I think nearly everyone we’ve met on these cruises has asked us the same question, in various forms. After making some kind remark about the kids, they’ll say something like:
“So, is it a school holiday?”
“Taking a break from school, are we?”
or the more direct, “Why aren’t you kids in school?”
We usually take the easy route & just say “They’re homeschooled”, which is a pretty good conversation killer. Lately, I’ve been thinking of mixing it up a bit – I’m trying to convince Hannah & Ray that next time someone asks, “Aren’t you kidls supposed to be in school?” they should respond, “Nope. We’re delinquents.”
I’ll admit, we’ve been a bit sporadic on the school schedule – we’re all still adjusting to life on the road. We’ve been doing lots of math and a little history, mixed in with reading, writing and spelling.
There are lots of educational opportunities on the ships, too. Besides the obvious subjects like ship technology, navigation, oceanography & weather, there are terrific works of art everywhere, and dining rooms named Leonardo, Isaac, and Galileo. And of course, we’ll be learning all about the history of the places we visit throughout our travels.
We even have P.E., which on Freedom of the Seas consisted mostly of swimming, ice skating and rock climbing. On Emerald Princess, it’s more swimming, snorkeling, and basketball. (The kids love PE!)
We try to leave room for the kids to explore their own interests, too. Whenever one of them thinks of something they want to know more about, we try build a mini-lesson around it. (Thank you Google & Wikipedia!)
I actually enjoy the role of teacher/coach. As I’m sure any teacher will attest, it’s very rewarding to see kids light up with the understanding of a new concept or the mastery of a new skill. I used to miss out on all that while I was working all the time.
Now, I don’t have to miss a thing.
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