Catching up on post from the excellent blog of Dr. Networth, I was pleased to discover an introduction to another fine Canuck from Ontario, Dr. Matt Poyner. Matt's a fellow emergency physician, so I already feel we share some DNA.
A year ago Matt had every reason to live a typical doctor life: home ownership, four young sons ages 7-11 (is there such a thing as Irish quadruplets?), great spouse, stable job.As far as he knew, he'd hit life's jackpot.
Let's grant the American bias that in Canada physicians generally earn less than their U.S. counterparts (and disregard Matt's comfort at knowing he will never go bankrupt from a medical catastrophe, nor worry about how to pay for rising health care costs). Point being, one year back finds Matt just as tethered to his reality as you are to yours, if not moreso.
But he gets these crazy ideas in his head.
The idea that his kids are young, and there's a finite window of time they'll want to spend with their parents.
The idea that he and his wife have health and wanderlust now, but those gifts cannot be taken for granted going forward.
The idea that being high earners and savers has cushioned their finances, and they could absorb the costs of a year of travel by using some of that cushion.
He can't seem to shake these ideas, and neither can his wife. They decide to act. They sell the house and everything in it except for a minimal amount that will reside in their parents' basement during their travels.
They talk to their children's teachers about their crazy idea, and are promptly encouraged to pursue it by educators who are (to their surprise) entirely supportive of their worldschooling plan.
Finally, they finalize the packing list for their backpacks, buy airline tickets to Iceland, and go.
It would only be fitting to end with a quote from Dr. Poyner, taken from a blog post as he reflects on his risk-benefit calculus in deciding to leap:
The benefit of familiarity is predictability. The price is stagnation.
And lest you think it all sunshine and unicorns, here's some more candor from the good doctor:
Family travel is a huge decision with lots of logistical hurdles; raises troublesome financial considerations; involves tons of uncertainty; can strain and strengthen relationships at the same time; will challenge your perceptions about a lot of things; and is often fun and full of interesting experiences.
But I interrupted you. I believe you were explaining that you could never do something like this...why, exactly?
Comments 3
Interesting point of view for sure.
I definitely am curious about his summary post (hopefully he does that) when the year is over. How was it like to be away from medicine that long and how long did it take to get back to the normal routine?
When I take a 1 week vacation the first few days back at work are often challenging because it becomes a shock to the system after going on vacation mode. I can only imagine that would be exponentially magnified after 1 year.
My biggest concern would be to keep my daughter up to educational standards during that year. The world experience would be amazing but you would really have to be dedicated to make sure you kid gets equivalent education during that year unless you chalk it up to a lost year and stay in the same grade.
Great to see physicians thinking outside of the box.
I did it, we home schooled and merely took quality education along on the trip. I couldn’t travel “months” at a time but 3 weeks was no problem. I have girls and at some point around puberty “friendships” take precedence to wander lust. My youngest still has friends she keeps in contact with from around the world. Travel with children is ALL about logistics and equity in distributing work between parents. In my case we had back packs we could put the kids into and I had luggage where 1 piece could be pushed and one piece could be pulled. Both pieces had bungee that I could secure another piece of luggage so with 2 platforms I could single handedly manage 4 pieces of luggage and one kid through customs. My wife managed the kids, snacks games etc on flights and I assisted. When she was “ON” I was working out contingencies at the next destination. My kids enjoyed travel. Kids are kids and will make friends where ever. School was managed through a curriculum and out of a computer and internet connection. Classes were held VOIP or through what ever application the school provided. Worked surprisingly well. I always bought suites not just stuffed everybody in a crowded room. Having a place to go for a while is how you keep your sanity especially when everybody is jet lagged and wiped out from excursions. If the kids are young naps are critical, and there is a rule, at 5pm no matter where you are every baby is required to lose it’s mind. When it would happen my wife and I would look at each other and say: Must be 5:00. I developed a discipline technique called “snap” I would put a rubber band on the wrist of the kid when acting out and snap it once. There is absolutely no damage that can occur from this and it hurts. Do that twice and all you have to do is put the rubber band on the wrist, all acting out ceases no snap necessary. When the acting out subsides remove the rubber band and put it on your own wrist. You simply hold up your wrist and tap the rubber band no words even need be said. Opperant conditioning. Eventually the acting out part tends to extinguish in general as the kids get into the rhythm of travel. We used the back packs around the house so the kid can get acclimated into hanging out in the back pack. Also practice snap at home so a dance between you and your kid can be established regarding discipline. Also figure out ways to secure things like Baby dolls or sippy cups to the back pack else wise you will get good at doing squats with a 35 lb kid on your back. You can’t bend over to pick something up with a kid in a backpack. If the doll is on a string it’s easy to retrieve and never gets dirty. Also include a floppy hat for the kid to wear on sunny days and maybe sun glasses. You have to be proactive not reactive. If you work on it novelty becomes practice and chaos becomes forward momentum. Older kids need less tending except in the acting out arena
Aw Gasem, you definitely were a hands on daddy. I can almost picture you doing all that with the family.
I was no nonsense mother so my children rarely acted up. I simply had to give them “the look”. Very old school indeed.
XRV, in our public schools, the kids learn very little at that stage so this Doc chose an excellent time to take them out. Once they round the bend around 12 for girls and a couple years later for boys- they would much rather hang out with their friends.
These guys are smart. They are probably less busy since the kids are all together on the trip rather than the usual every kid in a different after school activity. And they have four kids so multiple the pandemonium.
There is no real excuse if that’s what one truly wants to do.