Scot Sorum and his wife, Bree, grew up in the same small town of Walker, MN — population 1,000. They went to the same church as kids, and Bree’s dad was Scot’s 6th grade teacher. But the pair didn’t hit it off until 2002, when Scot was  home for the weekend and a mutual friend re-introduced them. “We’ve talked every day since,” Scot said. 

Eight years later the happy couple is raising two kids of their own in a much bigger hometown — St. Paul. Both work full-time, Bree as a special-ed teacher and Scot as a chiropractor with his own practice, yet they manage to juggle work while maintaining what Scot calls a “very happy family.” 

You both grew up in a small town. Is there a reason you are raising your kids in the city?

I enjoyed living in a small town, but with that the opportunities are fewer. There are not a lot of teaching positions [in Walker] for Bree, and there are two chiropractors in town already. There are pros and cons to both. Having our parents still there, we get the best of both worlds. 

What are some of your favorite things to do as a family?

Our kids are outdoor kids. We have a big backyard, and we love to be in the backyard on a nice day. My daughter enjoys going into the garden and picking cherry tomatoes. It sounds simple, but we both work full-time. So when we get home, that’s what we have time for. We try to have a family dinner every night, so from about 5 until 7:30 it’s about being home, making dinner, and being together.

How do you balance your full-time jobs and being parents?  

It is a challenge. My wife brings her work home sometimes to do after the kids go to bed. She has to balance her time but she definitely allocates a lot of time for the kids. She has the summer off, which is nice because she can take the kids up to the lake where our parents live. On weekends, we don’t do a lot. We want to allocate that time for our kids since we are so busy during the week.

What are the similarities between being a chiropractor and a dad?  

The Greek word for doctor is teacher. My whole day consists of teaching people how to take care of themselves. As a father, you’re teaching your kids from day one how to be a good person. I’m a constant teacher. My patients always come in for a purpose, so I’m a constant caregiver. That’s a huge part of being a parent.

What advice do you have for other working parents?

Everyone parents different, but we have always found it’s very important to have meals together. Dinner is a time when the tv is off, we are all together and we try to get the kids a well-balanced meal. It’s a good healthy time both nutrition-wise and family-wise.

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