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Is starting a family really the end of travel freedom ? Is starting a family really the end of travel freedom ?
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Photo by Josephine Flohr, Elephant at Camp, Namibia

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Photo by Josephine Flohr,
Elephant at Camp, Namibia



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  #61  
Old 8 May 2023
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Agreed Tomkat.

Though I think the stability thing depends on the child’s experience.

Our family was deployed around the country so our kids didn’t put down roots in one location so taking 6 months off to travel was not a huge thing. Ours kids are all pretty grounded and stable despite this.

Though I think stability is generally a good thing.




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  #62  
Old 9 May 2023
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Agree with several of the posters above that, although stability in general is a good thing, it doesn't necessarily mean "staying all the time in one place". We're permanent expats - kids born and grew up abroad. We tended to move continents every 5-10 years, explore all of the surrounding countries (and our new "home" country) on shorter trips fitted around school holidays, etc, and then moving on. The kids now have global friends (many of whom were also expats who moved around) and a very solid world outlook. It doesn't work for everyone, but if you've got some flexibility it can be great.
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  #63  
Old 9 May 2023
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The effect on children of constantly moving base, whether it's through travel or having to move for work is difficult to assess. I doubt very young children (up to the age of three or so) would be bothered by it but as Tomkat has said many older children would not embrace it. Of course there's a big difference between trying to provide stability but being forced to move by circumstances and upending things to fulfil a parental dream of travel. You may see it as providing a broad geographical education (or some such) but I doubt the average eight year old would see it that way. I lived in eleven different houses before I was sixteen (UK and Ireland) and all I remember is saying goodbye to friends. I don't think it's any coincidence that I've now lived in this house for the last 35yrs and brought up my children without moving at all. I now see them (in their 20's and 30's) still in contact with some of their friends from primary school, something I was never able to do. All of my moves were brought about through my parent's work circumstances so somewhat unavoidable but to deprive children of that possibility for what might be seen, at one level anyway, as personal indulgence is something to be carefully considered.
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  #64  
Old 9 May 2023
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Sometimes kids do have to move - military families etc - and then the kids accept it, because they know it's not the parents' choice. But speaking from personal experience we moved house 3 times (for job reasons, which I don't regret) and the kids hated it (I know because they told me!). For that reason I was careful not to do anything that might mean moving once they started secondary school. We did a few package holidays, which they didn't particularly like because they were stuck with boring adults instead of their friends, and of which the cultural highlights we tried to show them were ignored.

Here's a really good account of one person whose parents thought they were embarking on a great educational adventure, without understanding how their child actually saw it. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...olen-childhood
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  #65  
Old 9 May 2023
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It all depends on the kids and what they're used to. Mine loved it - because all of their friends were in the same boat. And that's them speaking, not me.
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  #66  
Old 9 May 2023
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Oh, and mine are also in their 20s, and still in touch with friends from grade school, middle school and high school - now spread across the world. They think nothing of stopping in Amsterdam to visit friends on the way to see us in Singapore. Again, everyone's circumstances are different - and technology has changed life a LOT.
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  #67  
Old 9 May 2023
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Originally Posted by travel4four View Post
Again, everyone's circumstances are different - and technology has changed life a LOT.
Yes, the technology aspect has been a big change, no doubt about that, and if kids can't use it nobody can.
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  #68  
Old 9 May 2023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomkat View Post

Here's a really good account of one person whose parents thought they were embarking on a great educational adventure, without understanding how their child actually saw it. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...olen-childhood
Odd, I looked upon it as the father bulldozing the family into doing what he wanted and to hell with the consequences rather than someone giving their children lots of opportunities....

Thanks for the link - I am not sure that I want to read the book, but then again I do want to read it - a bittersweet read I suspect.
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  #69  
Old 9 May 2023
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Also, there's a BIG difference between life endlessly on a boat and life of multiple years on the ground, making friends with other expat kids who then go on to other places but keep in touch (but that is probably only true if you can send the kids to international schools, which is an extravagance).
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  #70  
Old 9 May 2023
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Originally Posted by Tomkat View Post
Here's a really good account of one person whose parents thought they were embarking on a great educational adventure, without understanding how their child actually saw it. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...olen-childhood
That is a so called "worst case example"

To travel the world as kid in a disfunctional family isnt that, what parents or kids want to do.

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Last edited by Surfy; 9 May 2023 at 18:16.
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  #71  
Old 9 May 2023
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Originally Posted by Jay_Benson View Post
I am not sure that I want to read the book, but then again I do want to read it - a bittersweet read I suspect.
Nor me, but the article is a good read on its own.
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  #72  
Old 10 May 2023
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Originally Posted by Tomkat View Post
Sometimes kids do have to move - military families etc - and then the kids accept it, because they know it's not the parents' choice. ...
My wife grew up in a military family and absolutely hated having to move around; she made her first proper friend after leaving home.
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  #73  
Old 10 May 2023
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Originally Posted by Turbofurball View Post
My wife grew up in a military family
My wife too.

She did love the experience to life at different locations and countries.

So we will read here some personal experiences. Bad and good.

Don`t know if this will help someone, because each situation is different.

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  #74  
Old 11 May 2023
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Ah ok, this was living in communist military housing (as great as it sounds) and moving several times a year. She was frequently the only child within walking distance.
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