I am sure everyone has really strong beliefs in one way or another on this subject but please continue reading before making a comment.

I have 3 children ages 5, 3 and 8 months. I am a stay at home mother. My husband is an Engineer for a U.S. contractor. My husband is leaving for Iraq at the end of October and will be gone for one year. He will get to visit for two weeks about 1/2 way through his assignment (so April or May time frame).

Since I do not work I really have no ties to our home. I have been considering using this as an opportunity to travel with my children (not constantly but every few day or maybe for a week here and there) to go visit places throughout our state (Texas) and possibly the United States. I would take them to various museums, gardens, historical sites and things of that nature. I would teach them (my 3 and 5 year old) the basics of course but I think these trips would teach them in a more in depth, hands on way. For instance, I could take them to the Alamo to teach them about the history of texas, to a farm to teach them about agriculture (and maybe about the "birds and the bees" too"

I believe I can teach them more through trips like these then my 5 year old will learn in Kindergarten. My son did go to Pre School last year where he learned his alphabet, to count to 30, how to write his name and to spell a few words… So the foundation has been started, I just need to pick up where the Pre School teachers left off.

I am not considering home schooling him for 1st grade, just this year. I do worry though that he might miss the social interaction that he had while in Pre School and would have in Kindergarten but I am sure that there are home school groups in my area that have get-togethers where the kids can socialize. I also have to wonder though, is it fair to have him miss out on Kindergarten, one of the most memorable years of a child’s life. To miss out on his Kindergarten graduation? Is it worth it? ~ I’m torn.

I just feel that this is a unique opportunity, one we may never get again to travel freely, on a whim, to visit places we might not normally visit and to learn about things that they might only learn about otherwise through reading books (which we’ll still do plenty of). I am not even adverse to driving a longer distance, maybe to visit the grand canyon, or Niagra Falls. I’ve been to both, just not with my children.

I know that my youngest two might not even remember these adventures but I know that my oldest probably will. I remember plenty from when I was his age, especially the wonderfully fantastic adventures my mom took me on. ~She used to take me fossil and artifact hunting in Arizona.

Plus these trips would be a wonderful bonding experience and would help pass the time while my husband is in Iraq. In addition, he’d be able to take his 2 weeks leave at anytime rather than having to plan around Spring Break or waiting until Summer Vacation.

I’d love opinions, even criticism

Oh and I am sure it will come up so I’ll address is now, Yes, we will be able to afford these trips.
RMG: I appreciate the constructive criticism but I do have to disagree with you on the museum issue. I know everyone thinks their kids are great but when it comes to behaving themselves (with exception to the 8 month old) they are exceptional. Our children are well disciplined & taught good behavior from a very young age. We go out to eat (not fast food) a minimum of twice a week and we are not the family you glare at that’s making all of the racket,lol. We actually get compliments on how well behaved our kids our on a regular basis. Oddly enough we’ve even been offered money. Yes, money. An elderly lady once gave my son $1 for being so good. (Weird, I know).
We recently moved to Texas from Maryland. While in Maryland we visited the Natural History Museums and historical sites of DC & my oldest son really enjoyed them & learned a lot.

I agree, some (often times, many) kids behave badly in public, mine though, w/the rare exception, do not. If they do there are immediate consequences.

Well, I’m a proponent of homeschooling, but even if I weren’t, it sounds like homeschooling would be an ideal situation for you and your children right now. In my state, kindergarten isn’t even required by law. In my opinion a five year old can learn much more at home (and on "field trips") than in a classroom of 30 other kids and one or two very tired teachers. My suggestion to you is to research the laws regarding homeschooling in your state, talk to other homeschooling moms/families, and then give it a try. Do it for a year, like you’re planning, and see how you feel after. Either you’ll love it more than you expected and continue for many more years, or you’ll feel satisfied with the one year and your son will be more than ready for first grade in a public school….or, you may even discover that it doesn’t work for your family at all and you end up enrolling your son in the local kindergarten in November….the point is, you won’t know until you try. Good luck!