you need to go. Just maybe avoid I-90 during rush hour.
The Forest Preserve
I love telling non-Chicagoans how deer live in Chicago proper. The Forest Preserves of Cook County includes 70 acres of undeveloped greenspace–mostly forest–and over 100 miles of paved trails. It is a wonderful place to take the kids on a run, walk, or bike ride. Or sledding in the winter! I mean you don’t even have to do any exercise if you don’t want; you can just go have a picnic in the grass. It is especially beautiful in the fall as the forest leaves are changing colors. For me personally, it was the perfect place to train and do long runs when I was preparing to run the Chicago Marathon.
All this for a relatively affordable price
Of course it will depend where exactly you live, but compared again to The Big Apple or Los Angeles, Chicago housing is way more affordable. In fact, Chicago is considered the most affordable “big city” in the United States. (Note: the fact that most single family homes have a basement really increases your square footage compared to homes in say…Texas where basements aren’t so common…and where housing prices are soaring!)
Please share, what are some things you love about being a parent in Chicago? What are your favorite activities and outings?
