Also, the massive size of the US and it's larger cities isn't helping. For comparison, (it might be my limited experience with people from the US) but several

Also, the massive size of the US and it's larger cities isn't helping. For comparison, (it might be my limited experience with people from the US) but several people i know move across the continent for jobs/school never to move back again. This is not a bad thing per se, but seeing your parents only a couple of times a year seems very weird to me. In comparison, most of my peers live in or near the city they lived in their entire lives (i know of only one example of someone who lives further away (2h drive). Being near your parents/grandparents is important, especially when you have children. It creates a sense of community that is hard to explain.