Parenthood is hard enough without the help of a partner. Single moms have a lot on their plates and their little ones’ safety is always a priority. The key to making sure you settle comfortably in a new community is to pick the right Best Neighborhood for you and your children. There are several factors to be considered when reviewing your options.
Sort Out Priorities
First of all, you need to know what you are looking for in a neighborhood. Therefore, if you are a single mother, weigh your options by asking the right questions.
Do you want a quiet atmosphere?
When picking a part of a city you want to move to, you need to understand that some locations are louder than others. You should choose a region depending on your lifestyle and your child’s preferences.
Do you want to live in an active area?
An active neighborhood might have many restaurants and shopping centers. A quiet one, on the other hand, will be better for single moms who have a vehicle to easily move around.
Depending on the age of your child, you might want to consider moving to an active neighborhood with playgrounds. On the other hand, your kids might prefer a quiet neighborhood with more libraries than stadiums.
Do you want to get involved in an HOA?
Some neighborhoods have tight communities and Homeowner Associations (HOA). If you wish to be able to make important decisions for your neighborhood, HOA is an excellent option. However, if you want to keep a low profile, it might be better if you moved to a neighborhood without an HOA.
Crime Rates
It’s best if you learn about the crime rates of neighborhoods before moving. Keeping your children safe should be your top priority as a single parent. Living alone with kids is scary when you are surrounded by danger.
Use Google to make sure that your neighborhood is completely safe to avoid any traumatizing events. If the neighborhood is not popular enough to find detailed statistics online, you can look up news around the area.
Housing Prices
Your income is very important when it comes to finding the right neighborhood. You must be searching for something within your budget. Safe neighborhoods are rarely inexpensive in this economy. Therefore, you might need to do a lot of research on housing inventory and prices in different neighborhoods.
However, you may not be ready to purchase the property. If you are looking for a nice area where you can rent, you might need the help of professionals. Find good property management companies to help you find the proper neighborhoods that you can afford to move to.
Schools
A good education is crucial for children and as a single mom, you might have little time on your hands. Therefore, you need to find a neighborhood with a good school. If a neighborhood doesn’t have a nice educational center for your kids, you might have to find one in a different area. That way, you will have to spend a lot of time driving your kids to school.
Look up the educational systems of schools in the neighborhood. Make sure that these schools are safe and affordable for you. When your kids go to a safe school closer to your home, you will feel more comfortable.
Some neighborhoods will be able to provide your children with superior educational systems. It’s also preferable that the neighborhood you pick allows your children to learn more outside of school. Libraries and museums in your neighborhood are a big plus.
Extracurricular Activities
Some kids prioritize sports or art. As a parent, you need to make sure your kids have a wide range of options for the future and many hobbies. If your neighborhood has art galleries, it will be excellent for your children to embrace creativity.
If your kids prefer football and basketball, you can search for neighborhoods with sports centers. Swimming pools are beneficial for your kids as well as swimming is great for your health.
Health
Health is substantial and you need to constantly take your kids for checkups. They might get allergies, catch viruses, and hurt their ankles while playing. Hospital visits several times a year are unavoidable, even when you are extra careful. Therefore, you must make sure that there are proper hospitals full of professionals in your neighborhood.
Public Transportation
Although you might have your personal vehicle, your kids might be too young to drive. You won’t always be able to drive them to different destinations due to a lack of time.
It’s crucial to make sure that your children have convenient ways to move around the city without you. Single moms don’t have a lot of time to always drive their kids to malls, movie theaters, and cafes.
Moreover, when you move to a new neighborhood, it’s most likely a long-term commitment. Therefore, even if you have a lot of time, when your children are teenagers, they will want to move around the city without their mom.
Therefore, you need to consider the traffic and public transportation in your area. How expensive is it? How frequently do buses arrive and is it easy to get to the center of the city from this neighborhood? Is it safe? Are there many options?
Final Thoughts
Being a mom is a difficult job, especially when you are doing it alone. However, it’s also delightful when you have adorable and loving children. Therefore, you must make sure that all of their needs are met.
Single moms need to choose new neighborhoods carefully. There are multiple things to consider, but most importantly, the safety, education, and health of your children. So if you are searching for a new neighborhood, take schools, crime rates, and child care into account.
