Working full time can be exhausting. Being a homeschool mom is arguably even more taxing. Doing both can sound impossible.

I guess it is a bit like a crazy balancing act: similar to what you might see at a circus with a long tightrope and a lady in a tutu. But, believe it or not, it can be done… and it can even be done well.

Working full time while teaching kids from home does require some essential elements including: organization, teamwork, and patience. Take it from someone who has been there, you have to be willing to give yourself and your family grace as you learn what works together.

I know it can sound very overwhelming (and don’t get me wrong, it certainly can be) but taking this route was more than worth the effort for my family. I had a wonderful opportunity to work for a company from home, so I saw it as a chance to homeschool, since I could be with my kids all day.
I think the best way for me to encourage you would be to explain what my situation looked like:
My three kids were all in elementary school when I worked 36-40 hours a week. My company gave me set hours but they allowed me to have a non-traditional shift. I worked from 2:00 – 10:00pm, five days a week, involving frequent phone calls and a lot of time sitting at the computer. I was part of the incoming communications department, and I primarily helped with customer service and setting up reservations for the company.
We had a family responsibility chart to aid in organization. The kids knew that some things had to be done at a specific time (like taking the trash out), but other chores could wait as long as they were done by a deadline. This really helped my kids learn how to prioritize and to work together as a unit.
Another thing that always helped was working on meal preparation in the mornings. On our best days, we would get most of our school done before my shift would begin at 2:00pm. We chose to do some subjects as a group followed by courses in individual workbooks at each kid’s unique pace. Each morning, we would try to make time for social studies, geography, and bible study as a group. This was a great time for family conversation and it also allowed us to get a lot done at once. I definitely think that through my time of working from home, my kids learned more about independence and serving one another as a team.
Once work hours rolled around, I would go to my desk and make sure the kids knew it was my work time. If they hadn’t finished all of their school assignments for the day, they always knew that (if they were quiet), they could sit with me, and I would be available to help them as I had free moments. Sometimes (on slower days) I was able to step away from my desk, and I definitely took advantage of those opportunities to give the kids extra focus. I’m so thankful that working from home allowed for those windows of extra time with each of my kids.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all perfectly scheduled and there was plenty of chaos intertwined in the goodness of it all. Some days were overwhelming, maybe I didn’t feel like being on the phone and listening to other people’s problems. Customer service is no joke and kids don’t always do what they are told. But that’s where the grace came in. I had to be okay with imperfect days and I had to accept that I couldn’t get everything done.
To sum it all up, let me leave you with a few pieces of advice that helped carry me through:
  1. Make the most of your mornings. I cannot overemphasize how much meal prep helped our family. Prioritize your kid’s education and being involved in the details of their learning process, even if that means earlier mornings and some later nights.

  2. Be willing to ask for help from others and be open about your needs.
    – Implement teamwork within your home. Kids can do a lot more than we think. Don’t be afraid to rely on them for some things. I found that my kids liked to feel needed and they even enjoyed some of the household responsibilities. They learned to help with laundry, vacuuming, and putting food in the oven. They learned what it takes to run a home, a valuable part of our homeschooling journey. We had to work together and I was very honest with them when I was having a rough day. My imperfections were not hidden but I used those times of vulnerability to demonstrate communication and a need for teamwork. I was also blessed to have my husband as a teammate. He worked full time as well but he consistently helped with grocery shopping. That was such a blessing.- At times, I even reached out to our neighbors. They were a homeschool family too and we would help each other at different times. This required being honest about my shortcomings but also allowed us to benefit from the gift of community.
  3. Prioritize family time in such a way that you make it happen. For our family, Sundays were all about being together and setting aside the distraction of work.

  4. Please remember: you cannot do everything. Some things need to slide, and that’s okay! I think it’s all a matter of priorities and communication. And also know that this may not be forever. It may be a short season. God has a way of walking us through one moment into the next. No seasons last forever.

  5. Seek a job where you can find hours that best meet the needs of your schedule. There are a lot of options out there when it comes to working from home. Don’t settle, but keep an open mind.
So, I guess a big question might be: would I recommend homeschooling while working full time? Based on my own experience, I would say “yes.” The balancing act is pretty amazing. If I hadn’t been willing to go all in and try homeschooling while working, I would have missed out on the journey together.

Written in collaboration with Bry Ruesche

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ALICIA EVANS

Alicia Evans is the Global Admissions and Records representative at HomeLife Academy, and is currently homeschooling her three children through HLA in Tennessee.