To want to take two kids to london?

[moogoom]

I want to break up the school hols with a trip around london, kids never been and now they are both 9 i really want to take them. We live in a small town snd run out of much to do in the summer, since we are not going away at all i am looking at cheap days out. Only problem is my dh and mil all say its too dangerous and dont want me to go. They keep rattling on about it every moment. Am i crazy or has london really changed into syria?

what a fucking ridiculous statement.

Which should have alerted you that it was tongue in cheek.

Seriously? Syria?
I live in London, my DD (15) has been into central London 3 days in a row.

This is similar to schools and parents canceling trips to London after one of the attacks - do your DH and MIL not realise that some of us get the tube every day and life goes on.

Add to list London Eye, not cheap but amazing, or if you want to get a high up view and really good view of the Shard then pre book to go to Sky Garden , free but you must pre book and have id.

museum of London, not as showy but very interesting re history of London, ditto Docklands Museum include mandatory ride on TFL trains.

If things get stressy remember central London has great parks to chill out in Regents is lovely, as is St James, and Kensington.

Thanks lweji, it was a flippant reference to the view held by mil about visiting london. I am happy to go anywhere in this world, my original point was battling wishes of dh who doesnt want me taking kids as he deems it a dangerous place. Just for the record i dont believe london is like syria so wring your hands no more

There are MILLIONS of people living happily and safely in London on an everyday basis.

Come and see us, OP, we love visitors

Another one living here. So much for 9 year olds to do - you'll have a great time.

Guitargirl, sorry that read as a bit harsh, i mean dont stress over the meaning i wasnt meaning to offend londoners or Syrians with that comment

DS 7 and I are off to London next week. Just do it they will love it.

My brother lives in Canary wharf. I bypass the central attractions and head straight to docklands. There is so much to do there!
Docklands museum, Emirates cable car thingy, Maritime Greenwich. I take them on my own. They are 11 & 14 now but I took them alone at 6 & 8.
The cable car is VERY inexpensive. Docklands museum is free. There is a Wetherspoons next to the museum too which is a beautiful building and you can eat (albeit pub grub) without breaking the bank!

Something tells me Guitargirl can take harsh comments. At least she's good at giving them.

Definitely go to London Dungeon. That's probably the closest they'll be to London's gruesomness.

I not only live in London But also home educate, which basically means never being home and travelling all over London.

I've been to London twice this week and lived to tell the tale!

Seriously, go and take your children - they will have a great time.

London's great. My kids are born and bred Londoners and love it.

Something tells me Guitargirl can take harsh comments. At least she's good at giving them.

Eh? Have I missed something?

To the OP: I am a Londoner and was not offended at all by what you said. But I also work with Syrian refugees whose experiences are so far removed from the daily lives of most Londoners which may give some context as to why I was like wtf? Anyway, am sure your children will have a fab time in London. If you're planning on travelling a lot by public transport, I would advise choosing a day which is not too hot. Buses/the tube can be really uncomfortable in the summer.

To add a slightly serious point, ds is 12 no has been to London many, many times (and we live in Scorland, so not next door). After the last wave of attacks he wanted to go right away to show solidarity with 'his' London and spend all his birthday money. Take your kids, let them fall in love with one of the best cities in the world - it's one way to stop them being infected with Daily Mail.

Ah, good on him, Lonny

So OP you now need to tell us what your DC are interested in and we can give you loads of suggestions and transport tips.

Oh thanks - i reckon anything will impress them tbh. They like gaming, drawing and history - i didnt thonk theyd be interested in shopping but they want a bit of retail too

I took my DD to London today.
It was busy but felt absolutely normal.
We were late leaving home so the queue for the Natural History Museum was too long for us but the V&A over the road was wonderful as ever. We wandered round three of our favourite galleries, found some Turners and Constables to inspect, had a fab lunch and toddled off back home.
I do get that your family may be worried, I thought about the security situation once on the tube then never thought about it again until I read this thread! We've got to live our lives.

YANBU, it's just how people are outside London. A family member of mine bought be a padlock for my bloody bag when I went down there with a big group of friends

some of us have to live here you know! 😆 Take the usual precautions you'd take in any large city and you can't go far wrong. I've spent all my life travelling in and out the city and can honestly say I've never had a problem. No one I know has either for that matter. Enjoy!

London is an incredible trip with children, felt very safe at all times. London isn't known for being cheap though; but some stuff you can book in advance to save money and one of my favourite memories of London is we went to Covent Garden on Sunday morning and watched a street performer who was really really good, technically free but did give donation as children loved it. Bank of England was good too they have a little quiz to do.

I imagine it will be heaving in high demand areas over the holidays though, that might put me off a bit but don't live there so could be wrong about how busy it is.

You could start at Trafalgar Sq for the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Then down Whitehall stopping at Horseguards, the Cenotaph and Downing Street. Past the Foreign Office and back of the Treasury to Parliament Square. The Houses of Parliament tours are good and worth doing before the big refurbishment that might shut it for some time. You have Westminster Abbey nearby. If the weather is good you can picnic in St James's Park then through the park to Buckingham Palace. Walk up the Mall, through Admiralty Arch to Trafalgar Sq. From there you can head up Haymarket to Piccadilly Circus. Up Regents Street (via Hamleys, Apple Store etc) to Oxford St.

I think DH and MIL might be profoundly stupid.