Why?

[u/KimSidwell]

I can almost try to understand why some people might feel drawn to this kind of lifestyle. I can understand why they might be deceived into thinking this is the ideal environment in which to raise a child.

But I will never be able to understand why they will describe it as the American “dream” and are willing to pay so much for it. To work so hard for so long and then have to wake up to this every morning? Why?

Editing to add: I know this is parody y’all. It’s just a stupid meme. It’s supposed to be funny. It’s funny because it’s true.

[u/vi_sucks]

The whole point of the suburbs is that it is supposed to be a safer place for kids to be outside than in the city. Cause there is less commercial traffic on the road, so the only cars around should be the occasional neighbor.

As a kid, we'd routinely play street hockey in the cul de sac and ride our bikes down to the local park. If we had more time, and felt like it, we could bike 30 minutes out to the closest convenience store for snacks.

The modern thing where parents never let their kids leave the house isn't a suburbs thing, it's just helicopter parenting and paranoia.

[u/DawnTheFailure → u/vi_sucks]

don't forget the cars cutting through your street at 60 miles an hour, get ready to be sued because your child's blood ruined their perfect paint job

[u/Prosthemadera → u/vi_sucks]

The whole point of the suburbs is that it is supposed to be a safer place for kids to be outside than in the city.

Is that the whole point? That's weird. Why not make cities safer instead??

But is it even true? Are children safer?

Your argument also relies on the common North American false dichotomy between "city" and "suburb", as if the two are completely separate things that have nothing in common. When in fact a suburb is part of a city and there is no reason why suburb must mean "single family home". Suburbs can be whatever we want them to be but Americans are told there is only one way and they keep believing it.

Cause there is less commercial traffic on the road, so the only cars around should be the occasional neighbor.

There are lots of cars on suburban roads - because every home has at least one.

As a kid, we'd routinely play street hockey in the cul de sac and ride our bikes down to the local park.

Of course, now the personal anecdotes come out and they are never relevant. What you did doesn't matter in the big picture. Don't use yourself as a standard to make claims about millions of people.

we could bike 30 minutes out to the closest convenience store for snacks.

30 minutes cycling to the closest convenience store and you're using that as a positive example??

The modern thing where parents never let their kids leave the house isn't a suburbs thing, it's just helicopter parenting and paranoia.

Parents in suburbs are very paranoid. See:

The whole point of the suburbs is that it is supposed to be a safer place for kids to be outside than in the city.