From city guy to rural dad - biggest life change

3w ago1 min read

Moved from a big city to a small town when my oldest was born. It was terrifying, gave up a career I worked 10 years to build. But my wife's family was here and we wanted to raise kids differently. Now we're 8 years in and I can't imagine going back. My kids actually know their neighbors, play outside without constant supervision, we know their teachers as people. I miss some things about the city - the culture, anonymity, diversity - but the trade off of being a more present parent in a slower pace community was worth it. Completely different life.

3 comments139 views

Comments(3)

TTyler G.Regular3w ago

Man, that takes guts. I'm only 8 months into fatherhood and already feeling like my old life is a million miles away, so I can't even imagine making a move like that. How long did it take before you stopped second-guessing the decision?

JJamesRegular3w ago

Respect for making that call. Small town life has its perks once you settle in - the pace is totally different but it's not a bad thing when you've got family nearby to support you.

CCarl L.Regular3w ago

That's a real sacrifice but it sounds like you're doing it for the right reasons. I've learned that being present for my kids matters way more than the career stuff, even though it was scary to admit that at first.