Thoughts, stories, and experiences about traveling with children

[thapoet]

I can't seem to find anything on the forum concerning deep discussions about traveling with children in tow.... either its a taboo subject no one wants to discuss, or no one does it. personally, i think its a great topic because my next trip could include my daughter. whether it be on foot, bike, or truck, there is always the possiblity my daughter may have to come with me. there are so many dangers to consider, but also so much life experience to acquire.ultimately i would want a tiny group to travel with for added protection and experience... so many thinks can be added here and links... with the advent of computers and tablets homeschooling on the road is more feasible... but one would also be a target for cops to harass you i would think, walkin with a kid, welfare, etc.... i think personal stories of people traveling with kids or of kids who grew up on the road with traveling parents would be exceptional here... also, if anyone wants to be an ass and just talk trash aboutnthis idea, please dont just thrownout an insult, back it up... anyways, lets see where this goes??? also, anyone with insight as to laws concerning this would be great!

 

[p4r4d0x]

I recommend she learns a fighting style to defend herself ASAP.
WingChun KungFu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Chun
for example was created by a shaolin buddhist nun turn slave and used to defeat a man twice her size for her freedom. The story is quite amazing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yim_Wing-chun
It's a good style for women or anyone of a smaller frame and was actually created thousands of years ago and is still used by millions of women all around the world as well as the likes of Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Ip Man.
Or judo and taekwondo which are great for ladies as well.

I find this.to.be a. good introduction.


A short summary


A very good demonstration

 

[Shakou]

I think it depends on your method of travel, and how old the child is. My husband and I have lived and gone on some pretty crazy traveling adventures. Some would have been fine with an older child, others not at all. With us calming down a bit now and actively trying to have a kid of our own, we know, for the safety and well being of our kid, we won't be able to do some of the things we did before. BUT that doesn't mean we plan to stop traveling and have adventures all together. We now live in a motorhome, which will provide a stable home environment for a young child to live in while we travel, and when our kid get's old enough, we want to take them on bike trips during the summer. And when they are well into their teens/early adulthood, maybe even hitch hiking/back packing trips if they're interested.

I don't think having a child means a traveling life is over. I just think it means you need to make some compromises and sacrifices to MAKE it work.

 

[thapoet]

very good points shakou... my daughter is 9 btw... i am 38, and her mom is mia as usual... which is why i have custody of her and have barely done any traveling for the past 5 or 6 years now... i want so badly to have her experience the road with me but i am far from naive asmto the dangers and threats... so i guess you could say i am at a crossroads at this point in our lives... which is why i posted asking for discussion on the topic... my little girl is the only thing i would trade the road for and never regret it. but i also feel that it is something we can enjoy together... so anyways, thanks for addingmto the discussion and i wish yall luck on havingm a child

 

[dprogram]

Stability is one of the most important things children need mentally. I can see where it would be cool to want to carry your daughter and go traveling but I think you'd do a better service to her (in the long run) by staying put. Wait until she's older and if she wants to go then why not? I don't have children but it seems like it could be extremely difficult without an RV of some sort.

 

[p4r4d0x]

Out of curiosity, what does she want to do?
Stay put and go to school with "friends" or travel to places she wants to see (if she's interested in that sort of thing) and be homeschooled?
If I were a parent I would lean more toward homeschooling than public schools and not because of.the other kids, but because of the teachers, administration and narrow minded american curriculum.

 

[thapoet]

right now she wants both... she wants to see the things in life that she only reads about, and she likes the friends she has now, butnhates going to a public school... my daugher is an honor student in 3rd grade, had read verything from jules verne to mark twain.... she has a natural spirit of adventure, just like her ole man. she has actually asked me to homeschool her because she doesn't like slow classrooms and "not having an opinion at school".... she is not ur typical little girl.... homeschooling laws in louisiana are crazymsincenthe casey anthony crap. government wants to track our kids everyday everyway and everywhere... thumb print scanners for lunch at school... 2 days unexcused absense without contact is grounds for a visit from the sheriffs dept.... and teachers teaching kids to sing praises to obama... which i dont believe politics belong in school that early in a childs life.... i dunno... like i said, crossroads....

 

[Noble Savage]

my old man loved to travel I had been to most the lower 48 by the time I was 13. She'll learn a lot more actually seeing places than reading about them in some institutionalized gubberment classroom but she's too young to be stressing about where she is gonna sleep...your gonna need a home that rolls.

 

[Ekstasis]

Heya,

We have a rv and travel with our 9 yo, 3rd grade son and currently homeschool. We started when he was in 2 nd grade.

I traveled a bit in my 20's but not much and always wanted to travel more.

My husband works on the road and we stay in each place about 3 months.

I homeschooled for a month before we moved the first time near Flagstaff, we rented a house and it was a huge pain in the ass. We have a pit bull and actually bought the rv to make traveling with him easier.

You should check out being a Texas resident. Great homeschool laws and no state taxes (lol). You don't report to anyone for homeschooling other then to report initially to the school district you are homeschooling and then nothing again.. I dunno how it'd work if you moved here.

I would spend a lot of time considering curriculum before jumping. We jumped before I was all planned and organized and it was rough.

I suck at Language arts but I still have to teach it. Do you like doing homework with your daughter? I hated public school homework with my son. Lol. I like doing my own thing with curriculum. A lot of days it is a chore to get school done and we are financially stable. How would you provide for her? Fyi it takes us less time to do homeschool than it would to get him ready for school each morning, take him to school, pick up, and do homework. But it'll take longer each year. My son fights me some days and we aren't done until 7 pm or end up doing Sat or Sunday school. You get to make your own rules as a homeschooler. :b

There is a website with a forum called familiesontheroad.com or something similar. There are lots of blogs you can check out from there. The forum sucks but you can read up.

Fyi.. We stay in rv parks mostly. The second one we stayed at 2 slots down was a guy on the sex offender registry website. He was a permanent resident.

It's pretty scary letting my son outside unsupervised knowing that a lot of people around me can pack up their house and leave in about 10 minutes without me realizing my kid was gone...

We did spend the summer in a rv park run by the city in a small town and had a carnival open up right outside our front door. Pretty amazing for my son. How many kids can say that?

A tree fell on our rv at that park. Where will you stay if something crazy happens?

My son gets sad meeting people and getting settled and moving on, knowing he probably won't see them again. There is a little difference in him socially than public school kids. He is more grown up but being an only child he doesn't navigate situations well where things aren't fair and kids are mean. He doesn't know a lot of little things like playground jokes, what clothes are in style and that sort of thing.

My finger is tired of typing.

I hope I gave you something to think about.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[Ekstasis]

Shit... That was supposed to be a private convo.

 

[thapoet]

thanks ekstasis... for everything you just typed. everything you just said cleared up a lot and helped me to ponder things i hadnt thought of. good luck on your families travels

 

[Ekstasis]

The laws I mentioned are Texas specific. Some states are relaxed and others are not much.

Sorry, to throw so much at you at once.

I tried to delete that message but it's still popping up. Bah.

Anyway.. Homeschooling was never in my life plan. He is learning so much and not wasting time/life on busy work, or for the slow learner in the class to catch up and getting in trouble from boredom.

GL!

 

[shwillyhaaa]

I just had a baby and am considering going on a road trip... shell be 2 months old when I want to go, but I am doing a test trip in the state to see how it is. I would never continually travel with my kid, but I believe small trips are okay with your little one with the proper equipment and sacrifices.