Kids in the Country

Unfortunately the quiet atmosphere of the country isn't the most ideal place for teenagers who thrive on a party-going lifestyle.

If they attend a school in the nearest town or city, the chances are that the majority of their friends live there and most social activities will take place there. This may mean your child spending any gratefully received pocket or earned money simply on transport.

It may also mean you spend most of your spare time running a personal taxi service if the local bus doesn't run frequently. This may be something to check before buying a property in a remote area.

Having the opportunity to experience different cultures and the endless excitement of big cities gives young people chance to enjoy themselves, and get a job and earn money for themselves. Although this can be done in the country, it is often a lot harder as there are limited jobs.

Education

If you have a young family, it is important to check which schools would be available to your children should you move to your chosen part of the country.

You'll want to know which catchment areas they'll fall into, and look at whether there are appropriate schools nearby for their secondary education.

To discover the best schools in your potential new locality, visit www.ofsted.gov.uk , where you'll be able to read recent school inspection reports. Another great online resource is www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables - where you can find out how local schools perform at exam time.

Leisure

You may be moving to a remote area but it's pretty much guaranteed that there will be other parents and kids, in your situation, closer than you think. Pool your resources and your time to set up the sorts of activities kids enjoy.

Most areas have active toddler groups already, but there's no reason to stop there. Saturday morning clubs, organised trips, scouts, guides, football teams, cycling, community events. You'll find plenty to do with the kids if you're prepared to put the effort in.

The countryside is a wonderful environment for children to grow up in but like with everything in their lives they need to be taught to appreciate it and you're the best person to do that.

Useful links

• www.connexions.gov.uk - The Connexions Service helps to ensure that young people (aged 13 to 19) stay in either education, training, or education related work.

• www.countryside.gov.uk - The Countryside Agency funds a range of projects in order to help solve some of the problems that children are experiencing with living in places that lack leisure and entertainment facilities, and a large range of social activities.

• www.dfes.gov.uk/index - The Countryside Agency also works closely with the DfES (Department for Education and Skills) in several strategies such as 'Sure Start' and 'Childcare'.