McKay's children, Robert and Elizabeth were aged 10 and 8 respectively at the time they travelled to Japan. They were enrolled in the French Immersion program in the Dartmouth schools system. At the time, there was no curriculum for that program, and it was difficult to know what the children should be studying to keep up while away for a year. The schools administration had further indicated that re-entry into the French Immersion system would not be permitted after more than a year away from it.
While in Japan, the children attended Teshorogi Minami elementary school along with all the other local Japanese kids.