From Our Forum a Reader Asks:
Right now, my husband stays home with my 20-month-old son. We're going to home school him, but our home situation may change between now and then. Any experienced home school families, with both parents working, able to give some advice?
My husband and I both work full time, he works days and I work midnights. We not only managed to home school our son, but he was able to graduate from high school 2 years early. It took some work and a lot of planning but we managed quite well.
If you both were working, would your day care provider do the homeschooling? One couple we know with a homeschooled sophomore trades shifts. The mom works during the day and the dad is on the night shift at a plant. It’s a problem in that the parent who is home at the time is usually pretty groggy from lack of sleep, so the kid has to be very focused and a self-starter (which he isn’t). And it’s lonely for him. You’re very wise to think about this while your son is still a baby. There are not very many jobs that take into account one’s family, so if you could find a home-based business or part-time work and have time to be with your child, it would be so much better for him.
Your best bet would be to find a family member who could stay with your child while you work. Or find a flexible work arrangement that allows you to work from home, take your child with you to work, work a shift opposite that of your husband, etc. If you are determined and creative, you can definitely make it work.
Another option is to make sure you cut back on expenses as much as possible so a second full time income won’t be necessary. Here are some tips for affordable homeschooling:http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/…
Good luck!
My husband works full time. We homeschool 3 kids. The youngest is 9. I just started working part time a few years ago. I work around my husband’s schedule. I found a flexible job that I can schedule my work around when he works, field trips, music lessons, etc. I only work about 2 times a week and usually late evenings or early mornings. Takes some juggling but it’s worth having our kids at home with us.
well i am homeschooled and both my parents work
my dad teaches me math and science in the morning and then works in the evenings (fixes computers)
and my mom works in the morning from 6-12 at an internation relief agency and then teaches me english and social studies in the afteroon
hope this helps! 🙂
I am a part time worker, my husband works full time and doesn’t help at all with the kids, house etc.
A lot of families do it with cooperation from all around and manage okay.
My advice to you is to live cheap, and try to do it on one income. I find it really exhausting.