Have you ever realised how important it is to take into consideration the ages of your children when purchasing a new home?
Studies undertaken by Dr David “DAK” Kopec suggest that children at primary school level seem to prefer a suburban environment; where friends are within walking distance and there is freedom to explore and play outdoors and where activities give immediate gratification.
Suburban and rural environments tend to be less structured and regimented, and offer children a choice of indoor and outdoor activities. There is nothing more enjoyable than having a lawn to run around and do acrobatic turns on, imitating your friends or favourite action heroes. Climbing trees is another favourite activity, pretending to be an undercover cop on an assignment or using it as a hideout. A swimming pool, too, affords another unique chance for play acting. How exciting to pretend you are a mermaid or a dolphin performing all sorts of tricks in the water! Excellent motor skills and imagination development opportunities are important for this age group.
And while the younger children can spend hours exploring nature and entertaining themselves with friends and creating all sorts of games, adolescents seek enjoyment in man-made environments. Teens tend to get bored with the secure environment of suburbia and want the stimulation that comes from meeting their friends in nearby malls and community centres, going to the theatre and cinema and meeting with their peers. They no longer want to be in a family-oriented environment all the time and these venues give them an opportunity to develop dimension to their social skills.
Young adults in their late teens and early 20s show a preference for a more urban setting where there is increased availability of social, educational and career opportunities. Interest in a variety of restaurants, clubs and sports facilities is very important at this age as the young adult is now eager to establish a career path and find a potential life partner.
Life goes full circle when these young adults find partners and look for accommodation to settle down and start their own families. They revert to a more suburban and rural environment in which they can raise their youngsters. Now, as parents, they prefer to have families nearby where children can find playmates and parents can compare notes on child-rearing.
Other important considerations are access to childcare facilities, quality schools and the proximity to the local shops.
Time also goes on and seniors (still children at heart) prefer an urban environment which supports freedom and independence. It is a time where accommodation in 'lockup and go' complexes is important. Public transport is better, parks and community and sports centres are numerous and offer opportunities to meet and enjoy people of the same age group. Hospitals, clinics and medical services are also an important part of the mix for this generation, where support becomes essential.
When assessing the requirements for a new home, the ages of the family members are extremely important to consider. Of course, it is not always possible to please everyone but it should be an issue on the agenda when making your decisions. Nothing can be more distressing than having Mom and Dad spending long hours in the car ferrying the family around.
So think about your location carefully, think about the age groups in your family, try to match your requirements to an area and then look for a suitable home in that area. If you really want to do a thorough job of your project, you can even extend this research to include the necessity of pets, the proximity to water, how important it is to have a garden, and the list goes on.
Remember, however, that life should be happy and fulfilling and what you win on the swings, you lose on the roundabout. Perhaps a few benefits and a few sacrifices are the order of the day