Do you raise your children in London? Are you scared?

[novadandypowder]

With all the news reports of shootings and stabbings, my DH mentioned to me last night that he's having second thoughts about raising our 2 dc's in London. We've both lived here for over 10 years and have a dd 2.7 and ds 15mnths. I would like to think my DH is over-reacting, and I do love this city most of the time, but I must admit, I'm a bit scared now too.

How do you feel about it?

im not avoiding particular ethnic groups as you say

its just i want the best for my children and there not going to get it at the local state school is that better to understand

also lucicle do you have children that have been through the mainstream schooling system from start to finish?

can you give me an honest opinion here or are you just presumtious?

I don't have any children that old, disney. However, I have siblings and cousins who have been through the mainstream state school system from start to finish and they all did just fine (all of them went to university and those that have left have good jobs and seem happy).

Most of them were in London, too.

Ok, saw this post a couple of days ago and thought,'no not worried lived here all my life blah blah blah...'

However, today a group of guys (about 15 yrs old)came running into local playground and beat the cr*p out of another boy. The fight just kept going and going.

they were armed with bits of fencing, bottles. All the children who were previously playing(all under 5) were screaming, crying. Mothers were trying to get their babies out of the way.

I amongst others were trying to get them to stop but got given a warning to back off, 'or else.'

I understand this is an isolated incident and could happen anywhere. Just alarmed that the boys didn't seem to care that babies/ young kids were present.

luckily i'm not raising my kids in London but lowering them. Whatever doesn't stab them makes them stronger

"if parents are happy for the dc to go to a multicultural school thats there choice its just not mine"

that sounds like racism to me too.

it sounds as though the thing you think is wrong with state schools is the number of pupils from ethnic minorities.

Just moved out of London. Loved all it had to offer but fed up with having to be on my guard all the time, the troubled people hanging around asking for money, the numerous aimless young guys who had pitbulls/staffordshire type dogs (terrifying when you have a baby in a buggy). That it takes forever to get anywhere. The week before we left there was a huge gang fight a street away from our flat, in broad day light, early evening. Our neighbours were drug dealers. I could not, in all conscience and as an ardent supporter of state education, have sent dd to the local primary.

Headline in the local paper at the place we are currently living in the south west this week - the council are considering removing the village phone box due to lack of use.

Thanks, onebatmother. Glad it wasn't just me.

ok lets simplify this statement shall we

my 6 yr old son had an indian not speaking but accent teacher he coudnt understand her very well he has a major speech problem
i couldnt very well and was uncomfortable with this
i want my son to learn english i live in england not india
thats not racist im a hindu i pray in temples with all sorts or religions
this is my choice for my children not me

how rude for you to say im a rasict i find that very offensive how the word you are a racist is thrown about
the indian speaking teacher was a concern

to many parents on benefits im not paying to subsidize them not working

when bullying goes on in school im told sorry these kids have issues they have one parent or there parents a addicts we have to be patient

see not rasict if anything its our own damn race that the problem

i have chose to live in an area where no one is on benefits
its a fantastic place to raise children

its my choice i have chosen to give my children the very best in life and i will

its no good keep saying this to you either lucicle when your child is older come back and tell me yr opinion ok

im my mind london is not a good place to raise kids i hated it there as a child i coudnt wait to move away

look at the other posts the majority say the same thing
kerala mamabea thats what i meant ok

you other 2 took things out of context,im due a baby in 3 days and have found this discussion most upsettin
il leave you guys to harrass someone else ok

I was brought up in London and still live here. My three children all born here too. We are planning to move next year. Partly crime, partly the fact my children would be outside all day if they could be and we can't afford the garden space here. Will miss London very much - it's my home and has family history - at least three generations of Londoners. Hope the children will be familiar with their home city and intend to visit often. Will worry about the teenage years later. For now having fresh air and somewhere to run wild without the cars is enough.

By the way, we live in an area with high crime and street problems. Park across the road from us always has the new equipment set alight, anti-social graffitti, condoms etc all over it. But great people too - we love our neighbours and actually know them all too. Pros and cons...

My ds has gone almost the whole way through the state school system - he is currently doing his gcse's at a school in bethnal green and predicted all a*'s and a's. He has friends who have been to selective schools and are not getting his grades as well as a girlfriend who is not doing so well at her expensive private school. His friends at school, and his teachers, come from a huge range of ethnic backgrounds, and yes some speak with strong accents. He's more than capable of understanding. And by understanding I mean more than working out what is being said to him. I'm delighted that to him anything that even sniffs slightly of racism or cultural prejudice is regarded with disgust and utterly rejected. That is a life skill, and an attitude that will stand him in better stead, IMO than the privileges a wealthier schooling system could offer him.

The dog shit and poor schools at 11+ are the real reasons people leave London.

mamasaid, what a heartening post

Your ds sounds lovely.

I love living in London, I love raising my children in London. They are happy and thriving. So much is on our doorstep for them to be involved in.

Not scared but saddened each time I hear about yet another teenage death. Wouldn't leave London. Fantastic city!

I live in N. London in between a posh bit, and a rundown,poor area.I see gangs of kids hanging around on the streets and graffiti, rubbish etc, and think the same as I did in the country side....these kids are bored, and could do with being able to DO something creative with their lives, shown opportunities to grow together, to be responsible for themselves and their environment.
In Bristol, there is a great big wall that has been built for graffiti, it is encouraged, and given respect(Banksy comes from Bristol), and competitions for kids for best wall art.
This gives disadvantaged kids a different way of viewing their own lives, and self respect.
I think that the cause of these knifings really has to be addressed by all of us.

Mars, so right. Not scared but saddened. And do you know what, I really don't want to say 'this isn't my problem' and not get involved. I would love for society to be able to see our children as our children. This won't happen if we segregate according to class or race or unpleasantness that we don't want to hear about [idealist emoticon maybe].

This isn't very eloquent I know, but I actively want my kids to live with and mix with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds and experiences and to learn from and about others. And I suppose being the socialist I am, I'd like the dc's first response to be empathy. So I guess I hope my dcs will grow up like mamasaid's. Maybe it helps that both dh and I have been through comprehensive system happily, and taught here in North London so seen the reality of a challenging, multi-lingual urban education and are confident our dc would benefit.

It frightend us so much we moved, 1st to Winchester and when it started to get bad there to yhe Isle of Wight.

What IS IT WITH THE DOGSHIT? It drives me up a friggen wall!

If YOUR dog craps on the footpath YOU need to pick it up, why is this so complicated for people????? WHY?????

If you live in a city and you want to have a dog THEN YOU HAVE TO PICK THE CRAP UP. I don't want to pick up crap so I don't have a dog - this seems like such a simple equation to me!

Sorry, bugbear.

Long before the current knife crime epidemic I'd never ever have considered living in London never mind raising kids there. Or any other city for that matter!

live Ldn with lo and remain unworried.you can only do your best.cant live in far of what if.

disneystar, I don't want to carry on a silly argument but I must just say that disagreeing with someone is not harrassment.

Funny you say that, KaSo. I'd never consider living in the middle of nowhere, never mind raising kids there!

kaso do you prefer to live somewhere other than cities then

lucicle please dont speak to me you are rude and try to cause arguments i am not going to answer your pettiness ok

You're a loon, disney. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. But really, how is refusing to talk to people who disagree with you conducive to a good discussion?