Homeschooling as a single parent with FT job?

[JessP]

Is there anyone here that does it? How do you make it work?  I work from home, but it's an "office job" with a M-F schedule. Everything I've been able to find so far is from parents who own their own online business or do something like nursing or realty, where they have some full weekdays off. 

Any tips from people who have done it? (Especially with non computer-based programs?) It feels impossible, but it's so important to me. I don't have kids yet, but I'm considering becoming a foster parent (and trying to consider all angles, including the possibility adoption).

 

[Lori D.]

Welcome! I see by your post count you are new.

Note: your state may require that the child continues with the school they are currently enrolled in. In other words, homeschooling may not be an option, however much you might wish to do so.

If homeschooling a foster child is allowed in your state, do you have a stay-at-home partner who is on-board with foster care, and with homeschooling, who can be the responsible adult to oversee homeschooling and child care while you are working? That would be critical for there to be a full-time at-home not-distracted-by-working adult to oversee the education at home AND to be able to meet all of the foster child's needs. Most foster children come into the foster home with a LOT of emotional baggage that requires boatloads of time and patience, plus many also have physical issues or learning delays that require lots of outside the home therapies and helps. It would be difficult to successfully work the regular schedule of M-F / 9-5 -- and be able to handle all of those needs without another adult.

If you do have a partner to help out, while much of the schooling would still need to happen during the day when the child is at peak mental and emotional readiness for learning, it might be possible for you to schedule some of the homeschooling for in the evenings and on weekends--IF that works for the particular child. And that really is the ultimate question: "Is homeschooling in the best interest of this particular child?" Especially for foster children, there can be so many additional emotional, physical, or learning issues, that homeschooling may NOT be the best educational option.

BEST of luck in researching your state's foster child policies, and in finding a way to balance work, and possible parenting, and possible homeschooling! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited October 31, 2020 by Lori D.

[Melissa in Australia]

wish you all the best 

 NO advice   foster rules are different here in AUS.

 here you are not allowed to homeschool a foster child unless they cannot attend school ( expelled) 

[Drama Llama]

I didn't ask to homeschool when my son was still technically a foster child, but I don't think I would have gotten permission if I'd tried.

I'll also say that in my experience, many foster and recently adopted kids need more structure than it would be possible to provide while working full time from home.  

What are your reasons for wanting to homeschool?

[kiwik]

It sounds unwise.  I work 30 hours a week and Home school one.  I couldn't do it if I had to do my hours during normal office hours.  I would say it would be almost impossible with a traumatised foster child.  I can't see it being in the child's best interest either.  Foster placements are often short and school may be the one constant.