Comments on: Children And a Life of Travel

By: Charles Kosman

Charles Kosman — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 21:48:21 +0000

In reply to Piers. Hi Piers, we used to do contract work in IT when we were back in Canada. Most contracts ran from 4 to 8 months so when they finished we would pack up and head out on the road again. For the past few years, we've been working strictly for ourselves and though the money isn't as good, never having to don a suit, pack a lunch or getting stuck in traffic again makes it all worthwhile. Plus the fact that we aren't tied down to any particular place or city is a huge plus too!

By: Piers

Piers — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 14:46:05 +0000

Great post… and very inspiring. You guys have a great attitude to the whole thing. Have you watched Captain Fantastic? (it portrays a more extreme example, but some of the points are the same).
One thing I’d love to know, is how you switch back to making money during the times back in Canada… how do you find decent jobs for those periods, etc etc

By: Micki Kosman

Micki Kosman — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:44:21 +0000

In reply to Just One Boomer (Suzanne).

Hi Suzanne,

Now that our little guy is all of seven, we’re already starting to feel the pull of things like friends and school. It’s a work in progress, really, I can’t say we have the answers.

Sounds like you had a pretty adventurous childhood!

By: Just One Boomer (Suzanne)

Just One Boomer (Suzanne) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 05:27:01 +0000

I’m in total agreement that having children is the biggest life game changer that there is. Getting married pales in comparison. I think there are ways to balance the pull of the road and your children’s desire for “home”. At their current ages, home is with you. Period. As long as you’re there, that’s where they want to be. However, as they start to be more independent, there are other pulls on their psyches. Although I didn’t always agree at the time, I think my parents reached good compromises with my two sisters and me. Home base was Philadelphia, PA, USA. Dad was a Philadelphia public school art teacher. They took us to live in Mexico (San Miguel de Allende)for a year when I was nine and my father was an exchange teacher in England for a year when I was 15. (Although the year in England turned out great–in retrospect–at 15, I wasn’t thrilled to be told I had to be an ocean away from my school and friends for a year.) My father taught art at a camp during the summers, but he took most of one summer off so we could do the old rite of passage—the family drive across the US (and back). I chose to study in Colombia for a semester during my college years and since then, my husband and I have traveled every chance we get, but usually, when our sons were still in school, my parents would move in with them at our house. One grew up to be traveler (travel blogger) The other feels best with a “real” job and a house. As empty nesters (except for the dog), now we take advantage of every trip opportunity that comes our way. Bottom line. There’s really no script for this life thing–except for the beginning and the end. Choices matter, but to some extent, you make it up as you go. When you have children, as you put it,the stakes are higher, but you can still try to pick the theater.