That’s it, it’s summer, vacation time for many of you! Perhaps you dread this moment a little every year, with all the organization that goes with the children entails . It is possible that you have chosen a more radical option, that of leaving without them!
However, traveling as a family has many advantages, for them .
1 – Spend quality time together
In our society, many people live at 100 an hour. We get up early, we go to work, we come home tired and we end the day on the kneecaps. We sleep little, or badly, and the following day rebelote. Stress and lack of time is an integral part of our lives . For children, it’s the same thing. School, homework, extra-curricular activities… They, like us, ultimately have little quality time, during which we feel calm and happy.. If we take away the time devoted to meals, to the toilet, to homework, there is not much left. Very often, the holidays are a real moment Traveling as a family of decompressionwaited all year. They don’t have school, you don’t work, it’s now or never.
Whether you decide to go to the other side of the world or to squat at the local campsite, a change of scenery together will allow you to find yourself,.
You are available, your thoughts are not monopolized by work, you are rested… Your children can sleep as much as they need. They are in good shape and not thinking about their next math test. You are all excited to discover a new place and participate in activities. Not only does a family stay give you time together, but this time is like a parenthesis. A break from the rhythm of everyday life , during which you rediscover each other.
2 – Traveling as a family to arouse the curiosity of children
Children are curious and thirsty to learn, all the time, everywhere, without even being aware of it! But sometimes that curiosity tends to fade a bit.
If you’re homeschooling, you’ve probably already seen the “power” of hands-on learning . Demonstrations, visits, experiments, often produce better results than notebook exercises. The traditional school unfortunately does not, most of the time, satisfy the insatiable curiosity of some children. IEF or not, a place still unknown and activities perhaps never carried out before, it’s a real gold mine!
“Why do people dress like that? », « What is the point of putting this object on the roofs of houses? », « Who is the gentleman who is represented in statue everywhere? », « How do you steer a sailboat? “, “What is the word to say “Hello” in Spanish? » …
Children have a strong desire to understand the things around them and ask a lot of questions. Temporarily providing them with a new environment is to increase this urge. They want to know the unknown, to see what they have never seen, to do what they have never done!
In IEF, a trip with the children can illustrate a concept a posteriori, or be the starting point for a future project.
A family trip to the sea can lead to a whole program on the oceans. A holiday in Spain may be a trigger for your child who will love this language!
3 – Travel as a lesson in resourcefulness
When planning to go on vacation, there are certain preparations to make . And it starts with the suitcase! Depending on the age and degree of autonomy of your children, you can let them prepare their own bag (even if it means checking later). They must think about the number of briefs and pairs of socks to take according to the duration of your expedition. What ? Didn’t you know you could do math while packing your suitcase?
They are obliged to take an interest in the climate of your destination to plan their clothing. You don’t wear the same outfit in Nice in August as you do in Brest in February.
You can also involve your children in choosing and preparing the program for your stay. Cheap family travel requires some work (which isn’t really work!). If they are in charge of the schedule, their goal will be to find fun activities while staying within budget.
Once there, again you have to be savvy. Getting out of your daily routine, experiencing unusual situations, requires a certain adaptability. Repairing your bike while out for a walk, having the right reflexes after a jellyfish sting, spending several hours on the train… Your children may surprise you with their patience and skill!
Not to mention those who go on a family trip around the world ! Because yes, with homeschooling, this kind of crazy project becomes possible!
4 – Holidays together to create unforgettable memories
Do you remember the holidays you spent with your family when you were a child? Probably not everything, but certain moments must have marked you, because they were out of the ordinary. To do and redo the same thing every day, our brain does not even bother to record. But the trip has its share of novelty and we often take full eyes !
And it’s not worth climbing to the top of Kilimanjaro to make unforgettable memories . Certainly, if you do (good luck!), you are likely to remember these images all your life! But small details or funny or improbable situations will also make indelible memories. The ones you tell your loved ones when you return, and that your children will still tell in twenty years !