Full Time With Kids?

[travelfamily]

We really enjoy travelling in our motorhome and usually spend 5 - 6 months "on the road" each year. We would like to continue to travel or even go full time but our daughter is now 6 and starting school. Does anyone here travel with school age children? How is home schooling? How difficult is it to keep focused on school work? Thanks - Any info would be appreciated.

[spike227]

Go to Families on the road .com has alot of info and links. good luck !!!

[timkelmom]

We have been home schooling and full-timing for over 4 years now. We absolutely love it. I wish we had started sooner.

"Road" schooling is what you make it. How strict will you be? What will you expect? Your kids will take their lead from you.

It can be done successfully.

[timkelmom]

Go to Families on the road .com has alot of info and links. good luck !!!

This site does have info, but it is outdated. They haven't added anything new in a long time. I have tried to contact people from here and they never respond, I don't know how active this site is anymore.

[travelfamily]

Thanks for the info timkelmom. I would like to get the perspective of someone who is currently home schooling (road schooling).

We live in a smaller Canadian city where home schooling is not common, but I have found that here are a large number of kids in the US that are home schooled - but not so many "road schooled". What about socialization with other kids and participation in other organized activities (eg music lessons, sports, etc)? There is quite a difference between home schooling from one location where involvement in outside activities is available to "road schooling". There are not always other kids in the RV parks in the winter months.???

I do think that our child learned more (reading, writing, math, as well as experiences)being away with us for 5 months than the other kids in her class learned by being in school for the same period.

[we3peas]

We're not full timing but I home school and we own a motorhome. When we leave on the weekends that we are camping, like tomorrow, my dh takes the day off and we hit the road early. This necessitates taking my dd's school work along. She expects it now and there is no problem. I am able to work with her and then let her work alone on her home work. Most of the time she has it finished by the time we get to a campground.

We do not use a wi-fi or internet card in our laptops when home schooling in our MH which I think you would want if full timing. The expense is too much for it right now. If a park has the wi-fi then we hook up to it for research for her school work but we haven't used them much.

www.curbcrusher.com

[queenbee]

I would suggest using home school DVDs and a portable CD player. I use a Christian-based curriculum that does all the teaching for me. I just monitor completed work, tests/grades, etc. My kids are in charge of their own day and do very well. The education is outstanding. As far as socialization....take them to the local library or local Sunday School. We do fine with each other to socialize with, anyway. They could also get some on-line "pen-pals". If you camp in bigger places there are probably others around who are doing this, too. The great experiences on the road with kids far outweigh whatever positives they get from "socializing" anyway, in my opinion. Let them spend some time getting to know the people out there around a campfire. Socialization comes in many forms and doesn't have to be from someone your own age. Just my own little opinion.

queenbee

[dspa4398]

I question the concept of home schooling--on the road or at home. This probably isn't the place to "vent." However, my 38 years as a teacher with a Master's degree does give me a vantage point. Would your husband let someone who could identify a screwdriver and had a book on engine repair work on your motorhome? Better yet, I have a pair of sissors--come on over and I am sure I could color your hair. That Queenbee has found a book that "does all the teaching" for her and she just has to "monitor completed work, tests/grades, etc." is frightening.