Full time in WaterColor

[Beach Bound]

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

 

[30abob]

No personal experience... but there's one little girl in my son's first grade class at Bay Elementary that lives in Watercolor. Her mother told my wife that it gets mighty lonely during the winter; they're the only year round residents on their street. I'm not sure if their experience is "typical" for the development.

I will add that many of the Bay Elementary students, which will be your children's classmates/friends, live right in Point Washington (around the school). From Watercolor it's maybe 3 miles to the school which is next door in SoWal terms.

 

[melscuba]

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

We have the same dreams and concerns. We have three school age children. My oldest has already said all the friends she would make would leave after a week. I "think" there is around 50 families that are full time residents in Watercolor right now. I've heard of a new family that moved in recently with three little ones (well school age)... supposedly quite happy.

It would be an adjustment , no doubt. I think it's a lifestyle your getting in SoWal that you just can't get anywhere else. Just imagine your kids saying, "I'm headed to the pool, or the beach, to meet some friends.".... pretty cool way to grow up. And that's not even scratching the surface. We haven't been brave enough yet, but good luck in your decision.

I'm anxiously awaiting local reply to your question.

 

[robertsondavies]

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

We're wondering exactly the same thing - we're considering what you are w/ 3 young children under 6, we're trying to figure out the balance between realism and fantasy, and we're of course worried that Watercolor or Seagrove etc. is too much fantasy and will essentially screw our kids up or not.. (OK screw them up more than we're already doing by worrying about them so much)
Wouldn't it be cool if there was some kind of support group for folks who have made the move we're both contemplating - and perhaps for those who recently have done so too.

 

[scooterbug44]

Aside from the drawback of many friends being transient (but many also being annual/frequent visitors), I would think it would be a great place to be a kid. I know of several families w/ multiple kids who are full time residents and I think more will move there.

I don't think it's too much fantasy - it's just another OCD suburb unless you buy into the hype.

And if you move there and they start getting snotty I am sure some Sowaller has a horse or large dog they can clean up after!

 

[SGB]

Go ahead, make the move! We don't live in Watercolor, but know people that do. Watercolor has quite a few full time residents and most of them have small children that go to school at Bay Elemenatary. Many of the neighborhoods in the area don't have all full time residents, so Watercolor isn't that different from Seagrove or Dune Allen, or where ever along 30A. But there are more of us every day. Our children are now in middle/high school and, we believe, have had the best environment possible to grow up in (been here since K and 2nd grade). The kids and their friends will love the amenities at Watercolor so they'll always have lots of friends around.

As the kids get older, they'll be in a great location. Biking to friends' houses via the bike path will be the norm. Being on 30A as a teenager is a great thing. Being in the middle of 30A, will just add to the greatness! When it's time for them to get a summer job, they'll be able to walk or bike to it, since many of the jobs for teens are in Seaside/Watercolor.

Take the plunge!

 

[melscuba]

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

Looks like there are at least three of us on this thread alone dreaming the same thing. I say if one or all of us do pull the trigger we can start having play dates with the kids through the association. You know, meet at the camp pool for some fun and getting to know the other full time residents. I moved around a bit as a child and my success in a given area was due to my mother jumping right in and making things happen.

There was a good point made about returning vacationers. We have made friends with residents there and look forward to visiting them each time we go down. I'm sure the kids would do the same.

 

[beachmouse]

We're wondering exactly the same thing - we're considering what you are w/ 3 young children under 6, we're trying to figure out the balance between realism and fantasy, and we're of course worried that Watercolor or Seagrove etc. is too much fantasy and will essentially screw our kids up or not.. (OK screw them up more than we're already doing by worrying about them so much)

There are plenty of places and ways you can keep them grounded. Volunteer as a family with any number of groups that help people in the area, or the state parks or Alaqua animal shelter. Set up clear expectations for chores and such and create a home environment where they understand how to budget their allowance so they might have to save up a little to get what they want.

I grew up down the street from the son of a major Midwestern grocery store baron who could buy Sandestin with the family pocket change. The people in the family were some of the most grounded, least snobby people I've known, and it all comes down to the grown ups in the family keeping a realistic and centered perspective on the world, and doing their best to treat everyone they come in contact with over the course of a day with dignity and respect.

 

[TreeFrog]

I'd think most of the concerns would be similar living anywhere in SoWal, not just in Watercolor. About 40% of the houses on my street, near Eastern Lake, are full-time occupied, and just 2 of them have kids, 1 pre-school and 1 pre-teen. They both engage their kids away from the house.

 

[Here4Good]

I'd think most of the concerns would be similar living anywhere in SoWal, not just in Watercolor. About 40% of the houses on my street, near Eastern Lake, are full-time occupied, and just 2 of them have kids, 1 pre-school and 1 pre-teen. They both engage their kids away from the house.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before. It's very different than living in a small town, suburb, urban area, or in the country. Depending on your situation now, you may have to adjust to different commutes to "necessities" like the doctor, vet, school or shopping. We have everything you need, of course, but if you have special needs, like a specialized doctor or surgeon, you might have to drive a little farther to get to one.

I think everyone who lives here now is used to the cycle of the tourist season, but it takes some getting used to - for instance, we are in a down time right now between spring break and summer but the weather is warm, so we are seeing a lot of weekenders. It's the time of year when you might want to dine out on a Wednesday instead of a Saturday, and get your grocery shopping done before the weekend. In the dead of summer, you eat out less, or only at certain places. In the winter, you go to restaurants constantly, because they have winter specials and it's so nice to go when it's not crowded.

It's not bad, it's just different. Just like in the suburbs, you know you have to wait until 7:00 to go out to eat or you will still be stuck in the "going home from work" traffic, or you can count on a faster commute in the summer when the kids are out of school, and that if it's raining on a Friday afternoon in Atlanta, everyone will forget how to drive and your trip home will take twice as long.