To think I should move to countryside for children

[greywoollyjumper]

Pregnant with 2nd child and constantly thinking we should move to the countryside for better quality of life for children. Currently live in suburb of big city next to a busy road and worried about air pollution, crime etc. Not sure if I have a totally romanticised view of countryside living though - is it really as friendly, healthy and wholesome as I picture in my daydreams?? Anyone moved to countryside for their kids and regretted it / loved it?

We moved to the countryside (Cotswolds) from the outskirts of a big city and haven't looked back. We are pretty rural, but our little town has great transport links via its own train station, and close proximity to a main motorway which will get us into the big city in under half an hour. I can see myself being a chauffeur to my kids for the next 15 years, but I'm okay with that, as already the huge improved quality of life for us all is worth it. Dd5 said the other morning on the walk to school "it's so beautiful to live here" as she gazed around, and she's right. Gives you a real feel good feeling to step out of your house into the vast rolling countryside. You get used to the mud. Everyone is in wellies all day everyday here. Everyone is so so friendly. We've only been here 2 years, and have met so many amazing life long friends. There's a huge sense of community, helping one another out, and looking out for one another. Something we just didn't have before. Everyone seems to really want to pull together to make our town even better, people are proud of where they live. The air is clean. Yes we don't have a bowling alley 5 mins up the road, but I'm prepared to drive the extra 20 mins to give my kids this fresh air and carefree childhood I know wouldn't be possible in the city. I'd suggest trying to find a rural "commuter town" as the transport links probably help with us not feeling isolated. Also search for somewhere with its own amenities. We have a leisure centre, swimming pool, library, lots of cafes, pubs and shops, skate park, small cinema 5 mins away in the next village, lots of clubs, watersports etc. I thought the novelty of country living might have worn off by now, but we're still absolutely in love with the place. Choose your rural location carefully and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

We moved from London to a village when I was a teenager .Bit of a culture shock! Live in a leafy "burb " now. Just right for shops.entertainment and so on .Would think carefully about such a drastic change TBH. Unless you love driving and dont mind a trip to simply everywhere (shops, libraries , swimming pool) ! Then best to stay within civilisation !

I did this. Moved my kids to the countryside when they were four and six. We had acreage, a little spinney, ponies, everything.

They hated it. I’ll never forget the time I merrily skipped down to the spinney with them, lifted them over the fence and expected them to whoop with joy, and run off to make dens, climb trees, etc.

They merely stood looking up at me with utter bafflement on their little faces

We stuck it out for eleven years. Not sure why. In a market town now, equidistant between beautiful woods and a de

Sorry, pressed post too soon.

Equidistant between beautiful woods and a decent flat white.

Just moved recently I love it but am constantly having to drive kids to clubs. Other than that much better quality of life

Move to a town, a smaller city, or a better suburb?

I'm another who grew up in the countryside and left as soon as I could. It was fine until the teen years, then extremely boring. Most people in my age range drank often, did harder drugs than cannabis (knew of one too many drug related deaths) and there was definitely an 'above average' amount of young pregnancy.

There was also a strong mentality of 'settling down young', women were not expected to go to university and certainly not get a 'heavy going job' after. Something nice, part time that works around the kids/looking after your husband (if he comes home from the pub and not off his face on cocaine). This wasn't eons ago either - I'm barely in my 30s. It was proper BBC League of Gentlemen stuff.

I grew up in a semi-rural location. It was on a main road and there were buses, but I spent the vast majority of my time out in the countryside and didn't enjoy going into town. There were other kids around and there was loads to do.

Thanks for all the responses. Lots of food for thought. I think I'm leaning towards being in a large village or in the outskirts of small town, as that definitely sounds like the best of both worlds and would be less of a shock to the system. My husband loves his job (we're in Manchester) and would prefer not to change it, so just need to find said village / town within commuting distance of there... 🤔 If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!

Not all teenagers find the countryside boring - I grew up in a rural area but my hobby (and later, job) was riding, so it suited me. I got my driving licence at 16 (for a moped) and was driving a car at 17.
OP, whatever area you chose, do study the public transport situation, because in many rural areas it is dire. I love where we live (rural and agricultural), but if we were reliant on buses we'd never go anywhere. There is one bus a week to the nearest town! You may well have to factor in the cost of running two cars.

I grew up in a small Devon village . It was great when I was at primary school . When I went to secondary school it became harder. My parents had to drive me everywhere ( unfortunately for me they preferred my brothers activities, so I had to rely on the very limited buses). It got even worse when I went to college and I had to rely on neighbours for lifts as the buses didn’t run for the times I needed to be at college ( only 10 miles!!) . Yes it’s pretty but I would never live there. I moved out at 18.
They have increased buses now to the village , still no Sunday services but there’s a Saturday afternoon bus now. The last bus from the nearest town 4 miles away , left the town at 5:15pm!!!

I grew up in the countryside as a teenager.

I liked it mainly, but you need to be prepared to be a taxi driver until your children can drive. Its actually the reason I wouldnt move into too much of a rural location with children.

We're in a small city, easy walk to open spaces. Best of both worlds.

I assume you can drive OP and every adult can afford a car?

I'd look for a village with a train station to Manchester if I were you OP, do they exist?

Also think of part time jobs that your children might want. You’ll have to be a taxi driver for that also !!!!

Make sure you pick somewhere with good transport links and you'll be fine. Look for a village on the railway so your kids will be able to make it into town as teenagers.

I do drive, as does DH, so that's not a problem, although not sure I'd always want to be taxi service so will focus on places with train stations 👍🏼

We live in a small town (really a village)in North Devon. It has a good primary and secondary school, a doctor's surgery, a dentist and a few local shops. I am originally from London and whilst I do find it a bit socially limiting it has been an amazing place for my children to grow up. There is very little crime and the children tend to be pretty kind and considerate. I work from home but my partner has a long commute. The thought of moving my children to a city and having to deal with the stuff I dealt with in my teens terrifies me and I can never see it happening.

hmm, depends where in the countryside.
We lived in a village, with nothing and we had to get in the car for EVERYTHING.
Not only that but the road than ra the centre of the village actually was quite fast, meaning it wasn't safe for the kids.

We then moved to a large town. We livein quite cul de sac, large back garden, school playing field behind. We have a dog and I can walk 5-10 kms in 4 different directions on cylce paths/footpaths /fields and then a nature reserve. The difference though is that borwnies and scouts was at the end of the road, and there are buses into town.
Now they are teens they can bus to town to meet friends, go to cinema etc.

I would think very carefully about WHERE in the countryside, and how much you are prepared to do.

Oh and drug use amongst village teens is surprisingly high (nothing else to do)

Sounds like you should move but not sure about the 'countryside'. Dont isolate your kids from a social life when they are older.
You'll spend half your life driving...
What about a village or on edge of town away from main roads with a pretty view?

I was raised in London and I'm raising my child in London. These are the reasons why.

There's so much opportunity in london. When I was 16 I was easily able to find part time work. When I decided to leave my school aged 16, I had a huge choice of 6th form colleges, which I could reach by public transport. I had a hobby which I reached a high standard with. I was able to get to the specialist tuition etc for this within London, and again by public transport.

I have a 5 year old. We use the opportunities of London a lot. We took her to the natural history museum a few weeks ago, and a ballet performance for children. This weekend we're going to an orchestra concert for children. There's always something within easy reach. We've got plenty of green space around, and we're out in green space every weekend.

When she's older, if she decides to go to university, she could choose to live at home yet still have many universities to choose from.

As my user name suggests, we've moved around a fair bit. And my honest experience is there is no perfect place to live,. There is always compromise.

I grew up in London Suburbs. The transport was brilliant, there was a lot to do etc. It was during the IRA era, so there was fear, but people seemed to go out of their way not to let it impact on them. But, and I didn't realise until I moved away, was the lack of oxygen. I had a constant cough for years- tested for asthma but it wasn't that.

Moved at 18 to a Yorkshire city for University (actually turned down Imperial College as I couldn't afford to live there as a student, and didn't want the commute). Loved being able to walk everywhere. Did a year at Nottingham as well. Both struck me as a good balance for children/teenagers.

Then we moved to a small town in Germany. Pleasant enough, but not much for children- but it did have a lovely open air pool.

Then a tiny village in Yorkshire. Picturesque. Stuck without a car, three buses a day Monday- Saturday.

Bigger Yorkshire village. Not bad with young children, a few playgroups , leisure centre etc. Reasonable bus service for teenagers into a bigger town.

Lovely Mediterranean village. It was idyllic for primary age children. Great community. Half hour to beach. Own pool in garden. But for teenagers- they grew up naive. They had no real world experience. Year groups of 30 in a Secondary school do not work. Also it became claustrophobic after a while. The kids did their Rainbows with exactly the same kids as School, which were also in their swim class, and the Youth club, and the dance lessons...

German town/small city. Nice enough, but I didn't like it that much

Now.. Lincolnshire, just outside a big town. Its great. Massive range of activities for the kids. Walkable into town in 30 mins for an adult (hill makes it a struggle for small children, and not suitable for bikes/scooters for children). Cinema, shops, swimming pool, cafes etc. 45 minutes to nearest city. Only downside bis having to drive the kids 2 miles to school as we couldn't get a place closer.

We moved to the countryside to have DS and it's great. So good for all of our mental health. It is half an hour from a big city on the train, so close enough to go to museums and galleries and experience important cultural experiences. Never regretted it