Well, for those that notice my spasmodic posts, here we are 4 months into our trip and cruising down the NSW south coast, enjoying the forests and the quiet inlets. We've done over 8,000 km since we left
Perth last October.
Schooling is our biggest issue - kids are aged 10y, 8y and twins nearly 4yrs. The two big boys are loving every minute of the trip and have learned soooo much - but none of it fits anything approaching formal schooling. I had hoped to achieve roughly 5 hours a week of "school work", based on the maths and english workkbooks you can easily buy, as
well as doing the trip reports, and some special projets (fishing, fishing and more fishing is the current project).
Well, the older boys struggle to do any school work, and hate the workbooks and I can't seem to structure or organise our days that there is a quiet time for school work. The boys (10 and 8 yrs) would be described by my mother as quite feral by now - wonderful isn't it how mothers can always make you feel guilty.
So, today I decided I wasn't going to worry about forcing any work. We will try and do a little each week, but I don't intend to make it a discipline drama. I'm going to try that approach known as "unschooling" where you let the day flow and they actively engage in their day and 'learn' what they need for themselves. Right now they are learing an awful lot about fishing, and even though this doesn't yet translate to mathematical genius, or even regular diary writing, I am happy to seem them so involved in their hobby.
I'm also starting to see other results from the trip, that are exciting. The kids are learning to share, to plan, to buddy together, to accept the unexpected, to appreciate the good things in life (family, food, clean air), to consider safety on all expeditions, and more - all those intangible values we wish our kids would "get" -
well, the trip is giving the kids some fantastic skills and understandings of life. My best compliment to date has been that they are not at all like city kids, but like country kids, as they look you in the eye to talk, are not connected constantly to electronic gadgets and are full of energy.... (not meant to be a critique of what counts as city/country character!)
anyway, a bit of a rave, as I rarely get on the computer.....we have found public libraries the best for internet now that we are in populated areas, rather than central Australia.
Anyone have any thoughts or experiences to share on travelling on an extended trip with their kids??
Cheers
Liz
(from
Fremantle)