The total percentage of the population in District six under 14 years old is only five percent. Only five percent! Compared to the surrounding districts, district six seems to have the least percentage of people less than 14 years of age.

    Before my walk five percent was only a number; a number that didn’t seem to make sense. I had always thought of my district as a district highly populated with kids, but apparently I wasn’t really looking for kids then because now that I’m really looking I don’t seem to find many, and those that I find are almost like a rare breed. Still, there happens to be many schools located in my district, which obviously means these kids do exist. I also happen to come across some playgrounds, enclosed in a tiny space or land, with barely any room for the kids to run about in. Other places were even less present, such as kids clothing stores, toy stores, and such places associated with kids. Yes, I did find a few kids here and there, schools, and a few playgrounds, but still I never felt like I was walking in an environment made for kids. This is not an environment I can associate with kids. These streets don’t seem safe, at least not without the presence of an adult. These gated parks and playgrounds seem distant and enclosed from the rest of the neighborhoods, almost like cramped zoo cages, displaying the most rare of species. Kids should not have to walk far; in order to be able to run around this does not make sense. The city won’t change, but these enclosed spaces called made for this tiny percentage should, or else this percentage will not change for the better.

    I did live in a city; a city nothing like New York, and on top of that I lived in one of the most suburban neighborhoods there, which is why I am used to seeing so many kids running around the neighborhood. I only realized I had become indifferent to the lack of presence of kids here, when I began my search for them, remembering the many kids I saw running freely back home, and not seeing that same freedom or spirit here. Seeing kids running around is something I want to see more than ever now, at least now that I’ve realized I rarely do see them. These streets are now as dull as the percentage.