There’s this set of rules that exist for many Canadians and it has to do with living in a single-family home.

Many of us grew up in decent-sized homes, where the views were backyard pools, trees, swing sets and maybe a hint of siding from the neighbour’s house. Smaller family sizes meant you’d at least have your own bedroom, evenif your house was modest. We had space back then. Land was more affordable because it was less in demand.

Move forward 30 or 40 years and our urban living spaces have gotten smaller. Many of us live vertically now in high-rise buildings in the city. We share amenities and that helps us live with less space. But we often think condos are for young buyers or older ones interested in downsizing. We regularly think they are the perfect set-up for childless households. But what’s wrong with this picture? Why can’t children grow up in condos?

In the past year or two, magazines and newspapers have tried to grapple with the question with one Globe & Mail story running the headline, Is it bad parenting to raise children in a condo? All of the stories dig at this issue by asking readers to rethink age-old stereotypes that suggest a child will somehow be in harm’s way if they aren’t raised with their own family room, bedroom and backyard.

But evidence suggests quite the contrary. It’s believed city kids gain valuable street smarts earlier than their suburban counterparts. In fact, some say their exposure to diverse peoples and cultures gives them an added edge helping them develop greater social skills than their country cousins.

The other obvious benefit for city-dwelling kids is exposure to arts and culture, from the performing arts and theatres to museums, galleries and libraries. In comparison to small communities and the cutbacks in arts education, cities simply pulsate with an assortment of resources that feed those hungry for arts and culture.

Many condos are filling up with young families due in large part to the high cost of housing in Toronto. According to Statistics Canada, 2017 census data showed that 129,000 or 13 per cent of Toronto’s families lived in condos in 2016. Those numbers are, up nearly nine per cent from 2011 and well above the national average of 8.4 per cent.

There are also a good number of environmental and emotional attributes to raising your family in a condo. Being closer to work and school means less money and time going to transportation. Think of what that might do for climate change. Think how living without the commute will benefit you and your family. You’ll have more time together. Thanks to communal spaces such as parks and pools, you and your family will be able to hang out without worrying about pesky household chores like cutting the grass or cleaning the pool.

Condo living also fosters a minimalist approach, which fights the longstanding notion that bigger is better. Given the condition of our planet, we need to rethink that view and embrace a less-is-more philosophy. Not only will our planet be happier, so will our bank accounts and stress levels.