Raising kids. Acreage vs Suburbia

[Lucy]

Kerrie, I mentioned earlier DH's situation......I should add that his families situation was down to $$ too. They had lived on a surbarban block, and their rural block had been bought for a "weekender" but when $$ got tight, one property had to go........and they ended up, after much soul searching, on the rural /water access only block, in a one roomed shack (MIL, FIL, DH and his 2 siblings, he was the eldest at age 4!). They lived like this for YEARS as FIL gradually, very gradually, built a house around the shack.

I have seen photos of the 30 years that they have all lived there, and without question, they all look so happy, and DH (and his siblings, who I am quite close to) all reflect on what a perfect, different, but fantastic childhood they had.

They now, as adults, all look back on it all, including the chaos and the relative inconveniece, with beautiful memories, and talk about it with so much joy. They all also comment that their lifestyle made them very self sufficient........

Not sure if that helps any?

[Fire Fly]

Thanks Lucy, its food for thought as they say. I know my kids dont know any different at the moment and will love whatever surroundings we put them in, it plays on my mind that we dont have a proper house to give them with proper bedrooms. The shed is certainly not glamarous, even though we have carpet on the section that we live in it still is quiet dirty because of the dirt driveway. And the roof isnt insulated so its damn noisy when it rains or if its windy.
We still have all the mod cons though like Foxtel and Internet, hot water etc etc. They do have full tummys and a warm bed to get into every night but there parents are at a loss as to whats good for them.

I was so stressed and i had to get out of here when it was on the market, but now that we are giving it a break Dd and I have been out makeing gardens and putting vegie seeds in. When we do that together i think how lucky we are to have what we have, i know DD loves it here. She will one day get that pony when she can look after it herself and im sure DS will appreciate having his own bike track down the back.

Theres just always the what if senario.