“I guess when your kids grow up in the glow of neon, it's less dazzling for them.” says Nancy Syzdek, mom of two young children and author of the blog “Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas”. “I think parenting in Vegas is pretty much like any other city. Yes, we have some fun quirks, but it's still hard work.”

The quirks Syzdek is talking about are grocery stores that are open 24/7, plus practically everything else, from doctor’s offices to activities and events.  But, she says, mostly they’re living pretty normal lives.

“Contrary to myth, the vast majority of Vegas folks don't take their kids gambling.”  Living so close to such a unique setting does have its advantages, she admits.  “My daughter has grown up imagining The Excalibur as "her castle" and my son believes his destiny to be the pharaoh of Luxor's pyramid. We have the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef as our local aquarium and the kids can get a close-up peek at the lions at MGM Grand any day of the week.”

Syzdek lives in a suburb called Summerlin which is a master-planned city, offering a community geared towards families of all sizes and needs, 20 minutes from the “Strip”.

Colleen Rowley Tanaka grew up in Winnipeg, but has lived in the Vegas area for 21 years, raising her two children, now 17 and 14. “I always thought it was unusual to see advertisements, showing scantily clad women and men, on billboards and taxicabs the likes of which you would NOT see in Winnipeg. I would hear “What does that mean, Mommy?”  I remember thinking, “If we lived in Winnipeg, or almost anywhere else, I would not have to be explaining this!”

Syzdek takes her kids into the bright lights about once a month. “When we go, it's for a specific purpose; to meet friends at Serendipity 3 for frozen hot chocolate, to see The Nutcracker at The Paris, to see the latest display at conservatory at the Bellagio -- we rarely go down just to wander. Yes, my kids have walked through a casino or two, but it holds no glamour for them.”

Tanaka’s teenage son visits the strip too “At 17, he occasionally goes to the “Strip” with friends
to participate in scavenger hunts, where the kids have a predetermined amount of time to gather
all the items on the list: like pictures of a pregnant cocktail waitress, the fountain in front of
Bellagio or a “human statue” at Caesar’s Palace."   As with all games though, there are still
rules. “They have to keep their eye on the time when engaged in this activity as there is a curfew
for kids under the age of 18 in Las Vegas.”

But normally kids are not hanging out at the Strip, and Syzdek says it’s pretty much like anywhere else, except many of the sporting activities take place indoors due to the extreme heat.  “Luke has played organized sports: baseball, soccer, fencing, and swimming. Dayna has played soccer, and last year joined a community Cheerleading squad.” says Tanaka.  Sydek agrees there’s always something to do. “Because we're centrally located in a desert oasis, I can hike sandstone-lined trails with the kids at Red Rock Canyon in the morning and then camp in the forest at Mt. Charleston that night. We could go for a paddleboat ride at Lake Mead and then check out the early spring wildflowers in Death Valley the next day.“

All in all, it’s a good bet most parents are okay with gambling on Vegas to be a good place to raise the stakes on raising their kids.