“Bridgnorth offers the full spectrum to keep young people occupied, from amateur dramatics to its own cinema…”
The reality of modern family life in rural Shropshire isn’t quite what the tourist guides would have you imagine; it’s now the norm for both parents to work, but juggling the commute, school run, shopping, cooking and housework takes its toll on valuable parenting time. And for lone parents working in the UK (and research says there are around 1.2 million of them), parenting can be even more challenging.
So how can we factor these demands on our parenting time into our search for the perfect home?
Much recent focus has been placed on buying property in good school catchment areas. The availability of Ofsted ratings has driven savvy buyers into appropriate postcodes, where they have enjoyed rising property prices. But outside education, what do our teens do with their time if you manage to wean them off their devices for a while?
Plenty to offer older kids
Caroline Eaton of Berriman Eaton says, “In Bridgnorth we’ve seen a gradual trend of families moving back into town, giving up their views and pony paddocks in favour of walking distance to tennis, swimming, cricket, hockey, football, rowing or rugby clubs. In fact, Bridgnorth offers the full spectrum to keep young people occupied, from amateur dramatics to its own cinema.
“Local restaurateurs have caught onto the teen trend with affordable meal deals in popular haunts such as Graze and Peepo.”
A teen-friendly home
There are various ways of making your home a haven for teens, depending on how many children you have… but one thing’s for sure: sharing bedrooms with siblings certainly seems out of fashion.
Mumsnet.com highlighted some must-haves:
- A combi boiler for endless hot water so teen girls can constantly wash their hair;
- A master bedroom located as far as possible from the children’s bedrooms;
- A bare minimum of two loos;
- Space for a large fridge and freezer – teenagers are constantly snacking;
- Good internet connection in every room;
- Plenty of electrical sockets;
- A potential ‘den’ or second TV/computer gaming room.
So, when you’re searching for your ‘forever’ house, think about the needs of your growing children – and ensure your family home is future-proof!
Example houses
Teen dream homes / Ideal homes for families with teens:
- 5 Castle Terrace Bridgnorth £450,000 Classic heart-of-town residence with a whole basement… perfect for teenage parties!
- 22 Love Lane Bridgnorth £425,000 Deceptive split-level detached with bedrooms and bathrooms on both floors… and walking distance to everything!
- 17 Kings Court Bridgnorth £315,000 Fantastic value five-bedroom detached with no work required!
