For the past month, my husband has been working a second shift job. For the most part, I am enjoying the second shift lifestyle, but it has meant some adjustments for our family and for homeschooling.
We now eat a large lunch as our main family meal of the day. This is really healthier than having a big dinner, and I find that I have more energy to cook at mid-day than I have in the evenings. Of course, that means I have to be even more diligent to plan ahead. I must have my plan for lunch before I go to bed the night before.
I am used to eating leftovers for lunch, so it has been an adjustment to sometimes have the kitchen in full swing while Sprite is also needing input on a school assignment. While I’m cooking, I ask her to either come to me in the kitchen or to do her independent work without me.
So that we have time to spend with my husband, we have shifted the bulk of homeschooling to the afternoon hours when he is at work. Mornings are still free for Sprite and her dad to run errands, go to appointments, and swim at the gym.
Although I prefer to get my work done early, I have seen that a shift to afternoon homeschool has been pleasant for Sprite. In fact, I would say that school is easier for her in the afternoons since she seems more energetic and focused. Research has shown that because of the changes in their bodies, teens do not do well with early mornings. So second shift homeschooling seems a perfect match for a middle schooler like Sprite. We are normally done with lessons by dinner time which is a simple meal of a sandwich or leftovers (what used to be our normal fare for lunch).
Some of her friends, both homeschooled and public schooled, are surprised to call and find Sprite still working on school at 5:30 PM. But she is quick to remind them that she didn’t begin her work until around 1 PM.
Sprite has loved staying up late for many years now, and it has worked fine for our lifestyle, so I have allowed it. That meant I could rise early and have the house to myself in the first hours of the day. Now she likes to wait up for dad to get home and visit for a while before going to sleep. (I’m sure there is a psychological desire to have dad at home and connect with him before going to bed.)
On my part, I admit that I am usually already in bed and often already asleep and normally when he gets home. I’m not a bit of a night owl. But even with allowing her to stay up late and get up later, I always felt this nagging concern that we should be done with homeschool by 2:00 or 3:00 PM, that we are somehow lazy if we don’t get done before then. I am loving the freedom that a second shift homeschool gives us to start as late as we need to and keep working until it’s done.
A downside to my husband’s working second shift is that I can no longer go out for a ladies night or even to the local homeschool group since they all meet in the evenings. But I am thankful that he has a job and for the perks that second shift homeschooling offers us.
Photo Credit: thanks to Scalespeeder for the awesome clock image that I modified.
Jimmie, I love this post…I read some studies a few years ago that showed…children in preteen/teen years should school later in the day because of their growth/hormonal changes…their brains truly are not awake yet. But, littles…they should school in the morning. I am trying to remember this…my little guy gets my attention first thing in the am…and the older ones…I’m seeing their best work in late morning..early afternoon. So happy about the job!!! So wonderful you are able to shift your day to ensure family time!
Timely, as usual! Keeping this in mind just might allow me to give more time to my littlest as well. I feel the same way about psychologically needing to finish before 2 or 3. Perhaps it has something to do with our regimental attention to school schedules in the past. I have been slowly shifting our day to start later so I can avoid the kicking and screaming that entails their getting out of bed in the morning. Maybe I can come to peace with it by researching their changing brains. Thanks, Jimmie. I am totally behind a large lunch, also.
That was a nice article. I have been doing this for a while now. I felt like I was the only one . It was good to hear this. We go to a homeschool co-op once a week and she has piano lessons on the same day, that is our earliest day..
I love coming to your site every day to see what you have posted new, thanks for all the things you post.
By the way my daughter is 12 and a middle schooler also,we live in the southern part of Ky next to the Tn state line.
So glad you guys have found something that works. Thanks for sharing as it has reminded me of the freedom that homeschool allows us!
whatever works, friend. sounds like sprite likes it quite well. 🙂
Since we’ve homeschooled, my husband has worked all three shifts. He’s currently on 1st, which is, by far, our favorite, just because we can have a “normal” life, but 2nd shift wasn’t bad either. That’s the shift that most closely matches our (the kids and I) normal routine. We just didn’t like not having Dad home in the evenings. It was hard getting used to having our big meal in the middle of the day, but, you’re right, it did have its benefits.
So glad you posted this. I have felt for a while now that maybe we were lazy or something because we do school later in the day. Both of my kids are really really grumpy in the mornings and just can’t get it together enough in the mornings to do school. Doing school in the afternoon works for us because they are in better spirits and are able to focus.
We had a time in our lives when dh was on 2nd shift too. I actually enjoyed it and did all the same things you did; big meal at lunch, shifting schedules around etc. We enjoyed not turning on the tv at night(dh is a tv watcher!)and reading aloud. It seems we read aloud more during that time and then the kids would go to bed and I had quiet time at night. Ahh! I miss those days. 🙂
Shift work can get confusing when everyone else is Mon-Fri 9-5. Heres my blog post about our 6 day week.
http://creatingandeducating.blogspot.com/2012/01/are-there-7-days-in-week.html
Hi, I bought your e-book Notebooking Success, I’m curious about it, I’ll reading it immediately!
Yeah for a job! My husband worked nights for awhile which I really liked. We had really big breakfasts back then. I enjoyed calling him in the middle of the night while I was up nursing. It kept me from resenting him sleeping while I was up the baby 🙂 We always do school later. We’re up, dressed, breakfast (all done rather slowly), chores and then errands all together. That started because school was done during the littles afternoon nap. We still have nappers, so it’s a settled quiet time in the house. My one son however, likes to get up and get as much school done as he can as early as he can so he can have the rest of the day to himself. Our school days are much shorter than yours and we don’t have a problem finishing for our big meal time which is 3:30/4:00.
My hubby has been working second shift for a couple of years and I’m so glad we homeschool or we’d never see him! We also have our “family dinner” at lunch time and it adds chaos to our day but we’ve made the shift work. My kids still think they should be done with anything resembling schoolwork by 4:00 though, so I haven’t been as successfulmas you at moving back the school day.
My children are not morning people. If we are going somewhere, I can get them up. They prefer to get up and have an hour or two to wake up. I am sure that we will make changes as the children get older. I have no problem doing school up to 6. Their friends have started to understand that we do school in the afternoons. They wait to come to the door after 5. 🙂
Isn’t the flexibility the greatest blessing of homeschooling? It is wonderful to be able to connect with our husbands/ fathers during the school day – whatever the schedule.
I’m so glad you are able to find the grace and joy in this season of your lives. Be blessed!
I’m so glad to hear that your husband found a job! 🙂 I’d encourage you to continue some of your times out, if at all possible. Sometimes the need for fellowship and encouragement is as important as the academics.
My husband has worked the night shift for the last 13 years. He likes to particpate in the extra stuff in the morning, so I don’t work on the main (Language Arts and Math) till the afternoon. And now that they are tweens it seems they are shifting to the night owls so they are more efficient in there work habits if I put off main subjects till 2 or later. Im like you it makes me crazy to not be done by 2 at the latest. But this is their education and I have to remember that their bodies are changing and I need to change my course of plan to compensate.