Traveling while barista/coast FIRE with kids

[WorkingToUnwind]

I'm looking for insight from any fired or coastFIRE families who traveled extensively with kids. I currently have an almost 2-year-old and a four year-old. We have loved taking them camping for a week at a time in our camper. Not this summer but next summer, we are tentatively planning on having my husband quit his job. I would continue working and we'd coast/barista fire for the next 5-10 years before we'd fully FIRE (though I might continue to work indefinitely). We're trying to figure out travel with the kids can fit into a COAST lifestyle. We're thinking perhaps we'd travel in the camper for a month with the kids, who would be 3 and 5 at that point. DH was thinking he'd drive the camper across country and I'd fly to Seattle with the kids, and then take the month to work our way home. With kids this young, are we going to be in over our heads? Anyone else have any experience with this kind of travel with little kids?

I'd also love to take 6 months to a year to travel with them when they are a little older, maybe 5 and 7. I can take a month off easily, but anything longer than 3 months and I'd have to start worrying about losing my caseload. I've built a mature caseload and that is a blessing and a curse. I don't want to leave my job because it's so stable and profitable, but now I've got the golden handcuffs. I could technically do telehealth, but that would be tricky from the camper. Any medical professionals have experience with this type of set up? I'm also curious what our experience would be like traveling for this long with little kids. Again, interested in personal experience or if people know of any blogs that might be helpful?

[mntnmn117]

We just spent the last 8 months touring around South America as a family.  Kids are 6, 9, 11, and 13. I feel I basically traded a boring retired year without kids in my 40s for an exciting year traveling with the kids in my 30s.

As for young kids, we did a trip to New Zealand with a 1, 3, and 5 back in 2016. Honestly I feel like we missed out on a lot of stuff because we didn't go far enough beyond the parking lots. Lots of short hikes but only saw a fraction of the country.  Makes me want to go back for the cool backpacking trails when they are older. Camper life is great, but I've found slightly older, no diapers, can hike 6-8 miles is a minimum. I'd still do that month off you're planning, just realize you might come back to places later.

For later on, 1st grade or older can do pretty much anything. Go for it!

We're Roadjello on instagram.

[Dee18]

I actually researched “best age to take a child overseas” when I wanted to teach abroad for a semester.  For taking a child where the language, food, etc would be different ages 10-11 were recommended.  I followed that recommendation and we had a great semester in China. For traveling domestically I enjoyed travel when my daughter was younger, but in the early years we spent much of the time as we would have at home…in parks, preparing meals, riding bikes, etc.,and very little in museums (which I love).  Growing up my family camped in 48 state by the time I left for college.  My favorite years of that were 10-14.  Before that the drives seemed interminable so I think your idea of flying out to meet the camper is great.

[StarBright]

Are you in over your heads? I would say it definitely depends on the kids. That sort of trip would have been a disaster for our whole family at those ages. Having an entire month with lots of kid friendly stops might have made it feasible for us, but even then I would wait until 6+ unless you have very mature and well behaved kids who tolerate the car well.

Ages 9 and 11 were when we could take a vacation that ALL of us seemed to enjoy equally and the kids had enough stamina for: multiple countries, trains, living out of a backpack, museums, hikes, and some kids friendly things, etc. 

At 3 and 5 I think it is also good to question the point of the vacation. Is it for the parents to get a break? Is it to have an adventure? Just a change of scene? Check off some national park boxes? A month in a camper is a big commitment so having a clear goal for the trip will help you assess whether it is the right trip for your family.

[sasha520]

We just spent the last 8 months touring around South America as a family.  Kids are 6, 9, 11, and 13. I feel I basically traded a boring retired year without kids in my 40s for an exciting year traveling with the kids in my 30s.

As for young kids, we did a trip to New Zealand with a 1, 3, and 5 back in 2016. Honestly I feel like we missed out on a lot of stuff because we didn't go far enough beyond the parking lots. Lots of short hikes but only saw a fraction of the country.  Makes me want to go back for the cool backpacking trails when they are older. Camper life is great, but I've found slightly older, no diapers, can hike 6-8 miles is a minimum. I'd still do that month off you're planning, just realize you might come back to places later.

For later on, 1st grade or older can do pretty much anything. Go for it!

We're Roadjello on instagram.

My kids will be 8/9 when we set off for South America. Would you be able to share what the best experiences you had were? Or any advice on countries to hit, places to see, ANYTHING really?

I have never been to SA and know nothing.

Thanks!!