How I Homeschool While Full Time Employed

When I was deciding to homeschool my children, I went online again and again to find advice – any advice – about homeschooling while working. 

Time and time again, the internet would return a resounding ‘NO’. 

Actually, that’s not completely true. You COULD homeschool and work – IF you were self employed and could choose your own hours. No hope for the employed.

Finding local homeschooling networks

I needed help. In-person help.

I searched online. I joined Facebook groups and Whatsapp groups. I messaged people directly on Instagram. 

I did this all in the hopes that I would meet and befriend local homeschooling mums, and maybe some of them would be employed and making it all work, someone I could chat with and take advice from.

Sadly, I didn’t find a single person.

It made me think that it wasn’t possible.

If I wanted a career and a salary, I couldn’t homeschool my children too. If I wanted to educate my children myself, I would have to give up my job to make it happen.

That just wasn’t a possibility. 

Living in London, in a small two-bedroom flat with a mortgage, bills and two children? I didn’t have the luxury of giving up my income to homeschool. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to homeschool. 

My problem was that I was hoping someone out there was in the exact same position as me and would be able to provide me with their answer to my problem which I would be able to paste onto my life.

Huge mistake. 

Figuring out solutions for our family

My family and our situation is unique to us, just as everyone else’s family and situation is unique to them. I stopped looking online for someone else’s solution and decided to get creative instead.

I asked myself a few questions:

• What can I do around my existing work commitments?
• How flexible can I be?
• How flexible can my employer be?
• Would they be open to a flexible working request?
• How many hours of schooling do I need to do?
• How many hours of schooling can I regularly commit to per day?
• Will I be able to get these hours in around my work?
• How can I get my partner involved to help me?
• What will I do with the children while I am working?
• Will I need to use childcare during this time?
• How can I maximise free childcare?
• How much am I willing to pay for childcare for both children?

My mind was buzzing from all these questions! And then something crazy happened. 

PANDEMIC. 

Suddenly, everything changed, and by the grace of God, my workplace embraced a model of complete remote working with total flexibility of working hours!

Okay, GREAT. Employer was no longer an issue. Now it was up to me to figure out how I would capitalise on this newfound flexibility. 

It started with observation.

I observed our natural rhythms and routines, what time of day my kids seemed most focused and happy, what times we would eat, what times my baby was generally napping, etc. Once I had collected this ‘data’, I could start to see a rough outline of a daily routine.

And with time – and I mean a LOT of time – I figured out a solution that worked for us. 

I was able to spend my mornings with the kids, with lessons embedded into that time, and then spend the afternoons working at home while the children were in childcare. 

Yes, that’s right, childcare!

Without the use of childcare, I would not have been able to homeschool and work. 

I made use of the 30 free hours my 4-year-old daughter was entitled to use at her nursery and I paid for my 12-month-old son to go in at the same time. This was a worthy and necessary investment.

I also involved my husband in all of this decision making and made sure he was on board and helping out where needed. I could not do it alone, nor should any homeschooling parent (if at all possible). That is the sure path to burnout!

So currently, this set-up works for us – and when it stops working for us, I will reevaluate, observe, analyse, and then find a new rhythm that does. 

What are the rhythms of your day? Are you making both employment and homeschool work together? I’d love to know more! Comment down below or reach out to me on Instagram: @thrifty_learning.