Larry the electrician came to the house to put some lights in and we talked about his travelling year around Australian.
Downing my tools was the best decision he ever made. I had a couple of electricians filling in for me. The three primary school aged kids became happy hands on talkative laughing children. There was none of this burying their heads into computers like they do when going to school. They go to a Christian College.
We planned this trip carefully and got a lot of help on how to cater for our kid's education. We did want them to fall behind. So the wife and I discussed with the principal our plans to withdraw our children from the school for a year. The principal assured us that a year of travelling around the country would be of great value the children's overall education. He was more than happy to organise the teachers to prepare school work. Sweet!
But the school did not give the kids any work and have never said anything, We thought this was weird so the wife and I bought workbooks on English and Math for the children, everything is in workbooks now. Once upon a time all you in a class was a piece of paper and a pen.
Then the kids did not want to do schoolwork everyday, it was hard to make them. I just had to tell them that it was up them if they wanted "up with their mates or down low" when they went back to school. It was up to them. They picked up their act.
The children did schoolwork anywhere, they sat and with their workbooks; on the beach, on a pier, on farms, beside a river. They thrived, there were no electronic games or computers. Instead the kids rode motor bikes on farms, swam in beaches, toured country town's historic sites and fished etc. There was a lot of talking, jokes and laughter. They looked you in the eye and were respectful. We connected so well as a family. I would go back to this life in a flash.
On return to the school, the principal demanded that the kids literacy and numeracy skills were tested. They told us that they had to check their skills. Even our youngest going into prep was tested! All of them passed. We'd go again if we could and bugger the school.
Love and blessings
Cheers and thanks for reading and for your support.