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Original poster

Parenting in London - positives?

152 replies

Mariposa26 · 12/08/2023 21:18

We live on zone 2/3 border and have a 6 month old DD. We enjoy an active social life, and really loved London up until now. Currently all I can think about is getting her out of London - comparing it to my childhood where my family dropped by every day, where I played out with friends after school and knew everyone locally…things I feel she will never experience here. I feel that I want to move back to the NW, but my partner will never go for it.
Can anyone share positive stories of raising kids in London and the London lifestyle? All I hear is negatives, and it’s getting me down. She will be in nursery full time too (or possibly a 9 day fortnight)
Thank you!

OP posts:

Ginmonkeyagain · 22/08/2023 18:05

Why wouldn't you know anyone in London? London is full of families and you will meet them as your child is growing up.

We live in Zone 3 and I have just got back from blackberrying in the woods and am about to pop downstairs for a glass of wine in our garden with our neighbours.

longestlurkerever · 23/08/2023 14:10

Needmorelego · 17/08/2023 07:09

@longestlurkerever if you are including me in the “London bashing” then I am not bashing it at all. I was trying to say to the OP that everyday normal life is pretty much the same for children and families whether you live in London or out of London in another city or town.
Her child will have a very similar life to every other child in the UK. Her child won’t be missing out on a “normal” childhood at all.
However - Not everyone can “get up and go” into Central London at the drop of a hat. I actually need to travel into Central London today (from my Zone 3 home). The train and bus we need to get will cost (combined) approximately £6 plus my 15 year old has to pay on the train (trains aren’t free for 11-16 year olds - it’s a smaller fare but still need to pay). So basically I will need about £7 to get into Zone 1. So I have planned for that in this weeks budget. That’s planning !
I wish I could “not count tube fare as an expense” but I don’t have a magical bank account that gives me extra money.

I know what you mean and I probably phrased it badly. When I was first in London on a low salary I found the cost of travel a barrier. Nowadays I'd cycle but I was more nervous then. But then I needed a travel card for working in zone 1 and for years that was just part of my costs of living, similar to the expense of owning a car elsewhere (but cheaper actually). Then I went part time and covid happened and I took up cycling and so it wasn't worth buying a travel card, but my overall travel expenses are lower than ever so I decided to mentally allocate myself a travel budget so it's not a barrier day to day. In any case there's still loads in walking distance because the population density means there's a lot within a short distance. I'm about to go to the lido, picking up dd"s friends on the way. Not saying I couldn't do that somewhere else but for me it's a positive about London parenting that dd's friends, and loads of amenities are close by, and we can travel to zone 1 whenever we fancy

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