My wife and I would like to half-time with our two girls (8 & 11) and home school them. We are looking at large diesel pushers with bunk beds in the back and opposing couches in the front.The problem is that, other than the dinette, there isn't a suitable place for kids to do schoolwork in a class A motorhome. I'm looking for suggestions and perhaps answers to these questions.1) Should I remove one of the opposing couches up front and replace it with a desk?2) Which couch should I remove, the larger or the smaller?3) How much will this reduce the resale value of the MH when we decide to sell it?4) Does anyone have any photos of a good desk setup in a class A?5) Any other ideas.

NewMar Ventana LE can do it without breaking the bank.Take a look

I don't know the answers to any of your questions but here are some RV offices that might give you some good ideas - http://www.technomadia.com/full-time-rving-workspaces/

We removed the smaller couch next to the kitchen and replaced it with a computer desk purchased at an unfinished furniture store, and had it finished to match our Cherry cabinets. We replaced some of the seating lost by the loss of the couch with a Euro Lounger and ottoman.

We are still working so either take office with us or stay home SO,,, Removed sofa and replaced with office area for two puters. The cherry corner desk came from Overstock.com.$100 The pair of oak filing cabinets from Staples..............150MinWax cherry poly stain & brush from HomeDepot..15 Oak stair tread for 2nd fold out table HomeDepot....12 Misc hinge, support, power strip....... $15 Total......$292 Bought Euro chair and foot rest...$700.... Separated Sofa into two parts to get out the door. The cherry MinWax made everything match surprisingly well. Originally had a desk top puter and one lap top, now two lap tops. We leave most everything on top other than the puters. This area works well because of the two slides in the living room and turning the drivers chair around.

Start off trying to use the dinette. Living in the MH full-time you will need all the seating possible for a family of four. When the weather is good, they can do their work at picnic tables and enjoy an outdoor classroom.

What to do about a desk? | Good Sam Community

Peralko
Explorer
Nov 25, 2013
Here is a motorhome with a built in desk: "http://www.premiermcs.com/rv/tucson+az/countrycoach+classadiesel/15/country+coach+allure+470+siskiyou+summit". Also, if you do a search for "Country Coach Affinity Alexander Valley" and "Country Coach Magna Galileo", both have factory-installed desks, and some also have two opposing couches.
topflite51
Explorer
Nov 25, 2013
My wife often takes work with her, she utilizes one of THESE when she does. It is inexpensive and fairly stable and it is adjustable.
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Nov 25, 2013
holstein13 wrote:
Great suggestions. Keep 'em coming. I'm reading and considering each of your ideas with my wife as you send them.

Goldencrazy, I'm not sure if this will work out, but we will be hiring a governess to travel with us and our youngest has special needs and responds very, very well to one-on-one teaching. My plan is to do this for two years and then settle down somewhere when the oldest is in High School to give her that experience.

That is really neat. I think the travel will mitigate the isolation found in some home schooled children. Some structure will be important around the learning so having the school portion of their lives contained in box or trunk will be important and of course necessary in the motorhome. There are a lot of on-line curricula and assistance available to assist you in providing the learning you are intending to provide. You also have the ability to have year around learning instead of the 9 month setting in most institutions.
tatest
Explorer II
Nov 25, 2013
You could probably remove one of the sofas and install a desk, if that's what you want to do with the space. Find a cabinet maker and define what is needed.

Key for me is "except for the dinette." Through junior high and high school, all my homework was done in the breakfast nook, space shared with a brother and sister close in age. Nobody had a dedicated space for homework. The next one was enough younger so he had needed to share the space with an older sister, and the next four kids were in different houses and did homework on the kitchen table.

So maybe the dinette could work.
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Nov 25, 2013
holstein13 wrote:
Great suggestions. Keep 'em coming. I'm reading and considering each of your ideas with my wife as you send them.

Goldencrazy, I'm not sure if this will work out, but we will be hiring a governess to travel with us and our youngest has special needs and responds very, very well to one-on-one teaching. My plan is to do this for two years and then settle down somewhere when the oldest is in High School to give her that experience.

That is really neat. I think the travel will mitigate the isolation found in some home schooled children. Some structure will be important around the learning so having the school portion of their lives contained in box or trunk will be important and of course necessary in the motorhome. There are a lot of on-line curricula and assistance available to assist you in providing the learning you are intending to provide. You also have the ability to have year around learning instead of the 9 month setting in most institutions.
rolling_rhoda
Explorer
Nov 24, 2013
PB teen storage lap desk

These work pretty well for when you don't need a lot of space. They're like a bean bag on the bottom so they can be tilted slightly.
holstein13
Explorer
Nov 24, 2013
Great suggestions. Keep 'em coming. I'm reading and considering each of your ideas with my wife as you send them.

Goldencrazy, I'm not sure if this will work out, but we will be hiring a governess to travel with us and our youngest has special needs and responds very, very well to one-on-one teaching. My plan is to do this for two years and then settle down somewhere when the oldest is in High School to give her that experience.
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Nov 24, 2013
I am sure you have thought it through and determined home schooling meets your children's needs. I have seen a lot of problems with it and for some it works reasonably well. I would suggest something portable for each child where they keep their studies and stow when not in use. It can have compartments for paper, writing instruments and computer. It is critical that each child have a computer as the resources for home schooling will be available on the internet and document storage is important for each. The storage can be a banker's box or plastic crate. Kids can decorate their own. You can then easily turn any place into a study area than. Good luck.
Alfred622
Explorer
Nov 24, 2013
We had our kids work at the dinette table when they needed a writing surface. However, a lot of work got done on the couch or outside in camp chairs or the picnic table.
AllegroD
Nomad
Nov 24, 2013
I agree with trying it without mods as space and seating is important but if you decide you need to mod there are several sites to look at for desks.

Dave and LJ's

Bradd and Hall, if you can do the work yourself.

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