An Interview with Kids on the Road... Madison Version

The Interview... Part 2.
It amazes me how many of Madison and Hunter's answers are similar, even though they were interviewed separately... 

 What it is like to be a kid on the road? What does a normal day look like for you?
Being on the road means waking up, knowing that I’m at my most favorite place in the world, getting to
spend tons of time with my family, my most favorite people in the world, playing new, exciting games,
seeing cool places, volunteering, and having the opportunity to know I can swim whenever I want to. 

•         What is your favorite thing/way to study on the road? Do you work from a set curriculum? What are
you learning on the road that perhaps you couldn’t learn or experience in school?

Camping teaches me to be grateful for what I have. Many people aren’t as lucky as I am. I’ve learned
how to live in a small area. I’ve learned that you have to be very organized to live on the road. You learn
that you don’t truly need a whole bunch of belongings… a lot of what we had at our real home was just
junk.


•         How did you make your rv into a home? How specifically have you decorated or individualized your
personal space (like your bunk bed or sleeping area, if you added bulletin boards, curtains, have special
stuffed animals, toys, etc.)?

I’ve put peace sign stickers on the mirrors above my bed. I love to decorate the cabinets by drawing on
the mirrors with dry erase markers. I have to have my area planned and have everything in a certain
place for it to work for me. I sleep on the couch, but I have to have it personalized with my comforters,
throw blankets, and pillows. I hang my peace sign quilt on the window behind my bed to decorate it even
more. We also have a bulletin board and dry erase board for reminders and shopping lists. We keep our
school stuff on a bookshelf we put in. We have hooks everywhere to hang hats, keys, towels, clothes, and
jewelry.


•         Is it hard living so closely in a smaller space together with your family? What do you argue about
(and is this different from what you argued about when you were not on the road)?

     It’s not really hard living in a small space. We’re a close family, even when we were not on the road, we
were always together.
     The hard part is trying to get past each other or walk around each other in the camper. We argue when
all four of us are in the same area, trying to do different things. Everybody wants everybody else to sit
down, stand up, or just get out of the way!
     Our parents are always telling us to pick up our stuff and quit jumping around or being so loud. That’s not
really arguing though. When we were at home, we still argued about picking up our messes.
     We really do argue about how cold the camper is. My parents keep it 55 degrees in here. I wake up
screaming in my head because I’m so freezing. It feels like needles sticking in my legs!
     The worst part is the toilet… do I need to say more?
     The good thing about the small space is that you know where everything always is. We all get along well
enough that we can sleep in this close space together all the time and not mind.


•         If you are rving with an end date in mind, do you miss your friends and your school? How do you stay
in touch with them?

I don’t really miss my friends because I always know I can see them again, and I have made so many
new friends across the country. I can stay in touch with them by texting or Facebook.


•         Do you have certain chores you are responsible for? If so, what are they for each family member?

We have to wash dishes and clean up the kitchen every night. My brother and I take turns. On even days,
I do it. On odd days, he does. We have to keep all our stuff picked up and make up our beds. (I sleep
on the couch, and Hunter sleeps on the kitchen table.) Sometimes, our parents make us help with the
campground host duties, like cleaning the bathrooms (we sweep the floors) or picking up trash. We also
have to help dump the poop tank- it’s very nasty! We have to dump it every Monday- Gross!

•         What have been your favorite stops along the way?
Hart State Park in Hartwell, Georgia. 

•         What has been the very best moment of your adventure so far?
Doing sports and activities with my family.

What has been the worst moment?
Cleaning bathrooms. That is just disgusting!

•         Do you have any tips to share with other kids along the way to make it easier for them to adjust to an
adventure on the road?
Be organized. Keep your stuff to your area.

•         What has been your favorite meal that you have helped make/cook on the road (either over
campfire or in your r.v.)?
Biscuits on a stick. You roast them over a campfire, on a stick, and fill with butter or jelly.

•         Where/how do you do your laundry? Where do you store your clothes (for instance, do you
have a few drawers, do you keep things in a suitcase, etc.)? What about toys and games?
We go to the laundry mat to do clothes. Everybody helps. We each have cabinets above our bed for our
clothes. Mine is in the living room. It’s filled to the top with all my favorite garments. Toys and games go
under the TV in a cabinet that’s stacked with amazing games. 


•         What have you learned during this adventure? Has it changed the way you see or relate to people in
your family?
I’ve learned how to live in small spaces.

•         Would you ever want to do this again?
Yes, of course. I would love to live in the camping world for the rest of my life!