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Parenting

Living by water with a small child - would you?

23 replies

Olivevoir · 03/05/2015 08:06

My 18 year old dd is having a baby at the end of July and will carry on living with me after the baby is born (dad not on the scene). Presently we live on a polluted main road in a fairly tough bit of London. We are considering moving a few miles down the road to get a better quality of life for us and the baby. We have found a lovely area by the canal and a large nature reserve. This bit of the canal has a lovely Marina housing barges and light barge industry. It also houses a very pleasant wine bar and a children's nursery. The marina is surrounded by a row of townhouses that we have fallen in love with. One is for sale and well within my budget. Am I mad to be even considering living this close to water with a young child. There is another house for sale only a couple of minutes walk away that is more expensive but still affordable but of course it is the marina house that has won our heart. What would you do?

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Artandco · 03/05/2015 08:10

Of course, you just keep an eye on them. We live near main road in London, I wouldn't just open the door and let children wander off so it's the same with water

Btw when ds1 was 18 months and ds2 2 months we stayed on a boat in Vietnam for a month and all loved it

insancerre · 03/05/2015 08:13

Go for it
It sounds lovely
The nursery must manage it

forago · 03/05/2015 08:16

I don't really see any problem with this, you won't be letting the baby out alone for years s and years and can teach him/her appropriate safety rules. My ds1 has only recently started walking up to the shops in his own and he is 10. make sure they can't open the front door from the inside and that's all you'd need to do I think.

NakedBaby · 03/05/2015 08:18

It's fine - and a lovely talking point with DC

HagOtheNorth · 03/05/2015 08:28

Yes I would. You just have to be aware of safety, like living on a busy street with traffic. I've got friends that live on small islands and friends that live on boats with young children. And one that is very rich and has a stream flowing through his grounds and a decent sized pond.
All children should know how to swim, regardless of where they live, and your potential new house sounds wonderful.

AndHarry · 03/05/2015 08:30

It sounds lovely. In this set-up I wouldn't be worried.

NightsOfGethsemane · 03/05/2015 08:32

I don't think living near water with a small child is a problem - any more so than living by a main road would be. When he's older you will take steps to make sure he knows the dangers and manage the risk.

But if you're buying near water make sure you have a thorough survey done on the risk of flooding and make sure your insurance will cover you for flood related damage!

Imperialleather2 · 03/05/2015 08:35

That sounds fine to me tbh. My parents have a lake in their garden and I find that a,headache but no within the boundaries sounds fine to me.

43percentburnt · 03/05/2015 08:46

I'd just ensure the front and back door was always locked. get into the habit straight away so it becomes routine by the time baby is a toddler. Put proper locks on the garden gate so they cannot escape. Not to be miserable but A small child did drown in the canal near where I live, they were playing out the front with older children and fell in.

There's risks wherever you live. It sounds lovely.

sanfairyanne · 03/05/2015 08:48

personally, no

ch1134 · 03/05/2015 08:51

What a lovely grandparent you will be! So kind and thoughtful. Get the house you love and put a fence up. What the child near the water and enjoy your new life.

HagOtheNorth · 03/05/2015 08:53

Polluted main road v townhouse at the marina?
Traffic and low air quality are things it's harder to protect a child from.

TeacupDrama · 03/05/2015 08:58

We have a stream running through garden with steep rocky sides far too long to fence also the sea is across the road, just taught from when she could walk not to go certain places supervision etc . it's will be fine if you establish boundaries and rules from the word go.

Olivevoir · 03/05/2015 09:10

Thank you everyone for your swift and reassuring responses! As I was reading them, the cat came and sat on me and I thought 'the cat, I haven't even considered the cat!' But I guess if she's survived the main road for 4 years, the marina should be a breeze!

OP posts:

AndHarry · 03/05/2015 09:23

The cat will be fine too :o

odyssey2001 · 03/05/2015 09:28

Go for it. Sounds like a great place to raise a child.

thewomaninwhitefluffybunnyears · 03/05/2015 09:30

Sounds fab and I agree re the water. Enjoy and good luck with the house buying. You do sound like a lovely grandparent.

slightlyinsane · 03/05/2015 09:59

I lived by a canal when I was younger and loved it. From early on we went to feed the ducks and new not to get too close, must have been drummed into us.
The house move sounds like a really good idea and I don't want to put a downer on things but your daughter won't live with you forever and if your happy to continue living there in yrs to come then it's the right move for you. We don't have too much water close to us but we do have huge farm machinery and my kids have picked up the dangers pretty quickly.

BabyGanoush · 03/05/2015 10:07

Water is very dangerous though, you cannot leave child undupervised at all, they can drown, silently, in 2 minutes.

As long as everyone is aware of this, it's fine.

Water has a magnetic pull on kids.

My 2 yr okd nephew walked straight into our pond, when our backs were turned for what seemed 2 seconds (looking for siblings shoes).

I put a fence around it.

Just make sure the set up is safe, it sounds lovely!

Artandco · 03/05/2015 10:28

Baby - motorways are just as dangerous. A child can just walk into the path of cars just as quick.

We live in a flat on top floor, our children have lethal balconies to leap off, to their death on the busy roads, whilst falling down the stairs, breathing in city fumes and trapping fingers in lift doors.

You can't eliminate all hazards in life. If you get rid of one, you have most likely just changed it for another

HagOtheNorth · 03/05/2015 10:32

So is traffic though:

'UK total reported child causalities(ages 0-15) fell by 9 per cent to 15,756 in 2013. The number of children killed or seriously injured also fell, decreasing by 13 per cent to 1,980 in 2013'

' In 2010, 28 children under 15 drowned in the UK. Three of these children were under one, 12 were between one and four, four were between five and nine, and nine were between ten and 14.'

Yes, of course drowning is a risk, and you need to safeguard children in particular. Water safety and road safety are essential skills.

gamerchick · 03/05/2015 10:39

Well having the bairn there from birth wouldnt concern me, you have to teach them to be safe anyway.

I would as was touched on up thread want to check out the flooding risk and how much insurance would be.

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ThatBloodyWoman · 03/05/2015 10:53

We were in a house with a number of natural ponds around it.
The children are always with you when you're out,so its fine.
Living by the canal will make for some lovely walks!

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