How can a single mom homeschool?

[mamayogibear]

Well the title says it all... I have not yet figured out how to unjob profitably to I don't think i will be a WAHM anytime soon. But I'm wondering if it is possible to work out of the home part time and homeschool. Can kids even go to regular school part time or would I have to find someone to watch them in my house? My oldest is only 3 so at least I have a few years to figure this out.

[MittensKittens]

Working at home is the only answer I have come up with  - but of course, work at home jobs can come in many shapes and sizes. It is working for my family.

[UlrikeDG]

This actually a 2 part problem:

1) Who takes care of your child while you're at work?

2) When will you find the time to homeschool?

There are answers for both of these issues. They can even overlap (e.g., if you have a care giver who can at least partially oversee lessons during your work hours), but that's what it really boils down to.

I do know families who homeschool without a SAHP. Most of them have a supportive grandparent as the day-time care giver. There are other possibilities, however.

1) If you have enough money to afford a nanny or you can find another family to split a nanny with, that's an easy solution.

2) Do some form of Four-Thirds Solution with another family.

3) Pay another homeschooling family to watch your child and supervise all or part of his/her lessons.

4) Wait until your child is mature enough to be on his/her own while you're unavailable.

[AAK]

I know of someone who shared homeschooling.  She and another person had kids the same age.  They wanted to hs.  One mom took Mon/Wed, the other did Tue/Thurs.  Fridays were on their own or doing a field trip.  They collaborated on goals/learning plans/etc to make it run smoothly.  So, if you find another like minded momma you could "team teach".  On your non-teaching days, you work.  In this case, no one paid anyone because they kept it equal amounts of time and each person only had one child, etc.  

Amy

[MittensKittens]

Originally Posted by AAK 

I know of someone who shared homeschooling.  She and another person had kids the same age.  They wanted to hs.  One mom took Mon/Wed, the other did Tue/Thurs.  Fridays were on their own or doing a field trip.  They collaborated on goals/learning plans/etc to make it run smoothly.  So, if you find another like minded momma you could "team teach".  On your non-teaching days, you work.  In this case, no one paid anyone because they kept it equal amounts of time and each person only had one child, etc.  

Amy

This is a brilliant idea!
 

[phathui5]

I supported us when dh was unemployed (and still did the homeschooling) by doing home childcare. I had done it for a few years before that and accepted more people (not too many) when we needed the money. What I made doing childcare wasn't fantastic money, but it covered what we needed.

[2xy]

After the boys' dad and I split up, a friend and I rented an apartment together. Her kids and my kids were close friends, and she and I both needed help paying bills and supervising the kids. She worked a day job and I waitressed at night, so someone was almost always home. The kids ranged in age from 10-13, so they could stay by themselves for a few hours if necessary. That was our arrangment until DH and I moved in together.

I have a couple of friends who have homeschooled as single parents, but they lived with their own parents. One worked from home as a medical transcriptionist, and the other worked 3rd shift at a group home (it was a position where she could sleep on duty).

[Seeking Refuge]

We actually have quite a few single parents in our homeschool group.   They all manage in different ways, but I've generally found that making connections with other homeschool families is very helpful.   Over the years,   I've watched other kids when their parents were  in a pinch or let kids come to my house to work on a subject with my kiddos.     

[zebra15]

I am a single mom who homeschools  My son is 10 and really never went to traditional school.  I've been very lucky with finding sitters who will watch school age kids.  For the most part I've worked outside the home, mostly fulltime and we 'school' at night or weekends.  Sometimes he will take his work with him to daycare.  The past couple years I've been a sub in the local school district so work has been part time and I've had more time to do things during the day (but less $$)

*my biggest homeschooling expense has been daycare* (But really I pay no more than a  mom who needs before/after care for her kid who goes to traditional school).

This summer I've been busting my butt to find a full time job and there just isn't anything so I'm deciding if I want to go back to school while I continue to sub.