Full Time RVing w/kids

[Kratzerfamily]

Would love input....While the idea of RVing full time is interesting; would it be something that should be considered if there is a child involved> We have a 7 yr old who like most 7 yr olds has tons of energy. I'm worried that the small confines of a RV would be a bit much for him as well as us.

[toedtoes]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
We FTd for 7 yrs as retired folks no kids.............great adventure/lifestyle but we traveled almost every week.


But when I was a kid my DAD worked oilfield and so we moved a LOT following the work. As a consequence of that I went to 3 different elementary schools in 3 different towns/2 different states. I went to 2 different Jr. High Schools....2 different towns/2 different states and 2 different High Schools---same town/rivals.
As result I have NO school day friends...was always the new kid and no long term social involvements.

Kids are adaptable......but WHY should they have to be.

YES FTng in an RV could be an adventure but at what cost?

But then when someone mentions FTng I think of TRAVELING---constant moving/different places.

If not traveling then it is just living in an RV in a park which is no different than living in a neighborhood just a much smaller house---which in and of itself can be a pain as a kid growing up due to lack of privacy

So as a kid growing up moving a lot--------MOM made it as best as it could be but it still sucked.

I agree with a lot of this. In my mind, full-timing means traveling and seeing the world (or at least a country or two). That means having to meet new friends at every stop. Some kids can handle this better than others - understanding and accepting your child's ability or lack thereof to take this challenge on is the single most important deciding factor.

If you're planning on staying in one place all the time, then why? Staying full-time in an RV park means the potential playmates will be coming and going while your child sits there. The excitement and learning opportunities of travel aren't his to enjoy but he spends all his time listening to other kids talk about their trip here or there.

I do realize that staying in touch with friends is much easier now than it was before, what with skype, email, FB, etc., but there is a real difference between being able to go sit in a tree and talk secrets with your best friend and trying to work through a childhood pain with a computer screen.

[tatest]

It is my experience that families can adjust to any space that meets their basic needs. My father's family traveled several years in a Model T touring car with tent, moving from job to job during the Depression. Three children at the time, they all turned out OK. They all had jobs to do and grew up with a great work ethic and strong self discipline.

In the low cost county and municipal campgrounds I often use, I meet families full timing with 3-4 children in 22-25 foot travel trailers. Maybe it is not as nice as a 3000 sq ft McMansion with separate rooms for each family member, but it works for them.

The lifestyle probably works a lot better for the children than it does for whoever serves as homemaker. For the youngsters constantly moving, spending time outdoors, is a great adventure. Compressing your lifestyle to a small space can be more difficult for a homemaker already accustomed to the luxury of larger spaces with dedicated uses. On the other hand, there is a lot less house to keep clean, in a RV.

[scbwr]

For what it is worth, IMHO most kids are better off in a normal school (public or private) situation. All though my DW and I are both retired teachers, we don't feel that we would have wanted to home school our own two children. With an RV, keep the kids in school, but use vacation time to take them to as many places as you can and the experiences will will teach them that there is a lot more out there than what they experience in their hometown.

Or, as an alternative, and if you are really qualified to provide home schooling, take 1/2 of a school year and a summer for an extensive trip. Prior to leaving, try to get as much information about the curriculum and courses that your child will be missing and make sure that you are capable of teaching that material.

I'm not saying that it's impossible to go full time and educate your child, but I think it is a lot more difficult to do it well than most people expect. And yes, traveling and seeing the country makes for one heck of an education. I was a military brat, and in the course of my childhood, I attended 12 different schools and spent time in Virginia, Hawaii, New York and Maryland. I learned a lot, but a lot of kids in military families have problems with the transient life. I've only learned in recent years how difficult it was for my older sister and how it contributed to a lot of her insecurities.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and enjoy your RV travels.

[bikendan]

as was said, there are many families doing the same thing but the majority of them have large TTs, MHs or 5th wheels.

[Second_Chance]

We are retired empty-nesters, but have met several families who full-time with children. They all seemed to be doing well and the kids were getting a GREAT education. In addition to home/road schooling, there were visits to state capitols and historic sites, volunteering (for the kids that were old enough) with various charitable groups, and plenty of interaction with other kids on the road. The children of two of the families stood out in particular (both families had five or more children). One of the families had home-schooled the children for years and the second oldest had gotten an appointment to West Point! All of the kids in these families were extremely polite, well-spoken, and a pleasure to be around (really made us miss our grandkids!). Where there's a will there's a way - and I'm sure plenty of folks out there willing to mentor and help you get started.

Rob

[rekoj71]

Google Families On The Road, or Roadschooling. Fulltime Families is probably the best place for information on the subject.

[steadypraying42]

I fulltime here on post in the Pacific northwest. I have a 8, 6 and a 1 year old plus our fur babies and we wouldn't have it any other way! There are plenty of kids around here who fulltime with their families. After school, besides not having actually houses, it's like our own little community neighborhood. It's awesome!!

[ependydad]

We are doing it with a 12 year old and a 3 year old. We move every 1-3 weeks. As a family, it works well for us. If you're on Facebook, look up the "Fulltime Families" group - you'll find MANY families just like yours who are considering it or doing it.

Our kids are roadschooled and don't have the "changing schools" aspect of Old-Buscuit's experience. They've made friends with other fulltime families on the road and have built meaningful relationships with them - we just may not see the same set of kids week after week. But they text/email/video chat between visits and when they do get back together, it's like no time passed at all. I don't discount Old-Biscuit's experience, but I do believe that it's not all like that.

[Old-Biscuit]

We FTd for 7 yrs as retired folks no kids.............great adventure/lifestyle but we traveled almost every week.


But when I was a kid my DAD worked oilfield and so we moved a LOT following the work. As a consequence of that I went to 3 different elementary schools in 3 different towns/2 different states. I went to 2 different Jr. High Schools....2 different towns/2 different states and 2 different High Schools---same town/rivals.
As result I have NO school day friends...was always the new kid and no long term social involvements.

Kids are adaptable......but WHY should they have to be.

YES FTng in an RV could be an adventure but at what cost?

But then when someone mentions FTng I think of TRAVELING---constant moving/different places.

If not traveling then it is just living in an RV in a park which is no different than living in a neighborhood just a much smaller house---which in and of itself can be a pain as a kid growing up due to lack of privacy

So as a kid growing up moving a lot--------MOM made it as best as it could be but it still sucked.

[2gypsies1]

Here's an excellent site for full-time families. If you can give your child the socialization and schooling that he needs then full-timing can be a great experience. It does take some work to keep their interest up. We've met some families that it seems to work well and the kids are good with it. The parents spend a lot of time in national and state parks for the learning experiences. If all you do is stay in a RV park then I feel sorry for the child. We've also met a few where the kids are very quiet and shy and sit outside appearing very bored. I think it depends on the child as to whether it will work.

http://fulltimefamilies.com/

[2oldman]

What is your definition of 'full time'? Traveling, working, living in a run-down park...?

[darsben]

I would worry more about socialization with his peers and the sports opportunities.
These are critical in development