I can't claim to be an expert on growing up in Iowa because, well, I didn't. I grew up 4,000 miles away in a place very different from the town I now call home. I can, though, talk about why I'm glad to be raising a family here. As the former youth reporter, I spoke with a lot of teens who couldn't wait to get out of dodge. Not that I can blame them. Remember? I moved 4,000 miles away from home. But, I did admire the exceptional few who realized what they had and spoke of at least returning to Iowa some day to raise their own family.
Some of the same reasons I chose to live her post-graduation are why I'm looking forward to raising my children here. They are also a lot of the same reasons people mentioned when I asked them Monday at the Iowa Children's Museum. While many were back in Iowa for the holiday and no longer live here, they spoke glowingly of their own childhoods. They mentioned the small town community feel, whether or not you live a small town. They also spoke of the safety of our towns and opportunities available to our youth.
Ditto, I say. When I first moved here I was struck by the fact that the stereotype of midwestern friendliness is more than true. I love that people say, "hi" on the street and smile as you pass in a grocery store aisle. The openess is refreshing. People are so downright nice. Now, I'm not naive enough to think that I don't have to talk to my children about stranger danger. But, I do know that more often than not someone else will be watching out for them. Iowans seem to really believe in that old saying "It takes a village." And I'm happy to be part of that village.