Can Working 35 hours per week, and home-schooling work together?

Question

I live in a rural area where schools are lacking any challenge for my intelligent son. I had him in private school last year, and wanted my 4 year old daughter to start this fall. Due to a new sibling coming in late September, we are experiencing a financial crunch that makes the 30-mile-away private school financially prohibitive. I will be employed until the baby arrives, and after that, I will stay home with #3 for an undetermined amount of time. My only option besides lack-luster local schools or too-expensive private schools is to purchase the advanced curriculum, and homeschool for a year. I would have to start this August, while working, and I'll have a baby sometime late in September, so I just need some input. How to balance? Am I asking for trouble? I'd like to go into this situation eyes-wide-open.

Answer 1

You need to step back and take a look. What's important. If you cut a couple luxuries and stay home you will save all the money you spend on lunches gas and clothes for work and there is always the work out of your house opportunities. God can do amazing things. Your kids only have one child hood.Working isnt wrong but as a homeschooler I know you cant do both without burning the candle at both ends. It will catch up with you. Look into your areas homeschool support groups. there is a lot out there. HSLDA homeschool legal defense assoc. has a listing of any local groups in your area and they always want to help ina ny way they can. We have so many opportunities we have to say no to most of them. If your job is one you can do onthe side bring it home and make some adjustments while it is still summer. Hope this helps. there is so much help outthere. just take it one step at a time and remember we're all just human. You can do it.

Answer 2

Okay since you are not new to this mommy thing you KNOW how demanding a baby can be, but my mother (and others) have always said, the difference between one child and none is a BIG (HUGE) difference, and the difference between having one child and 2 is not as big, but still BIG, between 2 and 3, still quite a difference but after that it's all a blurr, no big deal. My point is handling three small children is going to be enough of a challenge without adding being responsible for two of those children's education AND working 35 hours a week. I'm a mother of two, and I home schooled my daughter through until kindergarden, at which point her little brother was 1 and beginning to become too much for me (besides my daughter is VERY social and NEEDS to be around other children, and despite having ballet twice a week, and swimming lessons still has enough energy not to take naps AND give me a hard time about going to bed, wearing me out at the end of the day). An overstressed, overworked Mommy isn't going to improve your son and daughter's education anymore than the lackluster public schools (believe me I have little faith in the public schools myself, my daughter is in private school). What you need to do is go talk to the private school's administration (someone in charge of tuition matters) ask them if there are scholarship programs or financial aid, private schools are NOT just for the rich anymore. By the way the private school I'm sending my daughter to has a tuition of $33,000 a year, that's about what my husband makes in a year, so obviously we can't afford that (I'm a stay at home mom), after taking my husband's paystub in and telling them what my situation was they cut the cost down to $400 a month, which makes it $3600 year, the $400 a month is comparable to paying a daycare for all day care. So before you give up on the private school ask them for options first!!!

Answer 3

I didn't read all the answers. But, personally, what planet are you from? Think about it...........working 35 hours is full time. You are working up to late Sept. when # 3 drops in. You have to begin the
home schooling in Aug. You say your 4 year old would have started in the private school this fall. What is going to happen to her? Does she just stay home now? I didn't know any schools accepted children at 4 years old.


I read the other answers. They talk like it's nothing. How will you feel about teaching and getting up with two kids after the new born has kept you up all night??
I cannot believe people pay that much for a private school. There
is no way I would do that. Public schools have to pass tests in order to receive their funding. That is just too ridiculous. The mother telling about her daughter and running her and the kid doesn't want to go to bed.......WOW........Talk about the tail wagging the dog! Good thing all mine are grown up. These kids run the parents...............You might want to watch out in public schools for ADD and ADHD........I hear that's where kids catch it.........

With your plan of action as it sits at this time, I don't think you will make it to the end of Sept. You will have the two children at home, How can you work 35 hours a week if you start school in August?

I sincerely hope your husband is a saint from heaven. Just break your question down in sentences on paper and look at it. LOOK at it one by one! You don't say how old you are or what your 35 hour a week job is either. You don't even mention your husband, so that could be a bad sign too.

This is none of my business but I have to ask. WHY did you get pregnant again? Both of your children would have been off to school and they would go to the same school. Now you have all this to deal with.
My son and daughter-in-law had two kids. She got pregnant again too. I asked them why they did it. I said it's not like you didn't know what caused it or you have never heard of birth control?!?! They didn't like it either, but I can't understand..........

SO, yes you are asking for trouble and you can't go into this with your eyes wide open. It's too late now.......................

Answer 4

To be honest, many educators
and college administrators frown upon homeschooling. Responding that the local school wasn't stimulating enough for your child won't help. School is also about social skills, something that homeschoolers I encounter lack.
I cannot see how you can do all of these things well at once. Having a job, being a mom to what is soon to be 3 kids and homeschooling.

Homeschooling is a bit like practicing medicine on yourself and calling yourself a Dr.

Regardless, sending your child to a lackluster school will look better to colleges and future employers than homeschooling will.
Certainly taking your children out of school now can have serious consequences for their future.

Try doing educational things with your children after school to enrich or enhance their learning.
If that doesn't work, it makes sense to consider moving to an area with better opportunities.

Answer 5

With three kids I'd be willing to bet you are asking for trouble. However I do know people who work longer than 40 hours per week and homeschool. Their lives are extremely scheduled and organized though and every minute is accounted for, plus the parents get very little, if any "downtime" and are all too often overstressed. If you are willing to take that chance and are willing to maintain a very high stress level then go for it. But are you willing to put your children through that? I suggest that since your public schools are so bad that you get involved with what is going on inside the schools. Attend schoolboard meetings and parent/teacher meetings. Work from the inside to make your school system better rather than complain about it. Public schools are only as good as the parents care to make them be.

Answer 6

I have read some of the other responses and find points I like about several. First off, my kids go to public school. But, I am not anti-homeschooling. I think it's great, if it fits your circumstances and abilities. You need to ask yourself some honest questions. Will you not only be able to work and homeschool but also enjoy your life, enjoy your children and husband? If you think not, then I would send my child to public school and supplement the education with extra, fun, learning activities that the whole family can participate in. My kids and I read together everyday (and they are 11 and 12). We play games that foster math skills and go to museums. Good luck.

Answer 7

haha nice name--For now see if there is a bus that will drive close to the school and then have your kids walk to school from there(if its close enough to walk)This sounds like a big crunch in finaces you know. I would say you should home school.I mean really who better to teach a kid then there own parent. And i have seen in my friends. That when they are home schooled they always seem happy and glad but when we come home from school its kinds like Egh homework lol.And if seems nicer to have a mom or dad as a parent because they will be kind and gentle and can give you hands on teaching.

Answer 8

As a 6 yr homeschool veteran, I think it absolutely CAN work! One of the great things about homeschooling is that it can work into YOUR schedule.. The whole world is open for learning, especially for a young child. Try it for a year, if it doesn't work for you, no real harm done.

Answer 9

When you put your heart to it, it can work. I'm work a 40 hr job and I home school my ADHD kiddo, it can be done. They will need some life besides home, so get them playdates with kids their age. Good luck!

Answer 10

The only way to achieve balance is if you get a hot young waitress from the local tavern to satisfy your man, and possibly his friends visiting from out of town. You know, to ease the tension around the house.