Moving to the country

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

We live in an estate on the edge of a small town. We're within 5 minutes of school, work, shops and kids' activities. The kids have friends in the estate, so once homework is done they're away out having adventures in the fresh air.

I'm bored out of my head. My job is boring but permanent and I'm not qualified to do anything else. I sit at home in the afternoons waiting to cook dinner, or opening and closing the front door the the kids. My marriage is more or less an amicable co-parenting house share.

There's a house on the market 10 minutes from the centre of town, on over an acre of land. I want to move out there, grow veg, chickens, pigs; I love gardening and just being outdoors, but here we have room for a patio, swings, slide and climbing frame and that's it. I've crammed plants into every available space but it's tiny and doesn't need the amount of time it like to give it.

DH has agreed. He likes the idea of a tiny farm and there are big sheds which would give him space for DIY projects that he doesn't really have room for here. The kids like the idea; they love animals. DD really wants to work with animals later so I figure it's no harm for her to see the reality of it now. There's great scope in the house and sheds for fun play, or later for setting up dens or cinema rooms for teenagers.

But they'd miss out on being in an estate and having other kids around. They find playing together much less fun than being in a group. I grew up on a road of elderly people and no kids, and I have horrifically bad social skills (though I think I would have anyway). DH and I don't really have friends so we dont have many people coming to the house. Theyd be relying on us organising playdates, which is surely mever going to be as good as being able to just wander out the door and seeing who's around, is it?

I'm so confused. Does anyone have any advice?

I doubt you'd even have to provide lifts when they're teens. A 10 minute drive is what.. 30/40 mins on a bicycle? No problem at all! Guaranteed they'll have friends living in town to sleep over with when they're old enough to start going out drinking. I did. I grew up a 30 minute brisk walk from the centre of town, 30 min hard cycle to secondary school, 45 minute brisk walk to my best friends' house. It worked out just fine :)

OK. ..a 30 minute walk to the centre of town isn't rural though damn!
And OP if there's a primary school accross the road and there are buses then that doesn't sound particularly rural either either so I guess go for it. I suppose if the kids are up for it it's a lot easier.

Personally the freedom for children being able to just leave the house and find other children to play with is worth so much to me but everyone's perspective is different.

Sounds like a good move to me.

It is in Wiltshire IfNot :D My childhood garden backed onto open fields for miles.

Difficult one to call, as another poster said wherever you go you are still taking yourself with you.
Your marriage you describe as amicably co - parenting house sharing. I suspect this is at the core of all of this. You have a deep sense of unhappiness, your work is unfulfilling, your relationship sounds unfulfilling, your lack of friends is not fulfilling a need either.Your children are off playing so do not need you so much and you are on your own. You are looking for something to fill that void.
It all sounds doable, especially since the distance is not so great, but is it really the answer?
I am sure you have thought about it before but what about an allotment, some allow you to keep chicken's?
Have you thought about volunteering to find a sense of fulfilment?
Good luck whatever you decide.

There are no allotments locally. I can't really volunteer because I need to be at home and available for the kids.

I would move if I were you.