Can Working Moms Homeschool?
How to Manage Teaching Your Children at Home When You Work
Maybe you’re convinced that homeschooling is the best alternative for your children’s education. But what if you have to work? Can working moms homeschool and still make money?
Not all homeschoolers are stay-at-home moms who don’t earn a paycheck. With hard work and planning, you can both work and homeschool your children. The good news is that it is possible to homeschool and still work. Many mothers have done both. A few examples include professions such as writers, publishers, nurses and business owners. Here are some tips for combining work and homeschooling....
Explore Work at Home Jobs
If possible, try to find ways to work at home. Designate a room for home schooling, having your office close by so you can monitor your children. If possible, find work where you don’t have to have clients coming to your home, so you won’t have to worry about your kids’ distracting your customers or your children feeling ignored.
Many enterprising mothers have been able to do everything from freelancing to running a small business, while homeschooling their children. If you have older children, it’s probably easier to do this, as they’re more self-directed.
Network with other working moms. Check out web sites such as "Moms Work at Home" that can help you interact with other moms who both homeschool and work at home. Also, join local home schooling groups where you can exchange ideas for managing time and work.
If you have a large family, have your older children help the younger ones, while you take some time for your work-at-home business. Not only will they be helping their younger siblings, but they’ll also gain confidence in their abilities to direct and teach.
Consider Evening Jobs
If you have the energy and organizational skills, then consider home schooling your children during the day, so you can work at night. If you’re married, this way your spouse is able to be at home with your children when you’re at work. Explain to your husband what you’ve taught during the day, so he’ll be able to help them study and do assignments. By having a “changing of the guards”, both parents can get involved in their children’s education. For example, the nursing profession is an excellent career for homeschooling moms, as it affords the flexibility of nighttime, as well as weekend hours.
Budget Your Time
- Record your activities--You probably waste more time than you realize. To see how you can trim your schedule of excess activities, set up an hourly planner, recording everything you do for at least a week. After tabulating the hours devoted to each activity, you’ll most likely discover you have more time that you thought you did.
- Set up a housework schedule--First, get everyone involved. Rather than you do all the housework, assign jobs to each member of your family. Besides assigning jobs, designate a particular day for running errands. Also, simplify jobs. For instance, rather than dusting and/or vacuuming every room house, attend to only those rooms that need cleaning the most.
Finally, Decide What ‘s Really Important
Although many mothers have to help bring home a paycheck, others are financially able to stay home, without working at all. If that’s the case, then consider the importance of homeschooling fulltime as a stay-at-home mother. Realize that it’s not the rest of your life that you’ll be home teaching your children. After talking with other satisfied mothers who’ve made the investment to homeschool, you’ll probably consider it worth the time and effort.
