But…What Does Working and Homeschooling Look Like?

Have you wondered what working and homeschooling really look like, in the day-to-day life?

If you ask most homeschoolers what they love about homeschooling the top answer is often how flexible it is!

But, is it flexible enough to handle working inside the home and homeschooling? What about working outside the home and homeschooling? What if you do both?!

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The answer is YES to all of those questions. I know because ((hi)) this is my life. 🙂

You can read what my day-to-day life looks when I work at home, when I work outside of the home, and when I do both.

The crazy awesome thing about homeschool is that it looks different for everyone. Which means you can customize your child’s education to fit their needs even when you are a working homeschool mom.

The Working Homeschool Life-What it Really Looks Like

What if you could take a snapshot peek of what a typical homeschool day might look like when you are working and homeschooling?

I asked a few moms to share what working and homeschooling looks like in their life.

As you are reading, take note of how each day is uniquely designed to work for them. I’ve included the homeschool style they are using as well so you can see that there really is no one way to do this “homeschool, working, mom life juggle”.

This is perfect if you are considering working and homeschooling but aren’t sure how to make it work for you. Take a peek at what it looks like for these moms, take notes if you want. See if anything “clicks” for you, then rework it for you!

Ticia, Working Outside the Home

I work outside the home 3 to 4 days a week 12 hour graveyard shifts. I do NOT do schoolwork during my work days.

The kids spend time reading (they are expected to write reports for me) and doing worksheets that I will later review with them while I sleep. It helps them to work independently.

My husband will do a couple lessons in the evening on my work days. On my days off we do school most of the day with breaks scattered through the day for exercise, play or chores.

Make your schedule work for you, no one ever said homeschool needs to be 8-4 like regular school.

Kimberly, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Eclectic/Unschool)

I work from home basically full time, but as a freelancer/consultant, so I have a little control over when I work. I homeschool my 6 year twice exceptional daughter (intellectually gifted and also has learning disabilities).

About 3 days per week we have a babysitter come for a few hours so I can do conference calls, etc. Then in the afternoons/evenings/weekends we homeschool.

We are eclectic–use a formal curriculum for subjects where she needs it (e.g. Reading because she is dyslexic) and unschool for subjects of interest (history, science, arts).

We do field trips, watch documentaries, and find ways to fit in learning everywhere — for example, we have a world map and US map posted in our TV room and when we watch something in a documentary we pause and go find that location on the map.

FYI, My Master of Arts is in Education and I work as an educational writer and curriculum designer. I often work late at night or on weekends to hit my deadlines, and when I do my husband helps out a little with homeschooling, but I do all the planning and most of the teaching because his job keeps him away from home a fair amount.

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Shelly, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Relaxed/Eclectic)

Every homeschool day around 8 am, I spend 60-90 minutes working on blog-related tasks before we start our homeschool day. This may include checking emails, social media interaction, and sometimes uploading YouTube videos and creating images for them.

I won’t work any later than 9:30 am because that’s when we start to get ready for school time. On Sundays and Wednesdays, after our 6pm chore time, I will record my videos for my YouTube channel. (You may like this one: How This Homeschooling Mom of 11 Finds Time to Blog)

Although I may hop on and off the computer here and there throughout the day, I don’t spend any dedicated time working until 8 pm, after I’ve finished algebra with my high schoolers.

From 8 pm until around 11 or 12, I do the bulk of my work, which may include social media sharing, blog maintenance, answering comments/emails, writing blog posts, or working on any other writing projects I have going at the time. (Besides my blog, I also currently write for a Christian website, and I will soon be writing for a local homeschool organization).

I should add that I only do social media-type work until 9 pm, which is when most of my kids go to bed. I won’t attempt any heavier writing work until the kids are in bed for the night. If it’s too noisy I can’t concentrate!

Shelly shared more of her working homeschool journey here!

Dachelle, Working at Home and Outside the Home

(Homeschooling Style: Charlotte Mason Tidal Schooler with a heavy influence of Brave Writer)

In a perfect week, I work from waking (around 7) till our Morning Meetup (around 9). Then I jump on to check social media after school. Then I generally work in the evenings after dinner.

Truthfully this can change depending on what out-of-the-house activities are planned and if any big assignments are due with work that week. But, that’s a pretty typical week.

When I have to go into the office, I plan that school day to be pretty much independent work for the kids. It can get exhausting and a little crazy around here. Some weeks I’m working till the wee hours and some days I’ve had to say “It’s a holiday!” so I can work.

Dachelle shared more of her working homeschool journey here!

Misty, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Eclectic Hodge Podge with Charlotte Mason Tendencies)

I get up at 5:30 am every day and work until 8-8:30. I have a multitude of VA (Virtual Assistance) clients and batchwork for each client on certain days. I normally fit in another hour or two each day when I have time. I do a lot of work like email, and social media interaction and scheduling from my phone when I get a minute here and there. I work about 20 hours a week.

Then homeschooling needs to fit. Misty uses Block Scheduling which you can see here!

Emily, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Eclectic homeschool mom of 2, but heavily Charlotte Mason)

I have a few different plates spinning at any given time, so routine and organization get me through it all.

I write out to-do lists of everything I need to accomplish each day for homeschooling and work and check them off as I go along. If I didn’t, there’s no telling what I’d forget!

I usually wake up around 7 a.m. and start my day with Bible reading. After that, I grab some coffee and hop on my computer until the kids wake up and start breakfast. This is when I check email or respond to any social media notifications that need my attention before we start our school day.

Once breakfast is finished for the kids, my 7^th grader begins working on his day while I work one-on-one with my 5 year-old. My oldest usually finishes his independent work around 11 or so and we finish our school day by coming together for history or other read alouds. When we’re done with this, we eat lunch together, my oldest spends time reading or building LEGO creations while I get my youngest settled in for nap.

Once quiet time is underway, I focus on working as much as possible until I need to cook dinner. Most of the time I’m working on blog-related tasks, but there’s also some church work sprinkled in each day.

Since my family is starting a new church from the ground up, there’s lots to be done to prepare and that now consumes a good deal of my time in the afternoons. After I get in three or four hours of work I prepare dinner, we eat, and then we close our nights by taking a walk on the beach or one of our favorite parks together.

Janine, Working Outside the Home

(Homeschooling Style: Unschooling)

I work 4 days a week outside the home. On those days, before I go, I leave a “secret” message for my 5 year old to trace (I write each letter as dots. Once she traces it all, I read her the message, usually an affirmation like “you’re so smart”). I don’t get home till 8:00pm so then she tells me all about her day and I write it in a journal so I can see patterns of learning over time. Then story time and bed.

The three days I spend with her are sacred: we go for long walks and talk about things we see, visit friends, play together. I’m an unschooler, so although I follow her lead, I do often take the initiative in suggesting play activities with math, science, history, geography, literacy etc. I should mention I have an MA (Master of Arts)  in education and my professional research is focused on educational game design.

Annette, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Eclectic/Project Based) 

My basic daily routine is awake at 6:30-7:00 am. Spend about an hour in bed… doing exercises and making my tired body limber.. gives me time to play games and chat with people. Up at 7:30 am care for the bunnies. Do devotions.

The lad gets up sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 am and cares for his critters. We have breakfast talk out our goals for the day and read a chapter book together. I get on with my day and he gets on with his schooling.

We reconnect 2 ish (unless there are issues) for lunch and chatter. Then he works on what he wants to do (free-time but he’s always busy with something) and I either rest or work.

Supper sometime between 6-7:30 pm depending on the night. I care for the rabbits again and do household chores. Lad is in bed for 8:30. I normally get to bed sometimes 11 ish sometimes later.

You can read in detail what balancing work and homeschooling looks like here.

Amy, Working at Home

(Homeschooling Style: Relaxed Eclectic)

Our schedule is like a roller coaster due to older two boys’ soccer schedules. I have learned to be flexible in homeschool and work life.

I get work done by making a weekly checklist of prioritized tasks to complete.

I usually try to get about an hour’s worth of work done in the morning prior to the start of our homeschool day. I bring a laptop, notebook, and planner with me to soccer practices and work in the car or on the bleachers.

A chunk of my work gets down after boys are in bed and on the weekends, if time permits. It helps that my work is a homeschool blog-gives me a great excuse to work on projects and take pictures to serve dual purposes.

The more flexible and creative that I can be in my thinking, the better homeschool and work life seem to go.

Amy homeschools 5 boys. You can read more about her homeschooling journey here.

Kimberly, Working at Home

My kids get up a little before I do and enjoy some play time on their rooms. When I get up to shower, they pick up, make their beds, and get ready for the day. While I make breakfast they will watch a cartoon. Then we hit the back porch while I work until lunch.

After lunch I get one on two with the smalls/babies as I read to them and put them down for a nap. The two middles clean up lunch and olders switch laundry and then sit down to start on school work.

I then join them and once they are working independently (the 4 and 6 year old go to puzzles). I will pull my computer out to finish work or start dinner. Evenings are a mix of activities for 6 kiddos. Everyone in bed by 8:30.

What Working and Homeschooling Really Looks Like

The question we asked at the beginning was is homeschooling flexible enough to handle working inside the home and homeschooling? What about working outside the home and homeschooling? What if you do both?

I hope you noticed:

• Yes, homeschooling is flexible enough to handle working
• Any homeschool style can be used
• No one has the same schedule
• Having a schedule that works for them is key.
• Lastly, there is no one way to do this!

Did anything “click” for you? What grabbed your attention? Can you rework it for your family? Remember there is no one way to do this, do it your way! 

Here’s to your working homeschool life working out for you!

Take care

Jen

PS. If you are looking for more information please sign up here for a free E-Book. on finding balance in your homeschool. You can do it! <3