Choosing where to live based on help from grandparents

[FairMinton]

Hey everyone, I'm just hoping for some advice from experienced parents out there! Im currently due in September and at some point we're expecting MIL to be happy to help with baby a little. I'm sure I'll gratefully accept if she does offer! We're also in the middle of relocating but because of my work the closest we can live to her is about 40mins away which is far enough. The other area we're looking at is 90mins away though so a lot further for her to travel/us to go to her and definitely feels like it would rule out the possibility of regular help. Trouble is, we prefer area 2 (90min) over area 1 (40min) so feel a bit stuck!

We think we'd like 2 eventually and I'll probably need to go back to work full time in between. DH is freelance and WFH.

Did you do the early years with no help from grandparents/family? Was it hard enough that you would consider living in a less desirable area to be closer to help?

Thanks!

we're expecting MIL to be happy to help with baby

are you expecting help or has it been offered?

I live at the opposite end of the UK from my family and managed fine without them. Dh & I organised our jobs and we had a brilliant childminder and then used afterschool clubs.

The world didn't fall apart because my mum didn't live nearby but then again my parents had 4 kids & lived on another continent from their families. It seems that we're a very resourceful and self sufficient family & don't expect help from others.

I did think that there is a level of entitlement in the op's post. @FairMinton your mil has done her fair share of bringing up her kids, her time is now to enjoy herself. If you don't want to parent your child without being hand held mil then frankly you shouldn't have any.

We used to live 2 hours away from family and then moved with part of our motivation being closer to family (now under an hour) as we knew it would make a big difference and help develop a closer relationship