Ready for Roadschooling: Education on the Go

I did a big thing today.

I secured a PSA. A private school affidavit. You know, the thing you need when you want to roadschool your kids.

Yep… I said roadschool. ?

For those not familiar with the term, it’s a growing trend for families who pack up their belongings and take their kids on the road. This is better known as homeschooling, or for some travelers, unschooling. It can look and feel different for every family, based on their wants and needs. For us, the true benefit is allowing for unscheduled and impromptu learning based on the places we go and the experiences we encounter along the way.

As we planned our Great Big Adventure, one thing became evident. Both of us can’t work full-time. At least, if we did, we’d need to figure out schooling/child care for the boys. Not that big of a deal… unless you’re planning to travel up and down the state (and possibly in and out) for the next year (or two).

So as a result, we decided that I would take a break from the corporate life. I’d stay home (wherever home will be, depending on the month) with the kids. And teach them everything they need to know for their age.

That’s not intimidating or anything.

While I might have my you-know-what together when it comes to business, I am not technically trained to be an educator. Nor do I proclaim to have it figured out. I can only imagine how difficult it is to be a teacher! And now, I’m signing myself up to educate the two most important kids in my life — my own.

Fortunately, there’s a TON of flexibility in homeschooling within California. Get your PSA, withdraw your kid from his current public school, take attendance records and teach them what you think they should know.

That doesn’t sound hard at all, right?

(Side note: NerdFamily.com has an awesome overview on what you need to know regarding homeschooling in California. And A2Zhomeschooling.com has literally step-by-step info on how to fill out the PSA form.)

Back to teaching them everything they need to know. To be honest, this is terrifying for me! It’s so completely out of my comfort zone that it scares the daylights out of me. But on the bright side, I’ll get more quality time with my kiddos. And I LIVE for a challenge. We can make lessons out of adventures. They can learn what appeals to them, and I can refine the coursework as we go.

To my advantage, we’re less than two weeks away from Summer break — which means I’ll have a few months to settle into our slow travel and work through what roadschooling looks like for our family. I’ll be honest… there are times where I’m confident about this part of our adventure, and then there are moments where I’m freaking out that my kids are going to fall behind. The beauty in what we’re doing is that time is on our side! There’s a ton of flexibility in this lifestyle, that’s for certain.

I know it won’t be easy. But it’s super exciting! Taking this small step means we’re really doing it. We’re on the road to making our dream a reality…

Are you a roadschool/unschool family? What was the hardest part in taking the first step for you? Better yet, what have you learned about yourself — or your kids — through homeschooling?

If you’re not a homeschool family, what questions pop up for you? Leave a comment and let me know!