Road schooling and socializing your children
01-31-2018
Author: in We Wander Wherever
Several weeks ago, I posted about making friends while traveling. This is something many full-time travelers struggle with, and the difficulty of making deep connections can leave many travelers feeling discouraged.
That said, those with kids often end up with an even more difficult situation to deal with. After all, the number one concern most people have for homeschooled children is that they won’t be able to socialize. Honestly, this concern is unfounded, and most homeschooled children receive more well-rounded socialization opportunities than their peers. However, those who choose to roadschool their kids will probably have to work much harder for those opportunities.
So how can you make sure your roadschooled child is able to socialize with peers on a regular basis? Try using these ideas.
Join Fulltime Families
First and foremost, I urge you to join Fulltime Families. This organization is an amazing way to meet other families who are doing the very same thing you are. They host meetups and other events all over the country, and even have a Family Finder tool that allows you to see where potential friends might be so you can meet up on your own.
Stay a While
We’ve found that staying put for 3 weeks or more really helps us ensure our kid is getting the socialization opportunities he needs. This gives him enough time to connect with other kids in the campground, and has even given us the opportunity to jump into local homeschool group meetups.
You could also use extended stays to attend drop-in dance lessons or martial arts classes, or even be part of a community theater production!
Attend a Rally
RV rallies are by far the best way to make friends on the road. By attending a rally intended specifically for families, you will be guaranteed plenty of playmates for your kids throughout the rally and possibly even in the weeks before and after.
Not only that, but because rallies are such intense events with so many deep connections being made, you’ll likely end up traveling alongside some of your new friends when all is said and done.
Caravan with Other Families
Of course, you could jump into caravaning feet-first by joining an organized caravan with other families. This is definitely a great way to make deep connections with others. However, it does come with drawbacks.
For instance, caravans tend to be expensive to join, and you have no control over where you travel or how long you stay in a place. For these reasons, many people prefer to build their own “mini” caravans, something that often happens at rallies.
Use Email
While I don’t think young children should ever be allowed to use social media, there is something to be said for giving your elementary-aged child an email address. Not only will your little one be able to keep in touch with their friends, they will also be practicing writing while they’re at it. In my opinion, that is a win-win.
Want more ideas? Check out this article I wrote on the subject of making friends on the road as an adult. Many of these same solutions can be used by children.
That said, those with kids often end up with an even more difficult situation to deal with. After all, the number one concern most people have for homeschooled children is that they won’t be able to socialize. Honestly, this concern is unfounded, and most homeschooled children receive more well-rounded socialization opportunities than their peers. However, those who choose to roadschool their kids will probably have to work much harder for those opportunities.
So how can you make sure your roadschooled child is able to socialize with peers on a regular basis? Try using these ideas.
Join Fulltime Families
First and foremost, I urge you to join Fulltime Families. This organization is an amazing way to meet other families who are doing the very same thing you are. They host meetups and other events all over the country, and even have a Family Finder tool that allows you to see where potential friends might be so you can meet up on your own.
Stay a While
We’ve found that staying put for 3 weeks or more really helps us ensure our kid is getting the socialization opportunities he needs. This gives him enough time to connect with other kids in the campground, and has even given us the opportunity to jump into local homeschool group meetups.
You could also use extended stays to attend drop-in dance lessons or martial arts classes, or even be part of a community theater production!
Attend a Rally
RV rallies are by far the best way to make friends on the road. By attending a rally intended specifically for families, you will be guaranteed plenty of playmates for your kids throughout the rally and possibly even in the weeks before and after.
Not only that, but because rallies are such intense events with so many deep connections being made, you’ll likely end up traveling alongside some of your new friends when all is said and done.
Caravan with Other Families
Of course, you could jump into caravaning feet-first by joining an organized caravan with other families. This is definitely a great way to make deep connections with others. However, it does come with drawbacks.
For instance, caravans tend to be expensive to join, and you have no control over where you travel or how long you stay in a place. For these reasons, many people prefer to build their own “mini” caravans, something that often happens at rallies.
Use Email
While I don’t think young children should ever be allowed to use social media, there is something to be said for giving your elementary-aged child an email address. Not only will your little one be able to keep in touch with their friends, they will also be practicing writing while they’re at it. In my opinion, that is a win-win.
Want more ideas? Check out this article I wrote on the subject of making friends on the road as an adult. Many of these same solutions can be used by children.
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Author: Chelsea Barron
