We are thinking of becoming American Gypsies

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

Maybe it’s the fact that I am a gypsy descendant (I swear – you should see me in hoop earrings) or the fact that I am fed up living status quo but I hear the road calling my name. Not really interested in the whole European or Russian gypsy lifestyle – but more like modern American travelers – hit the road – live in the wind.

For a number of reasons we had already decided to put our home in Connecticut on the market in the spring 2012 and relocate. The plan was to sell the house and move into a rental home while we decide where we want to permanently relocate to. Deciding where to go has been difficult. My husband could possibly advance quicker in his career if we move to the Pittsburg area – I’m not a huge PA fan so other locations are still on the table. We have three kids and picking the right area to settle down is going to be important.

The other day I was browsing campsites on wecamphere.com and it occurred to me that we could very well live on the road for a while. Both my husband and I are fortunate that we can work from home - we own a simple RV – what else do you need. I started to look into it and wouldn’t you know there are families out there that already do this. Live out of their RV, traveling the country and showing their children the real world – not just their little corner of it. I am really excited about this idea. Being mobile like this would give us the opportunity to explore the US – find out where we really belong. We could take the children to all the amazing historical landmarks and natural wonders this country has to offer. What an adventure.

As I see it the advantages to living like this are obvious – there are also some drawbacks we will need to overcome.

First - I may lose my job – I work from home but I need to go in when my boss needs me too. I’m not the bread winner so I don’t see this as a huge obstacle. I have another skill set I can draw upon for fun money. If we moved I was going to lose my job anyway.

Second – Lack of extended family interaction – but you know what – I don’t see my family that often anyway. My parents are planning on hitting the road themselves late next year – my sisters and brother are technologically savvy – I don’t see any reason why we would lose contact. We could come back “Home” for any significant events. I don’t really care if we lose contact with most of my husband’s family.

Third – Space – we didn’t buy a huge RV – I think it could work well because it is part trailer – plenty of room for stuff - but we would be moving a family of five plus one dog from 2400 square feet to 300 square feet. We will definitely need to move our stuff that we can’t or don’t want to sell into a storage unit.

Fourth – Speaking of the dog – I’m not sure this kind of lifestyle would be great for an animal. We do love our little dog – (actually named Gypsy) – but would it make traveling more difficult always having to find a pet friendly location. I do not want to re-home her or put her into some kind of long term foster situation so she may end up in kennels when we cant find a pet friendly RV park. I have to give her some serious consideration.

Fifth – School – I’m torn about this – I am willing to make the commitment to Roadschool them but I like my children to interact with other kids. Roadschooling them would definitely make this difficult – they would loose the opportunities to participate in sports – which isn’t a huge part of their life but I know they do enjoy the interaction with other kids.

Im sure there are other drawbacks - Lots to consider – your thoughts are appreciated.

[Lil Lisa 53]

You already know that is our dream, so take my opinion along with a grain of salt: GO FOR IT! You'll never know unless you try. You can always settle down in one place again if it doesn't work out. And thanks for the plug.

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

I LOVE the idea of living on the road, and I hope if I'm not to old to drive around by the time my kids leave home, we can take part in this kind of lifestyle. This is just all my personal opinion but since you ask.....

a family of five going from 2400 to 300 square feet would kill me, sometimes I just need a few moments away not to mention "mommy daddy private time".. :rofl2: where would you put the kids?

You mentioned the social interaction of your children with other children, that would be cut drastically, you have to ask yourself is that the right thing for them? I dont home school but I know that alot of home school mom's still have their children involved with community sports and clubs so the only thing the kids miss are the learning hours, I personally feel that is a very important part of their sweet little lives.. how would that work if your moving every few months? Would you stay in one place long enough for them to do sports for a season? And if you did.. do you want to stay in a park where "permenant residents" are prominent?

I know that's a good chunck of negatives, I just think with kids, it's a lot more challenging, not impossible, but challenging.

But on the other hand, It sounds like a dream and nobody knows you and your family better than you do, everyone is different, every child is different. My oldest son 13 and my youngest girl would love that life style, however I think my other children would be miserable. They are very social beings :)

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

I dont see it as permanent - I was thinking a year - but if we really like living this way it could go on longer - The more I look at families who are doing this the more I want to give it a try - I don't see what we have to loose.

[polkadotsuitcase 12]

I would have loved to do this when the kids were younger!

As far as the roadschooling/social activities, I think it's doable -- if you connect with other homeschoolers in communities across the country, you can meet up with them. Most have regular park days or social-only activities that your kids could join in on. It'd just come down to planning and reaching out to the homeschool groups in any given area. Most homeschoolers would jump at the chance to meet you and your family and talk about your adventures and experiences.

Good luck with your decision!

Kate

[DaveInTN 3,247]

It's always been a dream of mine as well. If you have any doubts about the lifestyle and whether it would work for your family, how about taking off on the road for the entire summer next year. Don't treat it like a vacation; work your jobs and go about it as if it were permanent. This would give you some indication of whether it works for you without pulling the kids from school until you are sure. (Unless you already homeschool....I don't remember if you do?) If it works out, you could either go back home and put the kids in school until you are prepared to hit the road again and homeschool them, or if you have a roadschooling plan already prepared with curriculum ready to go, you could just stay on the road at that point.

One other consideration if you do this. Decide now where you want to maintain permanent residence. The homeschooling rules are different for each state, at times vastly different. You want to ensure you follow the appropriate record keeping requirements, including registration with an umbrella if necessary. Maybe look into joining the Homeschool Legal Defense Association http://www.hslda.org/ if you are not already a member. They can help sort those questions out.

Also, if you really undertake this and don't plan on returning to CT, cut that cord as soon as you can for tax reasons. Establish permanent residence in a state that doesn't bleed you dry!

Good luck Whip!

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

We do not currently homeschool so this is definately a change for us - all your advice and tips are so helpful - I really appreciate it.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

As far as taxes go, Florida doesn't have personal income tax. Another benefit of having residence in FL - discounted tickets and reservation fees at WDW.

[polkadotsuitcase 12]

And I might be mistaken, but I thought FL was one of the "homeschool friendly" states, too.

Dave's got great suggestions -- a mini test run couldn't hurt. Besides finding out if h/sing is right for your family, the "working on the road" thing has its own learning curve. I've always taken both homeschool stuff and work stuff with us on any trips that weren't specifically family vacations. Since I get up really early, I found I could still crank out a good four hours of work before everyone else got going. But beyond that, it was hard for me to earmark "work time." Too much else going on, and no office door to firmly shut.

So, I agree on the test-drive scenario! Work out some kinks, and then you'll have more ammo to make a wise decision.

Kate

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

We are currently living the life you are thinking of. First let me refer you to an interview I did for a former fulltimer's blog. It will give you a great idea of what it's like to live this life.

A Day in the life of The Kelly's

Now let me see if I can address you concerns

First - I may lose my job – I work from home but I need to go in when my boss needs me too. I’m not the bread winner so I don’t see this as a huge obstacle. I have another skill set I can draw upon for fun money. If we moved I was going to lose my job anyway.

As I didn't have a job before this, I can't weigh in on how it would affect you but.... your life will be busy in ways it wasn't before. I know have a job... teaching two kids, packing up the trailer for departure, hitching up a trailer (often on my own if my husband is caught at work), unhitching the trailer, unpacking the trailer upon arrival.

Laundry is no longer a job of convenience but 2-5 hours (depending on the frequency and size of your family) away from your family... unless you have a unit in your rig. We have run into several parks which don't allow you to use a washer in your rig.

Second – Lack of extended family interaction – but you know what – I don’t see my family that often anyway. My parents are planning on hitting the road themselves late next year – my sisters and brother are technologically savvy – I don’t see any reason why we would lose contact. We could come back “Home” for any significant events. I don’t really care if we lose contact with most of my husband’s family.

If you can't go 2-4 weeks without seeing family then this might not be the best idea for you. We went 6 months without seeing the grandparents this year and it will be almost a year before they see them after next april.

We saw some advice that said to focus on one area at a time and not to zigzag back and forth across the country (they said it wasted time and gas). I can tell you from personal experience that by trying to come "home" for significant events you will always feel rushed to do this or that and might even have to skip seeing something because you are in a hurry to get back. We missed Crater Lake as well as the whole states of Utah and New Mexico because of this.

Third – Space – we didn’t buy a huge RV – I think it could work well because it is part trailer – plenty of room for stuff - but we would be moving a family of five plus one dog from 2400 square feet to 300 square feet. We will definitely need to move our stuff that we can’t or don’t want to sell into a storage unit.

If you don't want huge, dont' get huge. We live in a 28ft 1971 Airstream travel trailer - the double gaucho model with a slight modification of a chair bed for my daughter. There are 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs- one of which is the size of an adult human (Great Dane 143lbs). Our actual living space, minus storage, is around or less than 100 square feet. This is doable because we are meant to spend more time outside than in. We may need to upgrade but don't let someone convince you that you need a monster size rig.

What you will need most is STORAGE. We carry enough clothes for about 5 days for each member of the family. We are currently carrying a half year worth of school supplies for two kids. You will be carrying enough for (guessing) at least 3. Remember though, homeschooling materials are varied and often you can purchase needed things as you need them.

Someone once told me to make a list of everything I thought I'd need then cut it in half at least once. We have made two storage dumps since departing and may still have extra to get rid of.

Fourth – Speaking of the dog – I’m not sure this kind of lifestyle would be great for an animal. We do love our little dog – (actually named Gypsy) – but would it make traveling more difficult always having to find a pet friendly location. I do not want to re-home her or put her into some kind of long term foster situation so she may end up in kennels when we cant find a pet friendly RV park. I have to give her some serious consideration.

Almost all RVparks are pet friendly. Some have size or breed restrictions. As for the dog, our Dane LOVES to travel. Our heeler doesn't seem to mind either. It all depends on the dog. However, very few places (national parks/monuments) allow pets on hiking trails or outside the campground. So we have limited amounts of time we can be away before returning home. Take your dog on a few camping trips and see how it does....

Fifth – School – I’m torn about this – I am willing to make the commitment to Roadschool them but I like my children to interact with other kids. Roadschooling them would definitely make this difficult – they would loose the opportunities to participate in sports – which isn’t a huge part of their life but I know they do enjoy the interaction with other kids.

do a google search for families on the road. There are several websites dedicated to our needs. The often have rallies and get togethers. In the summer, there will be plenty of children at the RVparks to play with. More importantly our kids are learning to converse with people of all ages not just their peers.

Im sure there are other drawbacks - Lots to consider – your thoughts are appreciated.

If you'd like to talk/email with me personally.. just send a pm. We've been on the road, with our kids, since June 2, 2011.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

The two best states to homeschool in are reportedly -

Oklahoma (written into the constitution)

Texas (a lawsuit won against the state allowing "homeschools to operate as private schools"

Check out - we are joined for the legal protection.. in case someone called CPS on us.

HSLDA

I think Florida and South Dakota are listed among some of the others. You may also want to check out states with no state taxes.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

As far as taxes go, Florida doesn't have personal income tax. Another benefit of having residence in FL - discounted tickets and reservation fees at WDW.

I tried...oh, how i tried.

I think you might have to return to florida for the kids to take the state tests....

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Also, we work on the premise that "we are doing this until it doesn't work for us". We could, in theory, go tomorrow and get a house. We as parents have to do what's best for our kids, so if one member of the family finds it doesn't work for them... then we have to reevaluate what we are doing. We try not to get too set on this idea. I guess what I'm saying is that for me, this life requires a degree of flexibility. "The best laid plans...." always need to be tweaked.

[we3peas 12]

I think you might have to return to florida for the kids to take the state tests....

If you HS in FL NO state tests required, they are only 1 of your 5 options. And it's the one 99% of HS don't do. Most go the way of a portfolio. I'm different, my child takes a nationally standardized test each spring(Not the FCAT). If you want to HS in FL check out www.FPEA.com.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

My daughter is a homeschooler. Has an education degree, so she is completely qualified. While they don't full time because of SIL's job, they do take extended vacations. She always sets up a tent or gazebo outside for their homeschool. I think it helps to have a designated area. Also, their area has an extensive homeschooling network with lots of "extracurricular" activities.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

If you HS in FL NO state tests required, they are only 1 of your 5 options. And it's the one 99% of HS don't do. Most go the way of a portfolio. I'm different, my child takes a nationally standardized test each spring(Not the FCAT). If you want to HS in FL check out www.FPEA.com.

I was told by someone that you did but never completely researched florida because DH couldnt be convinced just so I could get WDW discounts...

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

Im so glad I posted here - I had no idea there were other full timers with kids onboard - I will definately be in touch with questions. Both my husband and I read a book on the subject today - still excited about it - so inspired by all the blogs we are finding online. Lots more research and planning to be done - but I dont see us turning back now - my mentality about everything is already shifting.

[BRDof3...Rob 40]

I would hit the road and do this in a minute. My line of work can be done via phone and computer, and can be done anywhere. My wife, on the other hand would never consider it. She never grew up camping, never traveled anywhere, and doesn't see it as anyhting but an expensive hobby. She tolerates it, but doesn't relish it.

Oh well, guess we'll still be here next year.

[disney4dan 68]

I don't have much to offer, other than to speak from the perspective of a child who still remembers, very fondly, the time spent with my parents who decided to pack everything up and took us on a trip across country. My parents had sold our farm, purchased a new home in a new town, and it was early spring. The new home needed a lot of work, my father owned a home building business and was moving us to be in an area with other kids nearby to play with in the neighborhood. I was in second grade, my brother was in third grade, and looked at this as a new adventure to try.

I can still remember so many vivid and happy memories. - need to go, will post more later.

[AuburnJen 771]

I tried...oh, how i tried.

I think you might have to return to florida for the kids to take the state tests....

Yes, this is true. The state FCAT exams (given in 3rd though high school) are given in the public schools and cannot be given except there. We register the home schoolers and have them take the tests in our media center.

[we3peas 12]

I also dreamed about going on the road for an extended time. I do only have 1 child though. We did a trip last year that lasted 60 days. Twice during the trip my DH left us to go home and work to afford for us to finish the trip. Let's just say a menopausal woman and a preteen girl (she was 12) should NOT be stuck with each other 24/7. My DD did HS for about 1/2 the trip since she was doing FLVS online while traveling. She also did every Jr Ranger book we could find on our trip and finished about 40 of them.

After we got home we had a serious discussion about selling the MH. I did not want to take anymore trips so we didn't for 2 months (we camp somewhere every month). Now it is just a faint memory and I can remember the good stuff from the trip. But I'm glad we didn't do it with selling the house, packing up everything before we tried it for a couple of months. I can still see going out on long trips AFTER our DD is in college, or on her own but NOT with her. My DH and I are in sync but she marches to a different drummer shall we say?

Check out our blog on www.curbcrusher.com in our signature line. The trip was April 2010-June 2010.

[disney4dan 68]

Well, enough distractions from the important stuff! I was about to launch into what I recall about a several month trip across country when I was a kid. Sort of a very late trip report I guess, seriously cut back due to the effects of time on memory and old age setting in!

If I recall correctly, it was between 2nd and 3rd grade for me, 3rd and 4th for my brother. Parents took us out of school probably early May with the blessings of our teachers and school system. My parents told us the teachers thought it was a great idea because we would learn so much more on the road. I think the teachers were just happy to see us go and not return!

This was the early 1970s, we had a Chevy truck with a cap on it pulling a pop-up trailer. The gear was stored in containers on the top of the cap and in the PUP, back of the truck had a section of plywood decking placed sideways across the top of the bedrails with a mattress on the floor of the bed, misc. gear and clothing stored on where it would fit. This was in the day when seatbelts were almost never used and my brother and I rode on the plywood "shelf" laying on bedding and were able to talk to the parents through a slider window between the cap and truck. When we started fighting and arguing, they closed the window. Problem solved! The plan was to use the PUP most of the time, but staying the back of the truck would work on long mileage days when we just wanted to park for the night and go in the morning. It ended up that we spent most of the nights in the back of the truck due to the convenience and comfort; wanted to spend more time seeing the sites around each area.

On a practical side, my parents bought dozens of prepaid film envelopes and saved them up for the trip, would drop of the roll wherever we were and the pictures got delivered to my father's parents back home - they loved this, sort of like an early photoblog delivered every once in a while to their mailbox. That was how they followed our trip. My brother and I sent post cards to our class mates as part of the "early release" agreement.

My parents also set aside a savings account with my grandfather on the account. They would transfer money to us via Wells Fargo whenever we pulled into different cities.

The good:

* We saw 21 states, multiple National Parks and incredibly scenic areas that I may never get back to see again

* It instilled a wanderlust in me that will never be quenched. I still dream of road trips and adventures

* I have vivid memories of many things like hiking in Glacier National Park, swimming in Lake Tahoe, the smog of LA in the early days that would make my eyes water, street side bands in Tijuana and the smell of camping in the redwood forests.

* To this day, whenever I smell a skunk smell, I have a picture perfect memory of the last part of our hike back from Grinnell Glacier along this beaverdam pond that had a mirror finish with a long v-shaped ripple from the beaver heading across the pond - there just happened to have been a skunk spray somewhere in the area that I associate with that memory. It was a great day.

* Learning how to cook outdoors and adjust to being so close to family for so long - I think this is missing now with all our distractions like smartphones and laptops.

* Watching my dad deliver hot food to a young couple in the site next to us while we all waited out a daylong downpour in Washington state. We watched them spend a long time in the deluge trying to light a cook fire in the rain with gasoline, so my dad broke out the coleman stove underneath a tarp off the back of the truck and fired up a hot meal on the tailgate.

The bad:

* the Arab oil embargo hit while we were on the road and getting fuel became a challenge and downright dangerous at times. With vehicle plates from Massachusetts, I still recall our family being told to leave and go home in several western states as everyone fought to get fuel and waited in long lines. Long haul truckers had begun to carry firearms to defend their fuel while stopping to rest.

* I recall hiking out of the Grand Canyon after sunset (to avoid the heat of the afternoon) listening to the sounds of people throwing beer bottles over the side. Only two trails were open that summer because the trail crews could not keep up with the volume of trash being thrown on the side of the trail. Remember "Give a Hoot, don't pollute"?

* Clean water was not always available, some places had some foul water supplies.

* Tony Orlando and Dawn "Tie another ribbon round the ole oak tree" - years of therapy and drinking will not scrape that from my grey matter. And it was on AM radio. In every city. In every state.

The ugly:

* I still gag when I see cans of Ravioli

* Walking to an outhouse in the pouring rain when the call of nature will not be ignored.

I guess if you are seriously considering this, I can say that there will be a boatload of memories made as a family that will not be possible any other way, and it will be a life changing experience. Not always fun or easy, but my morning commute isn't easy every day either. I say, dare to be different. Let me know how it goes! Send pictures.

[SCTigerCock 171]

If I had an employer where I could, once Tony retires I might. I would love to be able to do this.....

But I don't have kids.

[Mr Whipperwhirl 5]

Wow, lots of good stuff on the home school front, some good, some bad, some indifferent. There is LOTS of stuff on the web about home/road school. I think what we may go with is an online school where they attend an accredited school (I think even now in the 21st century there is a negative stigma on home school). So many things to consider, it should be a real experience! We will keep you all posted on our progress!

[NVWSSV 25]

Im just sitting here reading allthis in envy. The thought of traveling like that sounds so wonderful. If that was even close to being an option for me I would be gone in a heartbeat! Especially if its just a year so much could be seen and experianced and as hard as it would be to come back you could. Now im dreaming!