An NHS therapist has revealed why she pulled her children out of school to travel the world after feeling like she was missing out on their childhood.
In the UK, Claire Cockayne, 41, and her partner Ben, 42, lived an idyllic family life with thriving careers and a family home. However, the hustle and bustle of everyday life made them feel like they were missing out on important moments with their children, Molly, seven, and Benny, five.
Claire says she was wracked with "mom guilt" after missing one too many school plays, sports days and milestones because of work. In some occasions, the only quality time she would spend with her kids was during bedtime. The pair decided to make a drastic change after Ben calculated that their children spent more than 800 hours a year longer in school than with their parents.
Career break and travel plans
The revelation led to Claire, an occupational therapist, securing a 14-month career break from the NHS. This allowed her to take Molly and Benny out of school to travel the world, with the mum and dad taking on teacher roles through home-schooling and worldschooling.
"It was really difficult," Claire told NeedToKnow. "Ben and I both felt like we were watching our children's childhood pass us by. We were doing everything we were 'supposed' to do, working hard, providing for our family, but it often felt like we were missing the moments that really mattered."
"I was the mum who couldn't always make the school plays, sports days or stay-and-play sessions because I was at work, and that brought a huge amount of mum guilt. We completely understand that's the reality for so many families and I know I'm not the only parent in this situation. But we reached a point where we realised that if nothing changed, we'd never get this time back."
Inspiration and perspective
The family first got a taste for long-term travel during a six-week trip around Asia and Indonesia last year. Claire said: "It gave us a taste of the freedom that comes with slowing down, exploring together and living more intentionally. It made us realise we wanted to experience that for longer, not just as a holiday."
The decision was also shaped by the deaths of several friends and other people around their age. Claire said: "It really put life into perspective. It made us realise how fragile life is and how none of us knows what's around the corner. We kept asking ourselves, 'If not now, then when?'"
"Ben also started looking at how much time we actually spend with the kids. He worked out that our children spend over 800 hours a year more in school than they spend with us as parents. Seeing that written down really stopped us in our tracks."
Support and preparation
Claire, from Sunk Island, East Yorkshire, was stunned when the NHS approved her request for a 14-month career break. She said: "I was shocked, relieved and incredibly grateful. Their support meant we could take this opportunity without me having to walk away from a career I genuinely love. My colleagues were amazing. So many of them said they wished they'd been brave enough to do something similar, and they were excited for us."
The family left the UK on June 3 after renting out their home to cover their mortgage and other bills. They also cut monthly costs, created multiple online income streams and gained travel agent licences before setting off. Claire works online with a South Korean skincare company, while Ben works as an introducing broker in the financial markets and also day trades.
Home-schooling and adventures
Although taking the children out of school was a huge decision, Claire says the move to home-schooling has been easier than expected. She said: "Their school has actually been really supportive of our plans. They deregistered them and we'll simply reapply for their places when, or if, we return. The school kindly provided us with resources and we also brought curriculum-based activities."
"We still make sure they read and write every day and continue developing the core skills they need. But so much learning happens naturally while travelling. They're learning about different cultures, languages, history, geography, wildlife and food simply by experiencing it first hand. They've become so much more curious and confident, and they're asking questions all the time."
The family is currently in Hungary after travelling through Spain, Montenegro, Croatia and Italy. The pair launched an online publication, Families Reimagined, to document their experiences. They have also booked flights to the US in October and hope to continue through Mexico, South America and Asia before potentially heading to Australia.
Challenges and rewards
Claire admits full-time travel with children isn't always easy. She said: "Travelling full-time with children can be exhausting, plans don't always go as expected, and there are definitely challenging days. But then there are moments that make all of it worthwhile. We get to explore together, play together, learn together and simply enjoy each other's company."
The couple says the biggest challenge has been losing the extra support normally provided by grandparents, although family members will be joining them for parts of the trip.
Despite only just beginning their adventure, Claire believes they have already seen a huge difference in their children. She added: "They're happier, more relaxed and so excited about every new experience. Watching their confidence grow and seeing the world through their eyes reminds us exactly why we took the leap. One day they'll grow up and have lives of their own, but they'll always have these memories of the adventures we shared as a family. For us, that's priceless, and it's exactly why we made this decision."
