The Hard Stuff: Worldschooling with 4 kids

Travelling is 1000x Harder

Than I Thought it Would Be

I didn’t think travelling full-time would be so hard.

Whenever I dreamed of it… it was filled with sunshine-y days spent on the beach, adventuring to new places, seeing magnificent sites. I only saw the beauty, the splendor. I didn’t even think of the other side- the sleepless nights, sibling fights, sick kids, long waits and lines, loud cities, huge crowds.

I underestimated how much energy and effort it would take to plan, and then put the plan into place… or how much I rely on my basic foods, routine and schedule of my regular life, and time spent alone (away from my kiddos).

The Hard Things

Some of the cons since we started:

-trying to find places to stay that fit within our budget (which takes time), and having them be uncomfortable, or difficult to get to (you get what you pay for is very true when booking Airbnb’s/housing/rental cars).

-trying to get all our belongings into our luggage and within the allowable weight/size of each airplane, every time we travel (especially when we end up buying things that add to our weight).

-trying to make homeschooling days fun and exciting, on our at-home days, when we don’t have access to a library, friends, or regular learning activities/groups

-the internet has been much trickier than I expected. All the places we’ve been to tout that they have good WIFI- which hasn’t been the case. Hotspot from our cell phones doesn’t always get the job done (we’re working on this).

There are a lot more little things… like tricky driving/parking, windy roads and motion-sick kids, not finding foods that we like, figuring out public transportation, not fitting in taxis or hotel rooms (very few places fit more than 4), dealing with the regular kiddo/parenting issues but in a new place with less alone time for them and for us.

My Capacity is Tested: We Almost Move Back Home

I have been more over-done, more irritable… at capacity is what it feels like. Little things bother me more than they usually do, and I have a harder time processing my thinking, and regulating my nervous system (the work I do over here for myself and my clients).

We had a potential opportunity that would take us back home for a job that looked amazing (that we weren’t actively looking for, but just happened upon us)- and I found myself looking forward to that. Getting back into the rhythm and routine, bigger and more comfortable housing, food that we’re used to, and friends and homeschooling groups again… but we just got word that it’s not going through. And I’m sad. I’m grieving what could have been… what I realized I craved more than I thought I ever would.

Is It Worth it? Yet To Be Decided

I know that this experience will be worth it in the end, that I’ll be over-the-moon happy that we took the plunge, and that I’ll look back on these days with longing and fondness (aren’t our brains funny sometimes!) … but for now, I’m allowing sadness. Frustration. Overwhelm. I’m sitting with my feelings… and I’m sharing the REAL side of it, not just the happy photos. I’m sharing the heavy side of it, not just the perfect days (and YES there has been some truly perfect days).

Know that I’ll be sharing it all- the good and bad… and holding space for myself to feel all of it.

Life Is Still Life

Life is still life- even when we’re “living our dream” (maybe even more than "life"- as parenting feels like parenting on steroids or something- like it's really taken to the next level). Maybe I’ll feel differently about all of this in a week or a month (I probably will)… but this is what I feel now. I know it’s important to feel it all, allow it all…. Because true gratitude happiness and joy can only come when we allow the heavy, and the hard too.

“When we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”—Brené Brown

Here’s to feeling it all <3