[rationalist]

I would rather raise my kid(s) in a small town and not a big city. Maybe within a few hours drive of a big city to the occasional big/special event, museum visit, etc.

[hallole]

I lived in my local big city for a few years. As I did so, and as I regularly traversed its streets and public transport, I many times thought, "ok, maybe suburbanites have a point."

What makes the suburbs and small towns good isn't positive / a presence of pros, but negative / an absence of cons.

[watwut]

I am glad I did not grew in a place like that. Being able to move around independently and having those free events, museums, sports, libraries available by bicycle and public transport was nice. Better then then needing hours of drive or stay at home.

[rationalist]

> Being able to move around independently and having those free events, ... sports, libraries available by bicycle

You can still do that in a smaller town too, and have actual wilderness - forests, etc to explore, build tree houses, forts, fishing, swimming, etc.

[red-iron-pine]

> a few hours drive

hard pass. cars are the reason everything sucks in N American urban planning

[rationalist]

I'd recommend bicycles or walking in a small town.

[AnimalMuppet]

Assume that's true. They (and their cars) aren't in your city. They come in once in a blue moon for something. If you have a problem with that, why? You'd be better off (from your perspective) reducing to zero the number of people who do live in your city and use a car.