Best grades to pull kids out for travel-schooling?
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Anonymous
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Spending some ideal daydreaming time this Sunday, and one of my life fantasies is to take a year and travel with kids - perhaps internationally, but maybe with an RV and just drive all over the country.
So here's my question for more experienced parents - looking back, what grades would you consider decent windows of opportunity for something like this, and which grades would be a terrible idea for your kids to miss? And I'm concerned more with the social/emotional aspect rather than the academic side (I think I could figure out a solution for the academic stuff.) My kids are girls 2 grades apart, so I guess I'm also curious specifically on finding a set go grades that would work. |
Anonymous
| Any time before high school. |
Anonymous
Some students find it hard to catch up in middle school... I wish I took my kids out more often k-5. |
Anonymous
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OP back. Thanks for input. So is there a too young grade where they wouldn't remember enough?
Currently mentally thinking 2nd & 4th. Still elementary academics, and both kids avoid missing the first or last year at a given school. But my oldest isn't yet in 2nd, so harder for me to truly judge. |
Anonymous
| I'm a teacher in ES and I was going to suggest 2nd a 4th too. Your youngest should be reading by the time you go and your oldest won't miss the first year of middle school. |
Anonymous
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I did this with my kids for two years - we spent eight months in France, eight in Italy and eight in Spain. My girls are three years apart, and we did this when the youngest was in first and second grades.
We did it as a combo of regular school and homeschool. When we came back to the states they (had culture shock) were behind only in what amounted to American history, which I was completely fine with. It just meant scrambling to catch up and getting low 80's on tests the first few months. |
Anonymous
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I've even daydreaming this too. I've been thinking 5th though with a big American History tour as part of the curriculum.
I've met several families that travel school on sailboats, but I'd prefer a pop up trailer. |
Anonymous
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have you asked your kids if this is something they want to do?
it may be your dream but maybe not their's. |
Anonymous
Yes. At this point they both like the idea - 1st grader lights up about the idea of Mom being her teacher for a year. I realize of course that this may change, and I wouldn't go through with it if I thought kids would be unhappy about it. -OP |
Anonymous
| Your girls will hate you for it. |
Anonymous
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I agree that it should be in ES- but depending on the kids. Could you do it for a half year? I think it would be fun- but my 3rd grade daughter would hate it with a passion. She is super social and being away from her friends for more than two weeks would make her completely miserable. DD also needs to learn from other adults (generally speaking- we talk about lots of really interesting things but she would never want me or DH as her "teacher".
Also, make sure you understand what documentation the school will require in order make the year count officially- and join home-school groups for ideas. Can you imagine if your kids had to repeat the grade? Good luck! |
Anonymous
Np here. Go away. You're useless. |
Anonymous
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I wish I had done this between 8th grade and 9th grade for my oldest, youngest in middle school. I would have just redshirted them, take a year off... I would have done some homeschooling but not much.
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Anonymous
What kid wouldn't want to do this? Are you serious? Unless they are miserable being at home... |
Anonymous
A kid who wouldn't want to be away from their friends for an entire year. Is it that difficult to imagine? |