To be so upset about our living situation?

Jesus fucking Christ! No you don't have a garden. BUT, you have a park across the road for him to play in! That's way better than any garden! You have a stream, hills, a reserve and wildlife. Sounds like something out of a storybook. Your son is very very lucky! Sounds like a dream. You don't realise how lucky you are. Start to focus on the positives and you'll realise this!

As soon as he is old enough get him off to the Scouts then he will have all those hills as a garden.

OP, I grew up in a house that had 3 gardens! Small house but a lot of land. Me and my DSis hated playing in the garden. There was nothing in it but grass, it was boring and we used to get told off by our mum for doing anything we deemed more exciting. As soon as we were able we would take ourselves off around the local area (we lived in the countryside), our mum would pack us a picnic and we’d be out all day long. We both still remember very fondly our “adventures”. Your DC will love where you live, trust me.

Maybe you grew up in a house with an enormous garden in the SE, but I doubt you would be able to buy your parent's house/former house that you grew up in.

Pack up picnics and wine and eat outside. Invest in a picnic table and chairs you can carry.

Think of it this way, in 5 years, you will likely be in a better financial position to move again / working more hours / child at school.

Your next home your child will get 8-10 years playing in the garden making memories.

Life is so short, don't worry about this. You have lots of opportunities to play and enjoy the outdoors. Having a space that is just yours is really not important.

Your house and where it is situated sounds really charming! I think your child will enjoy it and have many wonderful adventures there.

If you have a yard you can put a clothes horse out or rig up a. Washing line. Once you’ve smartened it up a bit you can have a BBQ and some planters.

When DC were little we had a suburban garden. They preferred the local park because there were other children around.

While he is little there won't be mud in the house, and when he is older you have a huge play area for him which won't entail any gardening for you. What's not to like? I'm so over my garden. The kids don't play in it because it's too oddly shaped and small, we can't sit out there because we are too close to a noisy road and gardening is just so much repetitive boring work that no one notices you do, like much of life!!!!

It’s fine to have no garden! Get an allotment.

Op post a picture of your yard over on the gardening section! They will give you some great ideas on how to give it a make over, Cher it up so you have an outdoor space!

That might make you feel better!

@CathyandHeathcliff

Awww OP it’s incredibly common to suffer from ‘buyers regret’ after buying a house. It’s a huge investment both financially and emotionally. We moved into our current house 2 years ago after living in our previous house for 15 years. I can safely say I spent the first year regretting it even though it’s bigger and better in lots of ways. I even had anxiety dreams about it. I felt really quite low. In fact I posted on here and got lots of support from people who had experienced similar feelings.

I don’t think you are spoiled or entitled at all. I think you are reacting to a year where you have gone through 2 of the most stressful things you can ever go through.

Give it time. It needn’t be forever and in the meantime get out and explore your glorious surroundings.

Many children grow up without a garden. It's lovely to have one and as you say, be able to open the back door, hang washing and let children play without having to go out.

Realistically though, when they are very little uou can't leave them unsupervised anyway, and when they are older and don't need to be watched they can play outside at the park or whatever with friends.

It sounds like you have beautiful surroundings, your child wont be short of outdoor adventures.

FWIW, Ive just left a house with a garden and my son barely bothered with it. We now have a communal drying green but no garden and we're none the worse for it.

I totally understand how you feel. I’m stuck in a two up two door in a very posh northern town with a small yard. If I can’t move I will buy either some stablemats and cover the yard so it’s a safe play area. My yard is big enough for a sandpit and a few sit and rides and will just have to make the best of it.
You might be able to rearrange the rooms abit and some clever furniture might improve the layout

Good God woman, are you in Sowerby Bridge or somewhere? People fight for those places! Oh, you'll come to love it. I'm in Otley on Monday and Tuesday. It's nice there, too.

A garden is mainly used in summer time and you have a massive garden on your doorstep, which can be used All year round. You can take picnics to the park, buy some play equipment to take with you there until your lo is old enough for the big stuff (even buy a little portable swing), take nets and fish, play poo sticks, splash in muddy puddles, watch nature, lambs being born, collect bugs, roll in the snow and all manner of wonderments.

Ah you've posted location now - yes it is a nice area - look at Pinterest for how to sort the yard out. Kids like dens and stuff you can do that in a yard. Lots of kids will be in the same situation you are and be used to it.

Countless generations of children have grown up in houses like yours and come to no harm. It sounds as if you made a really good choice, with hills and a nature reserve, farm animals, wildlife and a playground nearby. Yorkshire is incredibly beautiful and there are public parks to enjoy. There will be allotments nearby, too. Get your name on a waiting list. And let someone give you an RHS membership as a birthday present. I'm sorry you're feeling low about your home, though.

My boys grew up in a terrace with a tiny back garden- could fit a small trampoline but not big enough to kick a ball around.
I always say, though, that you never meet other kids in your own back garden. Mine got to make friends with all the local kids by playing in the nearby park. It was a nuisance to have to go with them til they were about 9 but I met lots of local parents too..,

Go to the park everyday with s picnic and blankey. maybe it's stepping stone. You can always move in a few years. It sounds a healthy environment with lovely fresh air and local walks. Please don't worry.

It sounds lovely OP, just go out more. Your son will have lovely happy memories of the countryside and the stream. A garden is not the be all and end all of life.
At least you have your own home. make the most of it.

For what it’s worth, I would choose your situation over having a garden in a less beautiful area. It sounds like a lovely place to be a child, and I’d be very surprised if he misses a garden at all.

Have not even got a yard area? I live in Yorkshire and terraces often have a small yard area you can put outdoor toys in? But it sounds like you are in a much nicer part of Yorkshire than i am.

I spend over £1000 a month on a one bed flat without even a balcony, I’ll most likely never own a home.