hello:)

[windymichelle]

i just bought a 1996 chevy astro van and plan on spending the next month converting it before i hit the road. i am a single mom with a 3 year old. a lot of people in my life think im crazy and that i'm being unsafe. i have done hundreds of hours of research and feel like i know what im doing. my heart is being called to this life and i intend to follow it<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> are there any other single moms doing this? i haven't come across anyone on the internet but i'd be interested in talking to them if there were. anyways, i just wanted to say hello and say thank you for this wonderful website. it's been such a great resource for me!

 

[bk2valve]

Wow, and welcome to you brave lady! It is good to see you on here and while I don't know if there are any single Mom's on here I know there a bunch of awesome women and they will have any answers and support you need....<br>Bri

 

[windymichelle]

well thank you!&nbsp;

 

[ShesJustJodi]

I am a single mom. I've never done anything like this with little ones, but I never had just one 3 yr old. I think you are smart to do it now while your child is young enough and adaptable enough. This could be the perfect way to find a place you will fall in love with when school rears its head. Or, you could end up with a bigger vehicle more suited to homeschooling and continue your travels. Who knows?

Only YOU know what is best for you and your child. Kids need food, water, shelter, clothing, an education, and LOVE. Lots of LOVE and the right kind of attention. Sure seems to me you can provide all of that from any location. I wish you the best and would love to chat any time. I've restarted my life four times and my four kids are sound in mind and body, even after being along for the ride. Three in college and one almost there. All it takes is love, love, love.

WELCOME!!!

 

[ShesJustJodi]

Forgot to say that I did homeschool for several years, so I am well versed in compliance with the laws while in strange circumstances. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[windymichelle]

Thank you all for the support! As far as school goes I would homeschool him regardless of where we were, traveling or not. I'm 37 and I had my daughter when I was still a baby (17). She was homeschooled and now she is in college in a pre med program. I'm a strong believer in homeschooling. My son is a whole different animal though. He's rambunctious and full of energy. He wants to take everything apart and see how it works. He loves the experience of things. While my daughter was shy and bookish. Very artistic. She was pretty easy to homeschool. I think this experience will be helpful when it comes to educating my son. We can see and touch and learn things in the way that he responds to. I have nothing but optimism and excitement about it<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[windymichelle]

@ shesjustjodi. I will probably pick your brain about that. I'm unsure about how that will work while traveling. If you're not actually a resident of any particular county or state is there even any regulation?

 

[ShesJustJodi]

Private message me. I can give you resources for covering your butt. The last thing you need is a knock on the door from the wrong person who thinks you do not school your child because you reside in a vehicle. There are plenty of cheap, easy ways to avoid this.

 

[Lostinspace]

Also Florida is a homeschool friendly state. Plus most of it is warm. We homeschooled our last child, a daughter and she turned out great. Graduated college and married for 4 years now. We temporarily home schooled in a class A motor home I rented for two months in Key West to close out a construction job. So it's possible.

All you have to do in Florida is have the child tested every year in math and science. And present the results to the county board of Ed of your residence county. So if you make Florida your state of residence there is no problem. Also no state income tax. Lots of resources now too. Central Florida, Merritt island, Orlando have a strong homeschool presence.

Hope this helps.

 

[windymichelle]

Thanks. That's good information<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">
Texas is an unregulated homeschool state. No reporting, no testing. If I have to choose a home state it'll probably be that one.
I lived in Nevada when I homeschooled my daughter and that was super easy, just have to mail in intent forms once a year. Then we moved to Cali and it was a big pain in the butt.
He's only three now though so I have some time to figure all that out.

 

[Kevin H]

Wow! &nbsp;I'm impressed. &nbsp;Sounds like you are one neat gal. &nbsp;Welcome.<br><br>My wife, Robin, was a nurse in pediatric surgery for 20 years. &nbsp;She says she always knew if a kiddo was home schooled the minute she talked to them. &nbsp;Great kids!<br><br>Good Luck and Happy Trails!!<br><br>-- &nbsp;Kevin

 

[windymichelle]

Thanks for the welcome Kevin <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">
Yes, I completely agree with your wife.

 

[kyuubs]

The most amazing kids I've ever met have been home schooled travelers, I applaud you for your decision&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">.

 

[windymichelle]

Thank you!

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<STRONG>Go for it. You won't be the first woman to take your kid along for the ride. He will be better off for it.</STRONG><BR><STRONG>As far as safety? Who is safe? Certainly not the kids at the school that were killed. <BR>I would be concerned though about a lively child like yours driving you nuts once in a while. In a house, you can get away, in a moblie situation, there just isn't a lot of room. Speaking from experience on the last sentence.<BR></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #00ffff">Dragonfly</SPAN></STRONG>

 

[cleanheart]

kudos to you windymichelle! I'm sure this will be a challenge, but what is life without challenges~&nbsp;<br>Welcome to the forum and just remember to have fun in the journey!

 

[windymichelle]

Thanks for all the&nbsp;welcome&nbsp;and support<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>@dragonflyinthesky &nbsp;yeah im sure that will be an issue but its not much different than my daily life already. we're pretty much together 24/7. at least he will be able to run and play and learn more than he ever could here. im hoping to wear that kid out lol. im from southern california and spent most of my life on the beach and my lil guy has never even seen the ocean! thats unacceptable to me. im sure we will have moments that test my patience but i will get through them with as much grace as i can muster. the good will hopefully overshadow the bad. i know it will.<br><br>the truth is im a gypsy at heart anyways. we move all the time. in his three years we have lived in four different states and 6 different houses. this is my natural tendency so im just going with it.

 

[yesican]

Welcome to the group.&nbsp; I admire your spirit and willingness to give your son a life regardless of the constraints of society.&nbsp; And, your right...your biggest obstacle will be the government, but that doesn't mean you can't outsmart them.&nbsp;&nbsp; I would have given&nbsp;my girls the same opportunity but had ex issues.<br><br>Texas sounds like a great state for residency regarding home schooling. Good luck to you and your boy and safe travels. <br><br>Rae

 

[ShesJustJodi]

Actually, this is only if you register as a homeschooler with your local county. We always went through an umbrella school and we never even had to do that. Our "school" kept our records, provided a transcript, and WE chose what testing our kids had. All of our homeschooling experience was in the Orlando area. Florida is a wonderful state with lots of options for homeschoolers.&nbsp;&lt;img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"&gt;

 

[Les H]

Hi Michelle, welcome. I dont know how active it is, but there is a yahoo group, familys on the road, that covers a lot of what you propose. If you check out the site, say hi to vanmom karen, she did pretty much what you want to do.