Is it possible to home
school your children and work a part time job at the same time? I think that
with the right organizational skills, it can be achievable to give your children
a good education while still working three to five hours a day.
I am not talking about a career driven jetsetter here, but a woman who
believes her family would benefit from the extra income.
About five years ago, I had
a part time job as a secretary for a private attorney three days a week. My
hours were 10:00 am to around 2:00 pm, give or take a half hour on some days.
Fortunately, I worked it out with my husband that on the three days I worked he
would be home with our sons, then ages, 16, 12, and 11.
Before I left for work, I
would make the boys a quick breakfast, usually oatmeal or a fruit bowl. Then, I
would put out the materials they were to study, which varied because of the age
differences, but usually consisted of Spelling, Math, English, Reading and
Geography. My oldest was working through the GED book and didn’t really need
me for anything. If my two youngest
had questions on a certain assignment, they were to write their questions down
on paper so when I came home we could go over the problems together.
This schedule worked out
well for our family because my husband could be home with our sons. We felt that
if we had to send the boys to a day care while I worked it would not have been
beneficial financially or for the well being of the boys. It was never an option
for us to have someone else looking after our children and this is one of the
reasons we decided to home school.
For us, me working outside
the home a few days a week worked great. But I think parents who home school
need to think about all the pros and cons of a wife and mother working outside
of the home, especially if dad is gone all day working too.
For an example is it worth
it in the long run to pay a day care center or baby sitter to watch over your
children while you work? Once you tally the cost of gas, new clothes for work,
vehicle expense and weekly day care costs, is it really advantageous to your
family? In most cases it is not. After
you put the figures down on paper, often times you will find that it just
isn’t worth giving up your children’s happiness and education over.
In this day and age and
with the technological advances now at our fingertips, why can’t a working mom
bring her job to her home? I realize that this is not possible with all jobs,
but with many of them it is. I
think all moms who have a job they can bring to their home should bring this
practical and very important concept up to their employer. Not only is it
advantageous for your own family to work from your home, but also it is
beneficial for the community, your employer, and the life of all marriages and
families as a whole.
This brings me to working
from your home while home schooling your children. While this is the most
beneficial advantage for home and family, it still takes a bit of organizational
skills but at least you have the option of being more in control of your
schedule and how you want to handle that time. Most importantly, you are there
for your children if and when they need you, which if they are young can be a
lot.
As a mother, you know what
works best for your family. So No matter what becomes paramount in your home,
remember to balance it all out with fun time for the whole family to enjoy
together!
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Heaven Ministries ~ Angie Lewis
http://www.heavenministries.com/