The City Parent Handbook: The Complete Guide to the Ups and Downs and Ins and Outs of Raising Young Kids in the City

With expensive real estate, limited space, uneven public schools, raging traffic, restricted green space, pollution and a host of other cons, raising children in an urban environment is a challenge. But, say Bishop and Whitehead (both moms in New York City), the rewards far outweigh those annoyances. Culture, diversity and opportunities are only some of the plusses to being raised in a city. The authors present this encyclopedic tome to help city parents with top-priority decisions they'll have to make when deciding to raise a family in a city, such as finding an appropriate neighborhood and apartment, choosing a doctor, keeping kids safe in high-rise buildings, finding daycare and selecting a school. They also go into less essential but nonetheless integral aspects of childrearing, covering everything from house pets and playground etiquette to eating out and""breastfeeding on the run."" Impeccably researched and organized, with anecdotes from real city parents, and casually but authoritatively written, this handbook should become an indispensable reference for parents who don't mind dealing with cockroaches and city traffic, so long as their children can grow up to become""culture vultures.""