Tips for Balancing Your Career with Homeschooling

There’s no question that balancing a career and a homeschool lifestyle is an enormous undertaking. Though it works for some, the luxury of having one parent stay at home to teach full-time isn’t a realistic option for every homeschool family. There are bills to pay, mouths to feed, and in some cases only one parent to do it all. So, how do you create a schedule that allows you to meet both the financial and educational needs of your family?

To find out, we turned to our Facebook fans for tips. Check out some of their suggestions below and visit our Facebook page to read their responses in full.

1. Start your own business and/or work from home.
Whether you find a job with an employer who embraces working from home or create your own in-home work environment, use your strengths and interests to your advantage.

“I know a single mom that homeschools,” Kisma King said in her comment. “She teaches piano, does music for her church, makes clothes, and other things. She’s incredible.”

It is certainly easier and more enjoyable to complete tasks that revolve around topics you know and love. Working with the familiar also makes it easier to balance your role in the workforce with your role as a homeschool parent.

2. Delegate responsibilities.
Empower every member of your family to play a role in homeschool success. Mom and Dad can tackle a couple subjects each, according to their strengths. Ask Grandma Jane or Aunt Judy to serve as a guest instructor once a week. Responsible siblings also make great mentors in their strongest subjects. Evaluate each family member’s gifts and use them to your advantage!

3. Know that it’s okay to have an unconventional schedule.
Martie Hawkins encourages homeschoolers to “think outside the typical school hours box.” Homeschooling doesn’t have to take all day, it doesn’t have to follow a traditional school year calendar, and it doesn’t have to be done between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. If your student learns best in the evening and schooling year-round from 5 to 9 p.m. suits your work schedule, do it!

4. Stay positive and know that it is possible.
This simple piece of advice is the one that surfaced most often among our Facebook fans. Though it’s certainly not the easy route, many parents across the country and around the world tackle the intimidating task of working and homeschooling on a daily basis. Be encouraged by that fact and know that it is possible to do both successfully.

“It is hard, but it is what is best for my kids,” Rachel Bell said. “Pray that God will show you how He wants your family/school to look…That is the beauty of homeschooling, what works for one may not be the best for another.”