April 2010 - On the couch
Are families
happier living in the city or the country?
Three Candis readers discuss the benefits and downfalls of residing
in rural and urban areas, sharing their opinions and views on
family life in each.
Clare Hayes,
30
Lives in Morecambe with her husband and four children aged between
two and ten. She describes the seaside town they live in as
a good compromise between city and country life.
Sue Bennion,
52
Born in London, she lives on the edge of the city in the house she
brought her three grown-up children up in. She loves the quiet of
the countryside but would find it hard to move from London.
Jennifer Knight,
36
Lives with her husband and two daughters, 7 and 3, in Wellington, a
town in Somerset. She's lived in London but, having been
brought up on a farm, much prefers living in the country.
What do you think are the benefits to living in the city
or the country?
Jennifer: "The space! Until my daughter was
five, we lived in a small country village and we all miss the open
countryside. We walked and cycled more after work and at weekends
then and we were definitely healthier."
Clare: "I grew up in the country and, as a
child, come summer, we'd be playing in the river and up the
trees. It was absolutely fantastic. But as I got older there was
nothing to do; there were no entertainment facilities or shops or
anything, and I think it was hard on my mum and dad as any time we
needed to go anywhere, it meant a 20-mile drive. I definitely
couldn't live in a very rural place now, although I do miss
it."
Jennifer: "Another plus side of rural places
though is that they often seem to have a greater sense of
community."
Sue: "Yes, but the benefit of living
in a city is that there are plenty of things to do with
children - lots of parks, museums, theatres, workshops and so on,
which is brilliant. The downside is that you don't see much
greenery outside of parks. I'm sure a lot of children never get
to see rural life. Mine did because I would take them out for days
at the seaside or into the country, but for others it's quite
an adventure to go to those kinds of places."
Clare: "I found it a complete culture shock
when I moved from the country at 16. I only went to a small town
really but the kids there were completely different and so much
more streetwise. They thought I was bizarre as I'd grown up
running around in fields and climbing trees. To them I was just a
bumpkin."
Sue: "I bet many children in London
wouldn't know how to climb a tree or even how to play with
sand."
Jennifer: "When we lived in the country and
my daughter was winding me up, I'd just put her wellies on her
and we'd go and walk the dog, blasting away all the cobwebs.
Now we live on the outskirts of a town and it's just not the
same, we don't have that option."
To read the rest of this article either join or
turn to page 46 of your April issue.
IN YOUR OPINION
Are families happier living in the city or the country? (CLOSED)
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