New guy on the block

Jesse53 · Jan 14, 2019

New to car dwelling. I'm retired, just turned 66 this month. Thought I was going to be in my 2000 Tahoe, but it decided it was just too tired. My son gifted me a 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe. Thank God for kids with big hearts. Big improvement in mileage, but it's so much smaller. I have way too much crap, even though I pared things down. I'm also travelling with my seven year old grandson. Lord help me.

He is a last minute addition. Not in my original plans.
I'm hoping that I can hook up with a caravan to learn the ropes, but I'm not finding any schedule for after RTR.
I'm excited about doing this, but with the addition of my grandson, I'm a little bit nervous.

rvwandering · Jan 14, 2019

Welcome to the CRVL forums Jesse53! I hope you make it to the RTR. There is a caravan going to Slab City after the RTR but that may not be the best place for a seven year old. There was a meeting yesterday for people who want to be caravan hosts so more caravans may be forming.
Kids usually adapt and thrive as nomads but make sure that he is getting some type of schooling to satisfy the authorities.

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

Moxadox · Jan 14, 2019

The other thing you must have when traveling "across state lines" with one's grandchild is an authorisation from the child's legal guardian, and a power of attorney from that person authorizing you to get medical care for the child. You should consult an attorney. (It's part of my job description as a pediatrician to know about stuff like this, and yes, I've seen grandparents get in big trouble if something went wrong and grandpa got temporarily in jail and the kid went to foster care because nobody imagined this could happen.) Do everyone in your family a favor and take care of that detail, if you haven't already.

The Dire Wolfess

Jesse53 · Jan 14, 2019

Appreciate the tip. I have taken care of getting notarized temporary guardianship. I wanted to avoid any issues like you pointed out.

GypsyJan · Jan 14, 2019

Sounds like you are going to have such fun! Keep a journal and have him keep one, too, even if his will mostly be art work. Have him tell you what the picture is about and what the best thing he saw today, then you can print in his words. This can become a story book which he reads out aloud to you. Soon he will be writing the words himself. Also, this is a great opportunity for him to learn about reading maps and being the navigator. Bon voyage!