Homeschooling When Working Full Time

Many families tell us that they would love to homeschool their children. But they work full-time jobs and assume it’s impossible. Fear not! You can homeschool your children, even when working full time. I’ll explain how.

Homeschooling is easier for remote workers or work-from-home parents. But if you work away from the home, it can seem more challenging. However, “Weekend Homeschool” and/or “Evening Homeschool” is the answer.

Average daily “time requirements” for “teaching” your child range from 1 hour per day (younger children) to 3 or 4 hours per day (older children or teens). Yet, the older your children are, the more capable they are of directing their own learning, with guidance and input from parents. So it’s not necessary to sit with older kids for 3 or 4 solid hours each day – unless you want to, of course.

One of the simplest ways to homeschool, when working full time, is to discuss lessons or activities with your children in the mornings or evenings. Include an easy-to-follow guideline of what your children are to focus on that day. They can refer to the guideline throughout the day.

On weekends, you can become involved in more hands-on learning activities, science experiments, family field trips, and reviewing any lessons that were challenging or needing extra attention. Allow plenty of freedom and flexibility for engaging in the lessons, topics, and activities during the week.

Other options include the possibility of working 1 or 2 days at home and doing more homeschool projects on those days. Or perhaps you can take your child to work with you a couple days a week. Or have your child’s caretaker oversee the homeschool lessons during the week, then make the most of fun learning activities on weekends.

Always discuss the learning activities or lessons at the end of each day. One of the best times for this is during your evening meal or as you take walks together at the end of the day. Discuss the favorite parts of the day’s activities and what your children learned that day. Ask them what they might have had difficulties with. And ask them what they’d like to learn about tomorrow.

Jot down the activities and lessons in your logbook or on our log sheets (download here: Weekly Planner Log link.)

To start homeschooling this week, take a field trip to your library. Let your children pick out any books that interest them. They’ll be transported to new worlds and learn something new from each book.

Here’s recent books that parents and kids have found interesting and educational:

Younger kids:

1. Backyard Build by Jonathan Litton
2. Book of Questions by Pablo Neruda
3. Copycat by Christy Hale
4. Emile and the Field by Kevin Young
5. Frances in the Country by Liz Garton Scanlon

Older kids:

1. Artificial Intelligence by Dinah Williams
2. Northwind by Gary Paulsen
3. Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga
4. Unstoppable Us by Yuval Noah Harari
5. Wisdom of Trees by Lita Judge

To start homeschooling today, see our previous blog posts, such as:

* Hands-On Math Activities blog post
* 500+ Science Activities post
* Social Studies, History, and Geography
* Weekly Homeschool Activities posts
* Click the Labels, below, or the Labels on previous posts.

Visit us weekly for new learning activities and ideas!

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Happy Homeschooling!

School and Summertime Lessons

As stores and the media start promoting “back to school” sales, remember that we’re still only one month into summer! The first day of summer was June 21. The last day of summer is still two months away! Summer doesn’t officially end until September 23. That’s 8 more weeks of lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!

Yes, many traditional schools begin their school year in the middle of summer, or the last week of July, or the first week or two of August. But that doesn’t mean your family has to follow suit. After all, one of the top reasons families enjoy homeschooling is the freedom and flexibility that goes along with it.

So let your children enjoy these precious summer days a bit longer. Disregard the back-to-school hype. Focus on having fun and making great memories with your family. Allow your children to be carefree and happy as they savor these super summer days.

Each summer that passes means that your children grow closer and closer to adulthood. Then these carefree, childhood days of summer will become a thing of the past.

Help your children appreciate and treasure these days. That’s one of the best lessons you can teach them! Create keepsakes, craft mementos, compile photo memories of this summer, then make a “treasure box” to keep them in.

Every day provides an opportunity for learning, regardless of the season and regardless of the setting. Learning doesn’t require a specific school room, school day, or school year. Learning takes place in the mind – not in a specific building nor a specific timeframe.

We’ll begin providing learning ideas here again soon. And you can begin planning for your learning adventures, too. Sign up for our newsletter to receive learning activities and lesson ideas throughout the coming year. (See the subscribe space in the right-hand column.)

Meanwhile, enjoy the summer!

Happy homeschooling!