What to Consider Before Taking the Family on a Gap Year Trip

Jess Meikle, her husband, their five-year-old twins and four-year-old son embarked on an Australian caravan extravaganza.

She found traveling families on YouTube and “just wanted this new adventure.”

Trying to persuade her husband, she rented a caravan and took the family on a two-week trip.

After the trip, the children were different, she says.

“They were involved with us, with each other.”

They decided to uproot their lives in favor of a more mobile life.

“One of the hardest things,” she says, “was taking (the twins) out of that school environment,” as they had just begun preparation.

So when is the best time to take kids on a gap year or extended trip? And what are the risks?

The best age to take children on extended trips

Australian Catholic University education and absenteeism expert Matthew White says there is no general rule when it comes to the best or worst times to take kids out of school and go on a big trip.

“Every young person is different,” says Dr. White.

So he suggests a “considered approach” that involves considering what would be most appropriate for your child(ren).

He adds that grades 5 to 9 are probably the “riskiest time to take kids out of school.”

Brian Moore, a psychologist and senior lecturer in education at the University of Wollongong, says he is not aware of research into what age would be best to travel with children, but says he “would be more inclined to consider it at a younger age”.

However, he adds that really young children may not benefit from the “experiential learning” that a family trip can offer.

Something “could be a much more formative experience” for a 10-year-old as opposed to a five- or six-year-old, he says.

‘Children are still learning’

Jess says they were lucky to be able to sell their “dream house” in Brisbane to fund the trip and have been living out of the caravan since April, with no set end date planned.

She owns a photography business and her husband – a high school teacher – has been able to take unpaid leave.

They questioned whether taking their kids out of school was the right thing to do, but Jess explains: “The time we have now with the kids is something we can’t replace.”

“They’re still learning. They learn a lot every day.”

Children in Queensland are considered compulsory school age from six and a half, so Jess says it’s about a year before her older children have to go back “to the books” somewhere.

Risks to consider

Dr. White says, “Over a long period of time, parents need to think about home school or academic programs.”

“For a gap year, you would have to really take into consideration homeschooling…and how they will engage academically.

“The immediate risk is learning loss.”

Dr. White says “secondary risks” include low self-esteem, difficulty re-engaging with peers and loss of relationships – things that can affect a young person’s sense of belonging, he says.

Parents should consider whether a young person has any risk factors, such as mental health problems or a previous reluctance to go to school, says Dr White. This can make taking them out of school a greater risk than for other children.

Dr. Brian Moore agrees.

“If you have a child who has, for example, social anxiety, if you have a child who already has school refusal issues… I think I would be very, very cautious about taking my child (out of school)” Dr. Moore says.

As a parent and educator, Dr. Moore says his biggest concern is the “very strong body of evidence that shows a link between academic performance and school attendance.”

Taking into account the duration of a trip

Dr. White says it’s often the medium-length trips of about a month that can really present the biggest challenge.

He says the “danger period” is “when (children or teens) are absent for a period of time, but it is not long enough to implement a homeschool program.”

While sports trips and trips abroad to visit family “can be enriching,” there is a trade-off with academic involvement.

Check state and school policy before a big trip

Dr Brian Moore says although education policy is “broadly consistent across Australia”, it is decided at a state level, so parents need to check in their own state or territory and talk to the principal of their child’s school.

“The best policy is honesty,” adds Dr. White, “then go to school and argue.”