AnswerID: 328681 Submitted: Monday, Oct 06, 2008 at 16:51
John and Lynne
replied:
Don't hesitate! Your kids will be the best ages to really benefit and remember the trip. Later on you get into problems with high school and it is harder for them to catch up (but not impossible!)
From years of teaching in schools I have never known students to not benefit from extended travelling.
For a year or more it is worthwhile enrolling in Distance Ed whose materials and assistance are excellent. This will make sure you are confident they are keeping up in the main areas of Maths etc.
When I taught my own kids with Distance Ed while we were overseas I found we usually only needed a couple of hours a day. It is much quicker without all the other things that go on in schools! You could combine a lot of activities with general touristing - map reading, plants and animals, history etc. It will add to the interest of the trip for all of you! The kids will learn without realising it!
You will need to establish some sort of a routine to get through the basics but don't make it too onerous and be flexible.
Make sure they keep diaries/scrapbooks. Apart from helping their English they will have wonderful records of the trip to look back on!
Don't try to travel too far at a time and allow at least a few days stop at each reasonable camp so you don't get tired and cranky with each other and school work doesn't become a stress to fit in. (We had to learn this!) Less is more when covering distance with kids. Your first plans will probably be too ambitious in terms of daily travel distance! Take their bikes so they can get out and about a bit and wear themselves out instead of you!
Good luck
Lynne
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