Single parent: Need to work: Want to homeschool early elementary

[MOCA]

If you've done this or know how this is done or have any resources, would you share? I'm asking for a friend who has a strong desire to homeschool her son (now preschool) but also needs to maintain her full-time job.

 

 

So many thanks....

[Arch at Home]

I have a friend that is also considering this. The biggest issue is having good childcare. If her job is a typical 8 - 5 type job, early elementary can easily be done in the evening. It only amounts to 1 - 2 hours a day. Content subjects could be covered on the weekend. If the childcare provider is on board, then that person could help with read alouds, activities, and even drill work. If the job is a weekend job, then homeschooling can easily happen during the week.

[K&Rs Mom]

I have a friend who does this. Her 9yo has always been homeschooled. He goes to daycare while she's at work (a home provider, not a center), then they school in the evenings. I know her state has more regulations than mine, but she still manages to fit it all in. I think some things like phys. ed. are possible to do at daycare, and she uses some Abeka video courses to minimize her planning time.

HTH!

[Carol in Cal.]

I know that DD could not have learned to read or do math in the afternoon or evening when she was younger. For whatever reason, she needed to be refreshed after a good night's sleep to do those two things. So, if I had had to work then, I could not have homeschooled her. But if I could have started work at 1PM it would have been easy to do the early years stuff in mornings only.

 

This is also why I always object when people say that they cannot homeschool because they are having trouble helping their children with their homework. Pulleaze, the two are so completely different that they are almost unrelated.

 

My question would be, though, whether the daycare that she has in mind is a better option than school? It is really difficult to find all day daycare for children of school age, and really, the environment should be loving and enriched in some way to be 'like' homeschooling.

[Wendy in ME]

What does she do for work? Does she have to work a conventional schedule? I am working full time but for me that means 3 twelve hour days so that gives me 4 days for homeschooling. If she does work a more conventional schedule then she will need to shool on an unconventional schedule. The beauty of HSing is the freedom. My boys have spent many weekends doing school work if my schedule at work changes. At first they would complain but I just keep explaining to them that the actually get more time off than the ps kids. Evenings have also worked well for us.

[WABeth]

My oldest is 4th this year and my youngest is K. I work full-time days. I get home around 4:45 pm. My husband is home full-time with the girls but I do almost all the homeschooling. During the day my oldest does a number of things which are independent (Megawords, GWG, Geography workbook, reading and Latin memorization). My dh does Math with her during the day. When I come home (and this is key) my dh has dinner on the table. We are done eating by 5:30pm and start school. In the evenings I do OPGTR, ETC, and FIAR with my Ker, while older does Latin and writing. Then we do either History or Science together. On weekends we do art and music and history projects. It is a full life, but I love it and would not give it up due to my work schedule. I have been worried about next year when I will have 5th and 1st graders. But, really, my older can do more and more independent work during the day, so I think it will still work fine.

[WABeth]

My comments about dh having dinner ready aren't helpful to your friend. Her situation will be more difficult, but I still think it is workable if you are committed to homeschooling.

[Excelsior! Academy]

What type of job does she have? A friend of mine had kiddos in gymnastics and worked there in the office. She did recieve child support, homesschooled other kiddos, cleaned ATM machines, and did data entry from home for a company. She was able to be with her kids without daycare. Maybe she could look into nonconventional not 9-5 jobs. Have her ask, ask, ask! The worse that could happen is no. The best a job that works with her schedule.

[Alana in Canada]

Insofar as the concerns raised about a good day home/day care provider--I know a few homeschoolers who also run day homes/child care out of their homes for income. Wouldn't it be remarkable if your friend could find that sort of environment for her child while she works?

 

I know of a single parent who homeschools her 12-13 year old son. Younger elementary is a lot different, I know.

 

It certainly can be done. It won't be easy. It'll be worth it.

 

As for resources:

Here are articles from A-Z Homeschooling.

 

Here's a whole site devoted to assisting and equipping single homeschoolers.

 

Three homeschooling Moms share their experiences. The last one has young children.

 

And finally, here's a message board with a board specifically devoted to single parents.

 

All these resources appear to be Christian. I hope that's OK and still useful to your friend.

[MOCA]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will pass on your replies and resources. What a huge encouragement this will be to her. I so appreciate each of you who took the time and energy to give a hand along the way to my friend.

[collinsmom1]

I am a single parent! I have homeschooled my son from preschool on, he is 2nd grade this year. He briefly went to daycare, although he has no memeory of this time in his life!

 

My son goes to work with me. I am a TC, which stands for Teacher-Caregiver. I go into the home of my client (I like to reffer to them as our extended family!) Provide child care and support their choice of education. In some cases I supported HS, most often I support public school. (Really, I pick up where the school falls short.) It is not ideal as I would rather be home full time... this is next best!

 

I am not sure of your friends location, but you/friend can go to www.teachercare.com to get more information. I have worked with them for many years! I will not use another placement service!

 

Good luck to your friend and it is possible! :grouphug:

[TiaNKids]

I'm a single parent to 3 and have always been homeschooling. Does she have family near by that can help? Or even friends that are willing to help? As far as schooling, she can get that done at any time (evenings, nights, early mornings, weekends, whatever works for her). The challenging part is bringing income in. For my situation, my mom lives with us so she helps out, I have child support, and then I do some ebay sales as well. It is possible to be a single parent and homeschool! It just takes some creativity in things. I know single homeschooling parents that do daycare which allows income to come in while being with their kids (they just take all the daycare kids along with them on field trips and such), some have several different part time jobs, some work nights (I used to do this), some work long hours and cut their work week, some are able to take their kids along and they work on school, some pair up with other friends that are homeschoolers, some work from home, etc. Like I said, it just takes creativity and thinking outside of the box of a 9-5 job.