Aibu to consider not relocating?

[UniqueShaker]

We've been looking for a house for a while now, to relocate to my aunt. She lives in a semi-rural location. We are wanting the kids to spend more time with her hence the decision to move. We're quite isolated family wise in the city (where we grew up) due to the family here not spending much time with us. Aunt we are moving to wants to spend lots of time with the kids but doesn't want to live in a city again (she relocated a while back). So we agreed to move there to be closer to her.

We've searched for a house for months, spent a lot of time there and I'm starting to convince myself it's not the right move. We've not seen many houses we love. House prices are higher there. Whenever we do anything at home with ease, cinema, bowling, mini golf, soft play, shopping centres etc I'm starting to look at those things in a different light. Like how much I appreciate the convenience of it all and I'm getting worried about not having all of this on our doorstep. I'd love to live semi rural myself but I'm worrying it's not the right thing to do with the kids.

There are bus links and towns nearby. But nothing like we are used to. I just don't know if my heart is in it. We know we need that more hands on family support that she can offer. But I don't know if I have romanticised it up until now. Because realistically if it wasn't for her we wouldn't consider moving to that area at all. It does cross my mind if anything happens to her then we're there alone too.

We have started looking at houses for sale in our area. Yes the area is more built up and not as pretty but still very much a nice area, with better sized houses and everything we are used to. I'm just not sure what to do.

What are your experiences of semi rural living with children? Do you regret it? My kids love greenery and mud and horse riding etc. but they get bored. Very easily. And it's not like we don't spend time around greenery already, we just drive out of the city...

Thanks

is it an option to rent for a while to see if its the right thing for you?

\Why do you want your kids to spend loads of time with your aunt? Do you think that realistically that will happen? How old are your kids/aunt - your kids will eventually get to an age when they don't want to hang around with their great-aunt they will want to hang out with their mates.

My aunt was like a mum to me and created so many fantastic childhood memories that I think of fondly all the time. Both myself and my partner don't have siblings/cousins etc and his mum lives abroad and my mum isn't able to do as much physically as she would like. So technically my aunt is basically like grandma role for my kids. I'm obviously not wanting her to spend all of her time with the kids, but it would be nice to sometimes call in after school and have tea together, the things both me and my partner had with our families when we grew up. And the things we don't have where we currently live.

My kids are still very young so it's realistic that they would get a lot of time with her. I get as they get older it would get less but at least the memories will all be there made over the years.

It's just I'm trying to work out if in the long run if it's beneficial for the kids. Trying to weigh up whether the move is worth it for them because it is a huge change in lifestyle.

We've considered it when our house sells. I worry that if we hated it the kids would move from school to school. But I get it's much easier to move back if we needed to than buying and having to sell again.

It sounds a bit mad to move for one person but nothing else. It would be different if there were lots of things pulling you to the move and her being close was one of them. Could you spend more weekends/holidays together? That kind of thing..

Seems like a mad idea to me. What age is aunt and kids? Just because you had a lot of nice childhood memories with aunt does not mean kids will. Go on holiday together if you want that.

If you could afford it possibly work term time and spend holidays with aunt

It might be fine now, but your DC will hate it when they’re teenagers and you’ll spend your whole time acting as a taxi service….What are the schools like? That would be a very important consideration for me.