Working outside the home and homeschooling

[junebugmidwife]

I've been interested in homeschooling for a long time and can't stop thinking about it. I'm wondering how people balance working outside the home and homeschooling their children. Staying home is not an option for me, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that my husband and I are separated but still very close. No one else will be floating my financial boat but me.

Options: I could change my work schedule for more nights/weekends, but that kind of stinks in that we'd have so little time together as a family. I could try to cut back a little on hours at work, but that makes me a little nervous, financially.

My mom is around and pretty flexible with childcare, so that helps. (DS is in Kindergarten.)

What do you guys do to balance it all?

[Hollysmom]

I am interested to see what people have to say about this as well. My oldest is in school right now and I work full time outside the home. I do have some flexibility in my work, but not a ton.

[deb_n]

I switched to a 12 hour night shift position, 2 nights/week and I don't love it, but it is better than an every weekend position I had before. Getting regular childcare for the 2 days/every other week that fall on dh's work schedule was the hardest part for me so why I couldn't even think of a weekday job. Now he goes to a mama friend and it seems to work for us-he gets to play with her little one during the day, and her public school daughter when she gets home. We could use a lot more couple time, our nights together can be too infrequent, and my body is having a harder time flipping back and forth but adding some Vit D and other things to help that.

[ewp11100]

I tried several different jobs before I got the right "fit". I have a hard tim depending on DH for child care as A) his scedule was irratic and I never knew if or when he would be home and B) when he is watching them they are usually wathcing TV most of the time and not eating anything good for them For the past Year I have been working at a fantabulous Gym in the child care center. I get t bring my kids with me at no cost. Unlike "child care" its a very "free" environment my children have loved. I have seen other gym's child care areas and could not see my children being happy there for the amount of time my children spend at work with me (15-25 hrs a week). Expecally my older 5yo. Then the days we are home we do activities or field trips. The only down side has been that it doesn't pay that much (alothough I get a great gym membership for free). I just opened a licenced in home child care in which we will be home all day every day and we are going to see how it works out. I needed to make more money and spend more time at home and I'm hoping this is the answer.

ETA: At my gym job another plus that I liked is my children where together and had access to me at all times. Not like they are in two different class rooms and could not leave the room. Areas are seperated by half walls with doors and they come and go as they please.