Did you grow up in london?

[LondonQQ]

I live in central london with DS who is 6. I grew up somewhere poor, but quite rural, a lot of school fights, everyone knew everyone’s business. I couldn’t wait to move to london and I’ve been here for more than 20 years.

But things have been happening lately that have made me wonder if this is the childhood that I want for DS.

One of the things was that we were shouted and ranted at by a homeless person who clearly was suffering from troubling mental health problems.he was really getting in DS’ face and it upset him a lot. Ds had nightmares about it etc.

Did you grow up in London? Did the tension that is often out there get to you as a kid? I don’t know how to weigh these instances up against the amazingness of this city and it’s multiculturalism and culture and opportunities for young people etc.

I grew up in London, still have firm ties there and only live a short train ride/drive away (DH commutes in). The pandemic has changed things for me, I don't miss it like I used to. I've been there a few times since, why does everywhere now smell of weed or pee? It's a bit intense for Lil ole me now, but kids probably wouldn't take issue with what I do.

I grew up in london, in the suburbs but in a rough area. I was completely oblivious to any tensions and had a great time as a teen and young adult. However i moved further in and had several issues with people getting in my face while pregnant and when i had very young children with me. I don't imagine that this effected my dc though. My nephews/nieces live in the same area and they seem happy. I moved away because i couldn't afford to upsize

@radiatorsz

Surely growing up in z3 outwards can't be that different to growing up in other cities, big towns outside of London. I don't think most kids travel into z1 at the weekends to do stuff but stick to activities & friends in their area?

I grew up in z2/3 & spent the vast majority of my time there. As I got older I went central much more but that was age 17 plus

I agree. I grew up in zone 5, then moved to the suburbs of Leeds when I was 21. I was less central to the city, but it didn't feel that different in many ways.

We now live in a village in South Yorkshire. When DD was looking at universities she didn't want a campus in the middle of nowhere but wanted a city university, but not somewhere so large that she needed public transport to go anywhere.

Things that I am tired off in London; the traffic, air pollution & just so many people.

I no longer work in central but work locally which is bliss. I remember when I could get a seat on the northern line, over the years it became awful. And I don't go in there that much to socialise either now again staying local, maybe once a month max.

of

I didn't miss my commute to central London - crammed into the tube like sardines, getting groped etc.

@RampantIvy I went to a uni like that, it was nice to have everything within walking distance.

DD (and I) love her university city. It has everything and it is within easy reach of the coast.

My DH grew up in zone 3 north London and refuses to leave London. I think z3 outwards is very suburban and probably not too different from the rest of the country other than the house prices and the prevalence of sub divided flat conversions. But DH got to bring his teenage dates to the royal academy of arts for a tiny fee which rural children can't. Plus there is a lot of greenery near where we live i.e. Highgate wood and Hampstead heath.
I have lived in zone 1/2 but am happier with zone 3. Think any further out than zone 4 wouldn't be a great commute.

I grew up in London, in what was classed as a bad area. I'm very streetwise as a result as there was a bit of everything going on where I lived. Drug Dealers, armed raids, murders, alcoholic/drug addict neighbours, burglaries. But, I loved growing up there, going out and about as teenagers was great fun clubbing in my twenties,working in central london just the geeral hustle bustle. I live in Hertfordshire now and am glad I'm bringing my kids up here it's quieter, lots of green space etc. We do go to London quite a bit as all our family still live there and I still love it and sometimes miss it but personally I'm glad I've moved away...

I grew up in zone 6. Very safe, great schools but only 30 mins into zone one. I went into central London a lot as a teen and worked there too.

We now live in zone 6 but a different part, again very safe, fantastic schools, plenty of green spaces and 20 mins into zone 1. We regularly go into London for galleries, meals, theatre etc. The teen DC's are always out and about both locally and in central London. We love it.

I grew up within the M25, but outside London. I go back there regularly and just find it a bit , dull and nothing. We now live in zone 4. It's suburban and not particularly 'London' but I can be in central London in 25 minutes. On the surface it's not hugely different from where I grew up, but it is different. The outlook of the people, the turnover of people from all over the world , opportunity. I can't quite quantify it.

I sometimes wish we'd moved further out and raised our children there, but Working from home wasn't a thing back then so choices were limited. However, now they're teens I am glad we stayed. Although I worry about DS being mugged.

As a family we don't tend to venture far from our local patch. But it's nice to know we can go up town if we like.

I grew up in London (zone 2). My street was nice but at the end of the street was quite a rough council estate. I did feel nervous sometimes when walking home alone and knew to avoid certain routes. That's probably made me more streetwise as an adult though.

I liked living in London but I'm bringing up my DC outside London. It does feel like they're having a more innocent childhood in some ways.

When I first moved to Leeds we had the Yorkshire Ripper problem, and I felt safer in Leicester Square at night than the middle of Leeds.

I grew up in zone 3....and am bringing my dc up here too. Our area is fairly suburban...I wouldn't go any more central. My experience of growing up in London was positive...I never saw drug taking and never tried it...none of my friends were into it. I actually think it's more of a problem in rural and coastal areas. Also when I went to uni in a smaller city, all the kids from the country went nuts. The student union bar was very exciting to them. I remember thinking how crap it was as I'd be going clubbing in London for a while prior to that.

Yes, Hackney born and bred and spent 30 years of my life there. I've now left. London is no longer the city I grew up in and I don't want to bring up my DC there.

We now live in zone 6 but a different part, again very safe, fantastic schools, plenty of green spaces and 20 mins into zone 1.

Do you mind me asking what part? that sounds incredibly quick. I'm in Z3 now & my tube journey is about 17 mins but with walking either side & waiting it's more like 35 mins

Husband can trace his heritage in Camberwell back five generations. I grew up in a large commuter village 80 miles away, but moved in 1997 initially to Hackney.

Husband remembers more community in his childhood. All races and religions playing together. Sounds like utopia to me. He says he didn't notice any differences between his friends until the Brixton riots. Then adults were saying, you can't play with him because...My husband's family home was very Liberal. Everyone was welcome, no matter who you were. In fact FiL still holds the same rule today: Come in, have a cup of tea, don't be a c*t. If you are a c*t, expect your arse on the curb. Otherwise, welcome.

DD was born in Camberwell and we live in Z2/3. She's 15. She's very streetwise and much more worldly than I was at that age. She's much more aware of social issues, and of dangers. She has had to change her route to/from school because of stabbings, she's seen drug paraphernalia on street corners, we even have our friendly local dealer. She has been prepped on what to do if she sees a person with a weapon on the street. It's a very different childhood to mine.

I grew up in London and still live here. The older 2 grew up in Glasgow and London, my younger 2 are growing up in London. They see homeless people, one of my best friends is a Big Issue vendor and they love him. They see needles and condoms in the park and from a young age have known not to touch. DS2 has been very switched on from about 9, DS3 is still very innocent at 10, so I think it depends on the child.