Homeschooling is a full time job. However, it doesn’t pay the bills so often homeschooling parents both have to work. Living on one income was a sacrifice many homeschoolers made in the name of educating their children at home. It was the “price” of homeschooling. However, in today’s economy living on one income with the cost of homeschooling is becoming increasingly more difficult. In many homes the parent responsible for homeschooling is getting a job or starting a business. Adding a job or business to homeschooling a family can be overwhelming and throw things off track. How do you cope?
Recently, I have started my own business in addition to writing projects and writing for Families.com. Balancing all these tasks is a feat in itself but to place it on top of homeschooling three children and having one active toddler has proven very difficult. There are times I am overwhelmed, feel like quitting something…anything…for a time, feel like sending the kids to school or simply pulling my hair out. Maintaining a home of six plus one dog, homeschooling, starting a business, and writing just don’t fit all into a 24 hour day even if sleep is deprived. However, after looking up from my computer to a house that looks ransacked and kids behind in spelling tests and crayon writing on the wall, I realized I need to put “organize your life” at the top of my “to do” list.
Here are some basic tips to help get you on track, keep you on track or at least keep your hair:
1. Take a deep breath and reflect on your top priority. In my case it was homeschooling my children. Once I have that established I realized that everything else must fall in line with that or it must go.
2. Establish a routine where your top priority is addressed. Since homeschooling is my number one reason for staying home, I needed to work out a homeschooling schedule and routine out first. Once I spent a few days just doing this priority it was easier to see where I could squeeze in time for other projects without my children’s education suffering.
3. Write down a schedule in a common area and follow it until a routine is established. We all know that every day is different but a baseline needs to be established. Once you have a baseline or ingrained routine you are better able to handle bumps in the road or changes to your day.
4. Learn to say “no.” It is tempting to take on new projects or extra hours but resist anything that does not fall in line with your top priority. I have had to learn to slowdown and omit or turn down offers that would add to my work load.
5. Get up early! This is the most difficult for me since I am a night owl. I could get a ton of work done at night in front of the computer or the TV without the distraction of little ones. However, the next day I am tired and less likely to zip through my day with laundry in one hand, science book in the other while making dinner, and chasing a 2 year old. Hectic crazy days that you can smile and laugh at turn into overwhelming disasters when you are running on empty. Going to bed at a reasonable time and getting up an hour or so before the family will solve this problem. Even if you don’t get up earlier than your family, establish a start time for breakfast and school. Either have your children read until then or engage in a quiet activity.
6. You are NOT superwoman. Please do not expect to do it all. You won’t. I won’t. And regardless of what you hear no one does. Give yourself a break. List your priorities and address those times first and foremost.
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