How to Homeschool and Work Full Time
Are you a working mom dreaming of homeschooling? Do you want to offer your child a tailor-made education, while also earning a salary? Today I want to help you figure out how to homeschool and work full time.
It may seem impossible when you think about adding more tasks into your already hectic work day. By the end of the post I promise that you’ll feel that it’s at least worth a go! But I hope that you’ll see that it’s 100% possible!
How I Started my Homeschooling Journey
Public school was an incredibly traumatic experience for my kids. They were bullied and othered. And we were made to feel like they would never achieve anything.
So in 2017, we decided to take a leap of faith and start homeschooling. The first few years were tough, to say the least. I had no idea what I was doing, I pushed too hard and I almost burnt out.
But slowly we got into a routine and things started to get better. The beginning was messy, but I learnt so much. And that is why I’m so passionate about helping new homeschoolers figure it all out.
Then a few years ago, I realized that one of the many reasons why homeschooling had been so tough was because my homeschool looked so different to what I was seeing on social media.
And the reason why, was because I was working full time and homeschooling. I doubted myself so much because I wasn’t able to give my kids the whole day. I needed to earn a living too!
Now, I do not want to put you off. 😊 I am 100% convinced that you can homeschool and work full time. It might just take a bit more unlearning, time management and mindset work.
Unlearning so You Can Homeschool and Work Full Time
To homeschool and work full time, you need to unlearn traditional education. It can be scary, but it will set you up for success. Firstly, think about your preconceived ideas about education.
They could be that kids mustn’t ask questions, bookwork is the only form of education that counts, or children need to read, write and do math at grade level. Once you identify what you believe to be true, you can start unlearning.
And the reason why you need to do this, is that these concepts might not suit your child and their learning style. You’re going to have the most success and least amount of resistance, when your kiddo is in an environment that is tailor-made for them.
Unlearning goes hand-in-hand with time management. I know this might sound strange, but when you’re open to all possibilities, you can start to craft a day that includes work and homeschool, without burning out.
Time Management for Working Moms who Homeschool
Time management can be a huge headache for lots of moms. And if you throw working and homeschooling into the mix, it might feel totally overwhelming!
I have a few simple tips to manage time in a way that allows you to work and homeschool:
- When you unlearn the way education should be and embrace what will work for you, you can fit it into even the busiest day. So this could mean homeschooling online to save you lots of time in prep and marking, outsourcing your homeschool to a co-op or tutor, or doing homeschool in the evenings or at weekends when you have more time.
- Homeschooling year round is a game changer too. This means that you do less every day and you also avoid the stress it takes to get kids back into the swing of things after some time off. Once again, you’ll need to unlearn the idea of vacations and semesters.
- Here’s something that came as a surprise to me at the beginning. It might do for you too. Kids don’t need that much bookwork every day. In fact, high school is a max of about 3 hours. And if you homeschool year round, you can reduce that even more. That seems much more manageable than 8 hours a day, right?! I have a detailed post about the time needed for homeschooling.
Homeschool and Work Full Time with the Right Mindset
Mindset is such an important part of doing what’s hard and/or unusual. And yes, working and homeschooling falls into this category. You might get pushback from your family, society and yourself! See unlearning above.
Here are some of my favourite mindset strategies:
- Having a growth mindset is a must! It helps you with resilience, accepting mistakes as part of the process, and growing as a person.
- Being kind to yourself is also vital. Working and homeschooling is going to be tough if you constantly beat yourself up! Not to mention how easy it is to burn out if you don’t prioritize self care!
- Embracing imperfection will help you to get through the messy beginning. It means you can rather spend your energy figuring out what works and how to improve.
- Lastly, lean into flexibility. Be open to testing and tweaking, and checking in with yourself regularly. You’re going to need to be flexible as your kids grow, as schedules change, and as life throws your curveballs.
Final Thoughts on How to Homeschool and Work Full Time
I know in my heart of hearts that you can homeschool and work full time. If you have the motivation to do so, you will figure it out! It might take some time, patience and a lot of personal growth, but it definitely is possible.
As always, I’m here to help you figure out the messy beginning. Please reach out so that we can find a way forward for you that is manageable and sustainable, and that is perfect for you and your family.
Follow me Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more homeschool shenanigans, advice and resources. And please check out my working homeschool mom coaching if you need some extra help and support.
