THE HOME-SCHOOLERS
Taking your children on a family bluewater adventure is a dream for many – turning off social media and exam pressure, and exposing them to different cultures and hands-on experiences instead has huge appeal.
But picking the right moment in between critical school years can be a challenge. While some families do cruise successfully with toddlers and teenagers, for most there is a ‘sweet spot’ that makes primary school age the ideal time to go.
The Steventon family set off from the Isle of Wight last July. Tom and Philippa are sailing with their sons Stan and Ted, aged eight and six, aboard their Bowman 40, Bella (sailingbella.uk)
“We had actually attempted to leave once before when Stan was 11 weeks old,” recalls Philippa. “We did a ‘gentle’ shakedown cruise to the Outer Hebrides and back, and then thought better of the whole idea. For us, it was just too hard work with a newborn.
“After Ted arrived we moved ashore for a few years. We did quite a bit of research into when would be the best time for us to take the boys out of school without disturbing their education too much – although we do believe the whole experience will enhance their education rather than disrupt it.
“The salient points for us were that the boys were able to read, write and swim before we left. We also wanted them to be old enough to remember this experience when they are older and be part of it as much as possible.”
The family have planned to cruise for two years initially, spending the first year in Europe before crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean. “From there we will make a decision as a family as to what we do after that,” Philippa explains.
They have timed their trip so they can return before their eldest enrols in secondary school, or continue to home educate. After a summer off, Tom and Philippa started ‘boat school’ in September so the boys began lessons at the same time as their friends back home. “We try and do four 45-minute lessons a day and split them between us,” explains Philippa.
“We are trying to make school as related to what we are doing as possible. We are also trying to follow the boys’ interests, and map the UK national curriculum to them.
“Before we left, boat school was the bit that I was most daunted about. But, dare I say it, it’s actually been quite fun. Not least because, by splitting the teaching between Tom and me, we are both guaranteed a bit of child-free time each day. That’s important for everyone’s sanity!”
Keeping the family home is an additional complication for those wanting to retain a base. “Fortunately, we managed to rent our house out to good friends which meant that we could leave quite a bit of furniture in the house. The rest of our possessions we either gave away, sold or put in storage.”
Without the cash injection of a house sale, family cruising can depend on rental income and what Philippa describes as “some serious belt tightening.”
One of the most positive surprises the Steventons have found is that, although they have sailed as a family since the boys were babies, liveaboard life is a different rhythm to enjoy.
“We’ve actually learned to cruise. In recent years summer holidays have been hammering it to either France, the Channel Islands or Devon, where we collapse in a heap for a week or two before hammering back home again. This summer we did the odd longer passage but we finally seem to have learned how to do smaller coastal hops of a few hours every day or two, drop the hook, have a swim and a look around and move on again.”
‘THE LIVEABOARD LIFE IS A DIFFERENT RHYTHM TO ENJOY’