British childhood VS Sun and sand?

[Wouldratherbeanywhereelse]

Currently live abroad with Dd two and a half. Been pining to return home (after all this hopefully goes back to normal)
What is a British childhood like these days? Where I am we have the sun and beach and less crime, however the schools aren’t as good and I miss the very ‘Englishness’ of Britain, if that makes sense? The green, rolling hills, little countryside pubs and walks. Here it’s a more outdoors life obviously, due to the weather. But you can make it like that in the U.K., can’t you? Out in the winter wrapped up for dog walks etc.
I don’t know if I’m just seeing things through rose tinted glasses about my own childhood (80’s kid, 90’s teen) especially due to the current situation. I feel quite sad she may miss out on British school life and all the tradition that comes along with it, does all that exist?

*Still exist

I would choose sun, sand and outdoors

I'd stay where you are and visit UK when you need to to get the pub and countryside fix.
We raised our boys in a sunny place with lots of swimming, sports and fun. Low crime rate and good schools.
Came back with Dd who was going to start year 5 here, biys had finished school. If we hadn't needed to move back for family I'd have given her the same as the boys had.
Much as I got homesick, I knew it was a better place to raise my kids.
Here the rain and cold seems relentless, Dog shit everywhere from bad owners who walk dogs early and leave the mess as no one can see them in the dark.
The language young people come out with here in general conversation would not be tolerated where we were living. I'm sick of hearing F this and C that. It's awful.
Food is cheaper here in UK, as are our Electric and gas bills.
You have to decide. Look at where you'd be, what you'd be earning, can you afford a similar lifestyle here.

Stay where you are.

It depends where you live for a start. I’m the opposite, I was brought up in Saudi Arabia as an expat and I’d give my right arm to be able to give DS that lifestyle.

I'm currently negotiating the same (although the weather here is shit). I do wonder if the longer term opportunities in the UK would be better for the kids than here.

I’d choose what you have in a heartbeat. Sun, Sea, Outdoors, Warm climate. Great

Bearing in mind it's a wet, cold and miserable day here in the UK I can probably guess what most people will say.
Having said that I wouldn't want to bring my children up anywhere else. We are able to do lots of the things that you describe where we live.
I think it very much depends on where in the UK you would like to move to though. From what you've described, it sounds as though you'd be better suited to a village or small town with a small, traditional church school or similar, maybe in the countryside or near the coast.
Perhaps you should research areas that might suit the lifestyle you're looking for and take things from there.

I’d take sun and sand any day over the uk! I don’t think there is one thing I’d miss. Nothing to do with what’s going on now I’ve always wanted to leave the uk, most probably for Spain. I always feel completely at home there and never want to come back. Due to family circumstances it hasn’t been possible but one day!

Also the school system on my experience isn’t great here either.

I'd swap everything for what you have in a heart beat.

Yes you can get that here. It's summer several months a year and we do have sand and beaches. But yes, you do have to wear a coat in the winter! I think moving, or staying, somewhere for "the lifestyle" is overrated.

I chose the UK - better quality of education, lower crime rates and much lower rates of youth suicide (and suicide overall), less poverty and greater opportunity.

Sun and sand isn't everything and it can be bought twice a year.

U.K. is rain, umbrellas, wet coats, grey skies much of the year. Maybe a few bright frosty mornings and a week of snow... then more weeks of rain and damp and cold. Mud, hail, sleet. Summers are humid and sticky. Overpriced housing, lack of jobs, high unemployment rates. Mostly pebble beaches or shingle. Overcrowded in most places. Wasps.

Personally I’d stick with the sun, sand and sea!

I guess it depends where in England you'd be looking to move back to. Weather is better the more South you go. But I would imagine you'd get better outdoor spaces in some places in the North (lake District, peak District etc). In Kent you'll find lots of grammar schools. Crime obviously varies greatly.

Personally - I love my kids growing up around family. I think it's really important for kids to have a big network of people who love them. I'm also not an overly outdoors person so I'm happy in the UK although the grey winter days do get depressing.

Personally if I could live anywhere in the UK I'd choose the Dorset area. It's commutable to London if needed and some lovely coast.

I don't think you can give your children the same childhood you had and it if you remain where you are then there will always be a difference between you and your children which is beyond the usual generational stuff. It's like first generation immigrants into the UK, their experience is so different to that of their second generation children. That causes a lot of tension in some families. However, for many parents it's worth that sacrifice for what they gain in the new country.

Perhaps you need to look carefully at what you really value and want for your child.

We came back to the UK for secondary school.
I've heard said the pandemic is like a mass stress event, and people should hold off making significant decisions right now if possible as its likely you are reacting to covid as a real need.
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DH and I both grew up in London, both went to school on the tube. We had a great time growing up here, DD and her friends are doing the same. Independence, opportunity, history, culture, great music scene, pubs and much more (usually!).

Where are you?

I grew up near a beach and with good summers (Aus) but now we’re in London

There’s good with both I reckon

I still resent my parents for bringing me to the UK, it was horrible. Nearly 20 years later I'm still annoyed it was so difficult for me to escape the UK too. Crap education and horrible bullying I ended up fat and depressed. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone but would you risk it? Sun, sea, exercise is better and you can always help with education.

We have recently ( early 2020) moved abroad . In the UK we lived in a middle class market town . Even there the violence and aggression encountered in the town centre frightened me with 2 teenage boys. Where we live now, my 12 year old has so much freedom, is down at the beach with his friends and I no longer have the fear. He can enjoy his childhood to the full. The UK I know is not a place I would want to raise my children. We will never go back if we can help it . I love living here.

we have sand and sun in the UK - I grew up on the beach (north west UK) and my education was fine!

it doesn't rain all year round (unless you are in Manchester - or North Wales!)

oh and my two teenage girls managed (pre-lockdown) to have a decent social life with no stabbing or maiming!

If you are in another first world country, I think the pros and cons of each would probably be fairly balanced. I have spent some time living in Australia and I find the British weather far more conducive to doing things outdoors.

I grew up in Cornwall. There was plenty of sand. I hate British winters but I love it here the rest of the time.

We are in the south of England and have a very outdoorsy life style. I really think it depends where you are now and where you would plan to I move to in the uk. Where I am we have a beach, river, great bike rides, beautiful country walks. Yes January is a terrible month in the UK but a big chunk of the year it’s lovely. Crazy people around here swim in the sea all year round (in wetsuits!) and when I was out on the weekend there were lots of kayakers, paddle boarders, 100’s of cyclists, joggers and walkers..considering its the middle of January - not bad. The town we live in is very safe, most kids cycle to school, head to the beach after school in the warmer months. I did live abroad a couple of years but I’m very glad to be living here now!