The Suburbs Aren't Family Friendly After All

"I flew into San Diego some time ago, and from the air you could see it wasn't a good location for a big city... People have built homes spread across miles of desert and mountains, and that means long commutes, and the public expenses of providing electricity, water, schools, and fire and police protection across an expanding area."

"...I understand that this is not all about folks building McHomes on 10 acres with a view. Many young couples, especially if they have or want children, locate in distant suburbs to find affordable housing in safe neighborhoods.

And this is where legal scholar Kate Silbaugh's research comes in. In a recent article, she argued that this system is rigged against women. Here's why. With a long commute for work, and shorter car commutes for anything from a school to a grocery store or doctor's office, single-family houses in increasingly distant suburbs only work for families without children or... those with a stay-at-home parent. This is especially true for middle-class families who are expected to make sure their children are involved in a slew of extracurricular sports, music, and academic activities. And guess who is likely to be caught staying at home?"