Parenting in a flat/ house w/ garden?

[Lois345]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some advice. We recently moved to Edinburgh because of work. We are renting now, but looking to buy. My DS is 19 months and we are thinking of moving into a top floor flat. It is in Bruntsfield (for those of you who know the city), so really close to the Meadows and loads going on locally, but do I really want to confine an outdoors loving toddler to a flat? We were in rural England before, so I am also finding it difficult to imaging living in a flat without a garden, but Bruntsfield is lovely and really convenient for work and the flat is spacious and bright. Any thoughts or experiences? thank you!

I have had toddlers and I have lived in Edinburgh, but not at the same time so others with more experience may be along shortly with more advice. I think Bruntsfield would be a lovel place to l, the Meadows

Ugh pressed send too soon. Meadows lovely, Bruntsfield lovely. Living in a flat with a toddler had major advantages: everything on one level. But will you be using a pram or stroller? If so where will that be stored? How will you cope with big supermarket shops? Is delivery an option? Managing a toddler and the weekly shop would be a juggle!

There are ground floor flats with gardens in Edinburgh.

I can't comment on the area but I think that thinking of the amount of time I have used my garden with my little one I would say it's definitely worth getting a garden. We were and are outside a lot

I live in a flat that does actually come with a garden, but I live on the second floor so any trip to the garden involves packing a bag and taking down absolutely everything that we might need. It's a right faff and similar to if we had no garden and had to walk to the park. I hate not being able to open the back door and let my toddler play in the garden while I get on with stuff and we are looking to move into a house when we get the opportunity. It's not the end of the world and it is totally manageable, I just don't think it's ideal.

Aside from that, having to lug everything and a toddler up and down the stairs, not being able to take the bins down unless both me and my husband are home, the effort it takes to load the car up for a trip or to bring the shopping in, are all disadvantages we have living in our flat. And it's an absolutely BEAUTIFUL flat. But I still want to move out for all these reasons. I realise this all sounds really negative, but until we lived here for a while and we now have an 18 month old, I wasn't aware of the issues we'd have.

Thanks so much everyone for your thoughts. I think we have decided to try flat living for a little while, but I am a little concerned about what it might be like for the people in the flat below. Toddlers and kids run and jump and it is just not realistic to have a no running indoors rule while the little ones are small. Anyone who has experience living below a flat with kids? Is this a non issues that I should not be concerned about? We obviously want to have a good relationship with our neighbours and although my DS is (in my biased view) the loviest little kid in the world, he is also an active boy with an infinite amount of energy for running and jumping

It does help if the floors are carpeted. However those Bruntsfield / Marchmont flats are generally pretty well built and well soundproofed. I had a couple with a baby below me for a while and never heard a thing.

Go for it. You won't need a garden with the meadows/links just across the road.
As long as you don't have to cart a massive pram up and down stairs I don't see any problem, in fact only advantages.
Shops, cafes, bars, the meadows etc on your door step and such a community feel.
Just a short walk across the meadows to princes street and so many buses.
I have a baby in a flat in Stockbridge and can't imagine being in a house outside Edinburgh and having to drive everywhere.
Scotland has about 10 nice days a year where you could actually use the garden anyway.

It needs to be a solid purpose built older flat, not a flimsy cardboard walked new build or worse a house conversion, and you need carpets.

It's not crazy though - I found a garden useful with small toddlers who "potter" but by 3+ it's more useful to live right by a park which allows ball games and has play equipment and loads of space to run.

If you're a short walk from a good well maintained park with ducks and benches and play equipment and not too many dogs (and no dogs in the actual play areas) then that's better than a small garden. More space, more options, more chance to play with other children and get to know people eventually.

@madminimoomin @ItWillBeBetterinAugust
This is super helpful and really encouraging. Thank you so much. We would be living less than five min walk from a major park with a playground and I can really see us being much happier here than we would be in a house in the suburbs

I cant help at all unfortunately but will avidly follow this post! Our house in Leeds has just sold stc and we are looking at living in a flat in bruntsfield area with 2 boys. One is 5 and the youngest 1. I would love to hear if and when you go for it OP, the thought of living in a bright spacious flat near the meadows fills me with joy. We have a sizeable garden in our house now that we completely refurbished for the kids, they never use it. Always want to go to the park. I wish you luck and would love to hear how you get on. We would be looking to rent initially then buy. X

@HouseOfConkers Thanks so much for your message. We are moving into the flat in mid-April and I am really looking forward to it. I will keep you updated on how it goes. Have you found a place to live already or are you still looking?