Fulltiming with only one child

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OnSabbatical

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We are brand new to RVing and are going on 13 month trip around the country, my wife, myself, and our then to be seven-year-old boy. We will be homeschooling him for first grade.
Hi All,

We're going to be traveling for 13 months in our RV and homeschooling our first-grader starting in July. I guess technically we're not "full" but "extended"-timers.  Anyway, here's my concern: Our boy loves his friends, and is always asking for play dates. He's an only child. But he's shy at playgrounds and doesn't make friends easily with kids he doesn't know.

I'm afraid he's going to be very lonely on this trip, and, if and when he does make friends at campsites, he will have to leave them behind when we move on.

We will get to see some relatives with kids his age occasionally, but there will be many months in between when it will just be him and us.

Any suggestions for a couple RVing for a year plus with an only child?

Thanks for any advice.
 
I'll suggest a cat as some of our great grand kids prefer the cat to the family dog.  Our previous cat would walk on a leash and we are training our current one to do the same.

Just a thought as cat's are easier to care for - don't need the frequent outdoor walk.  :)
 
I am going to be in the same boat with my ten year old and I have the same concern we will be traviling for at least a year and I'm hoping we run into some more kids
 
Set up an email account, and an instant chat or skype id for him. Talk to the parents of his friends, and see if they will do the same. When the time comes that they have to part, he can keep in touch with them.

Also, ask the teacher at the school where his friends are attending first grade if he could keep in touch with his friends at school. You could align your lessons with theirs so that he can keep up with what they are learning. That way, when he returns, he won't feel so left out.

In the meantime, if he seems to be lonely, have some "kid time" with him. Let him choose the activity and you join in at his level.
 
Kids are kids only once. Are you putting yourself ahead of your son. I don't mean to be arrogant,but I would not do it at his age. Later when he gets older maybe!
 
You know Lippy has a good point.  I grew up in the Army.  My older sister and I were very different personalities.  I was more of an extrovert and made friends wherever I went.  Yes, I missed them when I left but soon found new ones.  My sister, on the other hand, was a much more introverted and I think moving around all the time really affected her permanently.  She hated traveling and became very reclusive in her later years.  Like your son, she did not make friends easily and she was a lonely person.  In addition, she wore glasses from a very young age and always wore what then were called "chubby" sizes (awful term!).  Being the new kid she was taunted frequently by being called "four eyes" and "tubby, tubby, two by four...."  Seriously, do you want to subject your child to such taunting?  Kids can be very kind but they also can be very cruel under some circumstances.  If your son has any similar issues I hope you will rethink what you're planning to do.  Many kids adapt to a gypsy lifestyle, but many don't and you need to figure out if this will do more harm than good.  If the answer is harm then don't do it.

ArdraF
 
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