Moving from suburb to village with teens: will they feel isolated?

Grew up in the countryside and same here.

Could you rent a house for a couple of weeks and give it a try?

they can try going to school from there and do two weekends.

I was so glad when my mum moved from a village to London. She said rural living was horrendous for her - and for us too. It was so boring with nothing to do. Winter and autumn were particularly hard. Cold dark and stuck. We were all very depressed.

I was 15 when she moved. It changed my life. It changed everything. It was the best thing she ever did. She made loads of new friends and loved that an M&S was a walk away, not a 45 minute drive!

Don't do it. My MIL did this and her sons spent their teenage years sleeping at friend's houses. She deeply regretted what she had done.

I really do think it is great for teenagers to be close to their local town or city. They just have so much independence when they can get themselves around.
They are not going to learn to drive and pass their test straight away and you will be driving them around all weekend. I remember my children’s friends who lived in a nearby village. No other parent really wanted to go over and pick the children up. You are just so car dependent if you live rurally.

God no. Grew up in a village with barely any public transport it was absolutely crap, also a pp is right lanes and teens is a bad combination. Most years lost someone in a road accident. Can’t you wait until they’ve gone?

That’s because they don’t know any better. You can’t take kids who have grown up with a lot happening around them and basically isolate them and think they will be fine. If they’re not trying to leave every chance they get, they most certainly won’t want to come home.

I live rurally and we always have. The kids are happy here and neither have interest in moving to a city. They like the open spaces around them. I will say as others have you WILL be a taxi. Plus get saving for driving lessons and cars ASAP!

Same here - I felt so isolated and trapped as a teen that bring in the countryside still makes me feel uneasy. Appreciate that's a bit extreme, but it's not a lifestyle I'd foist on a teen.

Maybe investigate alternative village transport. Some have Book a bus schemes, some have subsidised taxis. Both may not be helpful for teenagers though and neither of those (at least in my village) are available after 6pm.

I’d be extremely worried about inexperienced teenage drivers on country roads. All sounds shit to me.

Not a chance in hell I would do this, and there is no reason to, just wait until they’ve grown, you’ve not got long.

Any chance you can fund a small flat and the move?
Will they be staying locally for university?
If so I would look at doing that.
Get them driving asap too.

Can’t you wait a few years ?

I live rurally with teens, they have grown up here, and there are things they love. My eldest (21) prefers the countryside to cities. However they have often felt isolated and my 18 year old gets bored and stir crazy. I don’t feel it’s safe for a girl or young woman to walk around country lanes on her own. (Although it’s generally a really safe area there have been several incidents over the years of men trying to get children into cars).
Their school friends often lived over an hour’s drive away, and dd is very reliant on lifts. She is learning to drive but even once she passes her test she will need time and experience to really be safe on rural roads, with no lighting and boy racers at night in the lanes. DH has frequently driven an hour and back at night to pick her up to avoid her having a lift from another 18 year old. Cars with an inexperienced driver and several teenage passengers really worry me, and we would far rather pick her up than risk that.

I would say needing lifts everywhere and the lack of anything close by is tough for teenagers. We do have a cafe and a village shop, and there is a walkable very small town with more shops and cafes, but that’s not much fun unless you have a friend local enough to walk there with you.
DH grew up more remotely than this, and he was totally reliant on his Mum driving him to town, as the bus service was very limited and cycling not safe. Six miles to the nearest small town so a bit far to walk. He loves rural life but definitely found it constraining when he was young. In contrast my parents moved to a city when db and I were teenagers and it was great, I could walk everywhere, there were also plenty of buses and a train station.
Should also add that although you aren’t elderly now, rural life as one ages can be really difficult too. Lots of people retire to my village, but the distance of emergency healthcare is a big issue, and if someone has a medical problem that stops them driving then life becomes very difficult indeed. Friend (early fifties) had a back problem that stopped her driving for some time, very hard for her. Other friends have needed lengthy treatments eg chemo, and it’s a long way from us to the nearest large hospital,( that may not be true for you). That worries me as DH and I get older.

Yes, they'll be isolated and you'll be a permanent taxi. Don't do it.

As long as you’re ok with constant lifts. I’d wait a few years.

You will spend your life driving them around.

My kids couldn’t think of anything worse than living somewhere ’peaceful’. They want to be near their friends, jobs, and social life. My 18yo often heads out after we are in bed and catches the bus.

Absolutely not.
Let them finish school.
You will never be out of the car.
So mzny of my childrens friends gave up large houses on land to move into an urban setting so their children could be independent of them.
None of them ever regretted it.
Stay put.

My parents did this when I was 13 - I hated it. No public transport, couldn't see my friends, needed lifts everywhere (which were not always willingly provided). Plotted my escape as soon as possible.

I live rurally and have teens. They're good at cycling which gives them some independence. I am really generous with giving them lifts everywhere (they would agree with this statement) as I think it's unfair for them to miss out due to a decision made by me and DH. And now that the older two are old enough to drive, we facilitated that so they passed as quickly as possible by taking them out practising a lot. We pay for their petrol - my friend was a bit surprised by this and thought they should pay themselves, but it saves me so much time now they can drive to school / work / sports training / social events etc that I'm very happy to pay for the petrol! (And for their insurance.)

So it's fine - as long as you don't mind doing a lot of driving!

There is no benefit to your teens and several downsides for anyone. The rural move either needed to be done when they were young children and could enjoy a rural childhood with more freedom, or you need to wait until they have moved out imo.

Yes. They will.

Don't do it. Give it a few more years till they can drive. It's not fair on them.