Raising kids in the Bush (Anchorage, Fairbanks: for sale, lease, homes)

[oubeta]

I flew bush planes in along the Holitna River up river from Sleetmute.
I fell in love with AK and moved back to OK to finish school and start up a small oil and gas company.

I now have a wife and a small child. I'm wanting to move back to the place the my thoughts take me everyday.

My only concern is that I'm being selfish and it's not in the best interest for my son.
I'm really wanting to move off the grid as I did for 3 years.
We planted out own garden, boated up our supplies, built a cabin with a saw mill, etc. I want to leave the city and all the stress and just live.

Everything we did was about living.

Do most home school up until it's time for college? Then off to Fairbanks?
Do they offer any private schools in any of the native villages?

I think I would probably have to move to Seward or the surrounding area to find the education I want for my son.

Your thoughts?

[AADAD]

Most people feel that socialization among their peers is important for young children. It provides social skills without which kids can feel out of place. It depends on what you want for your boy. A balance of outdoor and private time balanced with interactions with his peers can be fun to achieve for him and for you and your family...

[lv2hoop]

The schools in almost all villages are state of Alaska schools. The academic rigor varies depending on what village or region that you are in. Yes, there are kids who home school in the Bush and do well in the real world, especially when they are doing the types of things that it sounds like your kids would be doing to live away from conveniences. Good luck!

[momofmany926]

As far as homeschooling goes, do your research, it can be challenging but rewarding experience for you and your child if done right, if not it can extremely frustrating for all parties. Socialization doesn't have to suffer just because your child is homeschooled.

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by lv2hoop

The schools in almost all villages are state of Alaska schools. The academic rigor varies depending on what village or region that you are in. Yes, there are kids who home school in the Bush and do well in the real world, especially when they are doing the types of things that it sounds like your kids would be doing to live away from conveniences. Good luck!

You can home school. We have done it for over 20 years. But it isn't easy to do right and you have to work at it if you want your child to have a good academic education. There are good resources however, especially if you have a good internet connection. We often use online classes. Write at home is a good one. We have had several classes that were live with students all over the world.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by momofmany926

As far as homeschooling goes, do your research, it can be challenging but rewarding experience for you and your child if done right, if not it can extremely frustrating for all parties. Socialization doesn't have to suffer just because your child is homeschooled.

You are correct about that. I know a family of miners on the Steese highway (around 120 miles from Fairbanks). The children are now adults, but I met this family several years ago when the youngest of three girls was around 8 years old. Of the other two, the oldest was around 22, and the younger around 20. There girls could operate dozers, backhoes, and any other piece of equipment in the mine, but that's not all: these were the most well-adjusted girls I had the pleasure to meet (and gorgeous to boot). They were home-schooled, and then attended and graduated at UAF.

Most of the miners in the region have festivities, cookouts, and all kinds of outdoor activities during the summer at Central and other places. It means that socializing is not an issue with most of these parents, since these isn't a lack of it.

[oubeta]

Great!
We are very interested in home schooling.

We are kicking around the idea of living in town during school and having a place we could go when schools out.

What towns offer a small hometown feel, but have plenty to do for the wife and kids?
I haven't been to many towns other than native villages and Anchorage.
I spent 3 years living in a old trapper cabin with no power on a river.
Best 3 years of my life.
I think it would really be a shock for my wife to move out there right away.
I think I would be better off slowly adjusting her to life in the bush.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by oubeta

Great!
We are very interested in home schooling.

We are kicking around the idea of living in town during school and having a place we could go when schools out.

What towns offer a small hometown feel, but have plenty to do for the wife and kids?
I haven't been to many towns other than native villages and Anchorage.
I spent 3 years living in a old trapper cabin with no power on a river.
Best 3 years of my life.
I think it would really be a shock for my wife to move out there right away.
I think I would be better off slowly adjusting her to life in the bush.

Well depending on what you want to do, there is a lot of places around the interior that have what you are for. If you fly I know of a couple of places for sale that are remote, but have good ground and runways. IM me and I can get you more info.

[oubeta]

Yes I do fly.
I have a C185 and a Super Cub.
IM on the way

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by oubeta

Yes I do fly.
I have a C185 and a Super Cub.
IM on the way

Well if you want to do tours and the like, Nenana has a first class paved runway with Highway access and makes for a great place to do tours of Denali, the Tanana and Yukon Rivers and the like and there is no competition there. The city would make a good deal on leased land for a new business there. Not to mention that the entire area that is remote, needs a place to haul freight, Fairbanks is another thirty minute flight each way so you are an hour ahead of much of them.

Just a thought.