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Explore turning points, everyday joys and unexpected challenges after financial independence or retirement, with the date and original source for each account.

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11–20 of 45 posts

She could fund a free life. Parenthood still demanded almost everything.

Sep 2024

“It wasn’t until 3 months after my son was born that I started to enjoy motherhood and from what I heard, that’s pretty early.”

FIRECrackerRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Spent the first year parenting with both adults available at home.
  • Continued traveling while adapting to feeding, mobility and other childcare demands.

How it felt

  • Found parenting exhausting even with financial independence. “it’s still a struggle.”
  • Also described growing enjoyment and affection as her child developed. “The reward is the process of parenting itself.”
ParenthoodFamilyChange
FI/RECracker
Read original postmillennial-revolution.com

Leaving the office made space for a daughter’s firsts

Sep 2024 · Year 3

“Not that it’s of any use in my “career” but still I feel proud of my achievement.”

u/Witty-Strain104Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Finished a previously abandoned PhD.
  • Parenthood filled days; watched the daughter’s first sounds, crawling and steps.

How it felt

  • Felt proud of completing the doctorate. “I feel proud of my achievement”
  • The close bond with the daughter made the decision worthwhile. “makes it all worth it”
ParenthoodFreedom
u/Witty-Strain104
Read original postreddit.com

Her maternity leave became retirement. Parenting kept the calendar full.

Sep 2024 · Year 1

“extremely rewarding”

ESI Retiree 54Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • School runs, children’s illnesses and family routines structured the week.
  • Small coaching projects and reconnecting with friends fit between those demands.

How it felt

  • Watching the children develop was deeply rewarding. “extremely rewarding”
  • Travel with young children proved more exhausting than she had anticipated. “pretty exhausting”
ParenthoodRecoveryChange
ESI Retiree 54
Read original postesimoney.com

The cheap retirement got more expensive. Going back still looked worse.

Aug 2024 · Year 1

“things that I hate doing I still hate doing”

u/AutomaticSquirrel32Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Volunteered, traveled, camped, read and learned a language.
  • Built apps for a gaming community; an injury interrupted the gym habit.

How it felt

  • Still enjoyed retirement, even with coparenting tensions and imperfect routines. “I still enjoy my FI/RE time very much.”
  • Found that extra time had not made disliked chores any more appealing. “things that I hate doing I still hate doing”
ContentmentCuriosityParenthood
u/AutomaticSquirrel32
Read original postreddit.com

Leaving police work meant learning to feel secure in a smaller life

Jun 2024Recalled in 2024

“better dad and husband”

ESI Millionaire 219Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Cooking and school transport anchored his days.
  • Occasional protection work restored enjoyable social contact.

How it felt

  • He felt less stressed and more present as a parent. “better dad and husband”
  • Experience made spending on valued activities easier. “right choice”
ParenthoodMoneyWork
ESI Millionaire 219
Read original postesimoney.com

A stay-at-home father finds a public voice

Jan 2024

“how can I serve other people”

Michael QuanRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Combined parenting with writing, podcasting, and financial coaching.
  • Expanded into public speaking and a book after starting the blog.

How it felt

  • Felt motivated to help others through what he had learned. “how can I serve other people”
  • Still questioned whether resources were sufficient as expenses rose. “do I have enough now”
ParenthoodPurposeIdentity
Michael Quan
Read original postcaptainfi.com

He won his freedom—and ran out of goals.

2024 · Year 8

“this is actually the first house that I’ve enjoyed owning.”

Mad FientistRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Returned to anniversary updates as a parent, with a home and music studio he enjoyed.
  • Spent more deliberately on everyday comforts while focusing on family, health and relationships.

How it felt

  • Found homeownership more enjoyable when the home fitted his current life. “this is actually the first house that I’ve enjoyed owning.”
  • Was practicing accepting a purchase as a worthwhile pleasure rather than automatically minimizing its cost. “It is a splurge and it’s a great splurge”
ParenthoodHomeFamily
Mad Fientist
Read original postmadfientist.com

School runs anchored the first months while spending confidence grew

Sep 2023

“pinch myself”

JakeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • He tracked the first salary-free year against their spending forecast.
  • He tried easing small self-imposed spending restrictions.

How it felt

  • He felt grateful, with uncertainty still returning at times. “pinch myself”
  • Distance from his former employer was softening negative feelings. “slowly fading”
ParenthoodMoneyRecovery
Jake
Read original postmonevator.com

He expected a new life. The reward was being an available father.

Sep 2023 · Year 2

“I expect it'll be a lifelong quest to get this balance just right.”

u/TheOrchardFIRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Tried museums, travel with a child, audio courses, games and community gardening.
  • Continued adjusting the mix of learning, leisure, service and family.

How it felt

  • Did not regard a satisfying balance as something solved once and for all. “I expect it'll be a lifelong quest to get this balance just right.”
  • Appreciated having time to continue experimenting. “Luckily for me, I have all the time I need.”
ParenthoodCuriosityPurpose
u/TheOrchardFI
Read original postreddit.com

School runs anchored the first months while spending confidence grew

Feb 2023

“We feel we are in a good place and have enough.”

JakeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • School drop-offs and children’s activities structured weekdays.
  • Gardening and regular walks created time outdoors.

How it felt

  • Calling himself retired still felt unusual. “strange”
  • He felt they had enough, despite occasional financial doubts. “good place”
ParenthoodMoneyRecovery
Jake
Read original postmonevator.com

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