{"id":45280,"date":"2019-03-20T14:39:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T21:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=45280"},"modified":"2019-05-10T07:43:38","modified_gmt":"2019-05-10T14:43:38","slug":"life-on-the-road-kids-in-tow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/life-on-the-road-kids-in-tow","title":{"rendered":"Life on the Road, Kids in Tow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine stepping outside to find the perfect sunset, unobstructed by buildings and electrical wires; spending an entire day exploring a forest far from the place you once called home; and forming deep, fast friendships with different people who love adventure as much as you. This is the life being led by many full-time families, the name for a growing movement of families who are prioritizing life on the road in an adventure vehicle or an RV.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Kevin Broom, the director of marketing for the<\/span> RV Industry Association (RVIA)<\/span><\/a>, 1 million Americans currently live full-time in recreational vehicles. This includes everyone from retirees to a number of families the trade organization says have adopted a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from place to place to expose them to the country from a different perspective. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are seeing is<\/span> a much younger demographic buying. \u2026 They are doing bucket list trips when in their 30s and saying \u2018This is the way we can take our kids along and all have fun doing it,\u2019\u201d Broom said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jill Denkins, the current owner of <\/span>Fulltime Families<\/span><\/a>, a website dedicated to the full-time family movement, says business is booming. The site provides resources, discounts and an online community for roughly 1,500 families who live on the road. It also hosts\u00a037 private members-only Facebook groups catering to a range of families and interests. Between 2017 to 2018, the organization says it doubled its membership numbers, and since early 2018,\u00a0 has added at least 50 families a day to its public Facebook account.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The full-time family movement is bound together by a commitment to trading in a traditional nine-to-five routine for life on the open road. For some, this means living in a 40-foot RV for a few months at a time. For others, it\u2019s a year of travel until the kids reach elementary-school age. And for others still, it\u2019s an economic decision that grants them freedom from the cost of renting or owning a home and lets them pursue travel and time spent outdoors.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few things most full-time RV families will agree on: The first year on the road is the hardest, everything in your RV is going to break at some point, and you will definitely have those moments when you wonder if it\u2019s time to quit this lifestyle. But many say the pros outweigh the cons. Among the perks? Family time and a chance to teach kids the history and geography of the United States as it unfolds before their eyes, rather than from a textbook.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur average family is on the road for about 18 months,\u201d Denkins said. \u201cThen it\u2019s either settle down and quit the road, or they commit and go full on.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Meet five families who are living full-time on the road:<\/span><\/p>\n

Tiny Shiny Home<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"An

Photo Courtesy: Ashley and Jonathan Longnecker<\/p><\/div>\n