family homes and their gardens

[topman]

Originally Posted by macafee2

I'm lost for words

In what way?

[75c]

Garden size.....first world problem


http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/child...ts-and-figures

[MSS]

Originally Posted by 75c

Shows how detached some people are from reality. In the uk 30% of children live in poverty. Lets deal with that before we start worrying about garden size

I think it is helpful to remind people of poverty in general and child poverty in particular, but in my view is a little misplaced here. I certainly don't think that we are out of touch with reality.

In my opinion, the subject matter here is about aspirations and dreams for our children and the type of upbringing that people wish to provide for their young ones. The OP will correct me if I have misunderstood the reasons behind his opening post.

There is a viable argument to be made that the percentage of children growing up in poverty in the UK would be lower if all parents held high aspirations for those they have brought into the world and were willing to work at achieving this.

A very complex subject, poverty is.

In relation to the garden size, we have a relatively large garden and in my view it has given our young ones a great start in life because they have not spent all their time indoors playing computer games or texting. They even help out with many jobs around the garden.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by mss

I think it is helpful to remind people of poverty in general and child poverty in particular, but in my view is a little misplaced here. I certainly don't think that we are out of touch with reality.

In my opinion, the subject matter here is about aspirations and dreams for our children and the type of upbringing that people wish to provide for their young ones. The OP will correct me if I have misunderstood the reasons behind his opening post.

There is a viable argument to be made that the percentage of children growing up in poverty in the UK would be lower if all parents held high aspirations for those they have brought into the world and were willing to work at achieving this.

A very complex subject, poverty is.

In relation to the garden size, we have a relatively large garden and in my view it has given our young ones a great start in life because they have not spent all their time indoors playing computer games or texting. They even help out with many jobs around the garden.

my view is that children need a place to play, play with themselves, each other, with friends and parents cant always take them to the park. Think about a game of tag, some new builds that I have seen, in fact new builds going back may be 20 years are family size homes but postage stamp size gardens, hardly anywhere to run. I picked on football as one kick of a ball can send it easily from one end of the garden to the other without it touching the ground. Other games, badminton, croquet, cricket.
Even the family dog needs some space

what audience are builders aiming at with 3 or more bedroom houses?
we played football, children rode their first bikes, had a slide, in summer with a ground sheet at the end it became a water slide and other outdoor items in the garden.

out first house had 160ft garden, 2nd 60ft with a golf course behind, our third has garden front, back and side so about 90ft overall.
Again we played games in the garden.

Not only do I want somewhere for the children, I don't want "next door" right on top of me I want the evening sun and not a shadow of another building.

macafee2

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by topman

In what way?

We seem to have different opinions about gardens for families.
I feel children need more space at home then some modern house provide, you don't.

macafee2

[HarryM1BYT]

Ours is a 1955 3 bed semi on a none square plot 170' x 82' x 150' x 30' (clockwise from the from gates). On it we have the house, large garage, large hut, summer house and caravan. Amongst it all, there are lots of places for dogs, kids and me to hide. It needs a ride on tractor to cut the grass.



The are expanding the village, yet again. I really wouldn't want one of the houses they are cramming in at the moment, they are so close together, some you would have to turn sideways to pass between them.

[topman]

Originally Posted by macafee2

We seem to have different opinions about gardens for families.
I feel children need more space at home then some modern house provide, you don't.

macafee2

no not at all, I agree with you. Just wasn't sure what you meant.

[andymc]

The issues of living space and child poverty are not mutually exclusive IMO. The UK is the fourth highest country in the world in terms of private wealth, only behind the US, China and Japan but ahead of France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain or any other European or other "western" nation. However it is worse than them when it comes to inequality - a problem which has been worsening in recent years.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by topman

no not at all, I agree with you. Just wasn't sure what you meant.

Now I'm confused. We seemed poles apart

macafee2

[bikerdude666]

Originally Posted by macafee2

I'm lost for words

macafee2

Each to their own, our current garden is about 25' square, but on a big slope. Got enough room for a few raised beds for the kids to grow whatever they want, a small shed for their bikes, a table and chairs, and room for them to use their RC tanks/lorries, kick a ball to each other, got a slide, sword fighting, shooting each other with nerf guns etc... Theres a play area about 30secs down the road, with a large grass area they can play with friends.

The next house the garden will be approx 30' square, but it'll be flat. Big enough for all the above, as well as a model railway around the edge. Again with a park just down the road and about 4 big forest parks within a 5 mile radius.

Just because we don't and won't have a big garden doesn't mean our kids will be indoors all day watching TV and playing on iPads. They spend most of the summer in the garden or out at local parks. I'd even go as far as saying that the lack of being able to ride bikes etc in the garden is good as it means we spend more time out together at weekends.

The thing I dislike the most with new builds is the lack of garage space. The house we're looking at is available with a double garage on certain plots, but they cost £25,000+ extra.