Suburbia or city living for toddlers and teens what would you do????

[noshouting]

Hi hope some wise mumsnetters can help me make my mind up.
We have outgrown out present home which is a big top floor flat slap bang in the west end of Glasgow, can walk to everything, have a shared garden downstairs.
I can't decide if I will be happy buying a house with garden 5 miles out, when realistically I will need to drive to most things and teens will need to commute to school?
I will have 3 inder 4 and I think I really want the inside outside living a house with garden can provide.
Have you done it?? Regretted it or happy?
Any thought very welcome.Ta .

If I were you I would stay in the middle of Glasgow - no contest.

Really? Have you moved and regretted it? We cant afford everything I want in the city but I know there is always a compromise when choosing a new home.
I think I have this nirvana image of me and the little ones running around the gardens all day which may in fact be bollocks!

I moved out to the 'burbs of east dunbartonshire, and if you go somewhere with a decent train/bus service, there's no need to be a taxi service.

Are you planning private school, that they would need to commute? You could move somewhere with a great school and save on fees too.

Our garden was a godsend when my teens were smaller, and even now there are about 7 or 8 teens "doing homework" out there.

Suppose it depends where in the suburbs you are considering. Do you have teens and toddlers at the moment. I commuted by train to high school and thought it was great.

Hi thanks for replies yes I have one teen with two years of scool left, and will have three toddlers come Jan.
Wont be doing private schol so good schools a priority, have looked at Clarkston, Newton Mearns but just don't know if I will settle, have been here 16 years, and do love it but think I will need to compromise.
Where are you Agent?

I went to school in Newton Mearns, they have very good schools in East Ren. Shopping not too bad The Avenue in Mearns and Sliverburn not to far. Pretty good train links to Glasgow also Motorway (M77) nearby. Also Rouken Glen Park is good.

I can't comment on Glasgow as I'm a Londoner, but here's my opinion. With young children then maybe outside space wins over city location. But for teens, city wins hands down. I hated as a teenager living in the outskirts of London. But as a kid I loved the open space more than the cramped flat.