Why We Believe the City Is a Beautiful Place to Raise Our Kids — Even Now, in 2026
Opinions and Thoughts as a Family of 5 Who Love NYC
One of the reasons we chose New York City as our home isn’t because it was easy or quiet—far from it.
But this city has become a place where our family grows in ways we didn’t fully expect.
Over the years we’ve come to see that the city’s rhythm, its diversity, and even its challenges shape our children into thoughtful, resilient, and compassionate people who know Jesus not just in theory, but in everyday life.
In the suburbs or small towns people often imagine protected innocence. (Although to be honest, we didn’t have a lot of experience with it—I grew up on a farm and Andrew grow up in a suburb environment, but we spent most of our early marriage moving through small urban areas.)
But here in the city our kids don’t grow up shielded from life; they grow up with it—right next to us, right in the neighborhood, noticing both beauty and brokenness as part of God’s world.
When we encounter hardship or confusion—whether a crowded subway car or someone in obvious need—it becomes an opportunity to talk about sin, grace, compassion, and redemption together. This city doesn’t keep life abstract; it makes it real, and we are right there, helping our kids process it with Jesus at the center.
New York also offers light—so much richness of culture, art, community, and calling. Museums, music, theatre, playgrounds, and conversations with people from every corner of the globe are all around us. Our kids learn to navigate a world of contrasts: skyscrapers and sidewalks, prayerful quiet moments and pulsing crowds, different languages and shared laughter. In doing life here, they aren’t just indoctrinated in faith; they see it lived out through believers from all walks of life who love Jesus and love their neighbors.
What’s unique about raising children in a city like ours is that everything—from a dumpling crawl in Chinatown to a walk through Central Park—is an opportunity to notice God’s goodness together. We talk about Jesus as we encounter beauty and as we bump up against brokenness. We pray before meals with strangers nearby, we pause at a playground to say thank you to God, we talk about the Bible on the subway, and we ask our kids what they noticed about how Jesus shows compassion in our neighborhood.
These rhythms help faith become habit—not just something we talk about on Sunday, but something we live out as a family.
Yes, the city can be loud and bustling. It can be expensive and overwhelming at times. But it’s also a place where the gospel feels urgent and alive, where the needs are real and the grace of Jesus is needed every day. Our children are learning not just to survive in the city, but to thrive—to see people through Jesus’ eyes, to embrace diversity, and to love well in a world that’s looking for real hope.
For us in 2026, the city isn’t just where we live—it’s part of how God is forming our family, teaching us all to see Jesus in the everyday streets and in every neighbor we meet.
For another great piece, read Why the City Is a Wonderful Place to Raise Children by The Gospel Coalition.