So you want to be a road schooling family?  Maybe you have questions about how people homeschool on the road. You have come to the right place! Soulful RV Family is here to reveal how families like theirs hit the road with school-age children. Read on for “Road Schooling 101.”

First, let’s tackle some of those myths that might be floating out there about families that choose to road school the kids:

Myth #1 — Road schooling is illegal or hurtful to the kids.

Homeschooling is 100% legal, and each state has rules in place. These rules include notifying your local educational system of your intent to homeschool. Check out the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) website to check the homeschooling laws in your state. Depending on your state, there are different types of homeschooling models to choose. 

What model did we choose? Our family started with the Kindergarten through 12th grade online public school model. It simply mirrors what our local public school does in the classroom. The kids log into a computer deli and go to simulator classrooms to interact with teachers.

To be honest with you, we chose that route because we were a little bit nervous and felt like it was a great way to dip our toes into the world of homeschooling while still staying connected to the public school system. It didn’t take us long to realize K-12 wasn’t for our family, but we also recognized that homeschooling/road schooling was not hurting our children. In fact, it was allowing them to blossom in ways we couldn’t imagine.

Myth #2 — Homeschooled kids will struggle with socializing.

This part might be the funniest of the myths. Some people think homeschool kids will struggle to socialize with other kids. Anyone who has been to a busy campground in the summer knows that kids don’t struggle socializing and making friends!

Our boys have made friends from southern Florida to Maine and every campground in between. They are great at meeting new kids and making fast friends.

Myth #3 — The lessons have no structure and the kids get to do whatever they want.

Now, this myth about a lack of structure for roadschooling families is something that is a personal choice for each and every family.

Some families will follow a strict model like a K-12 plan or choose to use a curriculum-based system, such as Sonlight Curriculum or Classical Conversations. There are some families that chose the “unschooling“ model. It really is up to the parents’ judgment as to what system or curriculum works best for their children.

As for our family’s decision, we believe in more structure than not. Another aspect we strive for is flexibility within the structure, so we feel we have the best of both worlds for our kids. As parents, we feel blessed our boys have such a quench for learning.

Simply put: The way we see it, our job is to continue to stoke the fire that burns within them, while making sure all their educational bases are covered.

Myth #4 — It’s taking the easy way out.

First of all, nothing could be further from the truth. Homeschooling/road schooling is not easy. To be honest with you, some days we question if we are doing the right thing. However, those doubtful days are few and far between.

After your six-year-old child comes to you wanting to know more about the Periodic Table of Elements (which he has memorized) or wanting to know how to do multiplication like his older brothers — to us, those moments make all the hard work worthwhile.

RVing has opened up our lives and the minds of our kids. We have used the RV to explore places the kids have studied in history books. The kids have had the opportunity to visit the location where the Revolutionary War’s first shots rang out.

We learned about the Civil Rights struggles and walked in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s crossing of the Edmund Pettit Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

We visited science centers across the east coast. Our kids are captivated by science. We are always looking for each state’s science centers!

We are convinced pairing road schooling with hands-on experiences greatly enhances and enriches the education that we’re giving our kids. And you want to know a secret? We get to learn and experience right along with our kids!

Next time you see a road schooling family teaching their kids, recognize how blessed those kids are to be having such a well rounded, in-depth educational experience.

Meet the Family

Keith and Tia Sims  – Homeschool/Road Schooling Parents of Soulful RV Family

Soulful RV describes themselves as not the typical RVers. Keith and Tia, F452083, are an African American, semi-retired couple (former NFL player) with a large family. They share both the practical and fun sides of RVing on SoulfulRVFamily.com and social media, including Facebook and Instagram.