Is the sound of kids a delight to you or a nuisance? Of course it could be that it’s a bit of both, depending on how you feel.
Assuming that you don’t have kids of your own – let’s say you’re retired or your kids are all grown up and moved out – this can be an important part of your Mexico real estate decision. And, of course, when it comes right down to it, it’s a question of taste.
So, I won’t try to tell you which way is better, but only offer some factors for you to consider.
Grandkids 
If you have grandkids who will be visiting frequently, it might be nice to be around other kids, with a playground nearby. Many communities in the Playa del Carmen real estate area, for example, include parks. This includes downtown and gated communities, and many resort communities also include play areas, and even fully supervised child-activity centers.
Usually with grandkid visits, the kids will be so fascinated by all the neat places they get to see (swimming with dolphins, exciting theme parks, good food, etc.) that it won’t be too much of an issue if your neighbors have kids or not. But it’s a factor to consider.
Expat kids
Many expats are retirees or close to it. However, there are also a significant number of younger expat families with kids. These kids are usually fully bilingual offer a neat way for your visiting grandkids to have a bridge to Mexican culture – kids who can translate some words for them and tell them a little about life in Mexico in their own language.
Just about anywhere you find expats you’ll most likely find a few expat families with kids too.
Local kids
Kids will connect other kids regardless of language; it seems to take them only a few minutes before they begin understanding some basics from each other. Especially if there are some bilingual expat kids around to help translate, it can be a fun experience.
Even for you, however, it can be an interesting experience to live in a place where there are local kids around. They’ll be curious about you and many will try out the few English words they know from school (which they will very likely pronounce wrong or with a strong accent, so you’ll have to be patient in trying to figure out what their “English” word is!) Once you know Spanish, don’t be surprised if you get kids asking you where you’re from, what language you speak, what your home country is like, etc.
Contact with local kids – especially the ones from working-class families – is most likely in downtown or similar neighborhoods that are not designated as “nicer” places.
On the other hand, if you live in such a place, just because Mexican culture is more open and less discrete, some local kids may be too self-inviting and you may have to place limits!
Many expats get involved with community organizations, and some exist to help out local kids in need or living in less-than-ideal situations. Other ways of getting involved include coaching sports teams or community kids clubs.
Retirement/vacation communities 
If you are more interested in living in a community mostly free of kids, it’s worth noting to points:
- In Mexico, it is very uncommon to find adult-only living communities.
- Many Mexico retirement communities will have very few kids, mostly of some families coming and going on vacations, and you will hardly notice they are there.
As mentioned above, some resort retirement-vacation communities will have facilities for kids, which offer the triple advantage of keeping the resort quieter, keeping it safer for the kids and offering really fun activities for grandkids or kids of relatives when they visit.
Again, whether you like kids around or not is entirely your taste; but when choosing your community, these are factors that will help you find the right balance for you!
—
Bea Lozano holds degrees in business and computing. With years of intense business experience, she uses her skills to coordinate Top Mexico Real Estate’s marketing strategies and web site. To contact Bea, call (512) 879-6546.
The TOP Mexico Real Estate Network; “Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!”
{ 0 comments }



One of many motivations for moving to Mexico is that labor here costs very little – even paying a better-than-average wage is much less than what you would pay in the US or Canada. This is part of the more general benefit of a low cost of living.
Can’t Afford It?


















