Working While Homeschooling

Working while homeschooling is no small feat, but it is doable. In fact, most homeschool moms in my circle, including me, work. Some work outside the home, while others work from home. Many work part-time, but some even work full-time while homeschooling. Here are some ways to juggle working while homeschooling.

Childcare While Working

For moms with young children, childcare is usually the biggest challenge to working while homeschooling. Quality childcare is expensive, and daycares don’t typically accept school-age children. However, there are some ways to work without spending a huge chunk of your pay on childcare.

• Work opposite schedules– You and your husband or another family member could work opposite shifts so someone is always home with the kids. For a while, my husband worked weekdays while I worked nights and weekends.
• Share child care– To reduce childcare costs, you could swap child care with a trusted friend or family member. While this may be difficult to manage if you both work full-time, it can work well if you work part-time or from home and only need occasional help with childcare.
• Work from home– You could work from home either remotely for an employer or as a self-employed entrepreneur. I know moms who work from home successfully as accountants, tutors, virtual assistants, in the cottage food industry, and in many other lines of work. I currently work from home on this website.
• Take your child to work- While this isn’t an option in many situations, it can be a solution, especially if you work in a family-owned business or are self-employed. For a while, I cleaned homes and took one of my kids with me on some of my jobs.

Homeschooling Teenagers

If you have teenagers, you can likely avoid the biggest obstacle to working outside the home, which is the need for childcare. If your teenagers are responsible and self-motivated, they can do much of their homeschool work independently. However, you will still need to make time each day to monitor their progress, check their work, and provide help as necessary. Even if your teenager is in a fully online program with virtual teachers, it is important to still be involved in their education. Teenagers can also babysit younger siblings, but I would not make them responsible for providing full-time childcare.

The Flexibility of Homeschooling

Flexibility is one of the most significant advantages of home education, and the key to successfully working while homeschooling. Rather than homeschooling only during traditional school hours, you can homeschool around your work schedule. Your school calendar is not limited to the 180 days public schools are in session. Instead, you have 365 days to work with. Also, keep in mind that homeschooling usually takes significantly less time per day than a school day. While there are infinite ways to homeschool, here are some examples of schedules that have worked for other homeschool families.

• Homeschooling nights and weekends because the parent works full-time weekdays.
• Working part-time while homeschooling year-round, 3 days a week on days the parent is off work.
• Homeschooling 5 or 6 days a week, year-round, but for a much shorter amount of time each day to allow plenty of time for parents to work.
• Working a 7-on 7-off schedule, or a similar schedule common in factories and hospitals, and homeschooling on the parent’s off days.
• Taking a day or two off homeschool during the week instead of on weekends, if that works better with the parent’s work schedule.

Choose the Right Curriculum

When working while homeschooling, your time is at a premium.  While writing your own curriculum, planning unit studies, and incorporating many different resources can be fun, it isn’t easy to find the time to do these things consistently when you also work. I would suggest, instead, using an open-and-go curriculum that doesn’t require much prep work from the parent. With older kids, look for a curriculum that allows them to learn more independently. It can also be helpful to outsource some subjects with online classes or dual enrollment at a community college for high school students. For more on choosing curriculum, read What Curriculum Should I Use.

Set Realistic Expectations

It’s important to have realistic expectations when juggling work and homeschooling. You may not be able to do all the hands-on activities or elaborate projects you see online, and that’s okay. Homeschooling doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect to be effective. Focus on the core subjects and what works best for your family. Also, don’t try to do all the household chores yourself. Everyone in your family should pitch in, but expect that there will be times the laundry piles up and your home looks less than perfect.

Avoid taking on too many additional responsibilities. When you’re already stretched thin with the responsibilities of work and homeschooling, don’t feel bad about saying no to things. It’s okay if you can’t teach a co-op class, help organize homeschool events, or make it to every homeschool group activity. If you try to do it all, you will become overwhelmed and burn out.

You Can Do This!

Balancing work and homeschooling isn’t easy, but it is possible with the right mindset, realistic expectations, and flexible planning. Whether you work part-time, full-time, from home, or outside the home, there are many ways to make it work for your family’s unique situation. Give yourself grace, stay flexible, and remember that even if things aren’t perfect, you are giving your kids something incredibly valuable: your time, your effort, and your example of perseverance.

Related Posts

• 10 Things You Don’t Need to Homeschool
• 20 Ways Homeschooling is Less Stressful for Parents
• Homeschooling on One Income