Can I Homeschool and Work Full Time?
Fellow homeschoolers share tips on how to homeschool while working full time.
Many families are drawn to homeschooling because of the flexibility and customization it offers. This often means weaving teaching into the rhythm of daily life, and for some home educators, that rhythm includes a full-time job. If you homeschool and work full time, these insights from our Homeschool+ Advisors are for you.
Ask For Help
When my husband and I taught homeschooling workshops, one of the first things we asked new homeschoolers was, “If your days are already full, what will you be dropping to make room for a few hours of homeschooling each day?”
That’s a question I would ask myself if I needed to homeschool and work full time. In many ways, it’s a math question: How much time will I have to homeschool? Of course, there are other things to consider—childcare while working, energy levels, emotional well-being, household logistics, and more. I think a home educator could work full time if they put some income towards getting help in other areas so there’s time for a full-time job—and another half-time job.
This could be carried out in many ways. A babysitter, grandparent, or family friend could help with childcare and even some homeschool tasks; older children could do online homeschool; the family could hire someone or ask kids to help with household work and meals to give parents time to check school work and keep things moving ahead; both parents could share in all home duties—including homeschooling—if that’s possible. This would require organization and distinct duties that both follow through on.
The best advice I can give someone considering working full time while homeschooling is to plan to have a lot of help—and don’t let yourself feel guilty for needing that help as you take on two jobs.
Delegate
The short answer to “Can I homeschool and work full time” is yes. Is it easy? It depends.
If you have a specific idea about what homeschooling should look like, homeschooling and working full time might be challenging. Homeschooling requires a lot of intention, as does working full time for an employer or running your own business.
When I started working full time, my daughters were older and independent in their learning, but I still had to come to terms with being unable to do some of the things I used to do, so I enlisted help, primarily from online classes. If you delegate learning to your children and permit yourself not to be the sole teacher, homeschooling and working full time will be more manageable.
When working and homeschooling, I learned it was important to have systems in place and feel confident in one of the areas before adding the other to my life. Since I homeschooled first, we had a good routine and expectations, and I knew which subjects would be best for me to outsource. I was also intentional about the type of work I chose to complement our homeschool. Knowing what you need in one area can make setting up the other area easier, although rarely is anything perfect.
Time Management and More
Homeschooling and working full time is possible with the right resources, support, and mindset. Many variables can come into play, like your type of work, where you work (at home or out of the home), your kids (number, ages), and the flexibility of your job (hours, dates). Remember those variables as you determine how you’ll homeschool and work full time.
As a working homeschooler, asking for and receiving help from family and friends is important. Outsourcing (with quality resources like Homeschool Plus) can also be extremely helpful. These online learning options can take some of the stress of home-educating your kids off your shoulders. Your kids can enjoy online lessons and activities while having a fun time learning, and you can feel good about it!
Also, I recommend having an honest, age-appropriate conversation with your kids about your expectations, including their responsibilities and chores. Be clear as you walk through what you want your kids to do and how they should do it. Revisit your expectations and tweak tasks when necessary. These types of chats can help you all work together to make homeschooling and working full time a success. Time management can be a working homeschooler’s best friend!
Find a planner (paper or digital) that you like and will use. Map out activities, meal plans, make to-do lists, and more to get organized and be efficient so you can make the most of your time.
Quick Tips For Homeschooling and Working Full Time
- Ask for help from friends, family, and your spouse, and don’t feel guilty about it.
- Hire help if needed, like a nanny or house cleaner, to free up some of your time.
- Use an online curriculum that your learners can engage with on their own.
- Assign chores to kids and regularly revisit expectations.
- Stay organized with a good paper or online lesson planner.
- Map out the week’s activities, meals, and to-do lists.
How Homeschool+ Can Help Home Educators
Whether you work full time, part time, or focus your energy on caring for and educating your family, Homeschool+ curriculum can help support your homeschool goals. Homeschool+ courses are designed to cater to different learning styles and abilities, provide lessons and learning activities online and offline, and provide flexibility for home educators.
Our lesson plans are customizable and include learning activities and extensions that let home educators choose how deeply they want to investigate subjects. The Homeschool+ Progress Tracker and Lesson Planner tools make it easy to monitor student’s work and plan their daily and weekly goals.
New homeschoolers need a curriculum that supports their goals. See if Homeschool+ is right for you.