Have you ever dreamed about spending a year or more abroad with your children, experiencing entirely different cultures and opening your mind to new tastes, sights and sounds? Read on for 5 tips for becoming a digital nomad family.
As we move tentatively (but hopefully) towards the post-pandemic era, now's the time to start planning this type of long-term travel adventure - the logistics are trickier than your average short family break in the sun, but the rewards are magnified too.
With that said, here are five tips for becoming a digital nomad family.
- Consider your cashflow
First thing's first - don't set off on a long-term trip with kids unless you've got considerable savings to tide you over for the entire duration if necessary.
And in order to maintain a cashflow throughout your journey, you'll need either a salaried remote position or a steady stream of freelance work. The advantage of the former is that your monthly wage is guaranteed, but freelance work allows you to work more flexibly - take a look at this list of high-paid freelance jobs from Indeed to get started.
- Choose child-friendly destinations
When you're travelling alone or with a partner, you'll probably take a calculated risk in spending time in most places that are reasonably safe and have good Wi-Fi coverage.
But health and safety obviously come first with children in tow - so talk to your national embassy/consulate in each destination to discuss issues like crime, political and economic stability, and healthcare.
- Make your first stop familiar
Even if the duration of the first leg of your trip isn't as long as the subsequent stops, it's worthwhile starting somewhere familiar.
By using a beloved holiday destination (or perhaps a place where you have family) as a springboard for the rest of your trip, you'll build up confidence and have enough stress-free time to enjoy yourself while preparing for the next step. By avoiding culture shock in the early stages, you'll prepare a smooth path ahead.
- Spend sufficient time in each destination
When you're adventuring solo or as a couple, you might want to see as many destinations as possible by limiting your time at each stop.
However, this can be disruptive for children because they'll want to socialize and make friends at each stop, as well as maintain whichever educational arrangements you've made for them. There's no set ideal time, but if you're spending a year away, three different locations might suffice.
- Make education arrangements
The ideal time to travel with your kids is probably before they turn 5 years old - this is roughly the age kids in most countries start primary school and if home schooling isn't in your long-term plans, it's best if they don't miss the start of their formal education. You'll still need to progress their reading, writing and socialisation but they'll learn so much from their surroundings.
Further, if you want to top up your own education flexibly, a degree from an experienced provider like ARU Distance Learning could fit comfortably into your nomadic regime.
Follow these five tips for becoming a digital nomad family and the world is your oyster - send us a postcard!
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