To think seriously about travelling with the DC for a couple of years?

[NotWell]

I feel hemmed in. I hate suburbia. The DC are 7 and 3.

DC 1 isn't a fan of school...she's ok but it's not her ideal situation. I KNOW she needs an education...but I just keep dreaming about taking them both off on a massive trip...in a swishy van with DH and not coming back until DC1 is old enough to start secondary.

We could do it in about a years time. My Mum would go spare...she's very traditional and would worry sick about us running all over Europe with the DC...but imagine what they would see! The places and the people...amazing.

I could H.E. them both....I could stick to the UK curriculum and keep them up to scratch.

Is it totally silly? I work from home...via a laptop. I don't need anything other than a broadband connection and my fingers to earn my living. We have savings...enough to live on and to have a cusion in case of emergency.

It's this...or buy a house. I don't want to buy a house. I want to see the world. DH feels the same.

Do it. We've been expat in 4 different countries since our kids were 1.5 and 3, and we have never regretted a moment. IME, while they are still primary school age they are resilient, adaptable and portable. Home is wherever Mum & Dad are and friends are all colours and creeds. DS, now 13, is in his 5th school and is regularly top of the class, he is sociable and sensible and great company. (though hormones fast approaching!)

We have often dreamed of kicking off the safety net of corporate support and taking a year's sabbatical to go walkabout like you are planning Notwell . We are just not quite that brave and have now dithered too long. We are returning to the UK this summer for DS to start Yr 9 in conventional schooling - recognise the need for him to have some roots established now so he is not the weird outsider if he chooses a UK university later on.

I think it's fantastic for the kids to have the experiences you are planning, for them to see that there is a huge choice of lifestyles beyond suburbia and the rat race, and to build some great family memories. You are not being unreasonable, or putting your needs before those of your children - you are building a happier future for your family as a whole.

I take my hat off to you. Please keep us posted!

When I was travelling in Thailand years ago I met a woman travelling with her child, about 3 years old I think. I remember her telling me that he would get really upset every time he made a new friend and then had to leave them and say goodbye. It made him reluctant to make new friends. I felt sorry for him.

Notwell you said that 'you have only been on the road for around a day with them' so I don't know why you were being so huffy with Quint when she asked if you had been on campervan holidays. Personally I don't think it is terribly relevant if you have spent any significant time living in a campervan, the point is have your children? It just seems a huge leap from the total stability and continuity that you have now to becoming a nomad. If life in a small village is boring then there are a whole array of options, surburbia is not the only alternative after all.

We emigrated and ended up moving country twice in six months. For my dd it was not an issue, but my son found it hugely disruptive, missed his friends from the UK a great deal, and having started off with a 'I can make friends with anyone I meet' attitude that we were both amazed and proud of became very concerned that no one would like him. His confidence really took a battering. On the other hand we did a great road trip across America, and I was amazed at how tolerant the children were about the traveling, although it has to be said they quickly switched off the amazing scenery, and they certainly missed the company of other children.

When I was 7 we spent a year travelling in an old bus (bloody hippy parents) ended up in Afghanistan. I don't remember much but did enjoy the cosiness of all being together. I would do it.

tilbatilba, i never said that OP's children will turn into chavs. I'm not even against the idea, i would like it myself.
What i was trying to say is that i'm surprised that mnetters have a fit if a child goes to bed an hour later on weekend, or a child is in Asda at 8pm, or a child goes to restaurant, or Grandma visits at 7pm, but most posters find it cool if children get out of school for 2 years and travel around Europe in a van and shop in Carfour 'as a family' or dine 'as a family' in Italy. You said 'as a family', but the child in the Asda thread was also with his parents. They were 'as a family', saturday (no school) 8pm, so why is it so different?

My boss did this for a year and the whole family loved it. I think the key is to go whilst the kids are still young and early enough in the school system for it not to impact on setting/exams ie the run up to secondary school and beyond. Oh and YY write a book

Thank you all so much for supporting me...it does mean a lot to hear encouragement.

I DO see why some people might think I seem selfish....but it's not only for MY desires that I want to do this. Nether of my children are particularly insecure kids...they like excitement and they like travel. DD1 in particular seems to thrive most when she has endless spare time to write, draw and talk...kids NEED freedom. Yes they need education and to learn how to get on in society...but they can do that as well in a van as in a boring street where nobody even lets the DC play outside!

I want them to have open minds...and it WILL influence their development. Of course it will...they're litte animals and animals respond to environment.

We will come back and find the right house for us...this one is not it. I the meantime....do I wait until I am 55 and then do it when the DC are old enough to care for themselves....or take them with us? Of course I want them with us!

They are 7 and almost 4...both are doing fine academically....they will be fine.

ANd I would like to add...it won't be "just Europe" as I mentioned...we want to do some of Oz too...there is the chance to work with some indigenous teens out there...and that in my mind would be a great chance for the DC to see another culture that is draastically different.

As well as to watch the process of an artistic project led by their Dad as it develops. They will be more settled in one area over that period.

I just have to say that I think this sounds amazing and you should do it.

I spent a lot of time abroad with my parents travelling Europe when I was younger (we would spend 6 weeks at a time in a converted transit van!)and I visited so many beautiful places and picked up smatterings of different languages that I still can utilise.
I have great memories and don't remember being bored or unhappy (though this was slightly different as we always went home and back to a 'normal' routinue afterwards).

Re: homeschooling, one of my best friends and her brother and sister were homeschooled and all 3 have gone onto HE and have steady, well paid jobs. Standardised testing does not equate for everyone.
I have a stream of degrees and diploma's- none of them make me academically brilliant and I am grateful to my parents for taking me to places that as an adult look very different or don't 'exist' anymore. (The former Yugoslavia was beautiful)

DO IT!

Friends of ours did this. Set off for a year with their DCs (8 and 5). They were back within 3 months. The kids hated it. Very sad.

Just to say I mentioned this thread to DH last night -- and now he wants us to do this next year!

After much talk it's still a Plan B for now, if I can't get a decent job, but it's looking more and more tempting.

I actually wonder if more and more people will start doing this, given the state of the economy and schooling as well... Stability is great but not if it means taking a poorly paid job with long hours and sending your DC to a godawful school, which is what a lot of people are facing these days.

This is a wonderful thread to read. I'd say, do it! We took our girls travelling in South Mexico twice when they were very, very small (preschool - in fact dd1 was ten weeks old when we first took her). We're planning and hoping to take a year doing it again when they get older.
The one thing I would say is that if you can plan to do some longer 'stays' it might help. Dd1 went to nursery when she was two and a half in Mexico. It helped with continuity (and she has a great spanish accent for a child who can't really remember any Spanish) and helped us to integrate and gave her some structure.
When we go back we're planning to plant ourselves in the same city again for a bit, and send the children to school there for a while - that way the kids will hopefully get the language too, as well as some travelling.
But I certainly don't regret what we've done so far, and am excited about doing it again. I think it's shaped the kids' personalities to a certain extent. They're good at travelling - and to a certain extent we're better at adapting to their pace than we would be. Good luck with your plans!

Coming very late to this thread so not sure if you'll even get to read it Notwell, but just wanted to say that I think it's sounds like a terrific idea. Kids are very adaptable and I believe that most kids will thrive on an adventure as long as the parents are stable. It's easy to underestimate what kids can manage, my kids would certainly tell me if they didn't like something but most of the time mine, (5 and 2.5yrs) just like hanging out with us and like it the best when we are all together. Re home education look on the Green Parent forum they have a section just for home educating and you'll probably find lots of like minded parents there. Being Scandinavian I feel the education system here kind of crazy starting so early and I constantly feel that my ds's childhood is slipping away from me. Good luck and do keep us posted on what you'll do!!

We are going to do this. We are leaving in september. Our children will be 7, 5 and 2 when we leave. Can't wait!

I think if you enjoy it then the kids will enjoy it. I actually don't think I would be cut out to HE and I think I would miss my friends too much. But if you tend to just rely on your DH then go for it.

My god, go!!! Can we come with you please?? If we had the money, I'd do it in a heart beat

Do it. You can afford it so go.

An ex work colleague took her baby son to see his relatives in the middle east (palestinian dad) by the time he was two he had about 14 stamps in his passport.

She said the only time she didn't enjoy was driving out of Baghdad watching the tanks go in the other direction. That would be early 70s.

Get your oldest to do a blog so any friends can keep in touch.

Yes do it. We're saving up now for a trip with DD in a van across Europe in about 4 years. It will be amazing for all of us and teach her so much more than school would.

I'm already priming DD to be excited about it as got a feeling DH will wuss out when the time comes.

Try to wuss out! If he does, me and DD will go on our own which in some ways would be even more exciting. And DH can look after the animals ... sounding better and better actually.

Perhaps I'll encourage him to stay, he could fly out for long weekends.

OP - if it hasn't been mentioned already, have you read A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water by Patrick Leigh Fermor? Well worth it for ideas and inspiration.