March 2021 | Page 62

( THIS PAGE ) MEGAN : Our first stop is an apple orchard in New York , followed by a winery in Pennsylvania . In Iowa , we park at a family farm that is full of adventures for the girls with a zip line , a giant swing , a trampoline and a treehouse that has been struck by lightning . RYAN : Every day , road schooling begins at sunrise like the one here on a farm in Iowa . The light from a single bulb in the Avco means Megan is starting the coffee and Alice is preparing to log on with her teacher back in Rhode Island , Mrs . Smith , and the rest of her distance pupils . ( FACING PAGE ) MEGAN : In Colorado , we splurge on a campground with a hot tub . It ’ s perfect after days of driving . Alice loves it . She insists on taking a dip in the morning before her first virtual lesson . School on the road is challenging . I try to keep the lessons going while Ryan drives . Alice fills out her worksheets , but the RV shakes so much it ’ s hard for her to keep her writing steady . We keep the girls occupied with screen time and lots of snacks . Claire has a knack for getting angry , antsy and hungry right as we are navigating the last few miles to our campsite . When she gets really rowdy , we tell her she needs a nap and cover her with a blanket . Sometimes that actually works .

60 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2021