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Original poster

Hicksville > London ... right or wrong?

465 replies

spacemonkey · 27/04/2004 17:36

Rather than hijack the other thread, I'll start one of my own.

I'm thinking about moving to London from the provincial town where I now live. My children are nearly 13 (dd) and 10 (ds), so if we moved in the summer ds would start Year 6 at a new primary school and dd would start Year 9 at a new secondary school. They'll both be going to state schools.

I don't like the idea of uprooting them, BUT there are lots of good reasons for the move, for them as well as me.

We're looking at moving into Camden LEA, and I am told the schools are very good. I also think as the children get older there will be many more opportunities for them educationally and socially in London. My sister and brother both live in north London and I would dearly love to be nearer to them, and so would the kids. Plus my mum wants to move in with us on a trial basis - she is very close to the children and more importantly is very good for them, and would be my general factotum in terms of childcare.

And of course the work opportunities for me would be stratospherically better than they are where I now am.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has made a big move with kids at a similar age, and what impact it had on them. Of course a lot comes down to personality, and I know it would be hard for them to adjust at first, but any advice or experience would be most welcome.

Thanks!

OP posts:
hercules · 04/06/2004 23:46

omg. Dh and I are trying to work out if we can ever afford a 3 bed place in london and i dont think it can ever happen. You are very lucky!!!!!

Original poster
spacemonkey · 04/06/2004 23:46

yes it is a council house! unbe-bloody-lievable

OP posts:
Original poster
spacemonkey · 04/06/2004 23:49

the disparity between the cost of private and public renting is incredible, especially in london

if i told you what the rent was you would faint

it makes me feel guilty to be honest, although i have always said if and when i can afford to buy a house, i will do so, but while i'm a skint single mum i'll live in a council house with no shame!

OP posts:
maomao · 04/06/2004 23:52

sm, the house looks REALLY lovely!

tweeny · 04/06/2004 23:53

we used to live round the corner from tony blair in islington just before he became PM - and your new house looks VERY similar to his! so don't worry about snob value - everyone (including me) will be drooling!

maomao · 04/06/2004 23:55

Maybe this is a strange question, but why did the previous tenants want to leave it?

marthamoo · 05/06/2004 00:03

Oooh sm, it looks gorgeous - I am exceedingly jealous. So when will you be ready for visitors eh?

suzywong · 05/06/2004 00:05

very very very nice indeed, well done

Janh · 05/06/2004 00:06

We will all be on your doorstep with suitcases the weekend after you move in !

ScummyMummy · 05/06/2004 00:07

fuck shame, hon. You deserve it as much as anyone and more, babe.

hercules · 05/06/2004 00:14

Will you be emailing or posting our invites to the housewarming?

Forget shame - we live in shared ownership on an estate and it doesnt bother us!

tigermoth · 05/06/2004 12:18

spacemonkey, really sorry, I don't know many details about your past, but just wanted to say your new house looks FAB. There are housing association houses in our street (large victorin bay windowed terraced) and they are very well maintained and ASFAIK sound inside. The familes who live there certainly don't want to move, or even buy somewhere else when they could probably just about afford to. The deal must be very good.

Your news made me think of Harmans situation at the moment. I hope her housing story has a happy ending too.

ScummyMummy · 05/06/2004 14:13

Oh dear- sorry about my unecessarily strong language last night. Hope it didn't offend anyone. Was tipsy and full of love for the world and got a bit carried away- (though I totally stand by my sentiment of feeling that spacey deserves every brick of that house as much as the next person and more).

Original poster
spacemonkey · 05/06/2004 14:33

awww scummymummy I don't see any offended people!

Thanks so much for your good wishes. I do feel very lucky. Five years ago I had to declare myself homeless and throw myself and the kids on the mercy of the council, who threatened us with hostels and B&B. In the end they put us in a grotty flat until a house became available for us. A year later we were offered a house, then two swaps later here we are!

I told the kids last night. Ds had a little cry, but seems OK about it today - I think finding out we will be within walking distance of Highbury might have helped

Dd has been coming round to the idea for a few weeks now, but we had a bit of a hoo-ha last night - I think it started to hit home that she will be leaving her friends.

As for me, I have major butterflies this morning. I really hope I'm doing the right thing!

OP posts:
marthamoo · 05/06/2004 14:37

(((hugs))) sm - you would be downright weird if you didn't have butterflies.

Original poster
spacemonkey · 05/06/2004 14:44

And for those that believe in fate ... my father (who I haven't seen since I was 4 and only made contact with a few weeks ago for the first time in 32 years) sent me a long email containing a lot of (previously unknown to me) detail about my paternal ancestors and ... my dad was born in Newington Green and brought up at Highbury Corner, my grandparents were married at St Paul's Church on St Paul's Road, and three generations of dad's family ran a shop on the Balls Pond Road. And the house is not 10 minutes walk from these places. Spooky or what?

OP posts:
Janh · 05/06/2004 15:07

It was meant to be, sm! And you do so deserve it.

dd would be stropping over something else if it wasn't this - at least this way it's a fairly valid strop so hopefully easier for you to take on the chin? Good luck with everything.

(The whole thing with your dad is amazing though...I didn't know about the contact - how is your mum about it?)

scummy, I thought you were in love with the world last night, how's your head?

maomao · 05/06/2004 16:22

That's pretty incredible that you're going to be within walking distance of your paternal roots!

Must go now, as dd is shrieking the house down. Will check back later. Glad that you told the children and that it went reasonably well. I'm sure that both of them will fluctuate between coming 'round and getting nervous/upset. Oooo really MUST go now

Chinchilla · 05/06/2004 18:02

When are you moving SM? Just read this thread, and I'm so happy for you. Sorry I haven't responded to your email yet...have been a bit negative lately, you know, full of doom and gloom. Anyway, the pills are kicking back in now, so I will respond asap!

Original poster
spacemonkey · 05/06/2004 18:19

the paperwork takes about 8 weeks to go through, so it'll be late august/early september i hope!

Sorry to hear you're feeling bad chinchilla

OP posts:
tigermoth · 05/06/2004 22:46

I'm a great believer in fate, spacemonkey, especially where dead relatives are concerned. So glad you want to take the house anyway - the news from your dad is a final reinforcement of the rightness of your decision.

JJ · 05/06/2004 22:49

Excellent news, sm.

Tinker · 05/06/2004 23:19

Oh, that house has got your name on it then sm. Hope this all works out, it looks gorgeous.

suzywong · 06/06/2004 00:39

We just drove past your new manner, madame. You local off license is a fine double fronted corner position called 'Ocean Wines'. It looks like it will keep you busy for many a cocktail on the terrace.
No sign of crack dealers or New Labourites (choose your poison) either

suzywong · 06/06/2004 00:39

manor, not manor, is what I meant to type.

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