When Garrett Syfrett and his wife, Carolyn, hit the road in September 2018 with their three young children, they weren’t running away from reality — they were embracing a deeper version of it.
Their oldest daughter, Emma, had just turned 8; Timothy was 5, and their youngest son, Edison, was a toddler. The Syfretts traded a conventional life in Washington state for one filled with exploration, flexibility, and hands-on learning.
For more than six years, they crisscrossed the country as a full-time RV family, navigating the unique challenges and extraordinary rewards of raising children on the road.
A Leap into the Unknown
“We were already homeschooling our kids, and there wasn’t much holding us to one spot,” Garrett said. “Our children were young and excited to travel. It just felt like the right time.”
The kids were fully on board, but there was some pushback from concerned family members.
“It wasn’t outright opposition,” he explained. “Just questions and concerns, like ‘Have you thought this through?’ But we had done our research. We knew how we were going to earn income and what kind of lifestyle we were aiming for.”
That lifestyle was anchored by Garrett’s role as a stay-at-home dad and content creator, and Carolyn’s career as a traveling nurse. Her assignments set their travel routes and allowed them to set up three-month “base camps” in different regions, giving them plenty of time to explore each new temporary community.
Designing a Family-Friendly RV Life
Early on, the family learned that not all RVs are ideal for full-time living with kids.
“We bought a rig with a quad-bunk design that looked perfect on paper,” Garrett said. “But within six weeks, we knew it wouldn’t work long-term.”
They eventually upgraded to a Grand Design Solitude bunkhouse with a rear bunk room and a separate bathroom for the kids.
“The separation was key,” Garrett said. “We needed space to unwind at the end of the day without disturbing the kids.”
Even in tight quarters, they found creative ways to celebrate birthdays and holidays.
“We decorated with small things, like a tiny Christmas tree or themed birthday cakes. One year the boys were into Minecraft, so we made the whole thing about that,” Garrett recalled.
Roadschooling: Learning on the Road
For the Syfretts, roadschooling (homeschooling while traveling) became one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
“We had a core curriculum, but we supplemented everything with real-world learning,” said Garrett. “Our kids earned 35 to 50 Junior Ranger badges. They’d walk into a national park with their vests covered in badges.”
From studying glaciers in Rocky Mountain National Park to exploring antebellum life on a Louisiana plantation, the children absorbed history, science, and culture firsthand.
“Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon is a completely different experience than looking at pictures in a book,” Garrett said.
Emma’s creativity flourished, and by age 14 she had completed a biblical fiction novel she started writing at 10. The boys explored interests from board game design to imaginative storytelling.
Finding Community on the Move
One common concern about RVing with kids is socialization, but for the Syfretts, it was never an issue.
“Our kids could sense another child in the campground from three miles away,” Garrett laughed. “They’d be out the door in a flash.”
The family joined Fulltime Families, attended rallies, and often stayed at Thousand Trails campgrounds. Social media also helped them connect with other traveling families.
“We even had ‘on-the-road grandparents’ – friends we traveled with repeatedly. That community was critical to our success. Families that fail to find community often leave the road within a year,” Garrett explained.
Balancing Parenting, Work, and Marriage
Like many full-time RV families, the Syfretts had to balance parenting and work while keeping their marriage strong.
“We found little pockets of time,” Garrett said. “Late-night talks after the kids were asleep, or quiet walks together.”
As the kids became more independent, it was easier to sneak in date nights or swap childcare duties with friends.
Garrett also grew a flexible video production business.
“I started by documenting our journey on our YouTube channel, Diary of a Family. Later, I worked for the National RV Training Academy’s marketing team. Now I do video production full-time.”
Through his company, RV Media Creators, Garrett edits content for YouTubers and businesses and is producing a children’s program for his church.
The family still lives in an RV, but they are preparing to settle on property in Oklahoma. Garrett even rented a small office nearby to improve productivity.
“Working from the RV with three kids wasn’t always ideal,” he said. “I’d be trying to meet a deadline while mediating a Lego dispute.”
The Realities of Full-Time RV Life
Life on the road came with its share of challenges.
“You trade a mortgage for maintenance,” Garrett said. “One day it’s a tire, the next day a leaf spring breaks. But I became a certified RV tech through NRVTA to fix most things myself.”
While safety was rarely an issue, they once skipped a campground in Oregon after spotting suspicious activity.
Still, most campgrounds, especially Thousand Trails, felt safe and welcoming.
“We had rules. The kids went places in pairs or stayed where we could see them,” Garrett said.
Knowing When It’s Time to Pivot
After six years of full-time RVing, the Syfretts are ready for a new chapter.
“Our kids want chickens, gardens, and animals,” Garrett said. “That’s tough to do full-time on the road.”
They chose Oklahoma for its location near a client and the church community they’ve found. They also plan to help Garrett’s brother-in-law start a farm.
Garrett’s advice for families considering this lifestyle?
“If you can, keep your house. We sold ours, and now we’re starting over, trying to buy land again,” he explained.
Still, he has no regrets.
“My kids can have conversations with adults as easily as with kids their age. They’ve seen 85% of the U.S. and learned things most kids never will. The road taught us resilience, creativity, and connection. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
Follow the Syfretts’ Journey
YouTube: Diary of a Family
Video Services: RV Media Creators
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