COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY

NAME

: FATIN NAZIHAH BINTI ABDULLAH

STUDENT I/D

: 2014177579

Compare and contrast raising children in a small town and raising children in the city. Children who grow up in the city are prone to gain adaptability skills at a tender age, develop acute social awareness, and have consistent coverage to culturally diverse populations and experiences. A University of Virginia research found that cities are in fact much safer places to live than small town areas. The study analyzed traffic casualties and homicides in both cities and suburban areas. The results show that higher numbers of traffic fatalities and homicides occur in suburban areas. City living also allows parents and children alike to feel less isolated. (Kedro, 2015). Living in a small town may sound fun, living right next to nature, inhaling fresh air the moment you wake up, it sound like the right place for you to spend your life together with your family by having your very own personal space.
Despite, having typical stereotype thinking of children living in the city are likely growing up to be a mess­up teens, as the they are more prone to be involved in negative activities like skipping class and hang out in the dark alley smoking, living in the city have its own advantages and benefits as well. Children living in the city will experiences almost everything they can ever think of, piano or Taekwondo lesson and even swimming class. The children will be having less peer pressure, their friends would often within their walking distance and they will able to meet a diverse of people from all walks of life. Raising children is not an easy task be it in the city or in a small town. Nevertheless, raising children in a city is better than raising children in the small town, in terms of the social aspects, accessibility of facilities, and the environmental exposure.
Secondly, the social aspects is often seen as the most insignificant value in choosing the best place to raise children by parents, as they considered it as not a major factor for them to choose solely based on that criteria alone. They think they know the situation better, but they might be wrong, as the social aspects of the place that they will be staying need to be in an excellent in terms of the community living there, who are the neighbours living next doors? These matters may seems small but it sure helps your family in adapting to the

surrounding quickly, is by getting to know other residents of your neighbourhood, be nice to them and show your children a good example by being friendly and help each other so that they themselves can try to get along with others children as well. Moreover, this positive attitude will lead to a positive lifestyle, thus creating a sense of bonds with your immediate neighbourhood and having fun raising children alongside the people we trust and befriend with. Apart from that, the children can gain invaluable experiences and opportunities to watch and learn from them. Living in the city play an important role in enhancing the children’s social skills in communication with other people, this is because of the diversity of friends that come from different background, country and races, while, children living in the small town would often friends with local children having similar background. Thus, will create possibility of finding same age friends, whereby, they can go to school together, exchanging their opinions and ideas, they can depends on each other backs and learn to be independent­able to make decision and be responsible for their actions. They can learn so many things from friend from a different background, as they may have different cultures, our children can learn from them and they can learn our culture as well, vice versa.
Thirdly, a wide range of facilities and services play a crucial function in a well engross community that are children friendly. Many plans and development are implemented in making the city much a safer and suitable for children growth and development. As these changes will not only benefit to the parents but toward the community as well. In a close community, each contribution from every individuals play a huge impact in created the bonds and trust among each other. The parents will be able to get to know their neighbours and other members of the community through involving themselves in the community meetings and activities. Apart from that, there are lot of provided facilities plan supply from the government, like, the schools, hospitals­providing cutting edge healthcare systems, playgrounds. Although, the academic syllabus of both rural schools and school located in the city are similar, the opportunities of the children getting proper extra classes tuition in the city are higher than the small town, whereby, they need to depend highly on the local teacher making night class at her house every now and then or travel long distance to arrive at the nearest tuition centre. Moreover, living in the city will increase the chances of your children being involved in so many fields, like sports, music and even cooking class. The children will not just be wasting their weekends away doing nothing but instead being highly engross

in club activities, mingle around with their friends. Furthermore, ”the city provides children with a richer set of valuable experiences, they can learn and experience greater diversity, easier path to job opportunities, build better connections, and have a wide range of learning centre like museums and galleries, classes and activities. It’s all right on your doorstep away”. (Russell, 2014)
In addition, children living in the city will have more positive environmental exposures compare to children living in a small town. This may due to the rapid growth of populations and diversity of people living in the city are much larger than the small town which consists of smaller populations. Furthermore, the children will be expose to vast cultural, variety of activities that they can venture in, spending time with family and friends in high­ends shopping complex. The cities offers so much more opportunity for children to be children, enjoying themselves once in while having fun with family, for example in
KidZania, is a place specially design for children to experience living their ambitions, it is a bonus as the children will be learning while they play. In addition, the children will experience working, dealing with real life problems, the responsibility of working and spontaneously train them to be self­efficient and independent. Moreover, the children will be able to mingle around with kids around the world, playing together and working as a team.
Thus, these activities can improve the children development, learning side by side with children around the same age as themselves, encouraging team work and full cooperation and commitment. “
Others have used the term “edutainment” but I like to call it an “Enter­cation” facility because we are really all about the fun first. The content is deep, but it’s displayed in a fun way for children. We are ultimately trying to move kids into action to change the world for the better.” (Snell, 2012). The children will be able to receive more input of learning in the cities as many organizations, companies and even the government are offering and creating more facilities to improve children development qualities.
Many people starting to realise that the city life is much suitable place to raise their children because of the immediacy to a more urban lifestyle, advanced healthcare systems and extra­curricular activities for the children development. Nevertheless, the decision lies with the parents, as they need to evaluate each place and choose the best place to raise their children. Raising children these days is a complicated affair for parents, be it in small town or

in the city, but nonetheless, raising children in the city is much better compare to small town in terms of the social aspects, accessibility of facilities and the environmental exposure they encounter. (1302 words)
REFERENCES

Kedro, M. (2015).
Raising Kids in the City vs. the Suburbs. Retrieved on 30 March 2015
Retrieved
from http://www.livestrong.com/article/1005912­raising­kids­city­vs­suburbs/ Elina, L. (2014).
Is it better for children to grow up in big cities or small towns? Retrieved from http://www.quora.com/Is­it­better­for­children­to­grow­up­in­big­cities­or­small­ towns Keller, K. (2015).
Raising Kids in the City vs. the Suburbs
. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/1005912­raising­kids­city­vs­suburbs/ Cohen, M (2014).
City Kids: Why Parents Pick City Living Over the Suburbs

http://www.6sqft.com/city­kids­why­these­parents­pick­city­living­over­the­suburbs/ Rush, M. (2013).
Difference between teenagers in big cities & in small towns http://www.livestrong.com/article/1006454­difference­between­teenagers­big­cities­ small­towns/ Palicki, M. (2012).
What exactly is KidZania? Is it a theme park? A Museum? http://inparkmagazine.blogspot.com/2012/07/kidzania­cuicuilco­ipm­interviews­mark .html

References: Kedro, M. (2015).  ​ Raising Kids in the City vs. the Suburbs.​   Elina,  L.  (2014).  ​ Keller, K. (2015). ​ Raising Kids in the City vs. the Suburbs​   Cohen, M (2014). ​   Rush, M. (2013). ​   Palicki, M. (2012). ​