You have the desire and calling to homeschool. Just one little problem. You work!
I know this seems like a total roadblock, but it’s not!
Once we walk through all the solutions for working parents, you will see homeschooling can be an option!
Let’s get creative and problem solve!
My first question to you is this: do you have to work?
Yes- I am a single parent.
or
Yes- I am married but my income is needed for survival.
(If you answered “yes”, skip to box A.)
No- We can live on my spouse’s income but I have a career I don’t want to give up and have worked hard to get where I am.
If you answered, “No”, but want to homeschool, it may be time to strongly consider what you are willing to do and what your priorities are. This is hard but necessary.
You are in a group of people that have the option to not juggle homeschool and work, so it is something to think about. Suggesting anyone quit their job is not to be done lightly, so I bring this option up with all due respect to the career you’ve built.
What would it look like to stay home with the kids each day? What would this feel like? What would quitting your job feel like? What would you lose? What would you gain? At the end of your life, what things do you think you might regret doing or not doing?
Journal all this and give it some time. Pray about where God wants you and how he is calling you to homeschool. This is important, so dig in and see where God leads you.
If you decide to leave your job and homeschool, you will be blessed beyond what you can imagine right now. You will never regret spending more time with your kids. It can be hard, but anything worth doing requires us to grow!
If you decide to continue working, keep reading below (Box A).
Box A
We need to get dynamic here and think in a creative, solution-based way. Always ask yourself, “How can I make this happen? What would it take to be able to homeschool?”
It may take several of the tips here to get the job done, but your kids are worth it, and if homeschooling is your calling, God will provide in supernatural ways we could never predict!
Next question: CAN YOU WORK FROM HOME?
This will allow you to be in the same space as your kids, which shifts the solution to “how” to homeschool.
IF NO, skip to the blue box.
IF YES, you can work from home, read this:
#1 -Think about the hours you work.
Would your employer allow you to work 4 10-hour days? This would give you 3 days a week to homeschool and only one day to school while working (if schooling 4 days a week- see tip under #7).
#2 -When you are home working, make a plan.
If you have Zoom calls, important emails, or need uninterrupted work time, strategically plan when this will happen.
- Implement “Quiet Time”. This is when you work like crazy and the kiddos do independent reading, quiet hobbies, or learning videos, maybe even free time to explore their interests.
- Teach the kids independence and how to do simple things for themself like make a sandwich, or look for the lost______before calling “Mom”!
- Praise this growth and maybe surprise them with a treat like popcorn and cocoa you can all enjoy together for no reason other than they did a good job being independent!
- Fire and blood qualify to interrupt you, anything else earns extra time helping you out in the kitchen (or wherever).
Warning: Don’t give schoolwork or reading as a consequence. Schoolwork shouldn’t be seen as a punishment or negative. You are only reinforcing it’s something maybe they shouldn’t like. You would never give chocolate as a punishment because it is amazing! And so is school!
Other times of light work duties you can be more available.
#3 -Consider schooling year-round.
This will give you the freedom to let things go when you need to because you have a broader time frame to accomplish your goals. Plan to take time off as needed.
#4 -Prioritize subjects and do away with busy work and fluff.
The learning should be meaningful, not just time fillers.
If your child has mastery of a subject, for example, math facts, move on. You don’t need to do a worksheet with 30 problems on multiplying with 9 if mastery has been achieved.
Any time wasters should be discarded immediately!
#5 -Invest in low-prep curriculums that still meet the learning styles and homeschool method of your family.
[This post will help: Homeschool methods and learning styles- how they work together and help you pick curriculum (check out my awesome chart).]
Anything that requires you to implement every step of the learning and has hours of prep work before lessons is a hard no.
#6 -Online courses are great, such as Teaching Textbooks for math and Khan Academy (many course titles).
These are self directed and require minimal parent involvement, so they work nicely for those times when kids are ready to school but you have a Zoom meeting (see #2).
#7 -Consider schooling outside the M-F time frame.
Maybe Sunday to Wednesday is your jam. Go for it!
You will feel so empowered in your homeschool to step outside what you think is expected of you and make it work for your family!
Tip: Many families only homeschool four days a week (including mine) because the 5th day is devoted to going to a co-op. Try rocking a four-day school week instead of five…it is really OK!
#8 -Communicate to your spouse and request help and support.
You may need to be specific on what that means. Work together to find a plan that makes you feel supported, and make sure your spouse feels supported too. Homeschooling is a way of life and everyone needs to be part of the process and contribute to its success.
#9 -Reverse plan!
This is a tip that many working homeschool moms have shared and it defeats any feelings of failure before they can defeat you!
This principle is tracking what homeschool work was completed (at the end of the day or week), rather than creating lists of what “should” be done and feeling bad when all the boxes are not checked.
You will still need to plan out what lessons/learning you want to happen (are you a spreadsheet gal or a spiral notebook gal?) but this is a framework for learning and a direction to head. Curriculum is your tool to use, not your master!
This is an area where the enemy would love to kill, steal, and destroy our homeschool joy because we are left staring at all the assignments that weren’t completed when we make “to do” lists.
We need to protect ourselves from this and be proactive, and reverse planning does just that.
Whatever assignments that were completed, take those as a win! If it wasn’t done, remember homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint!
#10 -Have a mindset of flexibility!
Pray for peace and calm amid a busy life of work and homeschool. God will give you just what you need when you need it, and least expect it!
**And remember, your homeschool has its own standards that have nothing to do with what’s happening in the school down the street! You do not need to keep up with anyone.
For more scheduling tips read How should I structure/schedule my homeschool day? (Block scheduling for focus and flexibility).
IF NO, you can’t work from home, read this:
#1 -If your spouse works too, then coordinating schedules with him will be important. If your kids are older and they can be home alone, then it gets a little easier. They can do assignments and projects while you are gone (with the older kids in charge).
Having opposite schedules may work. Give instruction and lessons while you are home, and when you head to work hubby can keep everyone moving and on task. Maybe there is a subject he would love to teach as well!
#2 -If there is some overlap when you are both gone, can you bring in a helper? This is going to be so important!
#3 -If you have a helper come in while you are gone, you can have them do simple review exercises or read to the kids. Maybe they can help them make cookies or do a fun project that will count for school.
#4 -Do you have family or friends that could be your helper?
#5 -Could the kids go to the helper’s house during the overlap of work schedules? Make up some school bags and tuck lots of things inside that they can work on while at the helper’s house. Even hobbies like knitting or ukelele, books to read, copywork…all these would be easy to have “on the go”.
#6 -I know this may feel like imposing on others, but people who love you will understand why you are asking. They may say “no”, but they will understand your heart and that you are making wise decisions for your kids.
#7 -Let’s face it…life and everything we do “counts for school”! It doesn’t have to be in a workbook to have value! Most things that aren’t in a workbook have more value!
#8 -If you work eight hours a day, where can you pull two hours for homeschooling? In the morning? In the evening? This will be a focused time where business is attended to, lessons are taught, special help is given and everyone gives 100% effort. It’s short and sweet!
#9 -Yes, you will be tired! Take good care of yourself and pray often! Perhaps some friends or family would be willing to bring you meals a few nights a week?
#10 -If you both work the same schedule, (which makes public school a convenient choice) and your kids are young (no one old enough to be in charge with no adults home), maybe someone you trust to care for them during those times would be willing to trade with you?
Childcare, house cleaning, grocery shopping, or errands…what do you have to offer? Do you bake awesome bread? Work out a deal! Think outside the box!
***You will want to implement the tips given in the section for homeschool parents who can work from home. Go back and read the green box.
Dear Lord,
I lift every parent up who is considering homeschooling, even though they work. This is a hard decision, and they are being obedient to you to prayerfully consider this. Make clear the path you have for them. Give them answers and resources they can’t see right now. Open doors you want them to walk through, and close doors that lead to places that are not in your plan. Give them open hearts and minds to see things as you do, and an ability to dig into your word for answers. Help them make decisions that honor you and protect their sweet children. In your name Jesus, Amen!
I wrote a blog post entitled, An open letter to Christian parents of children in public school. Please read it with the heart in which I wrote it. I am deeply concerned about the direction our public system has gone. This post felt hard to write, and I did not enjoy it. But I feel so strongly about this that I had to share my thoughts. If you are easily offended, skip this one!