To ask you what the area you live in is actually like?

[Lilypad789]

I have young children (8,9) I do not allow them to play out with friends yet as this would usually entail crossing a busy road. So I walk them to the park, sometimes arranging to meet a school friend etc. I sometimes stay and scroll my phone for a bit and watch from a distance while they play or occasionally I will do a small 10 minute walk and circle back round before watching them for a while.

Even if I (and more adults sometimes) are sat watching our kids most of the other kids are awful and it’s so depressing. Swearing snd screaming and just being absolutely stupid. I dread to think what they’re like if there's no adults there to be honest. I don’t want mine around it anymore (not naive, 100% know they would join in a bit but my youngest has moved away from them before because she doesn’t like it and they’re her school friends!) and I’m considering moving house. We do live in an underprivileged area but to be honest in the villages and towns around us I can’t imagine it being any different.

What is it like where you live? Other countries / counties.

At this point I’m considering the Highlands!

Every day my children witness other children openly disrespect the teachers and try to abscond from school. How long can I keep my children from doing this when it’s their friends that are doing it?!

I don’t think it’s okay, I’m sorry that you do. Perhaps that’s part of the problem? It’s not nice to hear and it’s mindless. We’re not taking the odd swear word by the way, it’s littering, graffiti, vile words, constant shouting and screaming and being horrible to one another even though they’re supposedly friends. I grew up on a council estate, I am not a prude but I don’t think this is okay and I don’t see it as letting off steam.

I live in a village in the home counties. London commuter belt. Housing is very expensive so deprivation is rare. There's a reasonable sized south Asian population but its otherwise not very diverse.

It feels very safe. Crime seems to be limited to car theft which comes in waves, usually targeting the range rovers.

There's an area of housing built in the 70s with lots of greens and safe footpaths, lots of cul de sacs and only really one vaguely busy road. Junior school aged kids are typically allowed to knock for other kids in the surrounding roads or walk to the corner shop for sweets - the main road is a dividing line none if them are generally allowed to cross.

Its a strong community, you recognise most people & adults will generally watch out for kids, a kid behaving badly out and about is likely to be reported back to parents.

Forgot we have the pub and sports club! And a lovely primary school and pre school/school wrap around care.

Little Cheshire village not far from the Manchester border. Quiet, safe, no issue with kids. Not the worst public transport to get to Manchester for more variety.

I think for safe you need a village and better behaved kids you need an area where the parents are involved, it usually shows in school results.

Thank you so much everyone! Especially those that gave village names. Lots to consider, I am genuinely ready for a change.

It`s a bit like the name thread now said person wants to know where we live.

Suburban area with lots of families and older people. I was cutting back a bush outside when two teen boys on bikes whizzed round the corner towards me, and promptly slowed down and said "sorry".

Small Yorkshire city that is known for being a nice place to live, and has the house prices to match the reputation. There are some areas of deprivation, and hoodie-wearing e-bike riding teens, but not that many. Crime is low and I usually feel safe here.

I suppose I live in a bit of a middle-class bubble in terms of schools, friends, colleagues etc, but most people would say it’s a lovely place to live. Schools are generally good even in the ‘rougher’ areas (which are not that rough compared to bigger cities), and in the area where I live, most parents are invested in and support their child’s education, meaning good behaviour in schools is the norm.

Central Scotland, small town. Kids walked to school solo since about age 8/9, safe to wander round day or night, minimal crime. Good transport with buses, train station and main roads. Reasonable local shops, great shopping in city 4 miles away, good local independent cinema/theatre. Great schools both secondary and primary, great early years provision. Amazing quality of greenspace from the door, even better if you drive 10-30 mins into national park.
It's a popular and relatively expensive place to live - but if it was south of the border it would be twice the price.

Village in South Bucks. It's very safe, and very friendly with a fabulous community and loads of events. There are masses of enormous playgrounds with separate areas for big and little (and grownups who fancy a go on the zipline when nobody's looking!), plus loads of clubs and activities. There's a huge focus on education and extracurriculars, and as it's an AONB it's very outdoorsy, so children spend a lot of time outside. But it's only 30 minutes from Marylebone, and there are some really nice market towns nearby with a quite absurd number of coffee shops, salons, boutiques etc. I absolutely love it here, and wouldn't live anywhere else.

In the southwest (Somerset), a mile up a single track lane, surrounded by nothing but fields, green living landscapes, birds, insects, animals, the sights, sounds and smells of agriculture, looking out onto the Quantock Hills, not a sign of humanity, apart from a few farm buildings and a view of the church spire in the village a mile away. No traffic apart from farm vehicles, no light pollution at night - beautiful views of the night sky - and my soul sings and my heart lifts every single time I turn off the main road onto the lane leading to my cottage, which then wraps its arms around me, hugs me and makes me feel welcome every time I walk through the door! Quiet, safe and as far away as I can get from suburbia, urbanisation, traffic, noise, pollution and 'busyness'

I don’t know what thread you’re referring to but you’re more than welcome to scroll on and not give away any details you’re uncomfortable with.

South Ribble District in Lancashire was rated as the best place to grow up in
There’s a mixture of towns and villages - we live in one of the villages - I hope to never have to move elsewhere

My OH is from Scotland (doesn’t have memories). If you didn’t mind would you give me an idea of some of these sort of area names? Understand if you don’t want to.

Amazes me that posters are willing to give that info!

Hampshire semi rural here - coast, south downs and new forest nearby and play parks skate parks tennis club gym in walking distance. Schools are ok. Rough areas in the cities but apart from that it's just very nice

❤️

I can see why you are unhappy.

I can’t even imagine encountering that where I live. I know teenagers swear, and I do myself. Don’t even worry if it’s in front of my older (18,16 yr old teens).

But kids that age…Also it’s how you swear - if I drop a baked bean tin on my toe and say FFS, I would think normal. But not swearing at people or being aggressive.

Anyway, Worcester is nice . Decent sized city so not a commuter town and local jobs. Easy access to Birmingham (which I don’t like) for jobs also Gloucester.

It’s totally middle of the road - not too posh or too run down, not to rich or deprived, small city but very rural nearby. Decent schools, but not outstanding.

It's actually really nice to hear all the regional pride coming out! Maybe the UK isn't so bad afterall

Yorkshire coast seaside…. Sadly getting rougher and rougher by the day.

Id have thought it's because people name change aftwr a couple of threads! If you aren't name changing regularly of course you wouldn't post surely

Lovely commuter town in the south east with lots of surrounding countryside. I've never seen anything like you describe. I've never heard a child, or in fact a teen, swear when out and about that I can recall. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure teens here swear, but they're not hanging around on street corners effing and blinding.

It's the sort of place where the public realm is lovely because people volunteer to plant flowers, pick up litter and to make it a lovely place to live. The council puts on really good free entertainment for kids in the holidays. We are very lucky.

You would hope so!

Central belt of Scotland, quite near Edinburgh. It’s mostly good, lots of countryside, amenities and good transport links. The schools are ok but with a fair bit of low level disorder. There have been some recent issues with anti social behaviour in the town centre, but still wouldn’t have an issue with DD (12) walking to meet her friends etc.
I would like to live slightly further south in East Lothian as there is probably more cultural life there, but we would be further away from Edinburgh.