The older Finn gets the more I appreciate the bubble we are accidently raising him in. When we moved to Leander we didn't really care about the schools or the parks or other amenities nearby. We picked Leander because it had a house we liked at a price we could (barely) afford. For the first five or so years we lived in Leander it wasn't that great: we had to drive to get to everything worthwhile in our younger opinion, we were far removed from work or the Austin night life, our internet service sucked and all the schools zones just made our commute longer. We enjoyed some of the dog facilities and eventually as big stores like Costco moved close it got better, but it never felt like we were maxing out the benefits. It felt like we were guests in someone else's town.
With Finn that all that has changed. Having access to a good daycare (or at first Barbara) nearby for a reasonable price has been worth it all by itself. But its more than that: the good pediatricians, the good therapy place we take him, how me and him can go to a new park every week and not hit them all, family friendly parking everywhere with family friendly dining. Add in a HOA pool (something we didn't use once at the old house), better internet service and access to children focused-stores and parenting in our bubble is like an easy mode compared to the alternatives.
Nothing made this clearer to me then when it became time for Finn to take swim lessons. There were almost too many options nearby, but one was a place dedicated to the task of helping kids learn to swim. The place is basically like an aquarium with a glass walled area surrounded by a seating area. The difference in within the glass walls was a practice pool, as parents can sit and watch their kids learn. He loves going there and getting to splash. I don't know how much he is learning because the place isn't really equipped to handle a child who has development issues like him, but if it doesn't work out it won't be hard to find another place. The bubble provides.
The motivation for lessons is clear: there is so much water for him to get into! Beyond the HOA pool two parks nearby have splash parks, and there is a massive waterpark across town I know he will want to visit one day. Then you add in the lakehouses and the pool at my parent's lakehouse and suddenly he needs to be able to swim. Really with him its just about putting in the time, his enjoyment of things is so complete that you never regret it after you get going. But finding that time is a lot easier when the bubble puts everything in front of you, and that is something that just worked out for us in life.
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