Mom of 3 Ditches Traditional Lifestyle for More Adventure

She Who Wanders

Dec 6

11 Questions with Jessica from We Chose Adventures

Meet Jessica. A mom who wears all the hats - from wild- schooling her three boys to being a photographer to running multiple businesses - and still prioritizes time to chase her own passions and interests. From living the typical American life-style in the suburbs to downsizing into a smaller house in the woods where she and her family can spend more time adventuring outdoors, Jessica is a true inspiration to go for your dreams and not settle for less than you can envision for your life. She authentically shares the ups, downs and behind-the-scenes to help other women and families go for their dreams too.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your family. How many kids do you have, what are their ages and what kinds of things do you prioritize for quality family time?

I’m Jessica, and I live in Pennsylvania with my husband Riaan, and our 3 wild boys, Koen (13), Hendrik (9), and Davin (7). Four years ago we decided to downsize to prioritize an outdoor lifestyle and sold our big home, half of our stuff, and moved into a little house in the woods.

Q: With 3 wild boys, it must be tough to continually let them push their own boundaries and discover their own limits, especially on more risky adventures. It can be terrifying to put full trust in them when there are risky activities at hand! What advice or tips would you give a mom who has trouble stepping back and letting them go?

Raising 3 wild boys can be tough! They are constantly pushing boundaries and it took me quite a few years to learn to go with the flow. I realized I can spend my entire day yelling OR let them take risks, and be there to help them if they fall. My best advice to parents is to trust your child and let them find their own way. They’ll gain confidence and independence they can’t learn anywhere else.

Q: The Great Wanderlust is all about moms stepping outside of the box and diving deeper in both travel and in life! The mission is to inspire mamas and families to feel fully alive through adventure and exploration! What is your great wanderlust? What most makes you come to life??

I’ve never been one to sit still (I wonder where my kids got it ;), and I’ve always loved meeting new people and trying new things. Add in a love for beautiful outdoor spaces and you’ve got my main passion, outdoor groups and group adventure travel. I’ve been organizing both for years now and have met so many amazing people and seen so many amazing places because of it!

Q: When you transitioned from the more traditional lifestyle with your family to a non-traditional schedule + outdoor oriented lifestyle, what were a couple of the biggest challenges you encountered and how did you overcome them? For a family who knows they need a shift, but is scared to step off the beaten path, what’s the best way to get through that fear of the unknown?

Transitioning to an alternative lifestyle was the hardest part for me! I had a great traditional childhood and never planned on homeschooling. But when I saw how miserable my entire family was spending the entire day away from each other, struggling in work and school, I knew we needed to change. My best advice is to find 3 things your family agrees are your priority, and find a way to make THOSE happen, knowing you’ll have to make other sacrifices elsewhere.

Q: Tell us about your choice for educating your boys. What is wildschooling and what does it look like on a daily/weekly basis? What does your family schedule look like with the boys learning from home and what are the benefits you’ve seen and expect to see with this type of education?

My boys struggled with the typical “sit and listen” style of education so we focus their education on experiences, hands-on learning, and LOTS of outdoor time. Because we travel often, much of their learning is through living! Exploring different landscapes, visiting museums, and meeting all kinds of different people along the way. On a typical week we’ll get the “basics” out of the way in the mornings, math and reading, and then two days a week we’ll work on a history or science unit, one day a week is some type of active adventure (hiking, rock climbing, biking), and one day a week is for forest school. Of course they’re outside most of the day in between lessons too!

Q: As a homeschooling mama to three who also owns her own business and works from home, how do you make it all work? How do you find time and space to check off your to-do list and add in some self care, while also juggling everything else?

Juggling mom life and work life is getting harder and harder as my business grows! Luckily my kids are getting older and I am big on fostering independence so I am able to work part of the day while they do their school work. I’ll be honest, my biggest sanity saver is a schedule! I have a routine we stick to pretty much every day, where I time block and make sure I check off all my boxes without overdoing it.

Q: It can sometimes seem that with all the tasks of daily life - bookwork, chores, cooking, cleaning, work time for mom - it’s hard to find time to get outside everyday for adventures. How much time do you aim to spend outside with your boys each week and what are your tips for fitting it in around everything else?

It can be hard to find outdoor time as a family. And that’s why I include it in our routine! It’s part of our schedule, so I’m less likely to forget it or skip over it. I’ve found that if I put it on the calendar (and invite friends!) it becomes something to look forward to instead of something I’m scrambling to squeeze in. I’ll be honest, I’ve always been bad at tracking outside hours (it seems to add unnecessary stress!) so I don’t do it. I focus on finding ways that make my family naturally want to go outside (which my kids do most of the day) and making sure to plan outdoor adventures a couple of times a week.

Q: Many moms want to go on more trips/adventure with their kids, but the cost of things like lodging, gas, flights etc. keeps them from making it happen. What are some ways you make travel more doable and affordable so you can do more of it?

I am a SUPER frugal traveler. My traveling goals are to be outside more and I’ve found there are a lot of ways to do that that don’t have to cost a fortune. For family travel I prefer road trips. You can bring your own food and save on the cost of flying and car rentals. Camping is cheap or free! For my women’s trips I am all about group travel. Not only is it fun, but you can go on a bucket list trip for MUCH less than if you booked it on your own.

Q: Where are you off to next and what are you most looking forward to about it??

I have so many exciting plans coming up!! As my kids get older our travels get bigger so I’m excited to start doing more bucket list family trips. For our family trips we have an Arizona road trip coming up, a “surprise” snowy getaway, a California road trip, and a southern Utah trip in the works. For my women’s trips I am having a serious bucket list year! Iceland, Bali, New Zealand, Sedona, and the Italian Dolomites.