To want to move back to london with a baby

[sandrunner]

I miss london. Moved out a year ago to a commuter small town because we had a baby and wanted to afford some space and garden. But I really miss london. I go back to work soon so will be there a bit but is that the same? Maybe it will help.
I'm just a bit bored out here. I go to groups and do love the countryside (nt card has been used a lot) and that has def helped but I just find where we live a bit soulless and depressing :( I miss where I live and the buzz and I think there is tons to do in london with a baby.
What's it like living in london with a baby? Am I mad to even consider it? DH I don't think would go for it so not sure y I'm even posting this or thinking about it! What about when they are older? Those who have chosen to stay whats it like? How do you manage for space? Where do u live in london? Those who moved out any regrets? And if so did they fade? Maybe where we have chosen is just not quite right.

I did the opposite, Dh and I were living in both a south coast town and staying in London on weekdays for work and when we had our first child almost 3 years ago decided to stick in London and buy a house. We always thought we would miss the coast and go back pretty soon ish but now we are not so sure. It's great living in London with children! South east London here - it feels like the countryside sometimes with all the green space around blackheath and Greenwich just a short walk away. You'd get a nice Victorian terrace with reasonable garden near some outstanding primaries here for 600k. It's perfect for children and adults. Secondaries I think are harder - ie not quite on the door step but a short bus ride away - but they are in a lot of places. We can be in town at the drop of a hat and have world class museums, restaurants, the river...on our doorstep. Of course it's a big decision to make but people move abroad with children (like my parents did with us when we were school) and manage perfectly well. Good luck with deciding/persuading Dh!

Just another voice to add about secondary schools in London - people who talk about how shit they are, are about 10 years out of date. The 'Teach First' initiative has made a huge difference to London schools. In my fairly immediate area, there are at least 5 secondary schools that have gone from Special Measures to Outstanding over 5-6 years.
My Dsis has just started teacher training in Wales and they're constantly looking at why things have improved so dramatically in London and how other areas can learn from that.
I hope it works out for you

He's happy out here. He just thinks of the noise and busyness and lack of parking and space. I suspect that would annoy me too but not enough not to want to go back. He says I am analysing too much. Just need to stick with what we've done.

Yes I am also a bit worried that we've just made a huge leap. Leaping back quickly might not be a great idea either. Thanks to the sound advice on here I think I'm going to go back to work then see how that pans out over next few months then if still feel same suggest we try renting. But in meantime really try hard to make it work here. Then I'll know I've tried.

In my life I also listen to my head. I've made enough decisions doing this to now that really I should have listened to my heart. We went to look at some flats in London. They weren't great to have with a baby but did get me more excited than the ones we have looked at outside of London.

Why is parking such a big problem? If you were back in london wouldn't you be walking to local places and bus/ tube/overground further afield?

I've barley touched my car since I've been in london.

I would definitely go back. I don't understand the logic of moving out of a city at the very time in your life when you need urban resources - millions of choices of baby groups, nurseries, schools and all the other things you might need or want.

I know that lots of people disagree, but for me, an urban lifestyle would be vital with small children. I've been a bit gloomy in the small city we live in - I would have been happier back in Dublin where there was more going on, or London would have been brilliant.

We moved out of London (although an altogether more drastic move of 500 miles) two years ago and I also hanker after parts of our London lifestyle. Friends on the doorstep, restaurants on the doorstep , 25 mins to Oxford St etc are all things I miss, but at the same time I know that now we have kids it wouldn't be the same as before, friends have moved out, need babysitter etc so I think I'm still mourning my pre-baby London life rather than the life I would have if we were still there.

Where we are now, I have fewer friends, but it's max an hour's walk to anywhere in the city. I live a 15min commute from work as does my OH and we live in a much bigger house than we could afford in London plus we can go and visit anytime we want. Private schools are affordable and the state schools are good too.

It's always hard moving somewhere new and it can take a while to feel settled and make good friends again.

We live in Zone 2 SE and have been considering moving out of London for literally years now, but we are still here.
We have a 2 year old and another baby on the way and space is really tight (2 bedroom flat), but on the other hand everything is close by and there really are lots of things to do with a baby. I had really nice long walks along Thames with my DS and now when we were considering the move again I realised how much I would miss doing the same with the new baby.
So we have decided to stay put for another 2 years, until we really can't fit into our flat anymore (probably.. although we keep looking at houses out of London and imagining having all that space that we could be able to afford there).

I've barley touched my car since I've been in london.

same for us. we used it so infrequently we sold it.

London is great with a baby- or kids. Its massively green, has ample suburbs and great stuff to do with kids- you know that though

The issue is to talk with your DP about this - and really get everything out on a table. 700K is ample, I live in zone for in a 2bed that costs 320K