LKF

hi! just saw this posting, and while i can't speak to the nursery question (my daughter is just 16 months, so we're not quite at that stage yet), i am also an american who moved here recently, so thought i'd give you some general thoughts based on my recent experience (things i wish i'd known!): 1. houses in ED are largely victorian and as such are likely a smaller scale than you're used to in the US. we came from an apartment NY, where space is also limited, and many of our items didn't fit in the front door of our rental house. even if the overall square footage is similar, be mindful of the room dimensions, door openings, and stair widths when deciding what to bring over. 2. it is not imperative to have a car in ED, particularly if you're near a bus or train. but we just bought one after about 9 months and it has made life a lot easier. however, insurance for an international license and/or a new UK license is VERY high the first year, so that is something to factor into your car decision. and gas is more expensive here than in the US. it's 100% easier to use public transport (vs. driving) to get into central london (the train from ED station gets you to london bridge in 12 minutes and there are tubes from there), but getting to/from a large grocery store, nursery, kid's classes, larger shops, etc. (sometimes in the rain) and getting outside of london is easier with a car. 3. not sure where you're moving from in the US. we lived in brooklyn, ny and it took me awhile to get used to the more suburban feel of ED. yes, it's london, but it's much more quiet than i anticipated. i've come to appreciate this (several really nice parks all around), but i think i had sort of been picturing living in central london, and ED doesn't have that feel. 4. we initially rented a house near lordship lane (but not ON it) and it was helpful to be within walking distance of such a main road, especially without a car. there are cafes, grocery shops, gift shops, etc. all along lordhship lane between the ED train station and whateley road. i would say in general, you pay a bit more in rent for the proximity. i wish we'd been a bit closer to the ED train station or the denmark hill train station, as i would have liked to be able to get in/out of central london as easily as possible during the first year (without having to take a bus to the train), when i was excited to explore a new city/take my daughter to the free museums, etc. hope even just some of this might be helpful! the ED forum helped me find a cleaner and a several amazing babysitters; i've found it a great resource! good luck!