Former Maryland Couple Shares Why They Abruptly Moved Their Children From the US to Kenya
A former Maryland family is opening up about the unexpected decision to move from the United States to Kenya - a major life change they say took just two months from idea to execution. Dorin Selly, originally from Kenya, and her husband Anthony, who grew up in Alabama, say the choice was driven largely by concerns over their teenage son’s discipline and personal development.
The couple, who had lived in the U.S. since their 2009 wedding, began noticing worrying patterns in their 14-year-old son AJ. While he wasn’t involved in fights or disrespectful behavior, he regularly lost items, ignored instructions, skipped assignments, and ended up serving multiple Saturday detentions. “It wasn’t that he was being bad,” Dorin explained. “He was simply unbothered. He didn’t care about the consequences anymore, and that scared us.”
A close friend warned her that after a certain point, punishment stops working. “She told me, ‘If punishment starts to feel normal, your child can tune it out,’” Dorin recalled. That advice prompted the couple to consider more structured schooling options.
Anthony, a former teacher, began researching U.S. military academies, which he believed could instill discipline, leadership, and accountability. Dorin initially resisted, admitting, “I thought military schools were like the movies—children being screamed at. But the more we learned, the more I realized they were actually amazing environments.”
They even went so far as to pay deposits and schedule visits.
The direction shifted unexpectedly when Dorin posted about an upcoming surgery on social media. A friend called to wish her well and mentioned that her own children were studying in Kenya. That friend described the Kenyan boarding school system as structured, demanding, and ideal for instilling responsibility. “Everything she said matched my son exactly,” Dorin said. “It was like she was describing him.”
Their daughter also surprised them by expressing excitement at the idea of a disciplined school environment. After seeing the schedules from U.S. military academies—5 a.m. wake-ups, daily drills, supervised study hours—she told her parents, “I think I would thrive in something like this.” Her strong sense of routine, including waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. for workouts, made the idea appealing.
Intrigued, the couple researched top Kenyan schools, eventually arranging a last-minute trip before the June term closed. They toured several institutions, but Brookhouse International School stood out immediately. They met teachers, visited dormitories, walked through classrooms, and observed the student culture firsthand.
Dorin’s parents encouraged them to let the children spend the night in boarding to test the experience. AJ embraced the idea enthusiastically. “He called us and said, ‘Can I stay a little longer? Don’t pick me up tomorrow,’” Dorin said. The child they once feared would resist structure was suddenly asking for more of it.
He even sent photos of his meals—something he rarely did at home—telling his parents, “I actually ate everything. It’s good here.”
By the next day, both children said Brookhouse was their top choice. They decided there was no need to visit any other schools.
The couple enrolled their children and began preparing to relocate. Some friends questioned whether the children would adjust or if the decision was too drastic. But Anthony pushed back gently: “We weren’t punishing them. We were giving them the environment they needed to grow.”
Once in Kenya, the transition became easier than expected. At the airport, AJ immediately ran toward Dorin’s father, whom he hadn’t seen since he was two years old. “He didn’t hesitate. He just went straight to him,” Dorin said. The children quickly bonded with cousins, church members, and neighbors, something the couple say had been difficult to find without extended family in the U.S.
They stress that the move was not about rejecting America but about giving their children the best foundation for the future. “It was about discipline, yes,” Dorin said, “but also about community, culture, and identity.”
Five months after relocating, the couple says the change has already made a noticeable impact on their children’s behavior, responsibility, and confidence. “It’s the best decision we could have made,” Dorin said. “If we hadn’t moved, I honestly don’t know where we’d be right now.”
They plan to continue sharing their journey to help other families considering similar choices find clarity and direction.
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