Condo Living: Things to Keep in Mind When Raising Kids in Condos

“Discipline is helping a child solve a problem. Punishment is making a child suffer for having a problem. To raise problem solvers, focus on solutions not retribution.”-L.R. Knost

With the increasing prices of prime real estate nowadays, more and more people are looking into housing alternatives. Among the myriad of options is condo living which apparently is a crowd favorite—especially in the Philippines. After all, in this time and age wherein condo expenses in the country have become reasonable, it is more financially sound and reasonable to pay a monthly premium for a condo which you would then already own than rent every single month. Apart from that, condominium payment terms have become rather flexible that what was once viewed as a luxury afforded only by the wealthy is now within the means of more Filipinos. In this regard, more and more homeowners are opting to live in a condo.

After all, living in condos give homeowners more leverage in terms of convenience and accessibility insomuch that they need not go far for things such as groceries, entertainment and the like. Indeed, in the Philippines condo living has become the norm that you can find a condo development in almost every nook and cranny in any major Philippine cities. More importantly, these condo developments are emerging in districts and communities that are pretty much like mini cities themselves. One such example would be Circuit Makati condos where everything is within reach---from malls, offices, to even schools. With more and more homeowners opting to live in condos, it should come as no surprise that many kids would inevitably be raised in condos as well.

Keep in mind however, that rearing children in condominiums is drastically different from raising them in a conventional home. In this regard, you need to be sensitive of your children’s needs and may even need to make certain lifestyle adjustments to ensure that the environment of your condo would suit the needs of your child. In any case, here are some of the indispensable tips to keep in mind when you are raising children in condos:

    Do not bore your children

Your children will be naturally restless and playful. Unfortunately, looking for opportunities and avenues for play might prove to be a challenge in small spaces such as in the case of a condo unit. In this regard, it is imperative that you do not keep your child holed up in your condo for too long especially since most of them would throw tantrums if they are constrained to staying in one spot. Similarly, incorporate various activities into playtime in such a way that they would not feel repetitive. Allow them to enjoy the sunshine as well by accompanying them to the outdoor play area which would encourage them to be physical as well.

   Take your child to a nearby park

Outdoor exercise is essential to the growth and health of your child. More importantly, outdoor exercise helps them interact with nature and would inspire curiosity in what surrounds them. Take your kids to a near park and engage in fitness activities yourself such as jogging, walking and biking. However, if you want to unwind and relax, sit by a shade and share some stories that would enrich his or her knowledge.

   Buy an appropriate stroller

 Strollers are excellent for carrying your little tots around or basically taking them anywhere with you. Unfortunately, in limited spaces such as condos, your stroller choices might be rather limited. In this regard, make sure to have a stroller that is neither too big to push around in your condo unit nor too small that there would not be much space for your toddler. Go for a medium-sized stroller that would fit inside your elevators just right so as not to have a difficult time taking your child around and would not have you struggling with your baby’s stuff as well.

    Coordinate with security

 While security in condos remains rather tight, you might never know who might come barging in whenever you leave your child alone. In cases such as these, remind your kids to ring the security guard in the condo lobby to ring any visitors you might have through the intercom. More importantly, inform the security personnel if you are expecting any guests within the day and not to let any unauthorized person into your home.

    Inform and orient your kids about the fire exits 

 Another crucial thing to keep in mind when raising children in a condo is to have them know where the fire exit is. Guide them through the hallways and show them where they should exit whenever a fire occurs. Understandably, you would not be in the house with your children all the time which makes it imperative to inform them of where the location of the fire exits are in your building to expedite an evacuation should there be any emergencies. More importantly, you should teach them what to do in case there are emergencies such as fires and earthquakes that would prompt them to vacate your condo unit.

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