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Downtown’s new Lifestyle and Family editor, Denise Courter, outlines the advantages of bringing up little ones in lower Manhattan.
By Denise Courter
Raising kids in New York is exciting and fun, but it also comes with unique challenges, square footage being the most obvious. As a FiDi parent with two toddlers, I am constantly on the hunt for new and exciting activities in FiDi and all of Lower Manhattan. The number one question I get from friends and family is “Why do we raise kids in NYC?” My response has always been “Why not?” I created the FiDi Families website to encourage parents to explore the great neighborhoods that encompass Lower Manhattan. My goal is to keep the families of these great neighborhoods up to date on fun events, new classes, great restaurants, new schools and day- care options, kid stores, etc. Downtown neighborhoods are fabulous, filled with facilities for the whole family, and are easily accessible by foot, stroller, scooter and the subway.
HERE ARE MY FIVE REASONS TO BE A DOWNTOWN PARENT :
1 Convenience!
Groceries, diapers, baby clothes, paper goods, prescriptions, wine, meals can all be delivered, 24/7. If parents are juggling kids, work, schedules and socializing, these conveniences are amazing. Pharmacy delivery can be found in Lower Manhattan, which is great when parents have sick kids and it’s impossible to set foot outside because you have a sick kid and they need TLC. Check out the Downtown Pharmacy or Kings Pharmacy. Some of our favorite online sites include Diapers.com, Soap.com and FreshDirect.com. And don’t forget to order your wine online. There are several retail stores that will deliver for free (just ask). But, if you are juggling kids, schedules and work, ordering online may be the best way to go. Check out one of our favorites, Vintry Wines, which also has a retail location at 230 Murray Street. Shhhhh… wine tastings, too.
2 Parks, Playgrounds and More!
NYC has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities across the five boroughs. This type of access means that Downtown kids can grow up with green grass, and parents don’t have to mow the lawn; it’s a win-win! Some of our Downtown favorites include the Imagination Playground, Thames Street Park, Nelson E. Rockefeller Park and Pier 25. Some of our Downtown favorite museums include the Children’s Museum of Art, National Museum of the American Indian and Poets House.
If you would like to know the five reasons it’s great to be a downtown parent, you can read them in DOWNTOWN’s Spring 2014 issue on newsstands now!