Homeschool successfully as a working parent
[without quitting your job]
even if you work a full time job outside the home
(without adding MORE stress to your lives, investing in an expensive program, or putting your child in front of a computer all day.)
If you’re a working parent who would LOVE to have more family time, more decision-making power over what your child is taught, and higher assurance of your child's safety, then you already know that…homeschooling is a great option.
You've seen homeschooling in action and know that it can meet all of these goals. You would LOVE to homeschool...if only you didn't work.
HERE'S WHAT YOU
MIGHT NOT KNOW
Homeschooling as a working parent:
-
Can take LESS time than helping with homework
Never leave work fearing the homework list again. You can regain time and sanity in your evenings and stop the high-level tension of completing homework for someone else's deadline. -
Can REDUCE the stress and chaos in your home
You are in charge. You control the content, the schedule, and the pacing. You can work on exactly what your kids need for the length of time that they need it. -
Does NOT have to be expensive
You can give your child an excellent education on a small budget. Even the most expensive curriculum available is less than private school tuition, and it's more customized to your child's needs. -
Can be the BEST option for parents with a busy schedule
As a homeschooler, your day is not prescribed by anyone else. Your family gets to decide what is most important and how your schedules best fit together. Homeschooling offers the highest level of flexibility for busy families.
Even though the reasons to pursue working and homeschooling are obvious, the path to doing it successfully is anything but.
HOMESCHOOLING? SOUNDS INTERESTING.
But how in the world do I make that work?
You might have explored homeschooling in a moment of curiosity, bravery, or desperation. You waded through a billion internet results, read some blogs, tried to understand curriculum, or maybe read about online school programs (that sounded safer than going it alone).
Maybe you even went as far as "trying it out." You enrolled in a program or bought some curriculum and moved "school" from the classroom to the kitchen table.
But even with your highest hopes, if you are like most people, you became overwhelmed. It wasn't the magical solution you thought it would be. You felt unqualified, lost, and it just seemed like too much for a working parent to sort out. Your kids didn't magically fall into the new system with the joy that you expected. And so you gave up on the dream and settled for your current situation and the problems that are at least familiar to you.
Here's why many would-be homeschoolers give up on their attempts: They don't have a super-clear success path that shows them how to lay a solid foundation for their homeschool, anticipate the obstacles, and navigate the difficult days.
They make the mistake of thinking that moving the location of the school books is the most important part of homeschooling. And then real life with real family relationships sets in. (The curriculum company made it look so easy with pictures of smiling children who are eager to learn). It isn't long before they declare, "I'm just not cut out for this!"
If moving the address of the school work is the only thing that you do, you are setting yourself up for a hard road that will most likely lead to burn-out.
And here's the thing - as a working parent who already has a lot of responsibilities on your plate, you can't afford burnout. Once it happens, it can be so hard to build momentum again.
This is the reason that it is so important to get it right from the beginning by planning for more than just where and when the work will be done.
But here is the good news: all of that trouble does NOT mean that you are "not cut out for this." What it really means is that you are an intentional parent who cares very deeply about getting this whole process of raising kids right.
And as a parent who cares THAT much - so much that you were willing to give up on something you really wanted to do if it would be best for your child - you definitely have what it takes to see this through. All you need is a clear path and some truth for the journey.
The 5 Myths that are Killing Your Confidence to Work and Homeschool
Myth 1
Homeschooling is for wealthy stay-at-home moms
Many parents don't even consider homeschooling because they think it's one of those "privileges" for families who can afford to live on one income. When I started homeschooling my own kids while working full time in an office, I often received shocked looks from people who believed this myth and thought I was just an outlier.
But the fact state otherwise. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), over 427,000 homeschooling families have two working parents (we are one of these) and another 189,000 are single working parents. The most common income bracket for homeschoolers is $20,000-$50,000.
You don't have to be a rich stay-at-home mom to homeschool. In fact, you can homeschool if you have a job, a tight budget, or both.
Myth 2
I don't have time to homeschool
Many parents think that homeschooling is going to add this big teaching block to their schedule. They think they have to replicate the time their kids are in school as teaching time.
But the truth is that I spent MUCH more time on homework after school with my kids than I ever spent homeschooling.
School is stressful because it's inefficient and you have no control over any of it. You are not in charge of anything and that makes you feel powerless to make a real difference in your child's life.
Homeschooling increases efficiency and gives you more control over the process - which are both great benefits for working parents that help you save lots of time.
Myth 3
My kids and I argue too much over homework
Sometimes parents have a sincere concern that the homework arguments they face often are the picture of homeschool.
The fact is that you WILL have family relationship issues to deal with no matter what you do for school, and homeschooling gives you more authority and time to deal with those issues and work on your child's heart. If there is a true problem with respect toward you, then let's be honest: sending your child away for more time with someone else will not solve it. You don't have to be powerless as a parent. You just need to be in a place of higher influence.
But this homework thing? Most homework arguments happen because the child is struggling, needs more time or different methods, and yet you have to get through that exact assignment and complete it THAT NIGHT because it is due for a grade the next day. (That is where the tension comes from).
That is just a ridiculous situation that you eliminate when you are in charge of the pacing.
Homeschooling puts you back in charge and allows you to be confident about your role as a parent.
Myth 4
I don't have the expertise to teach
This is one of the most concerning myths of all. The "expert culture" tells us that strangers with a degree in a specific subject are more equipped to teach children than their own parents.
This goes against thousands of years of culture and biblical practice that placed parents as the primary educators of their children. The idea that parents aren't qualified to teach is a NEW idea, born out of the Industrial Revolution.
Worse yet, this way of doing things has yet to prove that it can produce a better-prepared generation of adults than those who were taught by parents.
No one is better equipped to teach a child than the people who are raising him - the people who love him and understand him deeply. No one is a better expert on a child than his own parents.
Myth 5
I don't know what or how to teach.
When we send our kids to school, we rarely have to make decisions about what they will be taught. We've been trained to accept what is put in front of us in the form of homework assignments. Because of this, many parents feel great fear when they consider the fact that they might be in charge of homeschool content.
However, this can also be an exciting opportunity. Homeschool parents GET to decide school content. They get to have a much higher say in what their children are learning and how worldviews are presented.
The truth is that homeschoolers have more than enough resources available for teaching help. The real problem? Narrowing it down. There are so many different methods and curriculum choices available that decision paralysis can often set in without a clear path for moving forward.
Homeschoolers have plenty of resources to help them teach with confidence.
Shh...I'm going to let you in on a little secret
Homeschooling can be a lifesaver for working parents. If you build your homeschool on the right foundation, you will have the confidence to break free from that schedule-hogging school life and build the family life of freedom you really want.
But the key is to shift more than the address of the school - the key is to also shift your perspective and build your homeschool on a solid set of beliefs that will set you up for success as you move along a well-identified path. This path can help you anticipate issues and equip you to handle the hard days with truths you have already established about your place in your child's life.
With your permission, I'd like to help you build on those solid truths that will help your family find the real joy in parenting and homeschooling.
Introducing
Homeschool While You Work
The complete success path to homeschooling for working parents.
I've taken all of the lessons learned from almost a decade of homeschooling as a working parent, first with a full-time traditional job in an office and later as a freelance business owner, graduating two of my three kids while maintaining an income, and organized it into a step-by-step process that guides you through the homeschooling journey.
Homeschool While You Work addresses much more than how to find childcare and choose curriculum; it is a complete program for working parents who want to have a deeper influence on the lives of their children.
This course walks you through important first steps and helps you create a written plan that will keep your focus on truth as real life intersects with your homeschool.
It is designed to take you from the point of being unsure about homeschooling to someday reaching the status of a veteran homeschool parent who helps others as they begin the journey.
Homeschool While You Work is the ONLY program of its kind that…
1. Focuses on families who can't afford to keep a parent at home.
2. Teaches homeschool efficiency that REDUCES working parent stress.
3. Equips you to be confident in the face of conflict with your child.
4. Encourages you in your ability as a parent to take the role of teacher.
5. Helps you make decisions about homeschool methods and content without investing a lot of money.
So if you’re ready to finally work and homeschool while avoiding overwhelm and burnout,
Here's how we'll help you get there:
Module 1
Build Your Confidence
First, we will slay all of the fiery dragons that make you shrink back in fear and whisper any time you mention homeschool. If you move forward without really understanding what is possible, you will always be teaching on shaky legs.
Our goal is to give you the confidence to envision a better life for your family so that you can stand strong as you move forward.
Module Highlights:
- Examining your beliefs about education and where they come from
- Answering common criticism and handling non-supportive family (NSFs)
- Avoiding the "panic swing" in your decision-making when you have a child who is behind
- Troubleshooting your current homeschool issues to re-set things on a firm foundation
Module 2
Build Your Foundation
In this module, you will make intentional decisions about the purpose of your homeschool. If you don't have an end destination in mind, it is impossible to get there; and if you don't decide what is most important, you won't be able to make it a priority.
These exercises will give you a written plan or "map" that you can refer to whenever you get lost.
Module Highlights:
- The difference between catalysts and why statements in your journey to homeschooling
- Developing your educational philosophy
- Creating your homeschool vision
- Identifying the foundation stones for your homeschool plan
Module 3
Build Your Schedule
This module is where we work on all of those important extra details that working parents need to figure out. We will talk about how to un-bundle child care from school and set a support system in place.
Module Highlights:
- Using the Asset-Gap Inventory to identify where and when you need help
- Building your support team
- Identifying planning time, independent time, and teaching time
- Understanding co-ops, tutorials, and social groups, and how to decide if either of these is right for you
- Understanding the difference between online school and homeschooling with online curriculum
Module 4
Build Your Family Life
In this module, you make things official by filing any necessary paperwork! However, you also take time for an important process that is often skipped. Although you may be excited to get going, it's not time to pull out all of the books.
This is transition time. Follow your priorities and connect as a family as you get used to the shift and explore what works best for you.
Module Highlights:
- How to file your legal paperwork and make sure you have the most up-to-date information for your state
- How to "deschool" - or make a smooth transition into your homeschool.
- Using your foundation stones free or inexpensive curriculum guides, and free trials to learn what works
- Evaluating your kids' strengths and what to do with that information
- Involving your kids in planning your homeschool
Module 5
Build Your Homeschool
It's finally time to dig into curriculum. We will explore the many different methods of homeschooling and types of content and curriculum available.
We will also talk about important things to consider as you make these decisions.
Module Highlights:
- Undestanding the many different homeschool methods
- Identifying different types of curriculum and the different levels of planning help available
- All about math - we will spend an entire lesson just on math resources
- How to assign work: notebooks , planners, and software options
- Different methods of evaluating progress
- Keeping records
Module 6
Build Your Legacy
This is our John 16:33 module: You WILL have trouble, but you also have what you need to overcome it.
Once you get started, real life WILL happen. You will have struggles. We will pull out our map and learn how to use it.
Module Highlights:
- How to handle the hard days
- Discipline without arguments
- Fostering independence
- Scheduling regular "check-up" meetings
- How to be flexible and how this is different from the panic swing
10 Day Money-Back Guarantee
Homeschool While You Work is a unique comprehensive program that offers a step-by-step success path for working parents who are committed to homeschooling.
When you join this program, you will also get exclusive access to a private, supportive online community of others who are on this journey.
Here's the best part.
By the end of 10 days, you will have received access to the first two modules.
This means you will have an opportunity to examine your beliefs, get equipped with confidence-building information to help you handle opposition, and create a written plan to map out your homeschool journey BEFORE making a final commitment.
If you have completed these modules and don't feel confident and excited about homeschooling after this time, simply reach out, show me you did the work, and I will refund your investment.
Here’s what you’re getting when you enroll today:
Homeschool While You Work - 6 week course
- Access to modules for as long as the course is offered
- Private Facebook Group with Q&A sessions
- Curriculum on a Budget Guide: List of free and low-cost curriculum options
The six-week course begins on September 3, 2019
Enrollment closes September 1, 2019
Course Tuition: $39
Enroll Now
Enroll by September 1st
$39
Frequently Asked Questions
What people ask before signing up for Homeschool While You Work
You will learn in this course that all education is discipleship, education is not neutral, and everyone has a worldview. Therefore it is important to know mine. I am a Christian and I homeschool from a view of biblical family discipleship. While this course is not specifically written to have a biblical teaching in every lesson, biblical information and perspective is included where relevant, and you will see examples of family discipleship goals. Working parents of all faiths are welcome, as you will find useful tools for success and can adapt your homeschool map to your own priorities and beliefs; however, if the presence of anything Christian offends you, then this might not be the right course for you.
No. You will not be told to find a job where you can work from home. I homeschooled and worked full time in an office outside the home for two years before I started freelance work at home. My goal is to help you work with what you have to start homeschooling as soon as possible. Although a long-term goal to work at home is a great goal, I discourage students to look for these opportunities with the desperation that could leave them vulnerable to work-at-home scams. You should always be extremely careful when discussing such opportunities with any company or person.
Actually, many families find that they save a lot of time and greatly reduce chaos when they homeschool multiple children. The ability to align subjects across multiple ages and customize the teaching schedule can give parents a break from the craziness of school homework nights where everyone has a full set of work in different subjects due on the same day. Homeschooling can bring the family together for Bible lessons, history lessons, geography lessons, discussions on current events, and read-aloud literature.
One of the big reason people claim "homeschooling didn't work" is that they enrolled in an online school program and couldn't keep up with the demands. In this course, you will learn that the key to working and homeschooling is that you have control of the content, the schedule, and the pace. It might sound easier to just enroll in distance learning, but you give up a lot of the freedom and flexibility that make homeschooling the perfect option for working parents. You will also find that I believe strongly in the parents' role to direct their child's education. For this reason I encourage parents to direct education through homeschooling, even if they choose online classes for some of that education.
This course is only open at specific times of the year so that I can support students as they move through the program together. The cart for enrollment will open and close on specific dates as each course is offered.
This course will be released one module at a time over 6 weeks.
IF you do the work!
Here are the details of the 10-Day Guarantee:
By the end of 10 days, you will have received access to the first two modules.
This means you will have an opportunity to examine your beliefs, get equipped with confidence-building information to help you handle opposition, and create a written plan to map out your homeschool journey BEFORE making a final commitment.
If you have completed these modules and don't feel confident and excited about homeschooling after this time, simply reach out, show me you did the work, and I will refund your investment.
Here’s what you’re getting when you enroll today:
Homeschool While You Work - 6 week course
- Access to modules for as long as the course is offered
- Private Facebook Group with Q&A sessions
- Curriculum on a Budget Guide: List of free and low-cost curriculum options
The six-week course begins on September 3, 2019
Enrollment closes September 1, 2019
Course Tuition: $39
Enroll Now
Enroll by September 1st
