So far –
- 9 days
- over 1500 miles (x2 vehicles)
- 8 states
- lots of friends and family
- 0 speeding tickets
- 0 major fights
- 2 or 3 things left behind or lost
- 4 head colds
- 1 starfish (or sea star as they are now called, but I’m old school so it’s still a starfish to me)
We all know, nothing ever goes as planned. That maxim indeed held true for our first week of the move/roadschool. We’ve had tons of fun, seen lots of friends and family, and hopefully have learned something along the way. We’ve also (especially me) had to adjust to life on the road and to things not going quite like we (I) planned.
Here are my observations:
1. first and foremost – expect the unexpected! Plans will change and you will have to deal with things unforeseen. It’s important to be able to go with the flow, especially if it’s nothing life threatening.
My husband is driving the vehicle with the girls in it. He’s not the one that came up with this master schooling plan, so he doesn’t really know the best way to implement it. I have purposely not been interfering on the walkie talkie (that’s another tip) because he needs to know that I trust him with schooling the girls. I didn’t get my master plan printed out before our printer was packed up, and due to some of those unforeseen circumstances, we haven’t been able to print it out yet. So, he’s been pinch hitting with their schoolwork. And that’s fine. I had built in some down days, so I’m hoping that we can use a day or two of those to go over some things that were missed.
2. As mentioned above, if you’re driving more than one vehicle you need a set of walkie talkies. We figured this out early into our marriage…and it probably helped save it. Now there’s very little likelihood of losing each other and driving several miles down the highway before you realize your better half got off at the last exit to gas up. It’s a great way to keep the lines of communication open (cell phones don’t always have coverage), and it prevents HUNDREDS if not thousands of fights and ticked off feelings. Ahem.
3. As you’re coming and going from many different houses, hotel rooms, camp sites, etc., help each other go over a list of things that might possibly get left behind. Say phone cords. Or bathing suit bottoms. It’s so much easier to take those things with you than to have to replace them, or ask your AirBnB host to mail them to your next stop. . . just conjecturing.
4. Don’t count on having cell connection or wifi everywhere you go, or even in the most touristy of places you go. We stayed a night in Panama City, and there was absolutely no cell coverage in the condo. There wasn’t great coverage even on the beach. I’m several days behind in posting because we’ve been without internet when I least expected it!
5. Don’t forget to pack all the little doodads and medicines you use in everyday life. You are still living, even though it may be out of a car. I packed all our medicine in one bag, and it’s easily accessible, to include bandaids. I’m keeping our sunscreen and bug spray in the car door pocket. We don’t have to hunt for that at all, and it’s easy to slather on and then put right back in the door pocket. Cell phone and computer chargers; toothbrush chargers (if you use an electric one); contact solution; EXTRAS of things like contacts; bandaids; even Dramamine in case someone’s head/tummy isn’t as suited to cross-country travel as you’d like. It’s easier to have this stuff on hand than to assume you’ll be able to get it if you need it.
Since we’re schooling, I made sure to pack extra pencils, a pencil sharpener, a tiny stapler (it was cute, that’s really the only reason), a hole punch, a ruler, magnifying glasses, etc. I should have packed a portable printer, but who knew I’d have so much problems with trying to get something printed out! (See tip #1)
6. Be flexible and let the little stuff go. It adds years to your life. Really. Even if it’s school related. If you’ve been homeschooling for any amount of time you know that they obtain the information sooner or later. So what if you wanted to cover the Ocean Biome while you were at the ocean, but didn’t get around to it. When we do get around to reviewing it my girls will have first hand experience with the ocean and will be able to remember that. It will still be meaningful.
I’ve forgotten any other observations I might have made. I’ll add those in another update. I’d like to show you soon how we set up our “school room” in the car. I need to get pictures of that. . .
Happy roadschooling!
Not So SAHM
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Not So SAHM 