1 week in, kids are struggling

[lucha54]

Also Parque de los Niños is great, but further out (along the river as you go north from the airport) and hard to access without a car (or bike)... I'm not sure of the bus route to get there. I vote for living in Belgrano... it is as accessible as Palermo but with a lot of families and kids getting picked up at school every afternoon and walking home in their little uniforms There are cute squares/ green spaces, and I've walked by some little parks with play structures too. You should check it out, the Belgrano/Palermo border is at Zalaba, so it's north of there... there are 2 sections of Belgrano split by Av Cabildo. I like the area between Av Cabildo and Av del Libertador. The other side (Belgrano "R") is more residential and quiet, as is Bajo Belgrano, the area between Av del Libertador and the river. Good luck!!

 

[trennod]

Maybe its just your actual apartment which is doing your wrong, because if your near Alto Palermo, you are (in my opinion) in an awesome area with a heap of open spaces near by (I live a few blocks down, between Avenida Las Heras and Av Libertador). You are only a few steps from Parque Las Heras and probs only 15 mins walk from Bosques de Palermo which is a whole wide open space of different parks with lakes, activities etc. Obviously, these last few days havent exactly been the weather for it but when the sun comes out its a great area. Its also one of the cleaner areas in Capital.

In terms of the noise, that will probably be a problem in most areas of Capital. With more bars, clubs it would be worse in Soho / Hollywood.

 

[ghost]

Andrés Ferreyra 4073
La Lucila, Buenos Aires, Argentina
+54 11 4851 1700
Lincoln School is in La Lucila

 

[Linda]

Hi US Mom,
I hope you & your kids are settling in nicely. I travel here twice a year with my two girls (ages 8 & 6) typically staying at least a month each time. I'm always looking for stuff to do to keep them interested & entertained.

We live in Belgrano near the train and so far the noise hasn't been much of an issue. I signed my kids up for Arabic dance lessons, Art classes & swim lessons at a local club. I also take them to the park (plaza). So during the week they're busy with these activities.
Other places of interest might be the zoo, Museo de los niños & Temaiken (far, but there might be a bus that takes you there). There are also lots of peloteros that your kids will probably love. I was just recently at Ale Ale, a restaurant with a pelotero in it.
I hope that my suggestions were somewhat helpful. I know how stressful it is when the kids are upset & want to go home. If you ever want to get together or have a playdate just pm me. This goes for all the ladies with young kids on this forum.

 

[Ashley]

Thank you for the responses. To answer Aleina Dee, we are living in Alto Palermo near the mall. "Quieter" sounds nice to me right about now, as I am writing and the floor is pounding w/ music from the downstairs neighbors. Children are trying to sleep and asking to go home! It is breaking my heart. My husband is teaching at a university in Victoria, so he is really far from work. We decided to live in the city b/c everyone told us we would have nothing to do if we lived further out and that we would need a car, etc., which we definitely don't want to get. To Aleina Dee, do you know of things to do in those areas that you mentioned? I will look them up. I get the feeling that while I can improve the view, I will always have late night noise if we stay in the city. :-(. I'm feeling really overwhelmed right now and just miserable. I can't take another 4 months of my kids begging to go home. Thanks for any input. To Risu, we did hear about the Club de Amigos and will check it out tomorrow. Now I am off to google about Belgranno and Vicente Lopez. Gracias por todo!

I guess from Victoria, that your husband is working at San Andres. I went to the university about ten years ago and lasted about a month living nearby in Victoria so I think you've done the right thing by heading into the city. I actually think that the area in which you are currently living isn't too bad for kids...you're by that park near Las Heras, another park close by with a play area for kids, the botanico, the bosques de Palermo so maybe you're just unlucky with that specific apartment and should check out some other options. I agree with other posters that Belgrano is another good option (and near to two train lines (and numerous bus lines) that will take your husband right up to work). Belgrano "R" is really quiet and the main park there is always full of families. I wouldn't recommend Palermo soho/viejo for kids...its full of bars, cafes, etc but for younger crowds...its not really family oriented. The benefit, however, is that in those areas, the houses are older so you're more likely to live in smaller buildings with less neighbours or even a PH-type apartment set-up where your kids get a decent size patio or roof terrace. Colegiales and the part of Chacarita near to Colegiales are also good, quieter options and have more of a neighbourhood feel. I live in Chacarita (though I don't have children yet) and it feels like a breath of fresh air to come home at night and get away from the chaos (yet still be close to everything). It is full of families.
Having said all of that, it sounds like your main problem is the apartment so I would get looking for somewhere smaller, quieter and out of the way of all the bustle.

 

[USmom]

Thank you to everyone for the pm's and suggestions here in this thread. We contacted a realtor and will hopefully find something that will improve our life at least in one way. Visited Cluc de Amigos today, but they don't have people there on weekends to give information or tours so we totally bombed again! Our poor kids! We were sent packing until the weekdays. Because we are only here for a short while (4 months) we were going to try to keep the kids out of school b/c they are only pre-school age anyway. However, I see that a good program would provide some stimulation in their life. They totally don't want to do this when I mention it, but I think we will tour some schools as well. Suggestions are certainly welcome and bilingual strongly preferred. They attend a Waldorf program back in the states, so I will research the local Waldorf options here first. Thanks again!

 

[Risu]

Hola,
Your apt sounds like it is intolerable. Have an idea about quiet place to live. If you will PM me we can discuss.

 

[Risu]

Some things to do with children:
Children's Museum: Interactive museum. Individual and school visits. Business events, family days, anniversaries, Children's Day, year end. Tuesday to Sunday 13:00-20:00. Av. Corrientes 3247, Level 2, Shopping Abasto, Buenos Aires City
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Send an e-mail Tel: (011) 4861-2325
Florencio Varela Zoo: Founded in 1995 with the objective of conservation and education in different flora and animal species. Guided tours, educational farm, workshops, games, hanging bridge. Av. Presidente Peron 800, Florrencio Varela. (South)
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Send an e-mail Tel: (011) 4725-0614
Granja Chocolatada Pilar: Farm designed especially for children to spend a day carrying out farm activities and learning about animals. Milking, watching and feeding different animals, bread making. Saturday, Sunday, holidays 11:30-17:30. Panamericana Km 48, Pilar. (Northwest)
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Tel: (02322) 64-4540 / 64-4118
Mundo Marino: Sea park 320 km from Buenos Aires. Dolphins, whales, penguins, seals, aquarium, show, hippopotamus, games. Av. Cordoba 937, 3rd floor 1, Buenos Aires City
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Tel: (011) 4325-2900 Fax: (011) 4325-2906
Municipal Ecologic Park: 40 km south of Buenos Aires City. 40 hectares, stream, local flora and animals. Conservation area. Activities and shows. Free entrance. Camino Centenario between 426 and 460, Vlla Elisa. (South)
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Send an e-mail Tel: (0221) 473-2449
Republica de los Ninos: The Children's Republic, theme park 50 km south. A children sized city with parliament, government house, courthouse, church, port, theater, airport, restaurants, hotels. Game park. Shows. Monday to Friday 12:00-18:00, weekends 10:00-18:00
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Tel: (0221) 484-1409 / 483-5084
Temaiken: Biopark combining the purposes of botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums and natural history and anthropology museums less than an hour's ride from Buenos Aires City. Ruta 25, Km. 1, Escobar. (North)
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Tel: (03488) 43-6900
Yku Huasi zoo: Productive projects and incubation chamber. Groups and school. Special events. Biology and veterinary areas. Miraflores 247, 1613 Pablo Nogues. (Northwest)
Website · (new window) View/Print/Share full details
Tel: (011) 4469-9600

 

[Risu]

Hola,
Here is a link to a wonderful theatre group in Centro. All plays are in English and if you check their web site it will tell you what plays are geared to your children's age. I believe you can take bus 39. We saw Robin Hood & the youngest boy was 4 and he loved it!
http://www.thebsasplayers.com/buenosaires.php

 

[Risu]

Just wanted to mention that here in Buenos Aires, parents keep a tight hold & tight eye on their children. Bus, cars, taxi's do not respect pedestrians at any age. Recently in Palermo there was an accident involving a bus & young mother with stroller. So keep a watchful eye and don't assume you will receive any courtesy from street traffic. Be particularly aware of the flow of traffic on one way streets. Hold your children's hands at all times. When at a mall, park or anywhere else never loose eye contact with your children. If your child does get lost, listen for hand clapping which usually means someone has located a lost child. When getting in or out of a taxi, never put your children in first...have the adult get in first & then the children. When getting on or off the bus do as quickly as possible...they wait for no-one. When you do take a bus or the subte you will be treated very graciously as a mother with children. Almost always someone will offer you their seating. This will all become second nature after a few weeks here.