One of the reasons you may believe you’re unable to homeschool is because you work full-time, part-time, or maybe you own your own business. Because of your work schedule, you don’t see homeschooling as a practical option. Your concerns are valid, but what many parents just like you don’t realize is that homeschooling and working are not mutually exclusive. Parents all over the country are currently homeschooling while working and they are doing so successfully!
With the proper planning and scheduling, you can successfully homeschool your littles and have more than enough time to dedicate to your work.
Here are 12 Tips for Homeschooling While Working to help you get started!
12 Tips for Homeschooling While Working
1. Yes, You Have Time to Homeschool
Believe it or not, if you have enough time to do homework with your littles who are in traditional school, then you also have enough time to homeschool.
Homeschooling doesn't take as long as you may think, it also doesn't have to take place 5 days a week. And because you are able to remove the fluff from the school day and get right to what is necessary it doesn't require 6-hour days like traditional school. Children don’t need hours upon hours of lecture time in order to learn. In fact, teaching children too long without pause can be counterproductive as their little brains can only retain so much information at one time. So don’t be afraid to take it easy.
Set a Schedule
Homeschooling while working works better when everyone is on the same page. Consider putting your household on a schedule. If your littles know what is expected of them daily, and you know what your schedule is ahead of time, it will make things a lot easier for you.
Determine what days and times will be best for your household based on your schedule and workload. What time do you typically wake up and start your day and what time do you normally get home from work? Let these be your starting points.
Try Learning in Blocks
If you need to break things up that is okay. For example, you may want to break lessons up into an hour block in the morning and an hour block in the evening, depending on your schedule. You want to make things as easy on yourself as possible. Working in blocks is a really good way to do that.
2. Take Advantage of Off days & Weekends
A really good time to focus on learning could be on your off days & weekends. You could take a couple of hours out of those days or even double up lessons to make more space during your work week, in case there are some things you may not be able to get done those days.
Here in our home, Saturday is our Sabbath (Genesis 2:3 & Exodus 20:8-1), and we take our day of rest very seriously, so no schoolwork or work of any kind gets done that day. Because of that, we often do home learning on Sundays and we’re able to take a day or two off during the week where we can focus on other things or I’m able use those days to work freely. If you work outside of the home this is a great way to free up some of your work days during the week.
3. Consider a Curriculum that is Less Hands-On
If I’m being completely honest curriculum was THEE thorn in my side for at least a month. Looking back, it didn’t have to be, I’m 92% sure I made that process far more difficult than it needed to be. Because there is a bazillion curriculum options to choose from it can seem overwhelming, so here are some tips to narrow down your search and avoid driving yourself crazy.
Because you’ll be homeschooling and working you have to decide which style of the curriculum will best fit your work schedule.
Types of Curriculums
- Parent-led curriculum requires more time from you to teach lessons, lead projects, experiments, presentations etc.
- Curriculum that is less hands-on requires only some of your involvement.
- Child-led curriculums allow the child to work independently. These are typically online programs and courses.
I’d recommend something that is less labor-intensive in the beginning. At least until your family gets into a rhythm. The important thing here is for your littles to get what they need, and everything flowing in a way that works well for your household.
If you choose a curriculum that is primarily child-led, your littles can work independently while you get other things done. This way if you do need to step away you can trust that there’s learning still taking place. Some programs allow you the option to see exactly what your child is working on in real-time so that you know for certain they are still on track.
You also have the option to supplement with online programs for the more difficult subjects, and then for the subjects you really want to be engaged in you can do so in your free time.
Do not be afraid to outsource where it is necessary. We initially went with Acellus for their primary learning, Reading Eggs, Math Seeds, and then ABC Mouse for some other fun learning activities. This gave me the time I needed to figure things out while still being able to keep them home.
Your home learning experience is 100% customizable, make it work for you. This will no doubt take some trial and error but hang in there and experiment until you find the right fit.
4. Try a Pre-Made Curriculum/Supply Kit
To save you time, money and preparation consider trying a pre-made curriculum kit, especially for subjects like math and science. Depending on the curriculum you choose some will come with long supply lists of materials you need to get in order for your child to be able to complete their experiments.
Rather than having to hunt to try and find everything individually, try a kit. There are companies like HomeScienceTools.com, LifePac, Shiller Learning Math Kits, The Good & The Beautiful, Bridgeway Academy and the list goes on where you are able to choose either by age, topic or grade level and have everything you need delivered, right to your front door.
5. Get Organized
Finding a system that works best for you is a great way to get and stay consistent with being organized. Otherwise, it’s very easy to fall off and let all the things get away from you.
Some of you may prefer digital tools to help keep you organized. You may like planning by putting everything on your phones, tablets, iPads, or computers using a plethora of note-taking apps or task managers that are currently available.
While some of you may prefer to write everything down so that you can physically see it and hold it in your hands.
Lastly, there are some individuals such as myself, who need a combination of both.
There are so many different methods of organization and YouTube is a GOLD MINE for discovering which method(s) work best for you.
I discovered that having both a physical planner and an online tool such as Trello (my fav) as well as a binder system that helps me keep all the different areas of my life separate and organized works amazingly well for me. If you’d like me to do a post on my organization system let me know in the comments!
Prep the Night Before
Consider prepping and planning beforehand. Things can get chaotic around your home when you’re doing things the day of. If you struggle with procrastination this may be something you have to work at until you get it down.
I decided to pick a planning day which for us is Sunday to plan out my week and get prepared. That’s my day to plan out my work and all the blog things, home tasks like grocery lists and dinner menus for the week, as well as homeschool schedules, recipes, etc. And then I may look over everything again at night if I need to revisit my to-do list for the next day. I feel a lot more in control and productive when I do things that way.
6. Set Reasonable Goals
When you’re first starting out it’s easy to get caught up in wanting to do so many different things because you’re excited, which is normal, but take your time.
Considering starting small and practical. What would you like your first week to look like? Your first month? What routines would you like to have in place? What do you want your daily schedule to look like? Once you have the small goals covered then you can begin to branch out. Working little by little, one goal at a time will not only keep you focused it will also prevent burnout.
7. Remove/Reduce Distractions
Listen, I am no stranger to procrastination or indulging in distractions longer than I should. And like many of you, this becomes a problem VERY quickly. As working parents, we are already pressed for time. So we really can’t afford to allow distractions to take up what little time we have. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Netflix, etc. can WAIT. It has to. More times than not our productivity and time management issues boil down to how much time we are giving things that work against what it is were trying to accomplish. There have been times when I’ve had to remove social media from my phone completely until I was able to get a solid schedule and plan in place and stick to it.
Whatever your weakness, consider getting serious about being more intentional with your time. If your phone is your issue, try putting it in work mode where only certain apps are operational when you need to be focused on other things. Or, if you’re an all-or-nothing type of procrastinator, try putting your phone on airplane mode. You’ll be able to think much clearer and be far more productive when you take back control of your time.
8. Set Clear Boundaries
You can’t see me, but I am wearing my serious face right now. You have got to set boundaries when it comes to homeschooling & working. Set boundaries with everyone, your littles, your job, your friends, and your family. Communicate your hours, your tasks, obligations, rest times etc, and everyone around you should be respectful of that.
Your children need to know that at a certain timer if you’re working, you’re working, or if you’re resting, you are resting. Your workplace should know that your homeschool is also a priority. This will work out so much better for you because everyone is on the same page and understands what you need and expect from them. Naturally, there will be times when you will have to compromise. But know the difference between compromise and not upholding your boundaries. Stand your ground!
9. Encourage Independence in Your Littles
Encouraging independence in your littles is helpful to both you and them. Showing them how to do some things on their own encourages confidence and gives you more time to get things done.
Using independent time to study, read books, play games, and explore their learning tools gives you the space you need to get things done. Consider setting times for independent learning and times when you work together and add these to your schedule.
Implement Quiet Time
Quiet time can be so helpful to you. If you work at home, it’s a great time for you to get work done uninterrupted. And if you work outside of the home, it’s a perfect time for you to catch up on housework.
It may take a little extra time to get everyone acclimated, but once you find your rhythm, you’ll be so happy you did!
10. Ask for Help
I would like to be the first to say that I am not every woman and therefore it is NOT all in me. I am one woman, and I can only do so much. You can only do so much!!! Many of us don’t like asking for help because it either makes us feel uncomfortable or because we want everything done our way. Hear me when I say this, that is preposterous, and you need to stop it this instant! If you have people in your corner who are willing to help you LET THEM!
Don’t be afraid to delegate where you can. Lean on your support system if you have one. And if you don’t, find your homeschool tribe. There are so many mamas out there like you who are looking to connect and support you, you do not have to do it alone!
11. Find Local Homeschool Groups
Local homeschool groups & co-ops are a saving grace for many homeschooling families. A homeschool co-op is a parent-led group that gets together and meets up for learning, outings, playdates, etc. These groups can take a lot of weight off your shoulders. Say you work on Tuesday; you may be able to take your children to the co-op to get their lesson or activity for that day. Everyone in the group may alternate days where different parents take on different learning subjects or activities, however, this solely depends on the type of group you join.
Having other parents to lean on who understands your lifestyle just might be the support system that you needed, making navigating this journey more enjoyable and far less overwhelming.
You can find homeschool groups in your area on Facebook. Just look up “Homeschool groups in ____” and see what’s available in your area and see if any of them interest you.
12. Have Grace & Patience
By no means will I pretend as though this is an easy transition, there will be trying moments in the beginning and throughout. Remember that this is an adjustment for both you and your littles. Finding your rhythm will take time and mistakes are a part of the learning process. Welcome them, because this is how you will figure out what works and what doesn’t. Have patience and forgive yourself when you hit a rough patch.
Extend this same amount of grace for your littles also. They are adjusting right along with you so it may take a little while for them to get acclimated.
I understand that everyone’s situation is different, and I won’t pretend as though this is a one size fits all scenario. Some of you may have the support of a parent, spouse, or friend and some may not. So, the challenges will be different for us all. And although at times it will be difficult, you CAN do it!
This post was about 12 Homeschooling While Working Tips that will help you to get started, stay productive, and navigate the challenges that come with taking on home learning.
If you need help finding resources or have something that you would like to see me cover. Please do not hesitate to either comment below or email me personally here! We are in this together mama!
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