Do any HSing mamas work?

[GirlBoyGirl]

I have been wanting to HS since my twins were 2 months old but I am really worried about the financial aspect of it. I have been staying home but recently I just went back to my pre-baby job that I love - as far as jobs go, its pretty great and they are very family friendly. No dealing with the public, quiet office, only a few coworkers, all nice, lots of laughs, etc. I only work 4p-7p now but was thinking if I send the kids to a charter school (there is only one school in the area I would use and it is that one) then I could work school time hours (they would let me), we could really use the money, DH doesn't make all that much. It pays the bills but not much left over, and we are bare bones over here on the budget. And I don't want to work 4-7 until my kids are out of school but I am thinking if I HS then maybe I should just stick it out. I was wondering if anyone here works and HSs? Thank you!

[GirlBoyGirl]

P.S. Yes my kids are young and I don't know why, but I think about HSing vs. PS almost every day! I know when Kindergarten time comes around I will say "Wait!!! I need more time to think about it!!!!" lol

[Swiperoo]

I'm sure it's possible to work and home school simultaneously, but my initial recommendation would be to not plan on working from day 1. The worst thing that happens is you find a groove with the home school routine and decide to add a part time job.

The nice thing about your situation is that you're currently working. Maybe give it a dry run and see how you feel. Walk through a mock day with the home school elements included.  At least then you know what it's like. Good Luck!

[SweetSilver]

I work part time, one or two days per week.  In the busy season (dh is a gardener) one or the other is working every day of the week.  Sucks in some ways, but we get to homeschool and avoid daycare and that makes things worthwhile.

One day last summer, when the girls asked who was going to work that day I said "No one.  We both have the day off."  They answered, "Why?"  Not as, why did everyone get the day off, but why would no one go to work that day.  It never occurred to them that it would happen.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

[dogmom327]

We are getting ready to start HS DS. Since we own our own biz, we both work a lot of hours. It's getting better but I still but in a full 40 a week and sometimes more. I'm hopeful that over the next 6 months I'll be able to cut back a bit and transfer some responsibilities. But with a business, a toddler, and a newborn HS is going to be interesting.

[Imakcerka]

I did it for 6 mos and loved it.  I worked 15 days a month 12 hr days. We didn't HS the days I worked but they were required to read.  It worked out fine for us. 

[moominmamma]

I work part-time and have all along. These days I just work 6-8 hours a week. Back when my kids were younger I had an additional 6-8 hours a week. I admit I find it hard to juggle. Not the time, or the child-care logistics -- I got that part worked out. It's the changing roles. My two very-part-time jobs are both quite intense from an interpersonal standpoint (private teaching, and health care) and I find it draining emotionally to switch from being "on" in one to "on" in the next etc.

Still, it keeps my hand in. It works fine from a homeschooling standpoint.

Miranda

[rockportmama]

I have 2 PT jobs and homeschool. Sometimes it works better than others.

I teach at a local community college 2 days a week. It involves prep time & grading, but isn't all consuming of my time/energy, I really enjoy it, and the $ is a big help to our budget. During tax season, I do taxes for a local CPA. That -- combined with school -- is all consuming, making tax season our "summer break".

My impression from similar threads I've seen here are that if you enjoy/love your job and/or really just need the money you can make HS+job work. But a job you dread for extra spending cash... not so much.

I will say that for me when I'm working soooooo many hours there's a point at which my main concern becomes my job instead of my kids. Then when I do have time with my kids I focus on them, not my educational goals for them. Hence a break during tax season.

Also, it really helps if you're husband is supportive. I don't feel like working a little cuts into my HS time (because frankly I do better with regular out-of-the-house adult conversation time) but I do feel housework cuts into my time with my kids.

Bottom line? Just do what feels best for you & your family! What feels best might change wildly as situations change, so my recommendation is to focus on your love for your kids and follow your instincts. And enjoy the ride!

[Mizelenius]

We don't homeschool anymore, but I did work part time, though from home.  I am still working.  In my situation, the problem is having young children, not homeschooling.  With older children, I could do what I needed during the day, or at least partly.  For the last few years, I've had to work at night, pretty much every night.

  It's exhausting and I do not recommend it. No such thing as time for myself, other than the posts I get in here.  Posting on MDC would not be how I'd use my spare time if I had a chunk of it.  For some of my job, I had to find childcare because I couldn't do it all from home.  I had to cut that part out-- just way too hard to coordinate and not worth it.

[SweetSilver]

I am *hoping* for an exchange with my nearest homeschooling neighbor some day-- if she really decides she wants to really do it (her oldest is 4.5).  If we did just one day each, that would make a huge difference in our ability to bring in the cash.  As it stands, she is swamped with mothering little ones.  Both dh and I are self-employed, and we can eventually employ our daughters as well, as they desire.

[DiannaK]

I work part time - I'm an Emergency Room nurse. My schedule is weekends only, Sat/Sun 3pm-3am. My schedule works perfectly for homeschooling. 

[greenemami]

Yup, I work nights after the kids are in bed from home and weekends 8-4:30. My kids are little, and it is still kind of exhausting to try to plan anything for the week (and I'm talking about picking a craft/baking or cooking project/and some books, not a full out curriculum). I am hoping to just do weekends at some point in the future, especially as the kiddos require more planning time. 

[misidawnrn]

I work every other weekend, Friday-Monday 12 hour shifts=24/hrs a week or 48 hours/pay period.  We do school 4 days a week, either Mon-Thurs or Tues-Friday.   I have our work all planned out as day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4.  That way no matter if it is a Monday or a Tuesday, it is day 1, etc.  It works great for us.

[craft_media_hero]

Yes, I work part time a hybrid wahm/wohm job. Previously I have hs'd and worked p to two pt jobs plus pt college.

It is challenging, but possible if you are willing to adapt--we did "car schooling" a lt our first year where we brought materials and would do a bit in between picking up dad or switching off childcare in between my classes. Actually, that year was really fun!

Now I find it harder, but primarily because I have another LO and my dh is not available to pitch in on meals/housework as he normally would be because he is working constantly and on graveyards.

For me, I really really wanted to m ake it work and have so far tho sometimes long to be a fully sahm hs mom instead of balancing so many roles, but I think that is really just something I need to reconcile personally.

[VeggieLovinMama]

I run a home daycare with mimimal children. I take in 2 children at once and do some occasional care. I have 3 of my own children (8, 3, 1). It is exhausting and very trying, but it can be done. That said, we are unschoolers and this is really the only way this would work. I can't see sticking to a schedule or a curriculum with my older child while still running a daycare with toddlers/babies. All this said, I am preggo with #4 and I will be quitting daycare when this happends. Our 'learning' has been hindered due to how busy I am and I'm hoping that when I quit daycare, that it will help.

BUT, if you must earn an income, home child care is a good way to go.

[rik8144]

Yep! I work three twelve hour night shifts a week as an RN. I am homeschooling my almost 6 year old right now as a kindergartener. My son probably won't start for a year and a half or more. We get around 3-4 days of school in per week but we also still do work on the weeks when public/private schools are out. At this point in our lives there is absolutely no way for me to quit working. DH was laid off 2 months ago so he is now in school full time for the next three years. He helps when he can and with #3 coming along soon he will help out more next year.

[CariOfOz]

Yep,  I work 3 nights a week from 6pm-1130pm or so.  I have one child in public school, and one resuming homeschool this year.  It DOES make it hard, and I'm tired... but my 10yr old does not cope with school well at all and has been miserable, so it's worth it.  I couldn't homeschool if I had a day job,  I am amazed at the organizational skillz of those that do!
 

[phathui5]

I am an apprentice midwife at a birth center. We have always homeschooled and this year I have a 6th grader, a 3rd grader, a 1st grader and a 4 year old. We have a babysitter who comes to our home three days a week and helps with homeschooling on those days.

[lafemmedesfemmes]

i have a four year old (pre-k-ish) and a seven year old (first grade). i work full-time outside the home during normal business hours. my disabled husband is home with the children during the day. we do school lessons when i get home in the evenings, and my husband takes the kids to park days and co-ops during the day while i'm at work. it works well enough because it's important enough to us to keep them out of brick-and-mortar schools, and we believe that sending the children to school will cause more problems than it would solve. however, i'm a little worried about the sustainability of doing things this way as the kids get older and their academic workload increases. only a little, though-- they're still young and as things change, i'm sure we'll adapt.

christina

[kgianforti]

I am starting a FT babysitting job in my home with two kiddos in addition to my own two kiddos. This begins January 3rd and runs through the end of June. My girls are 3 and 5.5 and the stuff we do in the morning (Bible, crafts, snack/story time) is easy to combine the new kids into (a 3yo and 17 month old). The "core" subjects (math, LA, science) that my dd5 does are at night when my little one goes to bed. The babysitting job is during "teacher hours" since their mom works at a school. I will also have the time off when the school does.