commuting moms??

so, my husband and i are planning to buy a house within the next year.

also, we'd like to have a baby within the next few years.

i have an amazing job in the city and don't want to give it up for a job on LI.

here's my problem...

i can't imagine commuting to the city with a baby at home. how do you do it? (my commute is about 2 hours each way) isn't it time for the baby to go to bed by the time you get home??

i really don't want to move to queens, but i'd take some recommendations. i'd love to find a good school district in nassau or western suffolk.

i just feel like we have some HUGE steps to talk in the near future (picking a town to raise kids in) and i'm clueless.

honestly freaking out a tad.

Re: commuting moms??

Check out the first couple of stops in Nassau county on each of the LIRR lines. Those towns have around a 35-40 minute commute, each way, and some of them are really nice. We chose Floral Park for that reason. Rockville Centre is really nice too. There are great towns on the Pt. Washington line as well.

Good Luck!

Re: commuting moms??

I'm not a mom yet, but i wonder the same thing.

We live in western nassau, so our commute to the city is much shorter than it could be. I'm about an hour door to door (depends on where in the city your job is of course, and how long it takes to get there from Penn). For us, it was important to buy a house in a location where we were near the train, there was parking at the station, and the town was within the hour commute to the city. We both work long hours and want to be able to enjoy the house we're working to be able to afford.

I'd suggest looking in towns in south nassau along the Babylon LIRR line. It runs very frequently and makes the commute manageable.

Re: commuting moms??

Re: commuting moms??

You're probably better off putting this on the Parenting board for more responses.

I commute into the city & have 2 kids. As a baby, they're up every 2 hours so you'll be seeing them in the middle of the night, not to worry It was tough when they were older infants to toddlers because by the time you get home, it is pretty much bedtime. Now that they're older & bedtime is later, it's fine.

My commute is 1.5 hours & live in western Suffolk.

Re: commuting moms??

I'm not a commuting mom, but my husband commutes to the city. Unfortunately he is never home before DS goes to bed. We are fortunate in that he doesn't need to be to work til 10am and he is able to get DS ready in the morning and bring him to daycare. This is something you really want to think about. I would concentrate finding a house in western nassau very near the train line. This will give you the shortest commute. Also now that you are thinking about starting a family, maybe you can discuss with your boss and see if it would be allowed to do a flex time schedule are allow you to work from home once or twice a week?

Re: commuting moms??

I used to commute into the city and knew I didn't want to do it once i had kids. I took my time, found a job on LI and then had my baby you are very wise for thinking ahead, it will save you a lot of stress and heartache. If you want to stay in the city I would consider Bayside near the LIRR. or even little neck.

ETS I travelled from massapequa, left the house at 710 AM and didn't get home until 640.

Message edited 11/10/2009 4:56:28 PM.

Re: commuting moms??

DH used to commute into the city when we lived on LI. Try looking into the Oceanside, Lynbrook, RVC area... it's only about a 40 min train ride to Penn.

Re: commuting moms??

Personally, for me, it absolutely sucks and every single day I want to quit my job.

(I take the train from Kings Park or Greenlawn and need to leave my house at 6:15 or 6:30 and don't get home until almost 7PM)

Re: commuting moms??

I'm a SAHM but pre-kids I used to commute to the city, and my DH still does. We live in Carle Place, and it's between 40-45 minutes to Penn Station, not bad at all by LI standards.

Re: commuting moms??

Me, Me, Me

I live in Holbrook and commute via LIRR/Subway to NYC everyday. I leave my house at 645AM and don't get home till 7PM. It def. stinks but for us, we could't afford Nassau and I can't do what I do on LI. If I could, I'd change. Its rough but thank goodness I have a great support system (DH, MIL & MOM). Without them I'd be lost. And because I barely see my son during the week, I cherish the weekends!!!

Re: commuting moms??

I live on the Babylon line-it takes me 45 min to get to Penn in the AM and 15-20 min to get to my desk(work in the village). I catch a 7:30 train in the AM and home by 5:45 PM everyday (catch a 5:00 train). I guess that is bad to some, but we have learned to live with it. I also telecommute 1 day a week which is a total LIFESAVER. DD goes to bed by 8 or a little after so I do get to see her.

Re: commuting moms??

I live in queens, and to be honest with you it still takes an hour. Between rush hour traffic, and trains being so crowded.

Re: commuting moms??

Would you consider NJ? There are many towns on the NJ Transit lines that are a do-able commuting distance. Where in NYC do you work?

Re: commuting moms??

I feel your pain. I live in Mineola and work in midtown. It's just under an hour door to door. Not so bad I guess!!

Re: commuting moms??

Maybe consider Brooklyn? I live in the Fort Greene area, and it takes me under a half hour door to door... Bayridge is also a great neighborhood for kids. I find comfort in the subway constantly coming and going, so I could get home to my DS without worrying about a train schedule.

Re: commuting moms??

Re: commuting moms??

I don't have to commute via the LIRR but I do have over an hour drive to work everyday with traffic. On the days it snows, its taken me up to 4 hours to get home . When we bought our house I told my DH that i thought it was too far from my job. He felt like I may not be at my current employment forever, so why not buy where we bought. I have to say that I hate it! I hate the drive, I hate the traffic, I think about how much I hate it every morning. But, it's what we have to do so we can afford to live on LI. My son is 14 months old. I get home between 6 and 7 and he goes to bed at 7:30-8. I don't get much time with him during the week. But, I live for the weekends.

If you have the chance to chose a location and your work will most likely be in the city, I'd look for a house somewhere in Nassau. At least the commute won't be as long. From time to time I have conferences I have go to in the city and I take the 6something train out of Ronkonkoma. It's a main line, so you can find some great places to live along that line.

Re: commuting moms??

With a 2 hour commute it's rough - and depending on your hours at work - it could be even more difficult.

I commute, but as of right now I wouldn't trade it b/c I LOVE the city and have no intetest working on LI.

I commute from Massapequa and walk from Penn to the office - My commute is about 1.5 hrs door to door, each way.

And keep in mid, depending where you are in the city - sometimes your commute from Brooklyn or Queens can be just as bad ........

Re: commuting moms??

honestly, i work in manhattan only part time during the week and i hate the fact that i see my son awake only two hours on those days. it really is making me think about my options.

Re: commuting moms??

I also want to know if you would consider some NJ towns. I commute from Maplewood and it's a 35-40 minute local train, and a 25 minute train on the way home. It's so quick.

I used to live in Merrick and there was a 40 minute direct train. But I think any way you look at it, if you commute to the city you are going to have a decent commute.