Home School/Travel ?

[NTHC]

Our son graduates from high school next June. He will be heading off to college. With 7 years between our kids, hubby and I are debating whether we should do the RV thing now, while we are younger. We are considering taking our daughter(11) and my niece(12) for a year on the road. My niece is being home schooled by my sister and our daughter is in 6th grade in a private school. Both girls are all for the adventure

We feel like now may be a really great time to do this. We always thought of doing this type of thing when we are retired, but there is also the appeal of doing it now while we are still raising a child.

I am curious to know if anyone has done this. And also any comments as well.

Thanks in advance,
Cindy

 

[lprstn]

I haven't, but I sure wish I had the guts to!!! That sounds amazing!

This is an article I found on this.

http://familytravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/family_sabbatical_vacation

started considering it as we met lots of European families that take longer trips that we do and would have like to do that. It was something we could have easily done when DH was a full time realtor. Now its just not possible. However, I can dream...

Also, me and DH (39 yrs) figure why should we wait until we retire to live and do the things we want with our lives...now we do it all (in smaller bits than if we were retired) which makes us not look to retirement as the pie in the sky ability to travel, take extended trips with our kids, work in areas that we dreamed of exploring or by in large...if we can say ... when we retire we will do it..me and DH decided we would figure out how to make most things doable now.

Go for it!

 

[pammex]

Well not the RV part, but I have homeschooled two kids in a foreign country and we have traveled a lot about Mexico. My youngest is in last year of school and I have to say thank goodness!

Homeschool is a different experience. A lot of work and patience and well one more thing to argue with your kids about. I have been told I am the worst teacher they ever had cause I am tough...so though it makes traveling and such easier it makes somewhat of a tougher relationship in some ways.

My kids have had experiences they never would have if in regular schools, and both are bilingual, one almost trilingual, so maybe it was a good thing, but it is not all fun and playtime, so just keep that in mind.

Now on the flip side my eldest child now 24 says, you know you were right about all the school stuff and such...but I never did get to a prom, but he got to a quincinera and many other fiestats and occassions, so he has a different tale to tell when people are conversing.....

Good luck in your decision. Oh it is easier until they reach high school LOL...

 

[swift]

I home schooled my older children during their 4th and 5th grades years. It is a both a joy and a lot of work. To do it successfully you need to be organized, persistent, patient, and flexible. Among other things you need to also consider that the girls are entering that hormonal stage which can be quite difficult. As you probably know 12-14 year old girls are very different than 12-14 year old boys. They can get very challenging. Are you ready for that kind of close quarters with girls that age?

 

[DeniseM]

I think the main question I would ask is what effect will it have on the girl's education when they returns to school the following year. Will there be any hoops to jump through with the school district?

 

[Teresa]

It's a lifestyle choice more than an educational choice

My kids are 19, 17 and 14. We've homeschooled since the oldest was in fifth grade. She is now a sophomore in college. Last year my husband made a 'deal' with her that if she got straight A's in any quarter her freshman year he'd get his ear pierced.

He looks very nice in an earring.

We approached 'school' differently than most. We focus on learning - not grades, not 'keeping up', not 'doing school'. Everything is a learning 'adventure' if you can find that thread.

I don't think missing the prom will be an issue if you just do this for one year. At this stage in your daughter's school life she will miss 'nothing really important' that she can't learn fairly quickly when she gets back IF YOU MISS DOING SOMETHING. Please focus on the 'stuff' she would miss if you didn't do this. Then it will be a no brainer.

Some of my fellow homeschoolers have had their kids write journals about their trip(s). Either as a diary (what they did and how they felt about it) or as a journalist (facts, figures, etc.) or a combination or a variation. When I traveled with my kids I'd give them a budget and they'd use that budget for food (other than one meal a day which I provided), souvenirs, admissions into things, etc. Any money they didn't spend they could keep and it was amazing the souvenirs they passed up when Mom wasn't paying for them. I still travel with my kids but I don't give them a budget anymore (it costs me less now this way - grin). The journal would pretty much cover English (take a dictionary and a book about proper sentence structure). The budgeting (don't have to use my method but make one of your own that you can change if it's not working for you) can be part of math (make them figure out tips at different percentages too). Some historical fiction novels are a must - especially at this age! Go to some library sales - now or along the way and get a stash that you can leave behind at various places or give to others in RVing. I recommend the Little House on the Prairie series (there are more than the Laura Engalls Wilder written ones - 4 generations in all - all the way back to the grandmother in Scotland). Make the world their classroom. You'll look at the world differently too.

Do it!

 

[pjrose]

Wow, what a great idea and opportunity. If I could turn back the clock....

Learning and schooling are not the same thing. The opportunities for learning on such a trip --- and for the girls and their relationships with each other and you --- wow.

Do it. I wish I had.

 

[Patri]

Oh my gosh, what a great idea. If everyone is in favor, do it! I imagine you will make times to visit your sister and other relatives during the year. The ages of the girls are perfect for this. Is your older child jealous????
My concern is the tight quarters all the time. Everyone needs space occasionally. Maybe bring pup tents so each person has a private place to retreat if necessary.

 

[applegirl]

I think you should go for it, as long as you can be disciplined enough to do the girl justice education wise. This would be an amazing experience for all of you and something they will never forget.

Janna

 

[lprstn]

Also, you could just do it during the kids summer vacation if you don't want to do the schooling....

 

[pammex]

I think you should go for it, as long as you can be disciplined enough to do the girl justice education wise. This would be an amazing experience for all of you and something they will never forget.

Janna

I say do it, hey I homeschooled and my kids are doing fine, the youngest is headed to flight school after this year , already accepted, in Mexico, but that is where he wishes to stay so be it...

I just wanted you to be aware of the difficulty on you...it is a huge responsibility, as stated above as long as you can be disciplined enough to do the girls justice education wise. My kids know things many kids will never know and have seen things many will never see in their lives.....not all learning is in books. I was tough, everything became a learning experience but it has paid off... on the kids end, they are bright, they are self sufficient, they are dual cultured and multi languaged, and they know life in its reality.

Now from my end...man this was tough...and I am glad I am almost done with my school days....a teacher I am not, but I made it....My priority was always what was best for their education and life's lessons....and morals....I think I achieved that....but it was a long road...

You are only talking a year....I did it since 8th grade for one and since 5th grade for the other...long haul...

Good luck....my boys were great till they hit about 15, then it was a struggle...already argueing with the youngest regarding school and he is in states right now and not even back to start yet...LOL, but he is a good debater....so that is okay I guess.....

 

[wackymother]

Here's a thought for you. If you decide to do it, do it during your DD's seventh or eighth grade year, not during her sixth-grade year. Seventh and eighth are such tough years for girls--you would be avoiding the messiest of the adolescent intrigue. Good luck!

 

[NTHC]

You guys have given us lots of food for thought.

We own enough timeshares to spend most of the trip at resorts, but I hate the idea of constantly packing up. We thought having an RV would give us the opportunity to at least feel like we had a home base.

Still tossing around a time frame as well. We have traveled all over the US but really want to spend time in Canada and Mexico exploring as well.


Keep sending ideas and information.


Thanks,
Cindy

 

[pjrose]

Suppose you don't do enough, or the right, academics to satisfy the school system or state or whoever would certify that this meets the requirements for the school year.

What's the worst that can happen? The girls have to repeat that grade in school or in a more structured situation.

But meanwhile, they've had this amazing year learning so much about the US and possibly Canada and Mexico as well! I don't see a downside, other than living with two pre-teens in close quarters - and even that might teach them problem solving and other interpersonal skills.

 

[BocaBum99]

Our son graduates from high school next June. He will be heading off to college. With 7 years between our kids, hubby and I are debating whether we should do the RV thing now, while we are younger. We are considering taking our daughter(11) and my niece(12) for a year on the road. My niece is being home schooled by my sister and our daughter is in 6th grade in a private school. Both girls are all for the adventure

We feel like now may be a really great time to do this. We always thought of doing this type of thing when we are retired, but there is also the appeal of doing it now while we are still raising a child.

I am curious to know if anyone has done this. And also any comments as well.

Thanks in advance,
Cindy

Cindy,

We did much of what you are thinking for a year. We were able to travel for 24 weeks that year. Then, my wife got tired of homeschooling. And, we got tired of travelling. And, my kids wanted their friends back. We didn't do the RV thing, but we did do timeshares.

Now, we do about 10-12 weeks per year in timeshares usually 7 of which are in the summer. This past summer, we drove 6400 miles starting from Southern California through Las Vegas onto the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Glacier National, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, Seattle, San Fran and then home.

We ended up getting the packing and unpacking thing down pat. That is the second year in a row we did such a lengthy trip. It's not bad if you stay one week per location. If you do 3-4 days trips, the packing and unpacking gets very tedious.

I think the biggest issue we would have in doing a 1 year trip is that it would just be too much for too long of an extended time period. So, we decided to see the entire country 7-8 weeks at a time.

We have been toying with the RV idea. But, we just haven't pulled the trigger.