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Original poster

What do you love about bringing kids up in London?

76 replies

plantsitter · 11/06/2008 10:46

I'm pregnant (yay!) and debating whether or not to stay in London. I'm pretty clear on reasons to leave London but there must be plenty of good things about being a little kid here... what are your favourite things?

OP posts:
Bink · 11/06/2008 12:41

Re white areas ... obviously someone lives in a completely white area can be every bit as cosmopolitan as someone who lives in a multicultural area ... but somehow if multiculture is what you live & breathe daily it seems (for my children anyway - this can only be personal) to make it that bit more easy & natural.

So, you know, they just automatically see themselves as one day being able to speak lots of languages.

(It's a bit like the absorbed aspirations thing people were considering on the private school thread.)

bratnav · 11/06/2008 12:42

Kew, am I missing something? Looked at your pics and you and DS look perfectly normal to me, (and I live in Taunton )

Mercy · 11/06/2008 12:44

Free public transport for children is a massive bonus tbh, that combined with free entry to so many museums etc makes a day out worth the hassle.

Kewcumber · 11/06/2008 12:46

maybe its not obvious in the photos but he is quite dark skinned eurasian and I am lily-white European! People do stare when I go back to Wales.

Kewcumber · 11/06/2008 12:48

well he's dark skinned after 5 minutes of sun anyway , much paler in winter.

thebecster · 11/06/2008 12:50

I'm loving bringing up DS in London, but I think we'll need to move further out when he's a bit older - schools and housing being the main problem (ie schools oversubscribed in our area, housing unaffordable on our income). But it's great for a baby & toddler. I love that we only drive our car every 3 weeks or so (to visit parents in the country, they live miles from nearest railway station). Good for the climate, and good for DS getting used to walking and catching buses etc. which will help his autonomy later on. Also we have lots of choice about what to do each day with DS - for instance we have four brilliant children's libraries, ten good playgrounds, and a half dozen or so large parks within easy walking distance, and it's nice to be able to go somewhere different every day. I know we will have to move a bit further out at some point and I'm dreading it. It won't be 'the country' as DH needs to work in London, so it will be the 'burbs. The middle-class commuter belt, doing the station run every day, without the benefits of actually being rural but too far out to get the benefits of living in London. Dammit. We'll hang on in our tiny flat for as long as we can...

bratnav · 11/06/2008 12:51

Oh ok, I see what you mean now you have pointed it out

blueshoes · 11/06/2008 12:54

kew, your ds is gorgeous! I am keeping tabs on him - he will grow up to be a heartbreaker.

I understand what you mean about no one batting an eyelid in London.

The biggest reason why we are still in London is for the diversity and the buzz. It is a paradoxical combination of people not giving a shit and the accompanying anonymity versus how strangers can be surprisingly helpful when you need it.

blueshoes · 11/06/2008 12:58

thebecstar, you are right to hang on to your flat for as long ... home counties can be dire, middleclass hell. Although I understand what you mean about schools and housing. Which is why we investigated home counties commuter belt to begin with.

Original poster
plantsitter · 11/06/2008 13:12

Is it true that London is a different place during the day? Friends say people are much nicer, friendlier and more tolerant during work hours, especially if you have kids with you.

OP posts:
Miyazaki · 11/06/2008 13:15

Yep, I was astonished when I had my first. And there are more old people too!

WenchConnection · 11/06/2008 13:18

The thing is parts of london are almost villages in their own right, so you get to know people nearby, yet that goes alongside the sense of anonimity which I personally love.

People are often very friendly, there are some that aren't but that happens everywhere.

Bink · 11/06/2008 13:32

Different times of day - definitely. Early morning London is a delight, even among the commuters, if you're careful not to block their path.

I really never see late-night rowdy London now - sleep was a priority for a good few years and now we're past that stage we're into the next one of making the most of London's cultural things - inc. children, sometimes. (Ds, aged 9, has his eye on a Lego Indiana Jones PC game, which he plans to stipulate as price of being super-good at the next piano recital we go to.)

bozza · 11/06/2008 13:38

kew I followed your blog when you were first adopting DS but I haven't seen any recent pictures. He has really filled out into a gorgeous toddler from the little scrap in the orphanage.

margoandjerry · 11/06/2008 13:40

kew that picture of you with your son at a front door is an absolute heartbreaker

Kewcumber · 11/06/2008 13:50

he was such a tiny wee little thing and so behind and now he's such a boy! He's an amazing character - does everything at full speed and with eitehr a big smile or thounderous frown - he doesn't seem to do grey onkly blck or white. I'm so lucky. I think it regularly. A friend is at his orphanage at the moment hopefully delivering photos - I don't know if they will remember us but I think of them often and what a good job they did with him in the circumstances.

I must update blog - can't beleive its just about to hit 100,000 visits!

Kewcumber · 11/06/2008 14:00

margo go take a look here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1368/546557?rnd=1213189182848

bozza · 11/06/2008 15:16

Oh that is lovely kew. He must make you so happy.

SixSpotBurnet · 11/06/2008 15:29

There is just so much to do in London with kids - locally as well as in the centre of London.

And that includes lots of green/ecology/natural life type pursuits (spoken as mother of DS1 who channels David Attenborough ).

Original poster
plantsitter · 11/06/2008 16:35

All this London love is really making me glad to be here! Thanks!

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 12/06/2008 20:11

Me too, plantsitter!

I'm from up north and friends often try to persuade us to move back up there - at one point we did quite seriously consider it and made a list of all the pro's and con's of both.
London won, hands down! But I LOVE going to see my friends up north too!

FWIW, I think that London schools (well, primary, anyway) are vibrant, up-to-date, and generally well-experienced in dealing with all kinds of kids. Lots of people move out of the smoke to get the DC into a "better" school, but we are very happy with what we have here! So DON'T PANIC is what I'm saying!

SixSpotBurnet · 12/06/2008 20:15

The DSs go to a big inner-city state primary school and we are also very happy with it .

I went to DS1's sports day today and there was a really good vibe. And it was really competitive!

SixSpotBurnet · 12/06/2008 20:16

The DSs go to a big inner-city state primary school and we are also very happy with it .

I went to DS1's sports day today and there was a really good vibe. And it was really competitive!

SixSpotBurnet · 12/06/2008 20:16

But not that competitive .

luckywinner · 12/06/2008 20:38

I am originally from the west and am now beginning to love living in London, despite missing my family incredibly in those first few pfb months. so my advice would be to try and make as many baby friends before if you are far away from your family. but i love living in london now and my ds is going to state primary school in jan. i think we also might find it different when it comes to secondary school and also if i have another one as we live in a small flat, but love it.