My guest today has been travel podcasting about as long any anybody at 15 years, so he brings a lot of experience and insight into today’s short show.

Everyone is asking similar questions about travel. Should I start planning? Is it too soon? What are the safest options?

Chris will share his thoughts on cruise line reopening, how to compare risk levels of different forms of travel, how he’s handling a possible Galapagos trip, and more.

Selected Links from the Episode

• AmateurTraveler.com– Chris’s award-winning travel blog.
• Podcast for AmateurTraveler– Chris’s podcast is one of the longest running travel podcasts at over 15 years.
• Twitter– Chris on Twitter

Show Notes & Timestamps

• 00:01:52- Chris’s thoughts on travel planning now during coronavirus
• 00:03:58- Would Chris travel on a plane right now?
• 00:04:23- Debating about going to Galapagos or not
• 00:05:15- What factors would help in deciding to go or not?
• 00:06:24- Road trips as a good travel option
• 00:07:10- Extra precautions for traveling now
• 00:09:33- When will cruise ships start sailing again?
• 00:12:42- What would make Chris change his travel plans
• 00:13:48- Summary for people thinking of planning travel

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The summer of the road trip has led many travelers to our wonderful National Parks…but many don’t know what to expect.

Are there park regulations to know?

Are people wearing masks and social disctancing?

What else should I know for a National Park road trip?

Our guest today is Alicia Filley from TheHealthyHiker.com.

Alicia and her family traveled to 2 National Parks and has a full report of safety conditions on the road, mask usage, regulations in the parks, and tips for when to go for the best enjoyment.

Please enjoy

Selected Links from the Episode

• TheHealthyHiker.com– Alicia’s website combining her physical therapy knowledge with her passion for hiking.
• AliciaFilley.com– Her main website for telehealth physical therapy, health, and wellness.
• Alicia on LinkedIn
• Alicia on Twitter
• Fairy Falls Trail– Alicia’s favorite hike from the trip

Show Notes & Timestamps

• What factors went in to the decision to road trip to a National Park while considering Covid-19 00:01:30
• Extra steps she tool for safety 00:02:11
• The general condition of mask usage on the road 00:03:19
• Why she chose AirBnb for lodging 00:04:08
• Requirements in the parks 00:06:08
• General compliance with masks & distancing 00:06:37
• How they beat the crowds 00:06:55
• Animal sitings and how they cause crowds 00:10:57
• Designating a “scout” for animal siting stops 00:13:32
• Fairy Falls hike 00:15:37

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With so many RVers hitting the road this summer, RV rentals are through the roof.

But what if it’s your first time renting an RV?

What type should you get?

Where should you rent it from?

How does it all work?

We have a pro today. Brooke Johnson is the founder of TumbleweedTravelCo.com, where she helps first time RV renters plan trips. She helps with all the RV details, itinerary planning, and more.

Enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

• TumbleweedTravelCo.com
• Tumbleweed Travel on Facebook

Show Notes & Timestamps

• How to choose the right type of RV 00:01:38
• The best options for places to rent 00:04:07
• Basic guidelines on pricing 00:06:27
• What are the requirements for campground reservations? 00:08:17
• About size limitations in campgrounds 00:11:30
• Can you tent camp as well at the RV site? 00:13:21
• How difficult is an RV to drive? 00:13:57
• The importance of vehicle weight limits 00:15:45
• Working with the RV “systems” like plumbing, electrical, etc 00:17:05
• Stuff renters wish they knew beforehand 00:18:26
• How to find good deals on RV rentals 00:20:13

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Travelers are pondering many of the same questions.

When should I start planning again?

Is it crazy to think about this now?

What about a simple road trip?

There is no clear, simple answer to this that guarantees a no-risk trip, but it is always helpful too hear what others are up to.

Today’s show is a Quick Take…only about 10 minutes.

We’ll hear from Nicolette Kay from SemiBudgetTravel.com. Nicolette is planning a short road trip, but will be crossing state borders and has taken into account several safety aspects to stay healthy.

Selected Links from the Episode

• Nicolette’s website SemiBudgetTravel.com

Show Notes & Timestamps

• Why a road trip was an attractive way of travel 00:03:27
• Other factors in deciding to take a trip 00:04:14
• Dealing with state travel restrictions 00:06:01
• Protecting the trip investment 00:07:20
• Factors that would cause a reconsideration 00:08:44

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Our guest today is parenting coach, author, and speaker Melissa Schwartz from LeadingEdgeParenting.com.

Melissa has advice today for any family considering taking a travel or gap year due to coronavirus.

The fall reopening plan for many schools has parents pondering taking a year off…but with that comes many concerns about school, family dynamics, and just getting along.

Melissa shares tips about the importance of boundaries and routines, natural learning, and other parenting tips for these tough times.

Selected Links from the Episode

• Melissa on LinkedIn
• Melissa on Twitter
• Leading Edge Parenting
• Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs
• The book from Melissa and Sandi Schwartz: Authentic Parenting Power: Shift Your Thoughts, Change Their Behavior
• Melissa’s Facebook group for parents of highly sensitive children

Show Notes & Timestamps

• Simple advice if you’re overwhelmed when considering a gap year 00:01:59
• Key questions to ask when trying to decide 00:03:58
• Overall strategy when you have decided to take a travel year 00:07:10
• Why boundaries and routines are so important 00:09:29
• Tips for setting and communicating boundaries and routines 00:12:29
• Ideas for “home school” and natural learning 00:15:03
• How “attunement” helps you get into the child’s world 00:17:51
• More natural learning tips for finding opportunities to teach 00:19:58
• Why the concern of kids “falling behind” in school might not be that bad 00:22:35
• How to make this experience a memorable, positive, and growth oriented experience 00:24:25
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them 00:26:41
• Myths about a travel/gap year 00:28:28
• Final advice 00:29:38

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Have you heard of Unschooling?

How about Deschooling?

Roadschooling? Worldschooling?

I’m sure you’ve heard of homeschooling, and the bizarre words above are (mostly) all variations of homeschooling.

Parents this year are facing an uncertain fall school start. Some districts have already gone to remote learning, some are aiming to go back, and others are in between.

The only certain thing is this: No school will open exactly like they did last fall.

With all of this uncertainty, some parents (who are able to) are considering taking some time to either home school…or hit the road for some travel and “road school” their children.

It’s a complicated topic, but today’s guest will help guide you towards some answers. 

Karen Ricks from OurKitchenClassroom.com is a 25+ year teaching veteran, she opened and later sold a Montessori school in Japan, and she has been traveling and world schooling her son for years.

Karen’s love for teaching children is obvious, infectious, and will make you smile. It’s a big topic so you won’t walk away with a master plan. But for those thinking about homeschool that might be overwhelmed, I bet you will walk away inspired to try.

Please enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

Karen was generous enough to send a lot of very helpful additional information and links, see below:

• OurKitchenClassroom.com
• As an established nomadic Worldschooling family, this is our extended community around the globe! Find resources for every aspect of the educational journey, including authoritative articles, hours and hours of interviews with experts and parents who have studied and lived this way for years, and so much more! This is the perfect place to start for everyone, from those who attend traditional school and supplement during breaks to full-time traveling families like my own, and everyone else in between!!! There’s also a free Facebook group, too.
• The Homeschool Legal Defense Association has updated information for families in the U.S. dealing with the prospect of homeschooling under COVID-19.
•  I’d encourage parents to read any and everything by Dr. Peter Gray, especially his book Free to Learn. Here’s his TED Talk about the importance of PLAY.
• Akilah S. Richards’ Fare of the Free Child podcast is another wonderful resource for parents during their deschooling journey. There are so many discussions that can help to raise questions about how and why we educate our children the way we do, and why we might want to consider a different approach.
•  The Alliance for Self Directed Education has a lot of resources for parents and families looking at homeschooling right now.
•  The Montessori Foundation is the organization I mentioned, with continuing education resources for educators like myself, as well as courses and free weekly webinars for parents on how to “Follow the Child” at home.

Show Notes & Timestamps

• How Karen classifies their style of home learning 00:03:12
• On the montessori style 00:04:07
• The “organic path” of teaching 00:07:02
• The concept of “de-schooling” 00:08:54
• The De-Schooling process 00:11:35
• Un-schooling 00:18:26
• On the fear of kids “falling behind: 00:22:00
• Addressing the social aspects 00:25:13
• Biggest challenges and how to overcome them 00:28:21
• What Karen wishes she knew when starting 00:30:14
• On the “fear” many parents have of homeschooling 00:31:29
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them 00:32:54
• On TV and gaming 00:39:38
• Final tips for success 00:41:21

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Most people have heard of homeschooling, when families choose to skip the typical education system and teach their children themselves.

Roadschooling is similar….it’s basically homeschooling while traveling. It’s a term that covers a lot of different styles from Worldschooling to Unschooling, and it’s an overwhelming topic for parents.

Today we are speaking with Caroline Makepeace from yTravelBlog.com. Caroline, her husband, and 2 daughters have been traveling the world and roadschooling for most of the kid’s lives and she has a lot of experience.

She has tips for choosing a style of homeschooling, find help with a curriculum, tackling the social aspect with kids, and more.

Selected Links from the Episode

• yTravelBlog.com
• Caroline on Twitter
• yTravelBlog on Twitter
• K12.com
• https://hslda.org/legal  Is great for finding homeschool regulations and laws for each state 
• Bloom’s Taxonomy – Understanding this will help you apply learning to any situation and focus on higher order thinking skills to help children learn how to solve problems, think for themselves, find connections and relevance, create and be able to reframe, refine, and evaluate.
• https://www.k12.com/  is free online public school with curriculum. It’s quite rigid though as in normal school
• Time4learning
• Reading Eggs and Math Seeds is a fantastic resource, especially for younger kids
• Khan Academy

Show Notes & Timestamps

• Overview of Caroline’s background in education and travel 00:01:18
• Caroline’s overall strategy for home schooling 00:02:39
• A critical first question: “What do you hope to achieve?” 00:03:24
• Experience with more rigid system 00:05:48
• On different styles of home schooling 00:07:18
• Why “doing less” accomplished more 00:08:36
• How her youngest daughter taught herself to read 00:10:06
• Meeting education standards and “benchmarks” 00:11:32
• Dealing with state regulations 00:12:25
• “Unschooling”…what is it? 00:14:29
• Testing 00:14:52
• Tips for scheduling your days 00:15:44
• Social life and homeschooling your kids 00:18:01
• Finding groups for support 00:19:07
• Her biggest challenges with home schooling 00:20:59
• What Caroline wishes she knew when starting 00:23:02
• Common mistakes people make when home schooling 00:24:08
• The myth that home schooling is “The Answer” 00:24:57
• Favorite resources for home schooling 00:26:27
• Final key tips 00:28:29

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