We are so very grateful for all of the FAQ that you all send our way…so we thought it was best to set up a Frequently Asked Questions Page! That way we can add more questions as they come in, and we can answer your questions all in one place. If you want to read more about how New Life on the Road started out please check out our “About” page!
We hope we answer your questions here…..
Homeschooling and how you manage it
We use Homeschooling Supplies Australia to buy most of our Boys school text books. With regards to actually teaching the boys – we have different styles for each of our boys.
David with our Motorhome – Before the Renovations!
Zac – who is 16, and if he was at High School, would be in Grade 10 has a photographic memory. He can easily read something once and remember it. He also has a passion of reading, aircraft, war books/games and a love of technology. He is self-directed, which means he has his books of what he need to learn, but its up to him when he completes the books, and its up to him what he would like to learn. We buy the basic text books – Maths, English and History. He then follows his passion of planes, buying and reading as many book as he can.
All of the Woody Boys! The last time we were altogther in Brisbane, before our oldest went into the defence force!
Nic – who is 12 years old, and would have been in Grade 7 at school – doesn’t like to read or write. He prefer to be out fishing all day, or building inventions. Again he has his basic Maths, English, Social Studies books but he also chooses what he wants to do and when. He knows what is expected from him every day, and he knows what happens when he has completed his homeschooling – they are get little rewards for finishing the days work. We have taken him back to basics with some of his work, because he was so quiet in the classroom at school, the teachers never picked up on the fact that he wasnt able to keep up with some of the subjects.
Cameron – who is almost 10 years of age – He is bright in some areas of his school work! He loves reading, if we can give him a “Red Wall” book he would be there until its finished. He used to receive so much special help at school because the teachers thought he was too behind in everything…now he can easily keep up with his work, and loves completing his school work before morning tea. Again he has no set work, just books and he can choose what he wants to work on for the day, and when he wants to complete it by.
Kyle – who is 6 years old – would be finishing grade 1 this year – he is so funny! He loves to play outside, so a lot of what he learns is hands on learning. He really doesn’t like to sit still for very long, nor does he like to write or read. But I think there will come a time when he just decides that one day he wants to learn, and that one day he will love reading as much as his Brother Cameron!
General bus life, how do you all fit??
Good Question! Mornings is when it gets really busy in our Kitchen. David is usually trying to get us a Coffee, and the boys are “Starving” (gosh they can eat!) so they are in there trying to get Breakfast at the same time….usually it ends in David asking them to hurry up, or to get out of his way! So Breaky times are full on.
The inside of our Motorhome – David has rebuilt nearly everything!
With lunch time, each boy makes their own sandwiches, or I make them, and we sit outside to eat.
Dinner time is also the busy time! Our boys cant seem to understand how a meal can take so long to make….once it is made, we sit outside to eat 🙂
With regards to showers – we try to encourage very quick showers in the bus to make sure the hot water last! If one or two of the older boys have a shower in the Caravan facilities then it makes it even easier! We try to get the showers done before dinner because we need them to get ready for bed straight after eating…they get up so early in the morning, and some of my boys need more sleep then the others!
The big wardrobe where our boys get one shelf each!
The Storage Space – We have a big wardrobe at the back of the bus. Each boy has a shelf…for clothes, toys, books, paper, pens etc…its their shelf and they have to keep it clean. Once a week the cupboard gets inspected, and if it’s not tidy then they are asked to fix it asap! There is a little amount of storage space, so its vital that they are picking up after themselves!
The Bedding Space – Nic has top bunk, and Kyle has bottom bunk. David and I have a queen size bed at the back of the bus. Cameron has one lounge, and Zac has the other lounge. It’s not ideal but for the moment it works. As soon as David can he will be building a trailer that has a set of fold-up bunk beds in there! It will be a trailer long enough for the car, enclosed and has enough room to be an extra bedroom for when we pull up!
The Bunkbeds in the Bus!
Our Daily Routine….
David wakes up early – he gets the morning coffee happening. We are very fussy with our coffee…it has to be organic, free trade coffee beans that we can place into a plunger coffee pot!
He then makes us a Green Smoothie for Breakfast – sometimes its Green, other times its red because he adds fresh Beetroot.
Then if he is going to work, he leaves….after he gets dressed!
Sometimes two of our boys are still sleeping…if kyle is sleeping then I get to have a sleep in, other wise I am awake and start the day!
Zachery usually cooks the porridge for all of the boys, or if they are not having porridge, then he make them a bowl of cornflake. They all like to set outside to eat!
Our morning is either spent inside, getting the Motorhome sorted for the day…washing dishes, sweeping the floor, putting washing on…or we are outside trying to find a shady spot to sit. Sometimes our boys are playing Lego, or Board Games, or reading, or doing their home schooling…its up to them what they would like to do.
At lunch time they are “Starving” – our youngest can easily have four sandwiches in one go, plus an apple! So it’s either toasted sandwiches or fried eggs, or tins of spaghetti, or a salad sandwiches. We love to eat out side as its less mess in the bus!
When the Sun starts to be less harsh, we head to the swimming pool…or if it’s a weekend, we sometimes go for an early morning swim, or late afternoon swim! Our boys love water 🙂
Before we know it is time for dinner and showers!
This is how our boys spend most of their days…..Homeschooling with Lego!
Sitting Outside To Eat Dinner!
Three of our boys restling – everytime I stopped them, they started up again!
Your favorite places, and where you plan to visit
- The Beaches
- Bush Walking
- Australia Zoo
- Exploring new places
- Discovering little places that we never knew were there!
Plan to visit….
- Sydney
- Melbourne
- South Australia
- Perth
- Zoos
- Museum
- Parks
- Restaurants
Blogging and how you work your time
Blogging is my all time favorite passion (beside my family!) so I blog when ever and where ever I can. If the boys are playing together outside, then I sit outside and blog near there them. If it’s too hot, and we have the air-con on then I blog inside while they are either playing with Lego, or doing homeschooling. If I can’t blog during the day (because we are out exploring) then I wait to we get home, and everyone is in bed alseep…a bit like now! Its 10.00pm at night and I am setting up this F.A.Q. page!
Thoughts from the fella’s
Thoughts from the mouths of babes!
Woody Boys fishing!
Cameron “Living in the Bus is exciting. You don’t have to clean up so much. I get spend more time out with the family and you get to have Birthdays out. My favorite place is Sunshine Plaza because there is heaps of stores. My favorite store is “Absolute Toys”. I like to swim in the pool, make sandcastle’s at the beach, playing at parks and making new friends. I also love cooking”
Sunshine Plaza – I am sure our boys love going here because of the water!
Kyle “I like to go fishing at the salt water creek. I have caught three fish. I like to play outside building cubby house. At the Beach I like making a fish home. I love swimming in the pool and at the beach. At playgrounds I like to do flip over the monkey bars. I love to go fishing with my Dad cause he always catches fishes for me. I love cooking pancakes because I lick the bowl”
Nicholas “I like living in a Motorhome because I like to go fishing, and I get to apply for many different jobs around Australia. I want to work so I can earn money to buy a Kayak because I want to use it in the rivers to go fishing. I like Travelling because we get to meet heaps of different people. My favorite place is the beach and rivers. I love cooking, and I like reading”
……Will add more from the boys when they want to say something more!
Does That Answer Your Frequently Asked Questions?
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa, what a great FAQ page!
You have covered pretty much everything – telling us how your family live in your bus.
It must be hectic in the mornings – I know it’s bad enough with a few children in a regular sized kitchen especially when they are all starving!
One thing I’d like to know is where do you keep enough food to satisfy so many hungry mouths? lol
I know you can’t wait to get moving in your bus and traveling around and it will be quite an adventure for you all.
Cheers
Jenny J
Jenny Johnson recently posted..Our Backpackers Experience
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your great feedback!!
Yeah they sure can eat! Cool – will add more info about storage for food into the FAQ page asap…we have limited amount of storage space…but we make do!
Cheers
Lisa
Arghhhh this is just wonderful, what a great insight into your daily life. I love the boys sharing and your pics are great. Your 10pm blogging efforts are much appreciated! ciao lisa xx
lisa chiodo | renovating italy recently posted..30 days of Indie – lessons learned
Hi Lisa,
thanking you for the great idea to have a FAQ page 🙂 I love blogging…even at 10pm at night!
Cheers
Lisa
I really enjoyed your story in thats life and had to have a look at your blog ..Your children are so lucky to be having this experience and seeing are wonderful country along the way ..you have done a great job of your new home and I envy you good luck with everyting you do …
Hi Joan,
Thanking you for your kind words! Do you know that our kids take it all for granted…but then again I guess that is kids for you 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Hello Lisa & family,
So happy to read your story in that’s life mag which my mum left behind at my house one day 🙂
Just wanted to ask how do u both support yourself financially as you travel? I’d love to get a motor home but I’m not retired and wouldn’t know how to get some sort of income going when travelling.
Kind regards, Andrew
Hi Andrew,
Thanking you for your kind words. We are able to live and travel in our Motorhome because David is very handy! He can build just about anything – he is a boat builder, caravan builder and repairer. At the moment he is a weilder for Frame Work.
I also can work with Cleaning, working in petrol stations (if need be), or even night packing. We work at each destination as we travel 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Great blog guys. Love the bus. It’s awesome to hear of such a big family making the most of this awesome country!
Aaron recently posted..Caving in Margaret River
Awesome motorhome! Thanks for sharing with us!
Winnie @ Bubfriendly recently posted..{International Giveaway!} {Review} BabyBus My Little Gourmet App
Thanks for being so kind Winnie 🙂
How do you do it?
Thanks for your inspiration and stories of your Aussie travel adventures. Seeing what you have and others have done has given us the courage to set out on our own family adventure starting in January 1016 and featuring some pretty fancy healthy recipes. We are packing up our things into storage and setting out not even knowing when and where we will stop and where we will find our next family home. In the meantime home is where the tent is. And somehow this seems like a very satisfying and homely idea.
By the way you made it onto our top family travel blog list. Not a huge boon for your already successful blog I grant but appreciate your work and perhaps working with you down the rambling road somewhere.
Ricky, April and The Little One