Roadschooling into the Final Frontier...

Welcome to the third post in my writing and homeschooling series! Today we have a fellow Indiana girl talking about something I find very intriguing, and may just have to talk Mr. Calle J. into trying sometime...roadschooling! (What? You think all homeschoolers hang around the house all day?)


In June of 2013 my family decided to take to the open road, and from that decision to actually doing it took nearly a year. We sold most all of our belongings, bought a 35ft travel trailer and said goodbye to the settled life. That was a little over four months ago. In that time we have had to make a lot of adjustments; or maybe I should say that I have had to make a lot of adjustments as my husband seems to be completely in his element.
One thing that we have had to conform to is a new way of homeschooling or as it is called in traveler circles, roadschooling. To start with I (like every other homeschooler I’m acquainted with) am a book junky. I admit it; I have books in storage that I bought 15 years ago when we started homeschooling our eldest.
So my #1 adjustment was the limited number of books that I could bring. The mental torment that I went through trying to decide what to take and what to leave probably took several years off my life.
#2 Being on the road and moving every couple of months also means no co-ops or acting classes or sports or any other long term activity that you might think of.  It’s all me! Now that’s a scary thought for any homeschool mom, as well as her students.
#3 SPACE! And I’m not talking about the Final Frontier. I’m talking about a 35ft trailer containing six people, all trying to find their own private nook. With my husband working from home and all of the children needing taught five days a week we have had to become creative with where we can all work.

Now before I scare anyone off from the traveling life let me draw forth my inner Polly Anna and get positive.  
Yes, it is a bit frustrating for a book hoarder like me to be so limited, but it helps me to focus on what really needs taught without being distracted by all the extras that can be learned at a later time.  And although I do miss some of the extracurricular activities, I now have more ownership of my time and we have replaced those activities with experiencing different places and people and learning in the real world.  The lack of space is a hard one to get used to, but this is the first time in years that my children have spent so much time outdoors. They have become fascinated with caterpillars and pine cones and camp fires. I have seen their imaginations bloom.
                All in all the inconveniences are far outweighed by the benefits and I’m glad for this season of roadschooling.
M.A. Foxworthy
You can visit her on her blog and catch up on what life is like on the road! Also, be sure to watch for her first release next month from Astraea Press!
www.amerrybandoftravelers.wordpress.com