Raising Kids in the City Has Its Pluses
By Alex Villarreal

Family life in a city of 8 million people can be a lot different than it is here in Chapel Hill.

Andy Merlis and his wife Kathleen have three children but no backyard.In New York City, no one has one.

Andy and Kathleen have to be creative to make sure 5-year-old Zeke and 16- month-old twins Coco and Fifi get playtime outside of their Brooklyn apartment.

"You can't just open the door and shoo them out like you can in the country or in the suburbs,” says Andy. “But there [are] enough ways to get them active."

One way is through organized physical activity. Zeke takes classes at Manhattan Tae Kwon Do every Saturday.

For Zeke, getting there is part of the fun.

"He loves the subway,” says Andy. He studies it and knows the system probably better than I do."

"I'm very good at memorizing subway maps," Zeke admits.

It’s a little easier with a 5-year-old, but getting around the subway system with babies can be tough.

"Taking twins in a stroller up and down those stairs is just killer,” says Andy. “You'd be amazed how few people stop to help you."

Kathleen says raising kids in the city is worth its stresses.

"It's a really good experience for them,” she says. “Like anything, it can be a real nightmare, but I think they're getting a whole different education than they'd get anywhere else."

Another part of Zeke's New York education is cultural. He’s also a musician.

He once played his cello at Carnegie Hall. Not too many five-year-olds can put that on their resume.

The big city definitely has its advantages. But the question city parents must answer is whether those advantages are worth the sacrifices.