On a typical day, I may see my cousin waving from her driveway, catch my mother or sister on a morning walk, and run into family members at the local Publix.
Some days, I’ll have an espresso with my father in the afternoon, or my wife will shop with my mother after work.
I don’t live with my extended family or have special teleportation powers. These are just the kind of moments that are possible when you live a few houses away from most of your family.
Living within walking distance of most of my family was never the goal, but we’ve made the best of it
We never intended to become neighbors with my parents and siblings, but many of us ended up house hunting at the same time.
My wife and I wanted a bigger place for our growing family; my parents were downsizing; one sister was getting married; and another sister was leaving her nearby rental to buy her first home.
We were all based in Palm Beach County, Florida, and wanted to stay in the general area. At the time, we felt priced out of the market, and so do many others in our communities.
When my wife and I found a great neighborhood on the Treasure Coast that wasn’t 55-plus and had everything we needed, we were sold. Once my family heard about it, they were interested, too.
One by one, we all ended up in the same neighborhood. Not long after, an out-of-state cousin also moved onto the same street as my wife and me.
By 2024, we were all neighbors within walking distance of each other.
My wife and I live on the community lake, a two-minute walk from one of my sisters. My other sister is a street over, less than 10 minutes away, past my cousin’s place.
Our parents are on the opposite side of the lake. A house on the neighboring cul-de-sac blocks them from view, and we can walk to their place in 15 minutes.
Not all families can be so close, but if you have a healthy dynamic, you get to appreciate what “it takes a village” really means, especially with kids.
For example, on Sundays we all get together for dinner. On Tuesdays, my parents spend the evening with our kids while my wife and I catch up on errands or rest.
Regularly, we share food over the fence, like steaks, or I’ll host an afternoon of paella.
Living so close together has also been great in emergencies. For example, last year we lost A/C in the Florida heat, and we stayed with my parents while we waited several hours for it to be fixed. Later, we thanked them for letting us inconvenience them by dropping off a meal.
To be clear, this arrangement of being neighbors with my family hasn’t always been perfect. Over time, we’ve discovered that boundaries matter more than we expected.
Our family has had to decide how and how often it is best to visit each other. For example, since my wife and I work remotely, family members would try to visit us during lunchtime. However, we’ve made it clear that keeping most weekdays just for us is important for having space.
Generally, we’ve learned to wait for invitations rather than heading over to anyone’s place unannounced, though we still make the most of impromptu meetups when the kids are playing with chalk on the driveway, or we find each other at the same local events.
For bigger occasions, like holidays, we also make sure to divide up hosting responsibilities. Our family hosts Noche Buena, my parents take Thanksgiving, and one of my sisters handles Christmas brunch.
Ultimately, I’m grateful for the community we’ve built
Although I’m lucky to be so close to my family, my wife’s family lives about two hours south. This was challenging for her at first, but we’ve made it a priority to spend equally valuable time with her parents.
They often stay at our home one or two weekends a month, and we go on vacations together when we find cruise deals departing from the Miami or Fort Lauderdale ports.
It also helps that my wife, who was an only child, has a close relationship with my sisters. They often meet up at nearby parks and events to chat while our kids play together.
Above all, living a few houses away from so many loved ones has helped us develop healthy boundaries, and I’m grateful to have so many people I love nearby.
Beyond that, our tight-knit community has only multiplied as we bring our friends together. We’ve introduced our friends to our family members, and they’ve done the same with us.
Our family table stays open for anyone, and birthdays, holidays, and other events always have extra space for someone new or special.
Ultimately, we’re grateful to be surrounded by such a strong support system underneath the beautiful Florida sun.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post We didn’t plan to live within walking distance of my family. Then, my sisters and parents all moved to our neighborhood. appeared first on Business Insider.
