Many people have asked what homeschooling on the road looks like. (I have actually heard it called "road schooling" from other full-time RV families...funny!) After being on the road for almost 9 months, I can say that it has looked different almost every week:) Usually, the boys did school in the mornings and had free time in the afternoon. Sometimes we did 2 or 3 days worth of school all day long and then took a day off for a field trip. The boys have also done some schoolwork while we are traveling on the road in the RV. They sit at the dinette (don't worry...it has seat belts!) so they have a table to do their school work on. Basically, we have adjusted our homeschool routine to fit in with seminars, field trips, visits with family & friends, and just unexpected moments in life! Because of those adjustments, (and because of our extended break while moving from St. Louis last fall) we actually did not finish our school year until mid-July. We decided to stick with our curriculum that we have always used, but then the boys have supplemented that with field trips to different science & history museums, and junior ranger programs at the national parks we have visited. At the beginning of the trip, I had such lofty goals!!! I wanted to make sure the boys were journaling everything we were doing, reading every history book before we visited the state, along with completing their regular school subjects. Then reality hit me and I realized it was WAY too much. I met another homeschool mom one day in the laundry room, and she really encouraged me. She said her friend who was a teacher had told her to just make sure to cover the basics, and let your children be sponges and soak in everything else as you travel and experience the U.S. I really needed to hear that!
When we were planning our trip, a big desire for Alan was to be more involved in homeschooling the boys. (You can read more about that in our very first post on this blog - written by Alan - titled Why?) He always has done a good job helping me homeschool before this trip, but he really wanted to have more time with them and he wanted to give me a break as well. I have been a stay at home mom for over 10 years and I have homeschooled the boys since preschool. It has truly been the most rewarding job I could ever have. Of course, it has also been the most challenging as well! To be honest, before we left on the road full time, I spent a lot of my time with the boys doing school and I had a hard time just remembering to "play" with them. I know many homeschool moms who struggle with this issue as well. We are "teacher" for a majority of the day, yet we still are "mom" too. When most of your day is taken up with teaching responsibilities, it is hard to remember to be "mom" and just play with our kids sometimes. The past few months, Alan did most of the homeschooling and I had more opportunities to just play and be "mom". I have to admit, it was pretty hard at first to let go of my stubborn pride and turn over my lesson plans and curriculum books!! But, now I see how much joy Alan received when he taught Caleb to read among other things. I felt it was such a privilege to teach my older two boys to read. I LOVED seeing the excitement in their eyes when they learned something new! I realized this season has been an opportunity to share that blessing of teaching the boys with Alan. At the same time, I feel like I am learning that I can spend time with my boys and enjoy them without always wearing my "teacher" hat.
So- maybe someone who is reading this post is a homeschool mom and you are feeling overwhelmed, weary and worn out and your school year has not yet even begun!?! My hope is to encourage you! I know my family has a very unique lifestyle situation, but maybe a solution for you is that your husband can take a subject or two and teach your kids for awhile one evening a week? Or- if that is not an option, maybe you can find a homeschool co-op/support group or a friend who would take the kids for a day so you have a break every once in awhile? I have so appreciated the wonderful homeschooling mentors and support groups in my life. God has blessed our family through them!! My hope is that you can be blessed and encouraged too! Homeschooling is very rewarding, but it is not for every family. For those families who homeschool it a huge blessing and a huge responsibility too. I am grateful for all that I have learned from being a homeschool mom. I often say that I think I am learning more than my children are!!! It is a good thing that God isn't finished with me yet either! :)
Blessings to you and yours!
Jill and the boys:)
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