Each month ParentZing! highlights a different city and a guest poster raves about why it’s great to raise a family there. This time ’round it’s Philadelphia. You know, the largest city in the US… in 1800. ParentZing! reader Kaitlyn Bowers tells us why she loves the City of Brotherly Love…
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Philadelphia suffers from city envy. A few miles one way you have NYC. A smidgen more another way you have Washington, DC. But it’s a great town in it’s own respect, really! Here are 10 reasons why I love living and raising my kids in Philly.
1. History. My kids still love going to visit Independence National Historical Park. They’ve picked up enough along the way that they are actually pretty good little tour guides when we have visitors. I know that at least they won’t fail early American history.
2. Museums. Ok, so maybe we don’t have as many museums as NYC or DC, but we can hold our own. It’s all about quality, not quantity, right? The Please Touch Museum is fantastic, and the kids can go there over and over again and they never get bored. There’s even an old-fashioned carousel! Be sure to take in a puppet show while there. The kids will love it and no one will give you a second glance if you use the opportunity to nap.
3. You can own a house! With a Yard! And still be in the city. Take that, NYC!
4. Mummers Parade. Wild and festive celebration of the New Year that has something to do with… well, I don’t really know. I never took the time to find out the whole history thing. I just like to look at the pretty colors and listen to the string music.
5. Sports. Our kids are already rabid foaming-at-the-mouth fans. We try to teach them to be polite about it, but when you get down to it… Well, we are from Philly. And we’ve got it all. Football, baseball, soccer… and needless to say, Rocky.
6. Smith Playground. This playground has a totally retro-cool, covered big wooden slide that is sort of like a bowling lane. You — I mean the kids — get to slide down on burlap sacks. It’s serious fun. Right near it is this big ol’ house filled with toys. Your kids will love it, even if you’re cringing and reaching for the Purell every second.
7. Longwood Gardens. Makes even antsy kids want to stop and smell the roses. Awesome fountains, a children’s garden, concerts and tree houses. Really delightful.
8. Sesame Place is nearby. Oh, hush. Admit it, you always had a crush on Bert.
9. Music. for the whole family at World Cafe Live. Concerts in a venue that almost makes you feel like an adult again.
10. NYC and DC are a quick Amtrak train trip away. Not that we need to go to NYC or DC, but the option is there; you know, for when we might want to.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
ParentZing! Perk: 15% off Children’s Place until 3/8/09. Use code: D299HMHG29
