Big Moments, Reimagined

“Before you cross the street take my hand.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

~John Lennon

This was to be a big year for Wyatt. He’s starting Kindergarten! I had visions of that big moment, walking my little one to his big classroom for the first time.  His little hand holding tight onto mine, and me holding back tears because my baby isn’t a baby anymore. But this is 2020 and nothing has gone like we imagined it would. So, we’ve had to reinvent Wyatt’s first big day and reimagine the whole school year.  

It helps that Ariel is starting Grade 3 and already has some experience with remote schooling . To be honest, she isn’t fazed by the idea of learning through a laptop now. So, when our school emailed to let us know the plan for the school year, we were a little prepared.  

I still remember reading that email, though. I looked over at Ron, not expecting him to agree, and said “Let’s just take the RV and explore and teach the kids more than what’s just online.” What a surprise when he said, “yes”! Not only that, he got excited about the whole idea. We started planning, booking KOA sites, and charting a course to explore as many National Parks as we can.  

I also spent weeks making preparations to keep us safe as we travel. Covid has made us more aware of staying germ free, so I packed the bin with Clorox wipes, disposable masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and Clorox spray.  I also set up a learning center for the kiddos, complete with school supplies, a portable printer, travel journals, digital cameras, and anything else creative I could think of.  Thankfully all of our KOA sites have full amenities and wifi, so that’s one thing we don’t have to worry about.  

Our plan is to teach the kids in the morning, either from the campsite or on the road to our next destination. We’ll spend our afternoons exploring and journal about our day in the evenings around the campfire.  We are also taking this opportunity to supplement their school curriculum with content related to our travels.  We’ll learn about the history of each area we explore and immerse ourselves in nature each day.

We know there will be hiccups along the way, but we’ll come away from this experience so much richer. We’re excited to make these memories and to document the journey for our family and friends.