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Ask Lynn: Can you work from home and homeschool too? by Lynn Hogan |
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Dear Lynn, Some say you can work from home and homeschool too, but though I could work mostly from home my children would not be able to help me with my work. Others seem to be exhausted by simply being at home and homeschooling , without the added time of doing a job at home. What are your thoughts on this please, or do you know of any sites I could read about this on. I am considering homeschooling but realistically as i already work about 15 hours a week only it would not be feasible to cut out that work at present. I would not start till next September anyhow and by that stage my children would be aged 5 and 8and a half. I am very drawn to homeschooling but don't want to end up exhausted and irritable and set myself up with unrealistic expectations. Thanks for your interest Sandra Dear Sandra, Your question actually involves a number of issues. All homeschooling parents have to learn how to use their time wisely. When I first started homeschooling, I was still working "part time" as a manager for a local Subway restaurant from 11-3 each week day. I would bring my first grader and third grader to work with me. This system worked out great for my 3rd grader, but my son with attention deficit had a few problems getting his "seatwork" done. My daughter would take her list and do all her spelling words, etc, but my son ended up having to do them when he got home. Each child varies with the amount of attention they might need to help them accomplish individual tasks. You have already begun the time management of raising your children and working at home. Some would find that too exhausting. Homeschooling is simply another variable in that picture. By that I do not mean that it will not be challenging at times, because it will. Your children, however, are young. That means that you will have less hours spent with actually needing to "school" them, but you will need to have some times of very directed time (as in phonics and math basics, etc.) As they get older, in theory, they are able to do more by themselves as far as their schoolwork. It will be up to you to decide what style of teaching you will be using. The selection process in that choice can be overwhelming in its own right. I would not even attempt to include those specifics in an article like this one. Depending on what style of teaching you decide is appropriate for your school will control the actual time YOU spend in planning and "teaching". Homeschooling is something that we "grow into" a little more the longer we do it. It is a style of living more than the curriculum you choose or the hours you do the "traditional" school things (workbooks, textbooks, etc.). If you feel like this is something you want to do, I think you are more than able. You simply would need to plan during your free times for the more traditional schooling activities. Then, I would make sure you have a learning environment available to your children. There will be some adjustment times (particularly for your older child), but you might try starting to add a few "school type" activities during the summer to see how it goes around your schedule. Getting burned out CAN be a problem for any homeschooling parent that does not watch for the "signs". I recommend finding a support group and talking to other parents. There are a ton of websites and message boards that can give you their advice, but in the end, it will be YOUR decision of what is best for YOUR family. I've listed a few websites that I hope you will find helpful (in addition to this one, of course)!: http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling http://www.voy.com/89720 http://search.about.com/fullsearch.htm?terms=homeschooling Being prepared is the BEST way I know not to "burn out". Spend this time reading about homeschooling, asking questions, just like you already are. Listen to those who are homeschooling successfully and evaluate whether their families and yours are similar. Talk to those who are no longer homeschooling and see if you can learn something from their experiences. There are many that can't work at home, but you have been doing that successfully. Remember that each family is different, then you can make a decision based on YOUR family's needs. If homeschooling is for you, then you can start doing the curriculum research to determine what will work best for you. Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the journey. © 2002 Lynn Hogan. All rights reserved. |
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 Lynn also publishes a free newsletter, The Homeschooler's Notebook - Encouragement and Advice for Homeschool Families. To subscribe, click here and then just send the blank message. You should get a welcome letter right away! By the way, I hate spam and figure you probably do as well. For this reason, I do NOT sell or give or rent my e-mail addresses to ANYONE! I respect YOUR privacy! | ||
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