RICKY ON... SEEING THE WORLD WITH THREE KIDS Q: HOW CAN A PARENT BEST PREPARE FOR DIGITAL NOMADISM? A: It’s easier than you think! Kids are adaptable, flexible and malleable. It’s often us parents that get stressed. As you take the big step, you need to think about your educational plan. Here are some options: 1. Home schooling: Depending on where you live, you may have access to state resources, such as online aids, assigned teachers who can help you, even funding 2. World schooling: A form of experiential learning with no formal curriculum. This way, children learn things by hand as they encounter them 3. Unschooling: Similar to world education, but even less directed. There is no formal “schooling” because the kids are “always” learning 4. Local or international schooling: If you have been in a place for 6 months or longer, you can enroll your children in a public or private school Finally, you need to create socialization opportunities. You want to plan situations that let them play with peers, especially during milestones. For example, we celebrated our daughter’s birthday in an orphanage in the rainforest so she could spend her special day with other kids. Q: WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS DO THE KIDS LEARN ALONG THE WAY? A: There’s so much! They grow up more open-minded and experience more things “live” than other kids might. They learn about culture and language but also about dealing with deeper problems such as extreme poverty. It is important to talk about the difficult situations they encounter but also to let them draw their own conclusions. The most memorable moments from the past year with our kids: 1. A 3-day jeep safari in Africa, where we saw animals in their natural habitat and taught our children about captivity, cruelty and hunting 2. Canoeing through the Amazon rainforest in Brazil 3. A visit to the Machu Picchu in Peru, where the kids were introduced to architecture, the history of the Incas and UNESCO Q: WHAT’S THE SECRET TO A RELAXED NOMADIC EXISTENCE? A: Don’t take life too seriously. If you’re too nervous, that’s going to take over. There’s a lot you just have to roll with. If I miss the bus, I miss the bus. If I need to modify plans, people are usually understanding. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Have a sense of humor. Plus, gratitude. Say to yourself, “I’m so grateful I can travel like this. Grateful for the travel I’ve done. Grateful the kids and I have seen so much. Grateful for my awesome family.” Be mindful of the stress and replace the negative thinking. ● Ricky, Anne and their 3 kids ● From Canada ● www.daddyblogger.com ● Blogger and digital marketer ● On the road since 6 Dec. 2016 ● Currently in the Philippines ✈ ✈ ✈ GOOD FAMILY DESTINATIONS • Bali, Indonesia • Chiang Mai, Thailand • San Miguel de Allende, Mexico • Medellín, Colombia “If you’ve never traveled before, try out the U.S., Europe, Thailand or Indonesia. As soon as you get comfortable in your new lifestyle you can go to more ‘advanced’ destinations like Africa or the Middle East.” ✈ ✈ ✈ PRODUCTIVITY TIP “Make time for everyone, including yourself. Encourage each other’s hobbies and interests. Plus, write everything down in the calendar – date nights, family time, time for yourself. All these appointments are non-negotiable.” 5
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