There are plenty of challenges in homeschooling. But there are very few true obstacles that keep a family from homeschooling.
I’m joining up with the bloggers and friends of iHomsechool Network to address the most commonly used reasons people think they can’t homeschool. Of course, we think that most of these, although valid challenges, are not absolute barriers to homeschooling.
I am going to tackle the situation of being a working mom, more specifically a work at home mom (WAHM) while homeschooling.
Can You Homeschool and Work at Home?
In short, yes. You can work from home and homeschool your children. In fact, working at home, versus working in a traditional office setting, can prevent the pain of giving up two incomes that is expected in a homeschool family.
Economic factors really do matter when it comes to choosing to homeschool. I have heard some families attacked because they are too “selfish” to make the sacrifices necessary to homeschool, namely giving up mom’s income. But without knowing the financial situation of a family, those are dangerous assumptions to make. Some families truly need two incomes. And if a single mom chooses to homeschool, she normally must find a way to work at home.
Other moms may truly enjoy working and find that being a WAHM makes life more fulfilling overall. Whatever reason you choose to work at home, you can do it and still homeschool your children.
Outside Opposition to Being a WAHM
Know that some homeschool moms will judge or misunderstand your decision to work at home. Working moms for the most part will applaud you and understand how difficult it is to work at home and homeschool. But be prepared to be misunderstood by stay at home moms who do not earn an income. They may not understand why you cannot volunteer for every church activity or attend social functions. Some moms may even criticize your choice to work at all even if it is right at home, alongside your family.
Just like the choice to homeschool draws questions and sometimes criticism, the choice to work at home can also be confusing for outsiders. You have to be convinced that it is the right decision for your family so that you can withstand any outside pressure. It helps greatly if your husband can be a vocal supporter of your working at home so that others know you are not supplanting his authority but operating with his full approval.
Working at Home and the Housework
I will admit that my current situation is fairly easy because my daughter is older. And I only have one child. For moms of many little ones, working at home is a far greater challenge. My advice is to start with what time you do have and work towards creating more time. Realize that if your children are very needy, you will have less time to invest in your business or job. But children do grow up and can be trained to add value to the functioning of a household.
Never feel guilty that your children have to do chores while you are working. Housekeeping is a valuable life skill that teaches responsibility.
Homemaking and money making both have to happen. It makes more sense for children to do more housework to free you for profitable work. While children complete simpler tasks such as dishes and laundry, you can be earning money to buy groceries.
Remember that 200 years ago children spent most of their days at the kinds of household tasks that we today feel guilty about having our children do. And today we have time saving devices that make most jobs very easy. A life only of play and constant entertainment is not healthy for children (or adults). So do not feel guilty for asking your children to take on the tasks that free up more time for for you to work.
Working at Home and Meal Planning
Being a WAHM means that you must be ruthless with time management. Everyone is different, but to make working at home and homeschooling successful, you must have some routines in place.
Meal planning is a huge issue. After working and homeschooling all day, planning a meal and cooking it can feel overwhelming. But if you repeatedly fall back on eating out or consuming convenience foods, not only will your health suffer but your budget will as well.
There is huge temptation to eat out, especially when you are busy with work. Therefore you must learn to plan weekly menus, schedule time to grocery shop, and fall in love with your slow cooker. When meals are planned, your day runs far more smoothly, and you save money.
Working at Home and Actually Homeschooling
I am going to be honest with you. I have other WAHM friends, and we all admit that it is far too easy to let the kids slide while you are working on a big work project.
If you are going to be a WAHM who homeschools, you have to actually homeschool. That means that you plan it into your schedule just like you plan for meals and for your clients or work tasks.
One day Emma asked me about my to do notebook. (I have far more than just a list. It’s a multi-page notebook where I record the tasks I need to get done for the different roles I have.) She asked me a tough question, “Mom, do you have a page for my homeschool in that notebook?”
Actually, I do not. I have a whole binder devoted to her education. But her point is valid. Do I get so focused on work that I forget to homeschool? It can happen very easily.
Fortunately, my daughter is old enough that most of her work is done independently anyway. We meet together each day for an hour or so to do our “together work” and conference on her other tasks. But for the most part, she is working alone. This is appropriate for eighth grade, and not anything that I should feel guilty about.
When she needs help, I am right there to assist. But she also needs accountability. She needs me to check to see that she is working and is working with excellence. And this is where it’s easy to slide.
If you chose to homeschool while working at home, by all means, make the homeschool part a top priority.
Working at Home and Changing Expectations
If you work at home, you need to set realistic expectations. Here are some things I’ve learned as a WAHM.
1. It’s okay if dishes stay in the sink overnight.
2. It’s okay if the guest bed is piled with clean laundry for three or more days. After all, it is clean.
3. It’s okay if you work and do school in pajamas.
4. You don’t have to wash your clothes after a single wearing.
5. It’s okay to use the towels until they start to smell bad.
6. It’s okay to stay up late, working on a project.
7. It’s okay to sleep in the next morning and start school at noon if necessary.
8. It’s good for the family to make do without you while you are on an occasional weekend business trip.
Keeping Some Things Non-Negotiable
Your expectations may be different from mine. You may require everyone to be dressed before the day begins, and that’s fine. But you will have to let something else slide. The reality is that you cannot do it all well all of the time. Embrace that fact, and your life will be less stressful.
Here are some non-negotiables for me as a WAHM.
1. We eat real food, and we eat it at the table as a family.
2. We do some school at least four days a week.
3. When my daughter needs help or wants to chat, I stop what I’m doing and go to her.
Work Flow as a Work at Home Mom
In my situation, I am self-employed. I have my own social media marketing business iHomeschool Network and also work for different clients as a consultant or social media manager. That means I can set my own work hours. It’s one of the best perks of working at home and being self-employed.
One of my secrets to working at home is creative or productive procrastination.
I have learned that to maximize my performance and keep my sanity, I work on projects when I want to. I chose to start my own business so that I can earn money doing what I love. And working with desire makes the job so much easier than plodding through a difficult chore.
Of course, there are time sensitive jobs that have to be done according to schedule, but I normally work far enough out that I can choose the projects that I am interested in for that day. This freedom keeps me motivated to show up at my desk day after day and even enjoying my work.
When I am in the flow with a certain task, I keep doing it until the flow stops. If I don’t feel like working on a certain project, I don’t. My to do lists are long and many, so there is always plenty to work on. I can normally find something I want to do.
Then when I get tired of “work,” I take a “break” by cooking or running an errand. My daughter says I’m the strangest person ever because my breaks are still work. But I see a break more as a diversion from the task at hand than as a period of inactivity. A break for me means working on a different task to freshen my mind, stretch my body, and strike off another line from that to do notebook.
And when I’m burned out on work altogether, I don’t do any for two or three days. I go offline and focus on sewing projects, take a field trip with Emma, complete a household improvement project, or visit with my mom. Anything but work. After those unplugged episodes, I always return to work with fresh ideas and renewed passion. They are a key to my success as a homeschooling WAHM.
Having a Work Station
For some reason, my physical work area has always been important to me. I’m the kind of person who cannot begin cooking when there is a sink full of dishes. I can’t concentrate on homeschool when the table is scattered with craft supplies. Likewise, having a dedicated work area that is all mine helps me to work more efficiently.
This is one of those best case scenarios that not everyone can afford in terms of space or furniture. But I am a firm believer in having a work station as a WAHM. When we moved into our home, I was given a huge banker’s desk and chair. (What a blessing!) We converted the formal living room into what we call a library. It has my desk, a piano, bookshelves, and upholstered chairs. I can close it off from the rest of the house for concentrated work hours or conference calls.
I have worked at a $59 pressboard desk in the living room with a hand-me-down computer. So I have not always had it this good. But the point is to have a dedicated work space that mentally prepares me for work and indicates to my family and friends that I’m a WAHM.
Bottom Line for Homeschooling as a WAHM
At the core, the answer to being a WAHM who homeschools is to be disciplined. For some people that may mean a military style adherence to checklists and schedules. For me it a flexible outer manifestation but a very firm mental resolve that keeps me focused on my goals. That discipline makes it easier for me to say no to non-essential projects that might distract me. My internal discipline also helps me stand strong in my choice both to homeschool and to be a work at home mom.
More Homeschooling WAHM Resources
Be sure to visit my good friend Joan Otto’s post on this topic. Hers is called The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling as a Working Mom. It’s a fantastic resource!
Books to Read
Two of my friends have written books about working at home as a homeschool mom: Misty Bailey and Pamela Price.
Pinterest Board
Follow Jimmie Lanley’s board WAHM Homeschooling on Pinterest.
Video
A few working homeschool moms joined up for one of the weekly iHomeschool Hangouts to talk about this very topic. Enjoy the video below.
Read more reasons people give for not homeschooling at iHomeschool Network.
I am preparing to home school my 6 y/o twins. Public school is not working out like I’d hoped. I checked into private schools, but I can’t afford it for both children. I’m shaking in my house-shoes! Between working at home and attending college at night, I’m not sure I can hack it. reading this post gives me renewed hope:-)
I am currently a 4th grade public school teacher, but cannot get past the desire to homeschool our two daughters. Giving up my income though is a major sticking point for my husband and I. I have been trying to research some work-at-home options in which I could utilize my education degrees. Any ideas?
Always a wonderfully written and informative review. I’ve been an affiliate for Currclick for years but we may never have taken the class if you’d not presented it to me. Thanks!
I’m single, work *outside* of the home 40 hrs a week & still manage to home-school my son & keep a clean house (plus I have a lovely case of A.D.D.!) If I can do it; anyone can. 🙂
Excellent piece – going to share of facebook. I’ve been a homeschooling WAHM for 6 years now – sometimes its not easy but we make it work. Homeschooling is THE best thing for my 2 special needs sons and we need my income. Best of both worlds even on the stressful, have-too-much-to-juggle days!
Great perspective and advice. Would love to have you consider reviewing my book on working homeschool parents, due mid-2013. Let me know.
Great post! I don’t WAH but have 5 kids 15 to 3 and blog so these are great tips for me too. Thx!
So glad I found this post! I have been a WAHM for 6 years now, working full time for a company. We will just be starting to homeschool our boys next school year (5th & 6th grades). I am nervous, but looking forward to the challenge and know it is the best choice for our family.
I have homeschooled my three daughters for the entire time, with the last 12 years being a single mom. I work as a website designer from home. I love all the tips and encouragement. It’s hard when you don’t have a spouse to encourage you. Thanks!
I found this post a little late through Pinterest. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on WAHMs that do a lot of phone work. The phone work I do for our business involves scheduling and customer inquiries – since this part is basically when I can do it, it can be worked around schedule wise. The problem I’m facing is a separate phone line that needs to be answered. We vendor for a larger corporate business and our contract with them requires that I answer the phone line during normal business hours when it rings – letting it go to voice mail is considered a no-no. Is it still possible to home school in a work setting like mine? We’ve already made the decision to do so… I’m worried that I’m going to have a problem juggling the time period where I’m supposed to be available for corporate work.
Thanks Jimmie! It’s so helpful to get a peek into your routine and strategies! Homeschooling is my biggest dream but we’ve always known that I would be working also. I ran a small preschool program in my home for a couple years and now I’m transitioning to running my own business and writing waldorf-inspired curriculum for homeschoolers. I love my business and I love homeschooling and the trick is figuring out how to make it all go together smoothly! I think the biggest help for me is having a husband who also works at home and loves to play with his girls. 🙂
Hi! Thank you so much for this wonderful post! I just read this today and it’s perfectly what I needed to hear. We used to have 2 maids to help me with the household chores and watch over the kids whenever I work from home or have meetings with clients or when I conduct workshops and trainings. But our maids left one after the other.
I can relate with what you said that there are things that you will have to slide for some time and lately that also included our dishes and laundry and housecleaning.
I was convicted by what you said about what your daughter said about having a notebook for her homeschool activities. I think that’s something I need also for my little boys.
Homeschooling and WAHMing indeed needs a lot of discipline not just for the mom but for everyone in the household. It takes a lot of discipline and GRACE from God to be able to make time and do these activities that we have chosen to commit ourselves into.
We’re still searhcing for new maids but in the meantime, it’s good to be reminded of my priorities as a homeschooling mom and WAHM.
Thanks! Great post!
I am a single wahm that home schools…I agree that it takes resolve! It isn’t easy but nothing in life that is worthwhile is easy!
If you want to check out my blog it is at wondermominc.com
Thank you so much for easing my mind! I’ve been working from home since my almost 3yo son was 9 months old so we have a schedule in place for that and running the rest of the house. I will start teaching some preschool this fall and was a little concerned about juggling it all and you’ve given me some hope and great advice! Thank you so much 🙂
Love this. I’ve read your blog for a while since your daughter is nearly the same age as my oldest (and homeschool blogs with older kids are hard to come by), and now I’ve started my own humble blog. It’s nice to know what you do to balance it all. Thanks for sharing.
Hello. My daughter will be turning 5 next year and my heart is really urging me to homeschool. My husband loves that I am a stay at home mom but hints sometimes that when she goes off to kindergarten I could go back to work. It would be absolutely wonderful if I could work from home but I would not know where to begin? I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Can someone give me some ideas on what I can do?
I am just like you. It makes me feel better, reading about someone like me.
“It helps greatly if your husband can be a vocal supporter of your working at home so that others know you are not supplanting his authority but operating with his full approval.”
Does this ever actually come up? lol
Yes, sadly it does.
I appreciate this post a ton! I am not a WAHM but I do work outside the home part-time. I balance things out by “taking call” which means I am getting paid to be on-call while I am homeschooling and other times I am scheduled shifts. It works out nicely. It is great to see more posts about working and homeschooling because so many working moms feel isolated and that they are unable to do it.
I am single & I work outside the home 6 days a week while homschooling my 12 yr old son. He comes to work with me, so it’s easy. My entire life would be a picnic if I could work from home!! I can’t imagine someone thinking they couldn’t do it. 🙂
Hi Jimmie.
Thank you so much for this article. I am in a situation where my child is not cut out for the public school(s) in our district here in Florida. I am a Baltimore, MD native, so I am used to a better curriculum and options. My child has become stressed and slightly depressed with her current school. Mind you, she is a great student and used to love to go to school everyday. For some reason, after 3rd grade I noticed a decline in the school, the classwork, communication, homework, etc. Not to write a book I have been pondering about my daughter participating in home school. I am a Graphic Designer and I look forward to designing from my home again. I love what I do and I love the fact that the reason I chose this career was that I could make money doing what I love and to be there for my child and to be free to raise my kid (single mom here). I want to choose the right program and any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Hi,
Thank God for this!!!! I am a WAHM with a first grader who struggles in school. I want to homeschool him but all my educator friends say NO. I have 2 best friends one is a Vice principal and the other is a teacher. They both advise against it due to social issues. I think my son is brilliant of course but he is bored and at the same time frustrated with school. He is learning all the wrong social interactions. I want to homeschool with an emphasis on science, robotics, and programming all of his interest. I just don’t know what to do and I am worried about him. I am a nurse that works from home with one day I have to travel to work. Is this really doable? Can I make my commute day his extracurricular activity day and let my day take him to his activities such as music classes and intramurals? Help?-bjk
I currently work from home, but I have a very set schedule during the day, and am not available to homeschool during my work hours of 6:00 am – 2:30 pm. I have a 2nd grade girl who is miserable in school, but is VERY social. I want to homeschool, but all of the social programs for homeschoolers in my area are built for stay at home moms, who are available during the day. Also, my husband is really against the idea. He’s says juggling everything will just bring stress in that we don’t need. Has anyone ever dealt with these specific issues?
Do any of you have for example three children who learn at home and she also he is working? What if, for example 2 siblings in another age of 3 and 6 years old – then the level of science is rather different to deal with this advise?
Great article! Thank you so much. Your ideals sound much like mine. I gave to admit, I’m struggling to keep up with all of this. I need to figure out a way to keep everything organized to make things more consistent. I need people in my life who also are wahms and homeschool, but I do not know anyone. Thank you for the encouraging advice! I was slightly overwhelmed before reading your article, and now I have hope that everything will be alright. Its hard when yiu don’t have anyone to talk to. Its funny because I’m a counselor. I’m usually the one to help others. Lol ironic. 🙂 anyways, thanks again for sharing this! I wish we could keep in touch lol
This is a great post. I had been working at home to care for my ailing mother. My husband asked me to marry him days before she passed away. We crunched numbers and decided what I make at home, I might as well continue to work at home as we want to homeschool once we have adopted. By continuing to work at home, I can keep my skills sharp and up to date. While I could be wrong, I don’t think homeschooling would be much harder to juggle working at home than planning a wedding and a major house renovation. What was I thinking? ha ha! But I agree, discipline is needed by everyone who works at home, and even more so by those with additional responsibilities!