about the size of my house?

[secretofcrickleyhall]

I own (outright, no mortgage) a three bedroomed terraced house. It's not a large home but it is a lovely one. There is a small garden, beautiful views and it's in a really nice location near parks and our little town centre - just perfect. However, my dad claims it's too small to be a 'family home

I wondered what sort of homes you all lived in ... ?

[AgentZigzag]

Actually, even if ERNIE decided to pick the bonds in my favour I still wouldn't get a bigger house, I think the space would freak me out

[AgentZigzag]

'Thanks, I am going to be having the child in slightly non-conventional circumstances, so I suppose I am just a little sensitive to anything that could mark them as 'different.''

Potentially the largest drip feed changing the direction of the thread in the history of MN

[wild]

well I am a single parent if that helps, is definitely a stand out round here
another single parent in the village has a large but rambling farmhouse, still decorated like the 70s and throws the best parties ever
when dc were very little I remember a 3 year old saying 'our house is bigger than yours' so yes it does register, but no one nice gives a shit

[wild]

yes, you have to elaborate op, what are they, half zebra?

[Trills]

YABU

You ARE being unreeasonable.

You know that your Dad's opinions are based on assumptions that no longer apply.

Worrying about the size of your house, when you have 3 bedrooms, should not kick in until you are considering the third child (an even then it's not necessarily a problem, as others have said).

[secretofcrickleyhall]

Definitely not half zebra! Just having child as single mum!

[Trills]

Then there's even more room per person!

[quesadilla]

It's a generational thing. My dad thought I was "slumming" when I bought a two bed flat in the suburbs for two hundred grand. He genuinely thought I could afford a four bed in Holland Park or something. They don't get how much harder it is these days. Smile sweetly and ignore: you are in a much better place than most people, good luck to you.

[secretofcrickleyhall]

Trills - absolutely!

quesadilla, yes, I know just what you mean!

[VerySmallSqueak]

To move to somewhere bigger would presumably mean not being mortgage free.
You have plenty of room for your family,a fantastic location by the sounds,and you owe nothing.
What's not to love about all of that!

[Trills]

How is it a generational thing if she grew up in a 3 bed house?

[TheBuskersDog]

Are you intending to send your child to a private school where lots of the children are likely to be from wealthy families who live in large houses?

[wild]

oh, is that all?
I've been on my own since dd was 6 months, I love it! embrace your lovely house and stop worrying!

[thezebrawearspurple]

Four bed detached, big garden, front view the neighbours, close to town. We've turned two of the bedrooms into a gym and games room because we were so sick of guests

I think if a house is comfortable, cosy, in a good area and fits everyone in, then it doesn't matter what size it is, bigger isn't always better.

[wild]

a tip - when I was a new lone parent at the school gates I assumed people would be judging me and probably came across as quite stand offish because of it. Lose the shame, it went out with the 70s. Even the Pope approves of us!

[secretofcrickleyhall]

Trills, my house was a 3 bed but it was a large detached one with a lot of land and stables and outhouses - bit different to the one I have now

Buskers, no, wouldn't be able to afford private school! Like I say, I am just a little sensitive to my DC being marked as 'different' in any way, daft I know but if you can't be a bit daft about irrational DC worries on Mumsnet, where can you, hey? :)

[quesadilla]

Just because people of older generations were able to afford much more on the equivalent of today's salaries and expect their kids to do better than them and therefore have a hard time adjusting to the huge acceleration in property prices over 40 years or so.

[AgentZigzag]

Is being a single parent unconventional now?

[wild]

I downsized, too. Now it's all my own! couldn't be happier

[Pigsmummy]

Badgers pay far too much road tax

[secretofcrickleyhall]

Agent - no, but I actually am choosing to be a single parent, you see, I am having IVF with donor sperm.

Mrs - haha! I always wonder that about when expectant parents buy huge people carriers - are they having quads or something?

[VerySmallSqueak]

Circumstances dictated that I downsized from a 3 bed to a 2 bed,once we had our family.
But its a 2 bed in much better nick than the big poorly maintained 3 bed.
And we can keep warmer.

[AgentZigzag]

I wonder how many of the people complaining they can't get onto the property ladder think like that MrsD?

Someone on the telly was saying they had £30000 saved up for a deposit but couldn't find anything to buy

You mean you couldn't find anything that didn't need a bit of work doing on it?

Although because we're oop northish I'm always surprised how much houses got for down south, maybe I'm being unrealistic.

[treaclesoda]

MrsDV that reminds me of an episode of Location Location Location (or one of those Phil and Kirstie programmes) that was on a few years ago and the couple were expecting their first baby and 'needed more space', and they ended up buying this nine bedroom mansion of a thing. I mean, fair enough, if you have the money you can buy whatever size of house you want, but they were so serious about needing this space, as if it was unthinkable that they could possibly bring a baby into a home where there wasn't at least 5000 square feet of space, because it would just be too cramped.