Jen’s Homeschooling Day In The Working Mom Life (With 12 & 13 Year Old)

Have you ever wondered what working and homeschooling teenagers looks like? This is my personal story to remind you that You Can Do THIS!

Simple Homeschool does this amazing series of what homeschooling “days” look like for different bloggers. I love this series and I have been reading and sharing them. All. Of. THEM. Why?

Because Homeschooling looks different for every family. When Simple Homeschool announced that they were going to do a link up and invited us to share our typical day with our readers-I was so excited.

Then I sat down to write it, and…I almost didn’t. Why?

Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Because my “day” is never the same. My schedule changes each week. I thought, no one will want to read this.

However, after some thinking, I realized this is exactly why I need to write this. I can’t be the only one homeschooling and working with a super changeable schedule?

Sit back and visit my house today, don’t mind the mess. We live here 😉

The “Ever Changing” Schedule:

I work in retail, and I work a flexible or changeable schedule.

I typically work 5 out of 7 days a week. However, the shifts can be 5 hours or 7.5 hours. I never know what I am working until 2-3 days before the new “week” begins.

One week can look like this:

Sunday 12-5, Monday 1-9, Tuesday off, Wednesday 9:15-2:15, Thursday 4-9, Friday off, Saturday 11-6.

The next, completely different, and did I mention sometimes they text me the day before and ask me to come in early or stay late? Which is great cash wise, but life-wise…not so much.

Therefore as thankful as I am to have my job, and I do love aspects of it. This part makes it very challenging. How do you plan? I can’t say well on Monday we will do this from such and such a time to such and such a time.

I have since figured out an AMAZING way to fit all the pieces of my life into a plan. I’m sharing it with your right here. Make sure you check it out! 

Being a family that really prefers schedules and plans, going back to work this was a major adjustment for us. As you can read more here.

One way we have adjusted was by changing to a 4-day rotating schedule.

Where the children do whatever “day” comes next. If I am home with them, they do English (Writing with Skill) as this is the one subject they need me for. On days I am not with them, they can do most independently and I check it /mark it when I get home.

Is this what I wanted when I started homeschooling? Is this what I envisioned for our journey? No, as you have probably discovered even the most well-laid plans sometimes need to be changed due to circumstances.

Day At Home:

When I get to spend an entire day at home, this is like a mini paradise for me. I relish and look forward to this time all week.

I also guard this time-I try not to book things or let things cut into our day. Which is really hard to do, but we need this time.

Let me show you what a “day at home” looks like:

6:30-6:45 AM:

I wake up and stumble out of bed, after a quick stop to the bathroom I head for the coffee pot. My husband is already up and on the couch, drinking coffee. I join him.

I’d love to state this is where our deep heartfelt conversations take place but honestly, we just enjoy the quiet time. I read my bible, read anything else, and soak in the peace.

Usually, Max has decided he needs to curl up too, and the cats fight/play on the floor in front of me.

7:00 AM:

Hubby leaves for work and I grab coffee number 2 and my laptop. We have a beautiful desk set up for this, however, Cleo the cat has claimed it and I am pretty sure I am not getting it back. So back to my trusty couch, with blankets.

I settle in to check to make sure my blog still exists and check my 30+ emails that have ventured into my inbox during the night. I check the ones I know I don’t have to take action on, usually other blogs I am following ,and share/pin anything I think you all would enjoy or that I want to read later.

7:30 AM:

If it is a school day the kids stumble out of bed (can you tell morning time is not our favorite?) They come out and give me a “morning hug”.

My son grabs the bathroom and gets started on his morning routine. He will clean up, feed the cats, make his breakfast (cereal and toast), get dressed and start school. This takes him well over an hour.

My daughter, on the other hand, curls up under the remaining blanket and acts like the morning is her enemy and wants to hide. She is my sleeper-if there is no school and no reason to wake her, she can sleep well past noon. I often check her to make sure she is breathing but she has always been like this. Since she was 6+, not when she was little of course, when her momma needed sleep…

After some snuggling and exclaiming the day should be canceled, she will stumble off to feed the dog, eat (cereal or a fried egg), get dressed,d and be ready to start school before her brother.

Sometime during the morning, we will meet at the table while everyone is eating. We read, discuss what we read, and plan our day. We are all planners, so this helps us set the mood and expectations for the day.

8:30-9 AM

The children bring out their workboxes and settle in at the table. Each claiming half. One will grab the desktop computer and after checking their chart start to work. The other will stay at the table or grab their tablet and head off to their room to work.

I will start the dishwasher and laundry, and a few other housework items. I might return to the couch to work on the things in my inbox that I need to do. Plus be available to check English or listen as they tell me about something new they learned.

For example, Google has Wilbur Scoville as the Icon, which results in my son researching and telling me all about the different peppers, how hot they are and how ice cream up your nose helps. (don’t ask!)

10:00 AM

I work out. I tell the kids I am unavailable until I am done working out.

Otherwise, I would never get it in. I usually set up in the living room, turn on an audio magazine or book and listen to that while working out.

11-11:30

AM I grab my post workout shake and sit down to either check the school work that is complete, give a spelling test, review an English assignment etc.

12:00

I grab my pre-made lunch containers and yell to the kids to grab lunch. They make their own unless I decide to do it. They love things they can pick at, like a sandwich, crackers, fruit, yogurt, etc. Usually, we use up leftovers for lunches. Nothing goes to waste.

We catch up and see what’s left to do after the break. I try to make them take 20-30-minute breaks but they prefer to just work right after they eat.

After lunch I assign one “chore” for the day, I try alternating to teach them things they should know but on “full” school days, I usually pick quicker ones. Fill the wood bin and/or scoop kitty litter.

They will sometimes choose to do that and finish up school. They must be done by 5 pm but most days around 3-3:30 they are done.

After lunch:

I continue to work on housework, school, and study/read. Quickly check my social media accounts and email.

Around 3:30

I start planning supper and reload/empty the dishes. When the children are done “school” they start the fun stuff. Which in my opinion is where the real learning begins.

They head outside to explore or my son heads for the desktop to work on his stories. He plays with Photoshop, writing, editing, source coding, etc.

My daughter grabs her art and sits at the table to draw, paint, polymer clay, or whatever has her attention this week.

She has yet to find her zone and so loves to experiment. Or she will grab a book, make hot chocolate,e and cuddle up on the couch with Max to read.

I continue to cook and talk to the kids. Sometimes if I feel I need more time with one of them, I will enlist help for cooking. They are usually pretty good about helping.

Dinner time:

This varies, and afterward, all work is done. I wipe off the table and leave the rest. Tomorrow is another day. We pack up lunches/leftovers.

This is when showers are taken, and hobbies are picked up. Kids wander off to play, and I settle in to write.

I will usually work on the current course I am taking, write a blog post, design, and work on the images and the other millions of things to do. I grab a snack and tea and work until 9:30.

If I have most done, and need a break. I will bring out Even Steven Odd. It is the only board game we all absolutely love.

Even as I bring it down, little voices will ask, “What are you doing?” Sneaky like they don’t know! 🙂

By 10:00:

This tired momma is ready for bed. The kids don’t have a bed time, so I give them “good night hugs” and remind them to brush their teeth, etc. They will head to bed shortly after finishing whatever they are doing. Then read for 30 minutes.

The day never goes as planned usually something hops up.

If we have the car that day, we try to head for the library, park or playground for a change of pace.

In the winter, they go skating and /or sledding if possible. We try to enjoy the seasons while they are here.

Work Out Side Of The Home Days:

On days I work our schedule is different. It follows this basic pattern depending on the time I work.

Day Shift Schedule:

7:00 AM:

I drive hubby to work so I can have the car, unless he can get a ride.

7:30 AM:

Everyone is up and eating breakfast. We read, discuss what we read and plan our day. I let them know what my shift is, and what time we are leaving the house.

If I work later than 9:00 then we try to get English out-of-the-way for the day. They will print off any sheets they need.

They pack their backpacks and double-check to make sure they have tablets charged, textbooks, workbooks, and anything else. We load into the car and head to Nanny’s house.

I am very happy they have somewhere to go that they enjoy. They get to spend time with Nanny and it is a real easing of my mind.

They will unpack and work on school until no later than 3 pm. Depending if I have a long day or short. Then they head outside. They really like to play outside or go for walks.

I pick them up after work, and they chat about the day on the way home.

After not seeing them all day I am hungry for details and time to spend with them, but once they are home poof! Gone!

Perhaps it is just mine, but after being away from home even just an hour they love to head to their quiet bedrooms and chill. Lego, drawing, writing or reading all make for downtime.

After work: (anywhere from 7:30 pm onward)

Hubby and I make supper and clean while it is cooking, filling each other in on how the day went. Planning the next day’s events, making lunches.

After supper, the kids empty or fill the dishwasher and feed the dog.

Then they chill in the living room if it is not too late, and fill me in on what they did for school that day sharing interesting facts they learned or putting their marks in my Homeschool Planet Planner.

We each chill reading, writing, until 10-10:30 pm then off to bed.

Night Shift Changes:

If I work a night shift, we follow the same basic schedule with getting as much school done before I go as possible and calling it a half day!

They get to play, discover, and visit with Nanny for the afternoon. Then daddy picks them up after work and they help clean/cook and who knows what until they come to pick me up at 9 pm.

We catch up on the day, snack and tea, then off to bed.

Homeschooling Journey:

It’s hectic, juggling, messy crazy, and never finished. This doesn’t even include grocery shopping, errands, appointments, and volunteer days. But it is also a blessing and a journey I would not change for the world.

We choose to homeschool and it really does touch every aspect of our day. I love that the children learn in and out of “school” day.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into our lives. You can homeschool and work outside the home, you just need to find what works for you.

Sometimes what works one day, just doesn’t work the next. We have realized that for us, the key is communication, planning, and being flexible.

Thanks for reading. If you are writing about a day in your homeschool I would love to read it, so please leave a comment!

Take care

Jen

PS. Did you know? We have an entire online community filled with working moms who homeschool. You can learn more here:)

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