Tips for Homeschooling as a Working Parent

Working parents should be able to homeschool their children, if this is what they decide. A lot of parents decide against homeschooling because they fear they will not be able to devote the right amount of time to it, however, it is possible! Here are some tips for homeschooling as a working parent:

#1. Work Together

If you’re married and homeschooling, your best bet is to tag team this homeschooling endeavor together. You can take turns teaching lessons, or even decide who will do the majority of the teaching. The other parent can still act as a support system to the whole family. The support system might include helping to aid extra learning lessons or even following up with any assignments that are becoming due.

#2.  Create a School Schedule

Many homeschooling families enjoy going with the flow, but creating a school schedule is important. This schedule can include different dates like a start and end date for the school year. Schedule in weeks that you will have off and what day’s school will be in session. You can even schedule in different dates in which your family can take field trips. Make this a master calendar in your kitchen, so everyone knows what days school is in session. This will also help eliminate miscommunication throughout the school year.

#3. Track Progress

As a working parent who is homeschooling, you may not have as much time to double check school work as you would like. Sometimes it might just be about getting through the lesson without trying to pull out your hair. One thing you can do to help things go smoother this year is to keep track of progress. For example: How many sight words did your first grader know before they started this school year? Keep information like this handy and compare it to your child’s progress at the end of the school year. This information will come in handy more than once.

#4. Involve All of Your Children

If you’re homeschooling multiple children at home, it’s acceptable to have all of your children get involved. Your ten year old might be able to assist your five year old in one reading or writing lesson a week. Just keep in mind that homeschooling can be a group effort and not just one more thing to check off of the list.

#5. Find the Right Work Shift

Homeschooling is a great way to give your kids the ultimate education, but also to help you spend more time together as a family. Finding the right work shift for your family will help things go a lot smoother this year with homeschooling. Maybe your family is more productive in the morning, so working second shift might be ideal for you. Perhaps you can work a shift that’s extra early in the morning, so you can still be home with your kids during the day, to homeschool. Consider starting your own small business or freelancing to help make your schedule a little more flexible.

Homeschooling as a working parent is not going to be easy, but it’s possible. What tips would you add to this list?