With a desire for their children to experience an old-fashioned childhood, the Gregory family sold their house in the city and moved to a log cabin on a hill with a view of the mountains in rural Alberta.
“When you look back to your own childhood, most people mention ’simplicity‘ or ’simpler times,’” content creator Chantal Gregory told The Epoch Times. “The days today are so undeniably different, and I want to do as much as I can to protect [my children’s] innocence and let them just enjoy their childhood.”
The former paramedic, who is now a mom to a toddler and newborn, starts her day with a family breakfast spread comprised of deer sausage, sourdough bread, and fresh eggs. She then heads out with her 2-and-half-year-old son, Jack, to complete some chores on the farm where the family raises chickens, sheep, dogs, and barn cats.
The toddler, whose “highlight of the day” involves helping out with chicken chores, is spotted loading up his mini tractor with chicken or sheep feed and hauling it to their coop and pen.
“Their coop and free range pasture area is quite large, so he enjoys finding the eggs that were laid outside the coop,” Ms. Gregory said. “It’s like the Easter bunny visits daily for him.”
Jack, who first began learning to ride an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) when he was 11 months old, was gifted a mini tractor by his parents, who knew he'd love it.
The independent toddler has since developed his skills to help out on the farm.
“My husband argues that Jack can drive better than I can at this point!” Ms. Gregory said.
While the Gregorys do not have a large traditional farm, Ms. Gregory believes it’s a great spot to “escape the insanity of the city.”
Leaving the City for the Simple Life
The Gregorys decided to leave the city as it was becoming “too chaotic and political” to raise their boys in.“Smaller towns in Alberta still offer that feeling of simplicity,” Ms. Gregory said, adding that small-town life reminds her of the “good old days” that she grew up in. With the change, the couple has the opportunity to train their boys to hunt, fish, grow their own food, and respect others.
Needless to say, little Jack—who wears cowboy hats, drives motorized vehicles, and plays in the dirt with his toys—has loved it.
“Moving to a location with no neighbors for miles offered that privacy and safety you couldn’t find in the city,“ his mom said. ”He spends 90 percent of his days outside, and we feel a lot more peace knowing there aren’t cars flying by or people around that we don’t know or trust.”
Living outside the city comes with its own challenges, one of the biggest being the lack of shopping options. Living 35 minutes away from the nearest grocery store with a toddler and newborn hasn’t been easy, but the Gregorys are willing to pay the price.
Sometimes the harsh winters of Alberta, along with a small log home and busy toddler, have contributed to some hard days.
Creating a Childhood of ‘Simplicity’
Ms. Gregory has strived to replicate the “old-school” method in raising her children by incorporating discipline, attending Church on Sundays, and a whole lot of outside play.“‘Don’t come home until the street lights turn on,’ was a common phrase in my childhood, and we loved it,“ she said. ”I want to offer that for my children and allow them to just be kids.
“We want to raise them to respect adults and be kind yet firm in their beliefs.”
By teaching their kids to prioritize God first, family second, and everything else later, the Gregory family’s goal is to have them stand up for what’s right, even if no one else in the room does.
Fortunately, the Gregory family has found other rural families close to them that share their values.
A full-time content creator, Ms. Gregory documents her rural lifestyle on social media where her journey has elicited positive responses.
“People love it!” she said. “I get a lot of comments from other moms and dads wishing they could have a similar lifestyle for their family, which just goes to show how much the world has changed so rapidly.”
In sharing her story, Ms. Gregory wants to remind people to: “Slow down, keep life simple, enjoy the small moments.”
