Originally Posted by tophcfa (Post 2429735)

Depends on who you’re asking, my wife or me.

Originally Posted by Michael G. (Post 2429725)

Are you down here in Florida enjoying your retirement while your sons, daughters, with young grandchildren living up north?

Even though there's facetime, cell phones, annual visits etc. to keep in touch, are there days you regret not being there spending time with the young ones teaching them how to throw a baseball/football or taking long walks, missing birthday parties, doing what grandparents do?

Are there days you feel guilty leaving them behind, especially the newborns you never got to meet yet?

Just curious

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy (Post 2430057)

So true. Hubby is happy and has zero regrets. I’m struggling and have many regrets. But, we moved from SoCal not just from up north, so it was all or nothing for us. We left 3 adult children and one very young grandchild. If we had come from up north we would’ve 100% kept our home and only been part timers. We both love TV, it’s just more difficult for me to thoroughly enjoy it like hubby does. Also, we moved here at an older age than many do (69 & 70), so that’s a consideration too when making your decision.

Originally Posted by Michael G. (Post 2429725)

Are you down here in Florida enjoying your retirement while your sons, daughters, with young grandchildren living up north?

Even though there's facetime, cell phones, annual visits etc. to keep in touch, are there days you regret not being there spending time with the young ones teaching them how to throw a baseball/football or taking long walks, missing birthday parties, doing what grandparents do?

Are there days you feel guilty leaving them behind, especially the newborns you never got to meet yet?

Just curious

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe (Post 2429784)

Nope, not one bit. I cannot control where my children live, move to, take jobs in another city, etc. I cannot follow them around the country for the remainder of my life. Same with grandkids, going off to different colleges in different regions and states. Nope, can't spend my time following them around the world.

They know where to find me. They come here, until their lives get too busy, or we go there.

Even if we lived in the same city, as they grow up they become more independent and their lives more full of social, scholastic, athletic, and professional activities.

My parents were the same way. I used to live within 625 miles of them in their retirement. Then I moved 2200 miles away. It was faster to get to an airport, fly there, rent a car, and drive over to see them then it was to spend the 10-12 hours humping up the state from South Orange County to Shasta.

My advice (worth every penny you spent to get it too), is choose where YOU want to live, and do the things YOU want to do with the time YOU have left. You cannot be a caboose for a family on tracks all over the place.

Originally Posted by maistocars (Post 2430184)

No regrets. We can fly to see them. They are so busy though, even when we visit we are constantly on the go, so it's an interesting dynamic. The way I see it, we worked 60-65 years and we deserve to enjoy the remaining years of our lives as we want and not as babysitters. Plus I hate the cold weather. So no regrets.