Moving to Kansas City - Page 2

[PajamaMama]

Originally Posted by mymary

PajamaMama I couldn't find the wednesday open group at the link you provided? It was the coffeehouse link. Am I looking at it wrong?

It's not officially sponsored by the location, that's just where we all meet

[PajamaMama]

Originally Posted by mymary

I was also wondering about fitness centers out there. Here I belong to a really wonderful fitness club, that most importantly has excellent child care. They have to be CPR certified and its a really professional enviroment. They seem to really care. Makes a BIG difference when you want to feel good about having a workout. Anybody know of any good places?

I belong to Lifetime Fitness and I LOVE it. I also really trust the childcare workers and the general quality of all the employees. There is a location in Lenexa, and also in Overland Park.

[bibomommy]

Happy to read this thread! We too are moving to KC...this summer sometime. It's reaffirming what I've been reading regarding school/areas to live. And it's good to see the doctor/ND recommendations! Yay!

I'm nervous too...grew up in Key West but have lived in PA for the last 10+ years so Kansas seems like the other side of the moon to me. I would love to chat via email if you'd like and as soon as we get there we can meet up and be newbies together!!

[mymary]

Originally Posted by bibomommy

Happy to read this thread! We too are moving to KC...this summer sometime. It's reaffirming what I've been reading regarding school/areas to live. And it's good to see the doctor/ND recommendations! Yay!

I'm nervous too...grew up in Key West but have lived in PA for the last 10+ years so Kansas seems like the other side of the moon to me. I would love to chat via email if you'd like and as soon as we get there we can meet up and be newbies together!!

That sounds absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am really freaking out about feeling ALONE there. I know I will try to join moms groups and go places, but would love to make a GOOD friend there. I will PM you my email address.

When are you moving? Are you moving for a job also? And do you know what town you are moving to already???

It's nice to know someone else is doing the same thing as me.

Talk to you soon.

[catnap70]

I haven't been on this forum for quite a while but happened to peek today. It is scary to make the move...I am a San Diego girl who moved here on a whim 19 years ago. I miss my family, the ocean, the food and the diversity being so much a part of everyday life, but there are so many wonderful things about living here that make up for what I miss. I agree that Johnson County is similar to Orange County in many ways. It isn't where I would choose to live if I were coming this direction. With a husband working in Lenexa, I would look at Brookside and other urban neighborhoods. We live in Liberty and love it but the commute from here would be awful. Natural parenting is not as normal here as it is in CA but you just have to seek out a tribe and they are definitely, definitely out there. Feel free to pm me with any questions or if you want to meet up when you arrive. Welcome to the Midwest, mama! (P.S. Yes, there are tornadoes but at least you can see them coming..unlike earthquakes!)

[smokeylo]

Originally Posted by mymary

A little off the subject....

Being from California and not knowing anything about Tornadoes, wondering if you guys know if they come around the kansas city area? Do they have less of a chance to happen in big city areas?

Wondering how do you know if its safe to go out and do errands, etc...
My fear is that I would be out and about with my three kids and be caught off guard by some rogue tornado. Then what would I do??? Do you know they are coming?

I have lived in the midwest all my life, including Oklahoma where tons of tornadoes happen. Let me share my wisdom with you. Here's how it works:

Tornadoes are caused by cold air hitting hot, humid air. It's the temperature difference that causes the spiraling that leads to a tornado. So, they are most likely to happen on days when it's super hot out, and you look at the weather forecast and see a big old storm headed your way almost always from the SOUTHWEST (so, probably from the Oklahoma area, moving northeast towards KC metro). Tornadoes seem to happen most often in the EVENING. They are very rarely "rogue" -- they don't pop up out of nowhere, but are usually part of a big storm system, NOT the kind of thing you'd be likely to be "out and about in."

Listen to the major radio stations and check the weather online. Meteorologists are super paranoid and will issue a tornado WATCH at the drop of a hat (that means conditions are favorable to produce a tornado). You'll probably know if you need to be on the watch. If you're in the car, keep the radio on. Learn the map of KC so you know when they're talking about a place near you -- they most often describe tornadoes as occurring in X *county* so you'll want to be familiar with that.

If the tornado WATCH is upgraded to a WARNING (meaning a tornado has been spotted), the sirens in your area will go off. In my opinion, as a person having lived around tornadoes my whole life, the sirens going off means you should start taking precautions right away so that if a tornado hits your neighborhood you will all be safe.

- The safest room is a room with no windows in the center of your home (usually a bathroom) or the basement (they have these in a lot of homes in KC!).
- Make sure everyone has hard-soled shoes, and bring your purse, cell phone, a flashlight, and a battery-powered radio that you can use to listen to the weather (if there's a tornado in the area, the major stations will stop playing music and cover the tornado until it's gone).
- If you have little ones, bring your diaper bag, maybe some snacks. My parents used to have a mattress in the basement and they'd just carry us down and we'd sleep in there until the threat passed (like I said, they usually happen in the evening).
- If you have pets, be sure to have crates for them and put them in the crates if the tornado is near your home. I usually lock my cats in the bathroom when the sirens go off, and then if we do take shelter because a tornado is tracking close to us, we put them in their crates.

Most of it is a matter of paying attention, and don't hesitate to hunker down if you're worried. My guess is that you'll end up getting annoyed mostly, since a lot of the time they push the panic button and nothing happens -- but better safe than sorry is my motto.

There are some great documentaries about tornadoes that you can watch with your kids, and a kid's book called TWISTER that you might consider reading. It can be -- IS -- scary stuff because the storms are loud, and seeing your parents worry and hiding in a room can be spooky. Try to learn about it as a family so you can all help each other make sense of the experience. If you understand the dynamics of the storms and pay attention, I think it's pretty easy to distinguish times when you don't need to worry from times you do.

[mymary]

Originally Posted by smokeylo

I have lived in the midwest all my life, including Oklahoma where tons of tornadoes happen. Let me share my wisdom with you. Here's how it works:

Tornadoes are caused by cold air hitting hot, humid air. It's the temperature difference that causes the spiraling that leads to a tornado. So, they are most likely to happen on days when it's super hot out, and you look at the weather forecast and see a big old storm headed your way almost always from the SOUTHWEST (so, probably from the Oklahoma area, moving northeast towards KC metro). Tornadoes seem to happen most often in the EVENING. They are very rarely "rogue" -- they don't pop up out of nowhere, but are usually part of a big storm system, NOT the kind of thing you'd be likely to be "out and about in."

Listen to the major radio stations and check the weather online. Meteorologists are super paranoid and will issue a tornado WATCH at the drop of a hat (that means conditions are favorable to produce a tornado). You'll probably know if you need to be on the watch. If you're in the car, keep the radio on. Learn the map of KC so you know when they're talking about a place near you -- they most often describe tornadoes as occurring in X *county* so you'll want to be familiar with that.

If the tornado WATCH is upgraded to a WARNING (meaning a tornado has been spotted), the sirens in your area will go off. In my opinion, as a person having lived around tornadoes my whole life, the sirens going off means you should start taking precautions right away so that if a tornado hits your neighborhood you will all be safe.

- The safest room is a room with no windows in the center of your home (usually a bathroom) or the basement (they have these in a lot of homes in KC!).
- Make sure everyone has hard-soled shoes, and bring your purse, cell phone, a flashlight, and a battery-powered radio that you can use to listen to the weather (if there's a tornado in the area, the major stations will stop playing music and cover the tornado until it's gone).
- If you have little ones, bring your diaper bag, maybe some snacks. My parents used to have a mattress in the basement and they'd just carry us down and we'd sleep in there until the threat passed (like I said, they usually happen in the evening).
- If you have pets, be sure to have crates for them and put them in the crates if the tornado is near your home. I usually lock my cats in the bathroom when the sirens go off, and then if we do take shelter because a tornado is tracking close to us, we put them in their crates.

Most of it is a matter of paying attention, and don't hesitate to hunker down if you're worried. My guess is that you'll end up getting annoyed mostly, since a lot of the time they push the panic button and nothing happens -- but better safe than sorry is my motto.

There are some great documentaries about tornadoes that you can watch with your kids, and a kid's book called TWISTER that you might consider reading. It can be -- IS -- scary stuff because the storms are loud, and seeing your parents worry and hiding in a room can be spooky. Try to learn about it as a family so you can all help each other make sense of the experience. If you understand the dynamics of the storms and pay attention, I think it's pretty easy to distinguish times when you don't need to worry from times you do.

thanks for all the info. Have been sort of obsessing about this subject. Looking at video of tornadoes online and the damage they cause. Incredible. I didn't know they produced wind speeds that high. They just tear apart your house....

Did you ever know anybody to be hit by one and were you ever "in" one? Hearing different stuff like, being in the basement will not necessarily save your life. I guess some people die in the basement from pieces of stuff flying on them? Is it rare to be affected or hit by one? I spoke to my sisters fiance about them yesterday. He lived in Sterling, IL until the age of 24. He said he has seen 5 or 6 his whole life.

I just want to understand everything about them to feel better, at least I will be extremely knowledgeable about it.

Last question, why take your purse down to the basement with you? So it doesn't get blown away?

Thanks for any info.

[mymary]

Originally Posted by catnap70

I haven't been on this forum for quite a while but happened to peek today. It is scary to make the move...I am a San Diego girl who moved here on a whim 19 years ago. I miss my family, the ocean, the food and the diversity being so much a part of everyday life, but there are so many wonderful things about living here that make up for what I miss. I agree that Johnson County is similar to Orange County in many ways. It isn't where I would choose to live if I were coming this direction. With a husband working in Lenexa, I would look at Brookside and other urban neighborhoods. We live in Liberty and love it but the commute from here would be awful. Natural parenting is not as normal here as it is in CA but you just have to seek out a tribe and they are definitely, definitely out there. Feel free to pm me with any questions or if you want to meet up when you arrive. Welcome to the Midwest, mama! (P.S. Yes, there are tornadoes but at least you can see them coming..unlike earthquakes!)

sounds like you are the one to talk to!!!

what other neighborhoods are like Brookside? And WHY would you not live in Johnson County?

I would love to meet some people when I get there and get involved!!!! Thanks. Looks like we will be coming in July sometime.

[smokeylo]

Originally Posted by mymary

Did you ever know anybody to be hit by one and were you ever "in" one? Hearing different stuff like, being in the basement will not necessarily save your life. I guess some people die in the basement from pieces of stuff flying on them? Is it rare to be affected or hit by one?

I just want to understand everything about them to feel better, at least I will be extremely knowledgeable about it.

Last question, why take your purse down to the basement with you? So it doesn't get blown away?

Thanks for any info.

Take your purse so you have all your cards/checks/etc with you in case you need to go somewhere to stay, or whatever. If your house got totaled you'd probably want your debit card on you.

I have been in a few near-miss situations. Most people who die in tornadoes live in really crappy structures like trailer homes -- things that just disintegrate in the wind. My in-laws' house got hit in early May, too - a few hundred dollars' worth of damage but they are fine. And they don't even have a basement (lots of houses in OK are built on the slab).

If you are really worried about flying debris, keep an old mattress in the basement and you can pull that over yourselves -- or drag it into the bathroom and pull it over the bathtub on top of you all.

If you've been in California living with the possible threat of earthquake/fire/mudslide, you are totally up for tornadoes. Really.

[WifeMomChiro]

Hi! I am new to MDC, but not to KC. I was born and raised in this area and I love it. I've lived in various parts of the metro, but we settled in JoCo. Obviously JoCo has a reputation for being snooty, but I find that to be far from reality most of the time. I think I've run into more snooty people in the Plaza/Brookside area personally. But I digress.

KC has tons to offer young families. It's not California, but we have all kinds of kid and family-friendly activities. We have a large active AP group that was already mentioned above. While not all doctors are open to AP practices, there are several good ones. Family Doctors: Brooks, Greenwood, Killen. There are more, but they are the most popular. If I were you, I would look around the Lenexa, Overland Park, Roeland Park area. I think you'll see a variety of home types and can find the perfect place for you.

Welcome to KC.

[mymary]

Update:

Well, we looked and looked and looked. We ended up finding a house north of the river(I guess called the Northland???) in MO. Husband work is about a 36 min drive from the house. I always thought we would end up in Johnson County just because he actually works there and I heard so many good things about it, but for the amount of $ we were pre-approved for, this was a nice house with comm. pools, walking trails, and lake. IDK, hope I didn't make a mistake.

We tried to look in Olathe, Overland Park, etc. but saw a lot of homes without a finished basement. Wanted that and I guess it is really expensive to finish.

Location of house is actually a Kansas City, MO address and right on the border of Liberty, MO. Anybody out there close to here? Hope I'm not too far gone on the other side.

[nursing2mom]

MyMary, I'm just finding this thread and thought I'd respond to you. Welcome to Missouri! I live in Lee's Summit, southeast Kansas City, but I grew up in Liberty. I don't know about the specific area you are in, but I don't think you've picked an area known to be seedy or anything. In fact, my Liberty friends seem to find more natural parenting support than I've found out here. Plus, you are close to pretty much everything (except Lee's Summit,) including the airport.

I have loved growing up in Missouri, knowing nothing else until after college. Now that I have kids and have lived in other states, I find it quite conservative overall for my tastes, yet very safe and easy to live in. In fact, it's so hard to move from here, mostly due to the low cost of living compared to other places. It's pro-family, just not much pro-natural family. But it's starting to change, I think.

Anyway, hope your move was not too stressful and you're getting settled here. You asked a tornado question earlier-- I've lived in Missouri most of my life and for what it's worth, I've never really seen a tornado in person. I remember a couple that went over our house in Liberty and damaged trees, but I've never experienced much tornado damage really, and I'm 40 years old.

My kids have barely experienced going to our basement since we moved back to Missouri 5.5 years ago. I pumped them up for basement tornado parties and they've been bummed we haven't really had them. Too funny! I just didn't want them scared, and I had good memories of our family heading to the basement with our giant dog in tow. The storms rarely last long enough to even play a game, but it was exciting as a child for me. More scary now that I'm the one responsible, though! Anyway, have fun and let us know which doctor you found and how that's going. I'm desperate for a good doctor that's not going to push vaccines!

[cathynmatt]

LOVE this thread!!! I, too, am moving to KC and am terrified!!! I don't live far now (Omaha, NE) but don't know anything about the KC area except for the touristy stuff!!! I accepted a job yesterday and will be starting a week from Monday!!! EEK!

I have a six year old and four year old who will, most likely, be going to Clay Platte Montessori which is near where I'll be working (North KC, MO) We have heard that JoCO is the place to live and my husband will be working in Leawood (I think that's the name!) but since I'll be working on the other end and I've heard excellent things about the Clay Platte school, I'm torn as where to live!!!

[nursing2mom]

I have always been on the Missouri side of KC, so I can't say what it's like to live on the KS side. For me, it's always seemed very consumer-oriented. That's a plus and negative in my book-- lots of "keep up with the Jones" feel in parts, but it's not like we don't have that on the Missouri side. Our Jones just aren't as rich, probably! The plus side-- lots of great shops/restaurants! We don't have them in Lee's Summit, MO. Just the traditional box stores.

I have a good friend who lives in Olathe, KS and LOVES it. I have friends who live in south Overland Park/Leawood, KS and love it. It does seem that a lot of the natural living resources are downtown or in KS. Perhaps that's because much of it is catering to a little higher economic level (ie: Naturopaths are mostly in KS--not covered by most insurance that I've found.) The Whole Foods are all in KS, though there are smaller stores in MO (Nature's Pantry in Independence, Nature's Market in Lee's Summit, Mother Nature's in Liberty, Green Acres-I think- in Briarcliff in the Northland...)

For me, if I were to move in KC again, I'd LOVE to live in Brookside/Waldo, just south of the Plaza. It's a bit pricey and the houses are old and small, but lots of character. Most are updated and there's an organic farmer's market that's to die for. They have a fantastic walkable downtown area with local stores, including a natural clothing store (World's Window--pricey!) old-school "dime" store, locally roasted and fair trade coffee shop (Roasterie-- LOVE IT!) and a yummy custard shop (Foo's Fabulous Custard.) The houses are probably $200 and up-- very up. I have some friends who live in a house in Waldo and adore the area. So much is walkable. Schools aren't good, though there are magnet and charter schools to check out, and lots of private schools.

The Northland is really growing, and even Liberty where I grew up is getting more schools, etc. They even have a "green" high school with a living roof, if I remember right!

Check out citydata.com for some great info on whatever city you are moving to. I think you will do fine wherever you go. Just keep in mind out south KC (Belton, Grandview, south KC) is rougher and has a lower socio-economic base. My husband grew up in Belton and he would not move there again, though it's growing, too. Parts of Independence are a bit seedy, yet there are other parts that are great (including their downtown.) Good luck!

[mymary]

thank you. SO much good info and resources. Hope to keep in touch!

[yebos9]

Hope you are enjoying Kansas City so far!!

We live up north as well and we have been really happy with that choice.

[smokeylo]

It'd be great to hear about the schools in KC, especially on the MO side. We are hoping to move back there soon and my folks live in Independence. Where to avoid/where to look, esp. in the suburbs.

[ginaglo]

Hello, I just moved to the KC area with my family from the DC-metro area of Maryland. My husband transferred positions within his company.  We are temporarily living in an apartment in Overland Park while we search for a house to buy.  We just put an offer in today on a home in north KC, near Parkville.  Hope it's accepted!  I am so glad to find this thread, and I hope to connect with many of the mamas that posted. 

We are a family of 4 people and 5 pets, children ages 4.5 and 2.5. I am very interested in attachment parenting, delay/non-vaxing, Waldorf education, babywearing, natural living and try to eat organic/local food.  If anyone is interested in getting together, please message me and/or post here!

[iamkateiam]

Hi Everyone,

I know this is an older post, but I thought I'd still reply.  We've lived in KC for about 3.5 years (we live in Waldo).  I am about 7 weeks pregnant with our first child!  I'm super nervous about finding other mama friends.  We don't have any family in the area and none of our current friends have kids.  I plan on joining LLL in a few months, but I've still been pretty anxious about meeting people (I'm sure part of it is pregnancy hormones).  Thanks for the info about meet ups and doctors!  If anyone else in KC is newly pregnant and wants to go through this together- let me know