I dream of leaving London. I grew up in countryside, came to London for work. Never thought I'd raise a family here, but DS1 is now almost 9 and youngest is 2.
But! Where we live is great - feels like it's own place like a small town really - parks, shops, good schools (although tricky catchments for secondary)....strong sense of community plus easy access to central London.
So why such a yearning to leave?
More space. our garden is tiny, and the kids don't spend much time in it tbh - not nearly as much as I did as a child. When we are out locally there's always so many people, plus it takes 45 mins driving just to get to the edge of the city in pretty much any direction.
I feel a pressure in London that I find hard to explain - kind of competition, kind of requirement for constant activity and consumption. But maybe that's just life.
I'd love to be closer family (down the M4).
Plus I have this strange sense of "I'm not supposed to be here". I don't feel like a city person although I love lots of what it offers me. I wonder if I could shake this feeling then I'd actually be happy where I am. I just don't know how to shake it...