The Return to Neighborhoods!

My favorite memories are of when I was a kid (before I puberty set in) and my neighborhood. My mom didn't work, school was 3 blocks away, my teachers lived in our neighborhood and so did our principal. We were taught to respect our elders and other peoples property. Our teachers took groups of us on weekend trips to their vacation homes, boys and girls, and no one worried that we would be hurt by the teachers or the other students. Everyone knew who we were and our parents. At night our parents sat out on the porches while us kids on the block played flashlight tag or hide and seek. Life was good then. Unfortunately, my kids didn't have the pleasure of growing up in a neighborhood. We moved all the time, but also by then (1970s) neighborhoods were gone and so the peace and serenity we children of the 60s dreamed of and thought we could acquire. The good news it - finally we are doing just that. As we arrive in our 40s and 50s we are longing for those types of neighborhoods we grew up in, we want our children and grandchildren to have that idealistic lifestyle too. So emerges the NEW NEIGHBORHOOD TOWNS. There are 14 in Florida - the first being Seaside in the Panhandle and the most celebrated being Celebration in the Kississimee area of Central Florida (Disney). These are towns where children can walk to school or ride their bikes. Where neighbors of all generations live and work together. Where you can ride or walk to work, the storekeepers know you, they know your kids, the school doesn't need a bus. More and more here and in California these towns are springing up. Maybe in other states too (if you know of one let me know!). It is a trend I applaud as my daughter prepares to have her first child -- all I can think of is how can I afford to help this baby go to private school, how I hope they don't have more than one or two children in this screwed up world. But with the growing trend towards neighborhoods, I hope they find a home in one of them (we need one here in Tampa that is affordable) and I want this for my other children too.

What do you think about the NEW NEIGHBORHOOD TREND? What do you think the trends for the 21st century are going to be? Let me know - fill out my trends survey & I will publish your thoughts on my What you Think page.

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