Turf Wars: The City Vs. Suburbs Debate on the Blogosphere

Wee Westchester's "Westchester vs. Brooklyn" post caused a ruckus on the parenting blogosphere. Here's a sampling of the arguments for raising your kids in the city versus raising your kids in the suburbs.

Okay, these posts were all in jest (or mostly, anyway)—but the humor, the longing (for home, for like-minded people, for closet space), and the topics up for debate have all grown out of reality. In case you missed it: It all began back in January when Wee Westchester posted a tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek harangue called “Westchester vs. Brooklyn.” The comments poured in, and other bloggers followed suit with posts defending their home turf of choice. In late February, the Style section of The New York Times took the debate to a new level, focusing on style, not substance, in Alex Williams’s “Creating Hipsturbia.” Just for fun, here’s a sampling of the online back-and-forth that ensued:

The original post from Wee Westchester consisted of 10 reasons Westchester “is the better place to raise kids”:

Reason No. 5: “Because we don’t have to double-park our cars in front of our house, run the kids and all of the stuff we need to bring inside, and then drive around looking for a parking spot.”

Retort: “I never have to navigate a parking lot to avoid getting hit by a huge Chevy Suburban driven by a mom who can barely see over the steering wheel.” —Tracy Lantz, a.k.a. iheartbrklyn on Brooklyn to the Burbs 

Reason No. 8: “Because we’ll never be hip. And we’re okay with that.”

Retort: “Brooklynites are hip? Well, we are definitely not hip. The thought of my husband wearing skinny jeans is literally enough to send coffee squirting out of my nose.” —iheartbrklyn

No Offense Intended: “Hipsterism may be alive and well in Brooklyn, but it exists elsewhere too (although not likely at the Starbucks in Rye).” —Deirdre (whose blog bio reads “I’m in love with Brooklyn but not sure it’s a healthy relationship”) on her blog BKLYN or BEYOND 

Taking-Our-Tongue-Out-of-Our-Cheek Conclusion: “Should the question be not who’s hipper, but who’s happier?” —Krista Madsen, in her contribution to the conversation on Terrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch

Comment from the Just-Thinking-About-Moving Camp: “…many of us have grown weary of living in claustrophobic, overpriced boxes after long days and many years working in cubes, and considering an alternative while still having access to the greatest city in the world is fun, and healthy.” —commenter who lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on the original Wee Westchester post