Pondering the benefits of raising kids in a small community

When my sisters were here, we talked a great deal about our childhoods - growing up in Atlantic. Lots of fond memories - good people. And a few creeps! Haha...every town has 'em.

When it came to raising my own children - I gravitated right back to my roots. Kind of. Creston isn't all that much like Atlantic - despite the fact that they're close in size and are in the same athletic conference. While Atlantic is the preppy, dressed up cousin, Creston is the biker dude in leathers.

While each is attractive in their own way. Creston is better at hiding the good stuff...and in my view Atlantic uses the blow comb a little too much - a little too much show, instead of go. My view may be a bit tainted by years of our kids competing with Atlantic though - grain of salt...

In 1986 Paul applied for a job opening in Creston - we really thought it would be a stopover on our way to something bigger. On our way, we found a loving community - a great place to raise a family. So we stayed 26 years. Amy is planning her 10th class reunion - Creston High School...so I've been thinking. For one thing - WOW. How fast did that time go! Crazy fast. And we haven't aged a bit.

Deep thoughts:

• A community can be anywhere - right in the middle of a huge city
• Our community was Creston - it's like a quote from one of my favorite cartoonists, B. Kliban's "a plain but good hearted girl"

I can't find a picture of that one, but here's another one of my B. Kliban favorites - my college roomie Vicki and I found his books in college. I can't quote any classics, but damn...I know all this guy's perverted and funny stuff..

B. Kliban

• Childcare - we hit the jackpot. Carol Frank and family were fabulous for this young mother. Becky and Ron Riley's kids were there. The Steinkamps lived across the street from Franks and the other Rileys - Frank the UPS guy and his wife, Marcia, lived by there too - so we had big Ryan Riley and little Ryan S.
• I was working at the bank, and later Gits and a group of parents (it was the Beta Sigma Phi moms - yes, I finally pledged myself to loveliness, a sorority - best thing I did when we hit town. Thanks to Julia Stuetelberg, my AHS classmate Dave's wife,  who suggested it) put together a preschool carpool. Later we did the same for kindergarten before it went to full day.
• St. Malachy - the Catholic school turned out to be another community within the community. We found a home there, with the staff, teachers and principal (once they got through a few wackos like that Caroline who purchased a stoplight for the lunchroom. When it got too noisy...red light!). We served - Paul on the Board of Ed, me on the Foundation Board. The kids flourished - Jud got to wear the blue and gold for the Knights basketball team and Paul helped coach. Amy donned cheerleading threads - do you believe it? There weren't enough girls to field a team so she played hoops for the Creston team - they were very accommodating.
• The transition to high school from St. M was a little intimidating - but they already knew a lot of kids from sports. We had to meet the teachers and find out how to work with them. We became active with the booster club.
• In a small town our children were able to participate in many things. Amy and Jud were mostly interested in sports, but it could have also been band and plays. I miss our sports watching pals! Especially from Jud's class. Fun group - the parents all worked together and didn't snipe and get competitive with each other.
• Our kids could go to Family Shoe store, purchase shoes and we would stop in later that week and pay. Because Steve (Dr. Shoe) know us.
• They could go to the dentist or the eye doc and know they were with friends - people they've hung out with. You don't usually do that in the big city.
• Yeah, it's a little weird to party with a doctor that has seen your hoohoo...but to him, it's just another orifice. That's what I told myself anyway.

What's my point? I'm glad I grew up in a small town and raised our kids in one. Yes, there are tradeoffs. Amy found out the hard way that big city eye docs don't let you take frames home to show your room mate overnight. Big city high schools are able to offer more sophisticated curriculum and AP classes. But we did have Southwestern Community College. Neither Amy nor Jud is likely to live in a small town ever again - and I probably won't either. (except perhaps when we are in a nursing home and are in rooms near our homies who can remind of all our memories) We all appreciate our roots.

We're heading to Creston tomorrow to party in the park with Bobbie and Jeff! It will be like going home.

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