I posted this on another forum, but got zero responses so I thought I'd cut and paste it to RV Dreams since everybody seems so much friendlier here!
hello! My name is Mel and my husband and I have an 18 year old son who will graduate from high school in 2014. At that point we'd like to sell the house and pursue our dream of living on the road. Orginally, we thought our son would like to stay here and attend college, but since he doesn't really know what he wants to do yet, we're thinking he'll come along. He's very excited about this, but I worry about him missing the college experience. We homeschooled for 6 years when he was younger so I'm not that attached to traditional school paths, but he's a young man now. I know traveling would be a wonderful experience in it's own right and he could always take some college classes online, I guess I just worry that he'll get lonely for people his own age. What do you guys think?
Lucky Mike said
12:24 AM Mar 9, 2013
My son is 16 and joining me this year , he is semi home schooled most of the year and attends brick and motar 2 months a year..
I have a firm intention and my son also of attending college..(his trust also requires it)......I think the break will do him good, and at the same time get to look over the country and see different areas that could become part of his life.
there are plenty of people out here there age , but at the same time being isolated from others gives them a chance to look at themselves and ponder the decisions they are going to make without interference from outside sources.....just sitting with nature gives one a great reflection on life!!!
I spent 2 years with a backpack wandering before College.....It taught me alot about myself and my abilities it also showed me what the world was all about with a very close view......it also gave me something to look back upon while my nose was driven hard into the books and classes.
I wish him well.....life starts out gathering your experiences , it always finishes teaching the lessons and telling the story!!!!!
you start it as a child on a lap......you finish it with a child on your lap.....Please Grandpa , tell me that story again..............
Racerguy said
01:14 AM Mar 9, 2013
Living real world experiences and traveling for a while is the best education a child could get.There will be plenty of people his age to meet at different campgrounds.I think it's a great idea.The book learning can be completed at a later date with no adverse effects.
MelinWV said
01:25 AM Mar 9, 2013
Thanks Mike! I agree - I think the experiences he could get far outweigh the down side. My husband and I both went to college straight out of high school and I think it was a big mistake. Neither one of us knew what we really wanted out of life and just got degrees because it was the expected thing to do. then we got married and "real life" took over. Now 23 years later we're looking around and saying, "Is this all there is?" We chomping at the bit to go on the road and our son is eager to come along as well. We all three get along very well together so I don't worry about that aspect of things - it's more the question of how he will eventually find his own way and separate from us. I also wonder if he'll miss hanging out with friends, having a girlfriend, and just being a college "kid" in general. I like the idea of him spending a year or two traveling with us and then maybe settling into school somewhere. As I said, I think it will be a good experience good for him, I just wondered if anyone else had any thoughts.
MelinWV said
01:26 AM Mar 9, 2013
thanks Racerguy! I think you're right!
GENECOP said
02:52 AM Mar 9, 2013
It sounds like a great idea, if he is into it and you are into it then go for it......everything else in his life will work out just fine....if you enjoy the present, the future will take care of itself....welcome to the Forum.
Terry and Jo said
04:53 AM Mar 9, 2013
I do have to agree that the travel would be a blessing for him. At the same time, a year or two of that would allow him to experience something great, and at the same time, give you the opportunity to see what is going to happen with financing of college in this crazy economy. If I remember right, I think the government is about to take over all of the financing of college, and that worries me. The government likes to "regulate" what they fund.
Now, having said all that, I never got my degree. I did do one year back in the '60's but being young, I changed my major from journalism to "party." With Vietnam going at the same time, I knew I would soon be in the service, in one way or another. I ended up enlisting. The one thing in life that I regret is not getting my degree. However, I had a growing family and I felt that providing for that family was more important than getting a degree that might not be in the best of fields. After all, just how many journalists does the world need?
However, the period of time of traveling will let him consider what "field" he would want his degree to be associated with without being influenced by counselors. With a year of traveling and meeting people who have degrees in various fields could be one of the best educations that he gets, one leading to the "right" field.
Good luck with it all for all of you.
Terry
folivier said
04:08 PM Mar 9, 2013
Like as I remind my wife as we're in our 2nd month of fulltiming nothing is permanent. If it doesn't work out for your son he can always change plans. Get a job, an apartment somewhere, or go to college. While you continue your dreams of fulltiming and travelling. It's the flexibility that we all forgot as we tried to chase the "dream".
Technomadia said
05:25 PM Mar 9, 2013
If your son is onboard with the idea.. I think it can be an amazing experience! All choices in life have trade offs, and nothing says that after a bit of time on the road he can't make an informed choice to switch paths. Perhaps he finds a college town he really likes? A vocational training opportunity? Or a community/relationship he wants to explore?
As far as examples of young adults traveling with their parents, check these families out:
http://barenakedfamily.com (they're currently stationary in Austin, running a business together.. but have been on/off the road for decades. We've met their older kids.. awesome people!)
The only thing I would say when you approach shopping for an RV ideal for your family.. is keep in mind that potential change down the road should your son decide go on a different path than you. Which means... plan upfront that you may be needing to change RVs in a year or two to accommodate just the two of you instead. Would advise against buying something that you'll quickly be upside down in financially.
We also have some friends who just announced yesterday that they are selling their RV and settling down after 5 months on the road. They bought a 5th wheel with a separate bedroom for their 15 year old son who travels part time with them (he decided that lack of fast reliable internet was not appealing, so preferred staying with his uncle while his moms traveled) - which may be the sort of set-up to start out with? Anyway, here's their info on the 5th Wheel they now have for sale: http://paceandkyeli.com/buy-our-rv/
Best wishes!
- Cherie
WestWardHo said
05:50 PM Mar 9, 2013
Wow, i really like all the responses to your question, MelinWV, especially Folivers.
With you son being interested in traveling with you, i think its a great idea for a year or two. What a wonderful experience to share and memories you'll create forever.
We heard a long interview recently on NPR predicting that the way one attends college will change entirely within 5 years. The premise was that when one is enrolled at a university the majority of classes will be online. Say you're an econ major enrolled at a local college and the very top macro economics professor is at Cambridge in England; the student could enroll in one of his/her online classes and get credit thru their own school. The show predicted costs of a college education will be significantly reduced by online coursework, the overall education experience will be enhanced and that the changes will be rapid. They also talked about the growing online only degrees. I do think the student would miss out on the socialization experiences of college to say nothing on the future networking connections.
Follow your instincts and heart.
Sherry
LuckyMike you should contact those producers, you have so many interesting stories!!
Dog Folks said
03:33 PM Mar 10, 2013
Remember that in any given area, the things he will want to visit and the things that you want to visit may be very different.
We travel with my wife's mentally disabled sister. We enjoy musuems but she is very bored if the exhibits ar "static." The highight of her summer once, was Smokey the Bears birthday in a national park.
I'm sure his interestes will be different sometimes, so give him the opportunity to explore them.
I agree with others here that this could be great for him. Seeing things in real life rather than a textbook.
Lucky Mike said
03:41 PM Mar 10, 2013
Keeping some type of alternate Transportation such as a bike or scooter will give him a little freedom to escape on his own when plans conflict.
I posted this on another forum, but got zero responses so I thought I'd cut and paste it to RV Dreams since everybody seems so much friendlier here!
hello! My name is Mel and my husband and I have an 18 year old son who will graduate from high school in 2014. At that point we'd like to sell the house and pursue our dream of living on the road. Orginally, we thought our son would like to stay here and attend college, but since he doesn't really know what he wants to do yet, we're thinking he'll come along. He's very excited about this, but I worry about him missing the college experience. We homeschooled for 6 years when he was younger so I'm not that attached to traditional school paths, but he's a young man now. I know traveling would be a wonderful experience in it's own right and he could always take some college classes online, I guess I just worry that he'll get lonely for people his own age. What do you guys think?
I have a firm intention and my son also of attending college..(his trust also requires it)......I think the break will do him good, and at the same time get to look over the country and see different areas that could become part of his life.
there are plenty of people out here there age , but at the same time being isolated from others gives them a chance to look at themselves and ponder the decisions they are going to make without interference from outside sources.....just sitting with nature gives one a great reflection on life!!!
I spent 2 years with a backpack wandering before College.....It taught me alot about myself and my abilities it also showed me what the world was all about with a very close view......it also gave me something to look back upon while my nose was driven hard into the books and classes.
I wish him well.....life starts out gathering your experiences , it always finishes teaching the lessons and telling the story!!!!!
you start it as a child on a lap......you finish it with a child on your lap.....Please Grandpa , tell me that story again..............
Thanks Mike! I agree - I think the experiences he could get far outweigh the down side. My husband and I both went to college straight out of high school and I think it was a big mistake. Neither one of us knew what we really wanted out of life and just got degrees because it was the expected thing to do. then we got married and "real life" took over. Now 23 years later we're looking around and saying, "Is this all there is?" We chomping at the bit to go on the road and our son is eager to come along as well. We all three get along very well together so I don't worry about that aspect of things - it's more the question of how he will eventually find his own way and separate from us. I also wonder if he'll miss hanging out with friends, having a girlfriend, and just being a college "kid" in general. I like the idea of him spending a year or two traveling with us and then maybe settling into school somewhere. As I said, I think it will be a good experience good for him, I just wondered if anyone else had any thoughts.
thanks Racerguy! I think you're right!
I do have to agree that the travel would be a blessing for him. At the same time, a year or two of that would allow him to experience something great, and at the same time, give you the opportunity to see what is going to happen with financing of college in this crazy economy. If I remember right, I think the government is about to take over all of the financing of college, and that worries me. The government likes to "regulate" what they fund.
Now, having said all that, I never got my degree. I did do one year back in the '60's but being young, I changed my major from journalism to "party." With Vietnam going at the same time, I knew I would soon be in the service, in one way or another. I ended up enlisting. The one thing in life that I regret is not getting my degree. However, I had a growing family and I felt that providing for that family was more important than getting a degree that might not be in the best of fields. After all, just how many journalists does the world need?
However, the period of time of traveling will let him consider what "field" he would want his degree to be associated with without being influenced by counselors. With a year of traveling and meeting people who have degrees in various fields could be one of the best educations that he gets, one leading to the "right" field.
Good luck with it all for all of you.
Terry
It's the flexibility that we all forgot as we tried to chase the "dream".
If your son is onboard with the idea.. I think it can be an amazing experience! All choices in life have trade offs, and nothing says that after a bit of time on the road he can't make an informed choice to switch paths. Perhaps he finds a college town he really likes? A vocational training opportunity? Or a community/relationship he wants to explore?
As far as examples of young adults traveling with their parents, check these families out:
http://barenakedfamily.com (they're currently stationary in Austin, running a business together.. but have been on/off the road for decades. We've met their older kids.. awesome people!)
http://ticknortribe.com
http://www.kelloggshow.com
The only thing I would say when you approach shopping for an RV ideal for your family.. is keep in mind that potential change down the road should your son decide go on a different path than you. Which means... plan upfront that you may be needing to change RVs in a year or two to accommodate just the two of you instead. Would advise against buying something that you'll quickly be upside down in financially.
We also have some friends who just announced yesterday that they are selling their RV and settling down after 5 months on the road. They bought a 5th wheel with a separate bedroom for their 15 year old son who travels part time with them (he decided that lack of fast reliable internet was not appealing, so preferred staying with his uncle while his moms traveled) - which may be the sort of set-up to start out with? Anyway, here's their info on the 5th Wheel they now have for sale: http://paceandkyeli.com/buy-our-rv/
Best wishes!
- Cherie
With you son being interested in traveling with you, i think its a great idea for a year or two. What a wonderful experience to share and memories you'll create forever.
We heard a long interview recently on NPR predicting that the way one attends college will change entirely within 5 years. The premise was that when one is enrolled at a university the majority of classes will be online. Say you're an econ major enrolled at a local college and the very top macro economics professor is at Cambridge in England; the student could enroll in one of his/her online classes and get credit thru their own school. The show predicted costs of a college education will be significantly reduced by online coursework, the overall education experience will be enhanced and that the changes will be rapid. They also talked about the growing online only degrees. I do think the student would miss out on the socialization experiences of college to say nothing on the future networking connections.
Follow your instincts and heart.
Sherry
LuckyMike you should contact those producers, you have so many interesting stories!!
We travel with my wife's mentally disabled sister. We enjoy musuems but she is very bored if the exhibits ar "static." The highight of her summer once, was Smokey the Bears birthday in a national park.
I'm sure his interestes will be different sometimes, so give him the opportunity to explore them.
I agree with others here that this could be great for him. Seeing things in real life rather than a textbook.