Part time workers....Share your schedules??

[juleslane]

I have 2 older dd's I would like to begin home schooling this year(kindergarten and pre-k), but I also have a 2 yr old, and a newborn AND work a bit more than part time as a photographer. Most of my work is inside the home on the computer, although I do need to leave the house for about 6-9 hours per week to do the actual photo sessions.

While I would LOOOVE to not have to work and focus on just my babies and their education, it is not an option Still, the thought of putting them in school cause I can't juggle things is upsetting. Can anyone make me feel like this is possible??

Anyone care to share their schedules?

[craft_media_hero]

Couldn't read and not respond

I think you can do it. DP and I managed to juggle hs-ing out 6yo's first year while both attending school and working part time. We got onto a more regular schedule since I took this semester off, but we were able to do it without too much difficulty.

Sometimes we did learning stuff at night, we did a lot in the car, while waiting for appointments, etc. I did try to schedule my classes for the evenings so that I could focus mostly on family stuff during the day.

I also try and work evening jobs or work in a way that I have more control of the hours. I think if you are already used to doing this with your business, it's not going to change that much---like if you already have them covered for the 6-9hrs you are out of the home, then no worries, you just will become a little more intentional about the learning stuff happening with the older ones, kwim?

You still have about two years before really "formal" learning might start anyways, so consider what approach you might want to take and then take babysteps to get there, like maybe doing a morning tradition of Mother Goose rhymes with the older ones or a certain time of day for ____ activities. Then build on that a little at a time, and by the time you're officially "homeschooling" you'll have a pretty good foundation going.

Good luck!

[Citymomx3]

I work 20hrs/week from 5:30pm-9:30pm with Tuesdays and Fridays off. It works out really well for me as any academics, trips, errands, housework, and get-togethers are done earlier in the day. Dh takes over in the evening with cooking and chauffeuring. I only work 12 minutes away, so I don't feel as if I'm away from my family too long.

For you, the advantage is being able to do work from home. Computer work can be done in the evening when the day is winding down and the kids are in bed. The 6-9 hrs/week outside the home either has to be arranged around your family schedule, or you may want to get a sitter for those days. Is it 6-9 hrs in one day, or is it spread throughout the week in 1-2hr increments? Do you have any family around to watch them for that time?

[AnalogWife]

I work 7am-6pm Saturday and Sunday. They're long days, my weekend is completely shot, but I get M-F off and paid for 20hrs (plus 15% weekend shift diff.)

I la-la-la-LOVE it. My DH, not so much...he's the one home with DS and it wears him out, especially since he works nights, but hanging with my coworkers is the only adult company I get all week, and I can check out the internet without anyone crawling on my lap or demanding mommy/wifey's attention, and I get the most freeing rush on Sunday nights not having that Monday doom over my head. All these take the sting out of not having a weekend with my family. GL!

[kathymuggle]

I work 15 hours a week away from home. It is easier now that my oldest can watch the younger kids, but I have almost always worked part time - sometimes I just used a bit more childcare.

Here is my current scheduel:

Tues: 3-8. Ds watches youngest until Dh is home at 6:00

Wed: 10-1. youngest goes to childcare, which she mostly loves. Interestly enough, I work at a library, there is a storytime on Wed., so she often comes to where I work on Wednesdays with her caregiver.

Thurs: 4-8. Ds watches youngest till 6:00, when Dh gets home

Sat: 10-1 Dh is home.

In a pinch I can bring my children to work.

I enjoy the work and like the money, my Ds likes earning money from babysitting. It is a win-win in many ways.

On occasion we do miss activities because I work, and I feel our lifes are a bit more rushed than need be, and I feel occasional twinges of guilt. These are small, however. In the end the benefits of me working far outweigh the mild negatives.

As for you....maybe you can schedule sessions on the evening or weekend or do one long day away instead of multiple short days?

[inky leeuhhh]

i work full time and we are able to homeschool. dh helps out during the weekdays, and saves anything he doesn't feel comfortable with teaching her for me to do either later that night or on the weekends (i work 9-6). both girls go to a home daycare during the day from 9-3 when dh picks them up. i must admit, i hate hate working the hours i work, but it is necessary . as far as hsing goes though, we have done very well this year. dd is 6 and in k. she is ahead of where she needs to be, so we have been able to be somewhat relaxed. i am gearing up for next year, and hoping that it works out for me to cut back to maybe 30 hrs a week. we'll see how that goes though. i think you can do it. hsing does not take nearly as much time to get done as public school where a lot of the "school time" is spent on recess, maintaining the kids in the classroom, ect. we are able to get through school right now in about an hr a day (expecting that time to go up in the fall when we start 1st grade). good luck!

[MommaCrystal]

I'm a photographer too. My editing, uploading etc gets done at night. After the kids are to bed. These days with a baby on the boob. It is exhausying but it does work. For a while I was using a friend as childcare (she's a HSing mom too and loved the bit of money) one morning a week. That helped a lot!

[zane]

Including commute : Dh works 2pm - 1am. I work from 7:30 am - 12:30pm. We can keep the kids at home between us.

Last year was our first year of hs. Dh did math with ds (kindergarten) and then I did LA and reading in the afternoon. We do science and social studies though literature, so just picked it up hear and there. We do a 4 day week schedule. Started in June, finished in April. The last couple months I have focused more on history and science in a casual way. Dh has focused on doing math fact drills with ds1 and teaching ds2 the alphabet. I am hoping to start our formal year again by the end of this month.

For "next year" starting soon, we will have a 2nd grader and Kindergartener, with a toddler to wrangle. I am a bit nervous about our schedule but hoping to have dh continue 2nd grade math, and KG math/reading games. I will take 2nd grade LA, Reading, Penmanship, plus more KG math/reading and art/social studies activities. History and Science will be added in somewhere (bedtime, weekends) as a casual, literature approach.

If I got to make a written Schedule it would be:

9am - 10am - 2nd grade Math, KG math/reading
10-12 - Play time, chores, all purpose household activities
12-2 - Lunch, quiet time, silent reading
2-4pm - 2nd grade LA, Reading, KG activities
4 - 5 - Dinner
5- 7 - Play time, chores, shopping, visiting
7-8 - Bedtime, History, Bible, Literature readings

I am able to keep to a schedule much more faithfully than dh, but this works for us.

[completebeginnings]

Mon-at home
Tues-at home
Wed.-moms helper comes from 9 to 1 while I work/study. Then I teach CBE from 6-9
Thursdays-Prenatals from 11 to 8 usually. Dh takes off work, they are with my mom, or with a sitter.
Fridays-off

Then I have births when ever. 1-5 per month. Most happen at night or on the weekends so it all works out.

It is tough but it works for now.