Awhile ago in the summer my kids decided to participate in a flat travel situation that was set up through a homeschool forum I belong to. Well the person, who I won't name, who got my DD's first ever flat, did not return it. She is needless to say more then disappointed. She is five here and this was her first homeschool mail lesson. She had to watch as her brothers flat was returned with great pictures and brochures. And still nothing from hers months later. To further add insult to injury it was the person who set the whole trade up that never returned her flat. The experience has left her and I feeling flat.
So a word to all who travel through flats. Please remember to return them or at the very least be honest enough to say 'hey I lost it.' Or 'I forgot to mail it.' Honesty is always better then making a child wonder.
Also too having done this now a few times I think it would be great if we looked at those flats as travellers returning home. What would you take home from a vacation? Would it be merely brochures. Or would you take a souvenir or other small memento of your trip. Perhaps something as simple as a small, unusual rock, leaf rubbing, favorite recipe the family had whilst you visited or the like. Let's remember when sending those flats back to kids that brochures are a wonderful geography and social studies tool but not all that interesting for small tots. I am not saying this to be unappreciative of the wonderful trips our flats have taken. I am saying this as a creative plea to make it more inviting for kids to participate. I am saying this from a child's perspective.
We did flat traveling a couple years ago- we sent 4 out the first go round and got 2 back. It was very disappointing. We lost many. Most refused to answer emails about them too. But we had many good travels too with lots of brochures and pictures and trinkets. I love the pictures most of all- we have one on the Golden Gate Bridge and in the Redwoods, at a safari park in Australia and a tour of all the painted buildings in one small town.
ReplyDeleteOh that is so sad. I belong to the same homeschool site you go to I understand that is why we don't do it anymore I have done it and my girls never gotten theres back. My girls are alot older then your children but we would love to help her. We will send her a flat stanley and some things. Let me know if we can help. Please it would be a honor to help her and see a smile on her little face.
ReplyDeleteKrisRV from the spot.
I feel your disappointment. We have never received any travelers and we haven't heard from the ones we sent out! Thankfully, my 6 yo ds has forgotten all about it by now.
ReplyDeleteThe same person you are referring to also didn't return ours. We hosted two and sent out two. We didn't receive either one of ours back and are now not getting any responses to messages. It is very disappointing as we are new to homeschooling and my 6 year old was very excited to get involved in something like this. I'm sorry you have experienced it too.
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