Comments on: The gap year, Part I: a definition.

By: Carrie in Baja

Carrie in Baja — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:10:54 +0000

My husband and I run a Christian version of a gap year in Baja California, Mexico. A friend sent me your link, and I was so excited to know that there are so many Americans who feel the same way we do! The name of our ministry is VENTANA MINISTRIES, and we offer a language and discipleship school for recent high school graduates. The purpose is to help them get their feet firmly planted underneath them, to help them to be able to define what they believe and why, and to solidify their faith before they head off to the scariest place on earth–college. Of course our ministry is open to students from other countries besides the U.S., so if anyone out there knows of a current senior in high school who’s looking to experience a gap year in another culture, click on over to ventanaministries.com and check us out! Gracias!

By: Tim Meeks

Tim Meeks — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:42:09 +0000

My wife and I are considering a gap year program for our child called Impact 360. Here is a link for more details. http://www.impact360.net

By: K

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:53:09 +0000

“I love this idea, but I hope it doesn’t become one more necessity (complete with expensive consultants) in the lockstep of growing up. I can see that happening, what with the focus on exotic vacations here in Manhattan.”

I agree.

I also agree with your slightly different take on the gap year.

We never fit into what is typical!

By: Ellen

Ellen — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:16:14 +0000

Like Ginger, my eldest is just 10 years old. But I’ve already been thinking about the idea of a gap year for her for several months now. You highlight many of the reasons to recommend a gap year. I’ll be following this post series with interest, even though we have a few years to plan!

By: Rosie

Rosie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:08:31 +0000

It’s so nice to hear you all supporting your almost adult children in this way, instead of punishing them for not being grown up yet.

By: Laura A

Laura A — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:54:56 +0000

I love this idea, but I hope it doesn’t become one more necessity (complete with expensive consultants) in the lockstep of growing up. I can see that happening, what with the focus on exotic vacations here in Manhattan.

My reason for wanting my daughter (now a freshman) to take a gap year is probably not typical. She already sees people from all over the world daily, and has a specific focus (music performance). I’d like to take that year to give her time to read more widely and think more deeply, which is ironic because that’s why I wanted to homeschool in the first place. Seems like high school is a rat race even for homeschoolers if you add a serious extra-curricular interest to the usual litany of college requirements. It’s a gift of time.

By: Rosie

Rosie — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:45:58 +0000

My gap year and a half was unemployment, and I don’t recommend that to anyone. (After that I found full time work, saved for a car so I could get to uni, then applied, so I started when I was 21.) I don’t know other’s experiences, but getting the brain working after such a gap was REALLY HARD. Maybe that would not be such a problem with a gap of only one year, and if one’s secondary education was actually a good one ;)

I’m hoping to send my kids to my sister in Kenya, who runs a volunteer placing organisation, when they finish their secondary education. I think it would make a appropriate rite of passage. They’ll be away from their parents (but with someone who cares) doing something useful. I wouldn’t be funding Kontiki tours through Europe even if I could afford to!

By: Kayode

Kayode — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:55:13 +0000

I found this topic very interesting. While my kids are just 3.5 & 1+ yrs old, I have already thot & discussed with some friends that God’s willing I hope by age 16 they would have finished their Secondary school works and then spend the next 2yrs learning a foreing language and as well work in a publishing company, teach in a school, learn a trade(i.e. artisanship) and the likes… Never mind that I’m writing from Lagos, Nigeria, as I am a regular follower of The WTM and Susan’s blog.

By: Kayode

Kayode — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:53:35 +0000

I found this topic very interesting. While my kids are just 3.5 & 1+ yrs old, I have already thot & discussed with some friends that I hope by age 16 they would have finished their Secondary school works and then spend the next 2yrs learning a foreing language and as well work in a publishing company, teach in a school, learn a trade(i.e. artisanship) and the likes… Never mind that I’m writing from Lagos, Nigeria, as I am a regular follower of The WTM and Susan’s blog.

By: Tavianna

Tavianna — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:16:23 +0000

It’s always an unexpected delight to realize that what you may have done unintentionally is actually what others consider to be a good idea! I was home educated way back in the early 80′s, starting with my 5th grade year. Throughout high school I chose to stay home and do my work by correspondence. By nature I was a bookworm kind of kid. I did what work I was sent and got it done as quickly as possible. I ended up graduating a year early and felt too young to enter collage right away; especially since most of my friends at the time were not homeschoolers and were in the midst of their senior year. So I spent the year brushing up on subjects that I felt I needed a head start on for my freshman year and also enjoyed a very rewarding time spent growing in my sense of adulthood and spiritual foundation.

However, what interests me the most about this particular idea of a “gap year” done intentionally, is the fact that I remember being dumbfounded at college over how many students didn’t seem like they wanted to actually be there! Knowing how much my parents were sacrificing to send me and trying to pay for it as much as they could without loans caused a real sense of intentionality as to why I was there and how focused I was as a result.

Now with 4 kids of my own and the oldest in 5th grade, I wonder how much that this unintentional “gap year” of my own experience played a part in the very positive experience I had in my college years. It is an excellent topic and I really look forward to hearing more about the possibilities surrounding this option.