Homeschool with DH working nights

[TreasuresFromHeaven]

I will beginning my first year of homeschooling the beginning of August. We are using MFW K with my 4 1/2 yo. I also have a 2 yo and 8 month baby. My husband leaves for work a little after 3pm and gets home about 2am. So he is home a good part of the day. We try to spend as much family time then as we can. Do anyone have any suggestion for our scheduling. My husband is not a morning person and so we try to move at my husbands pace after he wakes up. My children also take afternoon naps/quiet times. I just feel like we don't have alot of time. But I also know that it doesn't take much more than 1/2 hr with K. But there is so much fun stuff that I want to have time for.

 

Hope this makes sense...lol. I appreciate any input.

 

Thanks,

Jessica

[Jenn in Mo]

We've done this for years, and I feel for you. It is not easy. And those few weeks where my dh has been able to work a day shift have been soooooo wonderful making it harder to be content with our regular schedule. It is just so much harder to get things done when your 'kick back and relax with dad' time is during your body's most productive time of day. And it's impossible to reign the kids back in to focus on school after a day of "evening" activities. Here's what we've done:

 

When dh works a shift that allows him to get up around 8:00, we all have a very relaxed breakfast together and end it with dh reading a bible chapter. We clean up the kitchen and start school while dad showers and does his thing. We take a 2nd breakfast (snack) around 10:00 with dad again, but it's usually about 20 minutes. Back to school till noon where we have lunch with dad. Our time with dad seems to revolve around food - lol! I save all of our history and read-aloud times for our evening routine while dad is gone - it's too relaxing during our already relaxed morning. The kids' individual reading assignments are done in bed at night. All chores wait until dad leaves for work.

 

Also, we will skip school in a heartbeat if it means getting to run around and do something with dad. We can do school on Saturday or cram a bit and it is considered worth it by all. My husband tries to take a child out per week on an errand or out for breakfast at a diner so they can get some one-on-one time in as well.

 

It works and we enjoy it, but we are so much more productive when he works a day shift. Schoolwork finished by noon, house clean and sparkling, quiet evening ahead......*sigh* maybe someday. :tongue_smilie: After this many years, we're used to it and I am content.

 

I hope this helps!

[AudreyTN]

We did that for a long time too. (DH is currently unemployed and that's even harder!)

 

We just "did school" after he left. So you could start around 3:30, work until dinner time, then work until close to bed time.... if you really need that much time. :) If anything ran over I'd have them do it first thing in the morning before Daddy woke up.

[Amy Jo]

My DH works graveyard (10:30p to 8a), Th - Sat. So we do school 4 days a week in the morning on Wed. (DH is gone to a meeting) to Sat., since he sleeps during the day. If we need an extra day we do that Sunday morning. It seems weird to do school on the "weekends", but its working. Tuesday is normally our goof-off day. Do whatever works - the beauty of homeschooling is flexibility!

[katilac]

I basically agree with Audrey.

 

I'd do school for an hour or two after dad leaves, and that will easily cover all the lessons and seatwork and some extras besides. Some read alouds can be done at bedtime, some when dad is home, and you can also do some of the fun extras when dad is home.

 

That will be more than ample time for the coming year, and for the next few after that.