[ivnvrn]

As a parent of a 9 year old who bikes two km to kayaking club and back three times a week, I see how much he likes it and how autonomous he instantly became. Me and my wife also got a couple of hours of freedom every day because we no longer have to transport him and wait in between. It looks like a small thing, but it feels almost life-changing. Previously, I was against multi-storey residential development and planned to own a private house in the suburbs. But then I got kids and moved to a place with dense civil infrastructure and started to use it daily. And I realized that if you can bike to school, shops, parks and a clinic in a couple of minutes, then for me it's much cooler than living at home and getting in the car every time you need something. Every time I think about my son crossing the road, I get scared as hell. But I have to be strong to step aside and not interfere with his growth =)

[lukan]

Well, currently I can also get everything by bycicle or train, as I live close to a train station.

The city close by is just dead. So we are looking for nice rural home outside a vibrant city close to a frequently run train station. Problem is, everyone is doing this nowdays, so hard to find something, that ticks all the boxes. I know my children can handle traffic, I just want to save them from it as much as possible. Fumes and noise are also not exactly healthy either.

[ivnvrn]

Good luck of finding such place! I also noted that friends of my son were initially all from the same courtyard (obviously). Now the majority of them lives in a three kilometer radius. He has friends in a school, courtyard and in a sport club. They intersect only by a half. At this age you easily make new friends and also easily get rid of those with who you doesn't fit. I think, that the more people you meet being young on a different activities and can easily visit by a bike, the more chance that you will find the ones who will be your real friends through the life and the wider your world will be. This is another point to live in a crowded but cyclable area.