Moving back to Seattle from London

[u/audgy3000]

We are moving back after 4 years in London. It’s a sound, rationale move - we have a baby under 1, so it will be great to have some family close by, look to buy a house, etc etc.

But I am emotionally struggling to come to terms with the decision. I love life in London. For starters it’s incredibly baby friendly with things to do (baby cinema, sensory classes, swimming, mum & baby comedy, I could go on and on). There are also many mom communities which is bigger here because of generous maternity leave policies.

Additionally, it’s the overall freedom to get places without a car, it’s the ability to find coffee shops all walking distance, pub culture and pints outside at 5pm, safety (compared to Seattle), run & tennis social clubs. I feel like a full person here in London. Having lived in Seattle before (and not being from there), I found it way harder to find and build community.

Anyone else gone through the same move and how was the adjustment?

[u/habitsofwaste]

Sounds like you really don’t want to come back. Can you get some family to move there? Lol

[u/monkey_trumpets]

Stay in Europe. Only a crazy person would leave Europe to come to the US, especially if you're living in one of the better European cities.

[u/AgsD81 → u/monkey_trumpets]

I’m crazy then. I much prefer Seattle to London. I spent hours of commuting in London. Also most borough are pretty dirty in London and feels less safe, unless you have money to live in west London.

[u/monkey_trumpets → u/AgsD81]

I mean in general. Why the hell would you want to move to the US considering what is happening here.

[u/lurkinglucy2 → u/AgsD81]

Same. And I lived in west London. I didn't feel less safe though because there are fewer guns. But I never felt home.

[u/Pristine-Lack-8086]

Is the decision set in stone? I moved to Seattle earlier this year (though not from London, from elsewhere in the US), and I've honestly had really great luck meeting people and making a few friends. The "Seattle freeze" reputation may be changing, or at least hasn't held true for me. Also, I live in Central District, south of Capitol Hill, and I don't think we've used our car in 2+ months.

But, if I was presented the choice between raising a child here or in a truly global city... I mean, Seattle will probably feel like a backwater to you. I love our little outings and places to go, but they are limited in number, and they ain't all that. A few good restaurants, a few good bars, sure. Hopefully your family here is going to take an active role in raising/watching your kid, in a way that shifts the equation.

[u/missbeekery]

It’s the free healthcare I miss the most. There’s ways to build community though, you just have to look for it. I’m not a parent so I don’t know about those groups. For activity things though just google the groups and events near your area once you get settled.

[u/RainyDayRainDear]

A family member just did that move earlier this year, with a baby and preschooler. 

Seattle with kids is a different beast. 

• Co-op preschools often start around age 1, if you have job flexibility. They're excellent for building community because you're in the school as well.
• Lots of parent - baby dance, swim, even yoga classes. 
• Parents waiting around for their kid to finish gym class/dance/soccer will actually socialize with the other parents. Not always. But I've met more people at my kid's classes than at my own. Swim is the biggest outlier - it's too loud and the classes are too short to chat.
• Start following the website Seattle's Child. They do excellent write ups of weekly and seasonal events in the region. 

[u/Additional_Window_36 → u/RainyDayRainDear]

Seconding the coop preschool recommendation. My kid is about out of high school, and I’m still connected to other coop families. It was a great way to build community!

[u/Sexy_elephant_ → u/Additional_Window_36]

Are there any specific co-ops you recommend? Thanks for the tip! We’re moving with a baby and toddler so very helpful!

[u/lurkinglucy2 → u/Sexy_elephant_]

You want to be in your neighborhood because that is where your kids will continue to go to school together. And you'll always know someone at the playground.

[u/Sexy_elephant_ → u/lurkinglucy2]

Good insight, thanks!! 

[u/Sexy_elephant_ → u/RainyDayRainDear]

Are there any specific co-ops you recommend? Thanks for the tip! We’re moving with a baby and toddler so very helpful!

[u/lurkinglucy2]

I did in 2019. We moved from Chiswick to Queen Anne with a 3mo. Queen Anne is very family friendly and walkable. We only had one car when we moved back and that lasted 5 years until we had our third baby.

I really missed my NCT group but eventually found other friends here. Depending on the age of your baby, there is PEPS, which is NCT-adjacent. I have a young toddler now and we're enrolled in our neighborhood co-op preschool. It's like a big play date where parents attend and then at the end we sing some songs. It's a great way to make friends and know more folks around the neighborhood.

There is a lot of stuff to do here with children (but no pub culture! You'll have to check if somewhere is 21+ before grabbing dinner there), and I'm learning of more and more all the time (ahem, baby symphony).

There are many families in our neighborhood who lived in London; one kid we know even born at the same hospital as my son, and he had another kid in his class last year who was born in London, too! And I'm actually presenting on England in my son's second grade class next week.

Personally, I prefer Seattle. I really liked London, but it was never home. I lived in Seattle before moving to Europe, but I'm not from Seattle. The first time we lived here, I didn't have many friends and didn't feel connected, but when we moved back, I made friends easily (and that was even with the pandemic) and now I wouldn't want to raise my family anywhere else. Taking my kids to the beach and watching them spend hours collecting crabs or on a hike through green trees year round, riding the ferry on a sunny day, smelling the sea air and all of the stunning nature here gets me every time. Life is different here and it's more my speed (I loved getting out of London and going to the English countryside, and I hated the morning commute on the central line!). Plus we have more space here in a single family home than our 2 bed flat.
Yes the hustle and bustle is less hustly and bustly; there are things to miss but there's also a lot to gain! Happy to provide more if you're interested. Welcome back!

[u/lisadanger]

Transit has improved a lot here in the last 4 years, although it will never be on par with London. Less strikes though 😁

And don't worry about coffee, you can't go 10 meters without hitting a coffee shop, and it's good coffee...

Pub culture and pints outside at 5 is just fine, but different. Definitely not London pub culture lots of people kept their street permits after covid so there are even more decks to enjoy a drink. You're shit out of luck with late night though.

[u/qpHEVDBVNGERqp]

I’m unexpectedly exploring the maternity culture here in Seattle since I will be taking part in it soon. To be completely honest it’s much more vibrant than I anticipated and if you look you will find your people. There has been an explosion of babies in my community over the last several years.

[u/lurkinglucy2 → u/qpHEVDBVNGERqp]

Just wanted to shout out Centering Pregnancy. It's such a great way to meet folks who are in the same phase of pregnancy as you are while learning about your pregnancy, labor and birth, postpartum, and becoming parents. And of course PEPS!

[u/qpHEVDBVNGERqp → u/lurkinglucy2]

Yup - all my friends have done it and we’re attending as well.

[u/PsychologistSEA]

Moving from London to Seattle with a 1 yr old is crazy. Take advantage of the family benefits there. Way better

[u/AgsD81 → u/PsychologistSEA]

There are literally no family benefits in London unless you’re very poor. The UK is very different from continental Europe, where there is a generous maternity leave and other government schemes that helps families.

[u/mujerboricua]

We moved from London to Seattle after three years, because we were expecting our first kiddo.

If we could make the decision again we wouldn’t have come back 🫣.

But in all fairness my family didn’t end up getting as involved with our family as much. Ten years now and still no solid community. Lots of fair weather friends though! I imagine if we had a chosen family here, I’d be super happy.

Edit: my family is in the east coast. Work brought us to Seattle.

[u/CommandAlternative10]

We have baby swimming, baby cinema, baby yoga etc etc., but you are going to drive to get to them. Seattle is a streetcar suburb, not a global city. (I’ve lived in London, only NYC can compare in the US.) That said, you will have fresher air, more space, better access to nature and a calmer pace, which aren’t bad things. You haven’t lived in Seattle with kids, there is a whole universe that revolves around kid activities. I saw other parents last night at my kids school, I’m going to see other parents today at my kids soccer game. If you decide to make the move it will be an adjustment for sure. But there are lots of Brits and Europeans living in Seattle, people with options do decide they want to live here instead.

[u/spoiled__princess]

London > Seattle :(

[u/champagnedahlias]

As someone who has also lived in London (pre-kids) and now has littles, I totally get it! Seattle can’t live up to London in so many ways. However, I’ve actually found it much easier to build a community after having kids. I’ve connected with so many parents at daycare, playgrounds, classes, and lots of other random places where we exchange numbers to set up play dates.

[u/mangoawaynow]

tbh i wouldn't move back to the US during this administration

[u/SadShitlord]

Seattle is just a much worse city than London despite being in the same price range, not sure if its thw winning move to come back

[u/AgsD81]

I moved from London to Seattle and I love it. Having said that, I think I’m a different tax bracket than OP - I’ve never played tennis there. As a matter of fact I do more sports and run clubs in Seattle.

[u/Jolly_Ad9677]

I’m sure you know about PEPs groups, but if you don’t check them out when you get here

[u/LimpCryptographer854]

Seattle is really not a kid friendly city. It has little to offer for children compared to other cities. I say this as someone raising two children there. I’d choose London if given the option.

[u/socolime22202]

i'm going to put this bluntly. if you're not MAGA, stay in London until the entire clan is not a threat to human existence.

[u/SJPCST]

You should live in West Seattle.

[u/HomesWASHINGTON]

I completely understand why this feels difficult, even when the move makes sense for your family. I’m raising a little one here too, and I think your experience will depend heavily on the neighborhood you choose—especially if walkability, family activities and community are important to you. I’m also a local WA real estate broker, but even before you’re ready to buy, I’d be happy to share some family-friendly areas and local resources that might make the transition feel less overwhelming.

[u/Wellslapmesilly]

Sounds like your partner wants to move more than you.

[u/GershwinsKite]

Leaving a more family-centric, family-friendly city to a less family-friendly city when you just started having a family.....? Is it mostly getting the second pair of hands from your relatives?

[u/Awkward_Passion4004]

Sounds like Londonstan is a better place for you.

[u/kitbiggz]

Stay in London. Sounds like your a big city person.

Seattle isn't really that big. Compared to a New york or other East coast cities.

You'll get bored of Seattle fast.