International Family desire Mobility

[UnpackagedLife]

G'day, how're use all going?

We're a family of 3 Canadian mum, English-Australian Dad and a mutt 3 year old girl. Currently in the Sydney area moving to Ontario, Canada in April.
We became sorta accidentally "homeless" at the beginning of May 2014. We started a 4 month housesit to save money and gave up our rental. Our house sit ended early and my husband lost his job. Guess what? They don't rent houses to people who can't prove income! So we crashed with friends and family and did some more house sitting and camping... and I love it. What I don't love is the packing, unpacking, repacking, leaving things behind, buying more things... and the insecurity between places. We have no back-up plan if we're stuck between stays. It's stressful. But I love the change.

I also love the idea of homesteading, living sustainably and ecologically. I would love to grow and raise my food, preserve and recycle and build our own world. But I get itchy feet. Thinking about the commitment of buying a house gives me hives, especially the mortgage that would make it possible. ~shudder~

The thought of living mobile is terrifying... but now we've been forced to face our fears. We have so much stuff in storage that we have no use for. I want to get rid of it and never re-accumulate it. I didn't realise how eco-friendly mobile living could be. I just thought of all the fuel burning to give us comforts and transport. Now I realise I can have solar panels, composting toilet, and even a green roof if we're clever enough to create it. And the biggest luck of all... today for the first time, my husband says he likes the idea. I've been given license to dream!

We have a lot of practicalities to address before it becomes a reality and we're not too good at keeping our eyes on the prize when the long run is too long... but this is a dream I've had for a long time and fits with my personal philosophies and beliefs perfectly. We already plan to do natural life-learning with our child, so that's not a point of contention.

I just need to get my driver's license, keep reading and dreaming, we need to make some money in Canada... and who knows where we'll be in a few years' time.

My question of the moment is about having a third/additional seats for child passengers. I'm seeing a lot of van conversions but mostly for singles and couples. Where do the kids go while in motion?

 

[cyndi]

Welcome to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Almost There]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I can't answer your question about the third seat but as an Ontario resident, can I suggest that you think about British Columbia instead...

Seriously, I'm stuck in Ontario for the near future because of elder care responsibilities but I'd be on the west coast in a heartbeat.

Ontario winters are such that there are virtually no campgrounds other than a couple of provincial parks open year round. It's sticks & bricks housing or nothing here. The provincial parks are extremely expensive (like $40/night) and have 14 day stay limits that would preclude using them. 

It's 3F (-20C) here right now and not expected to get to the freezing mark in at least the next week. Windchill has that down to -28C. I'm a mere 3 hour drive north of Toronto to give you a frame of reference.

The cost of housing in the Vancouver area is outrageous, but out in the country it's much more reasonable and the mentality in regards to homesteading and such is much more prevalent. That and the province has a wonderful system of car accessible camping areas that are really cheap or free in addition to their provincial park system that doesn't exist anywhere else in Canada. The only free camping in Ontario is on crown land that generally can't be accessed without hiking or boating in to it.

Since you've got a choice of where to land in Canada, I'd seriously suggest that Ontario not be first choice.

 

[rvwandering]

 Welcome to the forums! One of the blog that I read is written by a woman from BC who travels and lives in a van with her husband and five year old daughter. I believe that they have a car seat that sits sideways on the bench seat that's located behind the drivers seat. Here's their blog - http://alifemadesimple.blogspot.com/

 

[Almost There]

While cruising around the blog that Karen found for you I found this:

http://fulltimefamilies.com/

I haven't explored it yet but it might be of some value to you.

 

[gramakittycat]

Traveled many miles as a child all over the Midwest even up into Canada briefly with my dad and younger sister in a car.Backseat and trunk full of our only posessions so we all slept in the front seat even thru the winter months.Some of the worse times of my childhood so depending on the age and how much travel you intend to do consider all possibilities ie sickness,breakdowns,financial difficulties etc. Just playing devils advocate here. This is a great group of folks here so you did come to the right place for much information and many opinions.Cheers! :shy:

 

[akrvbob]

It sounds o me you were born for the mobile life because you have the dreaded disease "Itchis Feetis" There is no cure but to scratch the itch and hit the road!!

The mobile life also fits in well with homesteading. I now several people who go "home" every summer to satisfy their green thumb and then hit the road every winter to satisfy their itchy feet!

My general recomendation to families wanting to live mobile is to get a small Class C. It's very difficult to fit three people in a van. It can be done, and I know people who do it, but for most people a small Class C is a better choice.

If you are going to stay in a van I'd get an extended 1 ton van with a high top. Leave the first seat in and because it's extended you'll have the same amount of room behind it.

But I'd give serious thought to towing either a fiberglass trailer like a Cassita or Scamp if you want all the comfort or converting a cargo trailer if you can do with less comforts.

Hope that helps! Keep in touch with your story, I'm fascinated to see what you do!
Bob

 

[UnpackagedLife]

...as an Ontario resident, can I suggest that you think about British Columbia instead...

Since you've got a choice of where to land in Canada, I'd seriously suggest that Ontario not be first choice.

Sage advice, Almost There.  I have good reason for going to Ontario, we didn't pick it randomly or because, as some from that city think, that Toronto is the centre of the universe  That's where I'm from and where my family still is.  My daughter has only met her grandparents a couple times, and there are lots of family there which I want to be a part of again.  But that doesn't mean we have to stay there 12 months of the year once we're mobile!  
BC has quite a few good points, a major one for us is that residents have the right to educate their own children with no scrutiny beyond registration.  Where we currently are in NSW you need to prove work done, be subject to home visits, write extensive plans and hope to be granted registration and be left alone for up to 2 years at a time.

Traveled many miles as a child ...Some of the worse times of my childhood ...

I have thought about how what we've been doing for the last 8 months might be damaging our young child.  We've been 10 different places and have at least 2 more to go until we're on the plane to Grandma and Grampa's.  She had previously been very good at using the toilet but she keeps regressing and having accidents when we move to a new place.  It's common for accidents to happen during times of stress.  So I can assume she's stressed by relocation, as well as the stress I feel during the packing and unpacking stages.  This is a reason why I think having a mobile home would give us a "base" and sense of security with familiar things surrounding us, even if we do house sits and move locations.  We're cosleeping and breastfeeding until she decides it's time to be more independent and I think that's probably given her more security through the changes.

There was a surfing family of 11 who traveled for a couple decades.  The children were not sent to school and many of them resented their upbringing, being denied formal education and subjected to their parents' sexual activities in close quarters.  So... this makes me worry as well.  The father seems to have been strict and domineering, the children didn't feel in control of their lives.  I'm hoping the way we parent allows our daughter more ownership of her day-to-day existence; she has a voice and choice within our family.  I know children can grow up to resent their parents and childhoods whether they live in a house or car.

I appreciate devil's advocates!

Bob,
I feel like we have a lot of time ahead of us to make the choices.  I appreciate your advice and absolutely adore your website as it's already answered so many questions I had.  Especially where to poo!  It seems like a lot of the other sites, just like television and movies, gloss over that subject, as if it doesn't happen.  Daily!  
I think what we end-up with will depend on our budget and how much time we have to plan while saving... and all the other curve balls life likes to throw!  I wanted something small enough to park anywhere and drive on winding mountain roads.  We traversed one mountain pass in The Snowy Mountains here that would be impossible towing a trailer.  I am worried about being limited.  I'd love to have 4wD capabilities... so still have to discover what the world has to offer.  My husband is only slightly more mechanically inclined than myself but I will definitely borrow knowledge from these forums and my genius brother and father who are wizards with all things electric, robotic, and electronic.  I only hope they're excited about the plans and not put-off by the unconventionalness of it as they're both the have-a-mortgage-and save-for-retirement types.

Thank you for all the links and welcomes.  I look forward to spending many more late nights clicking around with you all!

 

[LucyImHome]

My parents moved a LOT when I was growing up, because of their work. I was an only child. I think by the time I graduated from high school that I'd gone to 40 some schools. I turned out great, if I say so myself!
My parents never acted like this sort of nomadic existence was anything but normal. If your every day life is odd, it no longer is odd. I think your child will be influenced most by how you react to life.
Welcome to the mobile tribe!

 

[UnpackagedLife]

I think by the time I graduated from high school that I'd gone to 40 some schools. I turned out great, if I say so myself!

I also find it interesting that both you and Grandmakittycat chose the mobile lifestyles for yourselves (or at least part-time or interested as I think I can safely assume from your being on the website...) rather than rebelling against it completely and condemning it. Going to new schools would be really hard, especially partway through the school year and you averaged more than 3 schools per year! Wow.

 

[LucyImHome]

Yes, I am a full timer. I've put my time in houses, tried to be happy with it, obviously failed! It's VERY difficult for me to stay put. After maybe 6 months, I'm looking longingly at the road.
Everyone is an individual. I actually liked moving as a child, as I would swiftly devour the school's library. I never went out for recess, instead staying in to read. My parents bought me a set of World Book Encyclopedia when I was 7, which I read ALL of. I loved school. By the way, I only went to 2 high schools, so the majority of the moving was in elementary and middle school.
Not every child would respond to this lifestyle the same. Some would say that I missed out. I never had any friends, didn't socialize with kids, instead interacting with adults. I don't feel I missed out. Starting a new school was hard, due to the other kids. But I always aligned myself with those that could help me learn more, adults.
My son, now an adult, lived a "normal" childhood, with minimal moves. Though he and I are now sharing a 24' TT, quite well too, I might add, his goal is a tiny home on property in the woods. My goal is to be back on the road. LOL

 

[gingerperth]

I also find it interesting that both you and Grandmakittycat chose the mobile lifestyles for yourselves (or at least part-time or interested as I think I can safely assume from your being on the website...) rather than rebelling against it completely and condemning it.  Going to new schools would be really hard, especially partway through the school year and you averaged more than 3 schools per year!  Wow.

each of our (now adult) children (10 years between them) went to 15 different "schools" during their childhoods. partly due to travel (national and international) and partly due to family lifestyle changes, and partly due to a school or teacher being inadequate (not responding to my child's needs). no regrets, from them or us. no problem making friends and adapting to the changes. it seemed to help them develop a flexibility, tolerance of differences and maturity lacking in most children their age. they went to public schools, catholic schools, parent-run alternative schools, private elite schools, distance education (correspondence) and home schooling. sometimes they met kids in a new school who they knew from a previous school. 

my youngest had learning disabilities and was not doing well (at the bottom of the class) in the early years. but i found good situations for her and she ended up in years 11 and 12 getting awards, and now a degree and a good career. 

i think far too many parents are frightened of travelling with school-age children, as the myth is common that it is detrimental to the child's sense of self and development of peer group friendships, which wasn't true in our case. 

mind you, my kids moved between schools from a young age. it could hurt kids who first experience these changes when they are a lot older and already committed to a peer group. 

i agree that the attitude of the parents makes a big different (if you feel unsure or guilty, the kids pick up on this).

 

[Sabatical]

BareNakedFamily raised thier 3 children on the road quite successfully. They left the grind to follow thier dreams. From following thier website, reading thier book, and interacting with them personally, i would say the family seemed very happy.

 

[buckwilk]

Children are the more resilient than most realize. They also are open vessels ready to absorb all you project. Is it possible your daughter is picking up on your stress? I firmly believe that children benefit from travel and experiencing the world. What you are planning is the greatest gift you could give your child and I support it wholeheartedly. " Between the dark and the daylight, when night is beginning to lower, comes a pause in the day's occupations, that is known as the children's hour." HWL Perfect time to spend with a child.

 

[Hupomone]

There is a great family that has a fantastic website about their travels that you may be interested in.

It's....Bumfuzzle.com Pat and Ali Schulte with their two kids Ouest and Lowe
Remarkable family, fun and full of adventure!

 

[Lj Unlimited]

Welcome to the forums. N.S. and Newfoundland are on my bucket list of places to go. Enjoy the blogs and forums here.