amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

NicosMami · 05-04-2004, 03:48 AM

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but very excited to be here. I'm so excited about homeschooling my soon to be 3yo son that I could pee my pants. I have tons of ideas and can honestly say I've been doing it since day one. There is one catch though that I was hoping to go back to work. I thrive at work, I enjoy it. But I don't know if it's possible to work and homeschool. I would have to say no. So now I feel crummy. To mutually exclusive things I really want to do. I was hoping you wise mamas could help me through this. Thanks.

Lydiasmomma · 05-04-2004, 06:53 AM

A mom I know has 8 kids, homeschools, has a farm w/ her dh, and is also a nurse at the hospital. Dude, I couldn't do it, but she does!

What kind of work do you do? Is it something you could do part time?

Another option, if it makes sense, is to find some volunteer work that you love and could involve your child in. That could be very fulfilling.

NicosMami · 05-04-2004, 03:53 PM

Hi Renee

I've been volunteering all over the board trying to fill that "need" to work. I've enjoyed it, but it's not the same, maybe it has to do with the type of work I do. I'm a biologist. I've taught in the past 8-college, but I always drift back to wanting to do research. I'm currently doing some volunteer work there, but they just don't seem to have the time for volunteers on a regular basis, so the kind of work I want to do just doesn't get done by volunteers. To much effort I suppose on implementing it.

I would like to work part time. I think that would be ideal! I'm not sure if they would be too hip with it. But right now, that's what I'm shooting for. I may have to start off full time and as they get to know me and I become indispensible, then drop the part time bomb on them

Thanks for the input mama

~Hope~ · 05-06-2004, 10:30 AM

There are several moms in my homeschool group that work outside the home and several that work in home.

I start school in a couple of weeks. I will continue to homeschool.
Although I know it is going to be super tough.

Hope

~Bethany~ · 05-06-2004, 04:16 PM

I'm currently working full time night shifts and home schooling-dh works full time days.
It works, to some degree, but I think working part time would be much better. I'm going to part time next week. I really think I'll enjoy everything more- I've felt way too stretched.
Good luck!
Bethany

skyblue · 05-06-2004, 06:09 PM

How about joining a local org? Like, for instance, since I love animals, I like to help out at the shelter from time to time or help out PAL. I teach piano (in the home, I know) and go to school and I am planning on homeschooling Christine. I was thinking (since it would be more secure) of possibly babysitting one child whose mom has to work but she wants her child homeschooled and I would do it. (To take place of the piano but not entirely). Is there another mom in your area who works/homeschools who might be interested in homeschooling your son a few days of the week and you homeschooling her kid(s) in return? Might work.

Jennifer

NicosMami · 05-07-2004, 04:05 AM

Hope, let me know how this works for you. Hopefully it won't be too much of drain on you. That's what I'm afraid of. But it's nice to hear that other mommies have been able to handle both. Especially after noticing that my husband's idea of homeschooling is sticking him in front of a tv or computer. We have some issues we disagree on obviously. Perhaps I'm being a little harsh, but this happened today, so it's still fresh

Bethany, I'm so glad that you'll be able to free up some time. Nothing can wear you down quicker than being stretched in too many directions all at once. I want to avoid that if possible otherwise I won't be able to do a good job with anything.

Jennifer, I'm actually hooking up with a couple of other mom's and we're going to alternate the kids between us once a week. It might be the beginnings of a learning group. Here's crossing my fingers for good chemistry

Mamaheart7 · 05-07-2004, 08:05 PM

My sister works and homeschools, has always worked part-time, but some years just shy of full-time, and my nephew is in 6th grade now (with my niece being 3 1/2). It's working really well.

I also have a friend who teaches college chemistry and homeschools; she has 8 children, although the oldest 2 are off to college and the youngest are still preschool age. Her dh's job requires him to travel extensively; I really do not know how she does this. Their older children have turned out beautifully; warm, creative, intelligent, fun to talk to, and the 2 at college doing very well.

If you can't work up to "indispensible"

, maybe teaching for awhile would still be an option? Seems to be a pretty flexible option to have as a back-up, anyway.

Y'know, this is probably a separate thread, but don't feel badly about your dh. It seems like in the homeschooling magazines Dad does science, math, and great field trips, is actively interested in curriculum selection, and gives Mama regularly-scheduled teacher time, but uhhmmmm, I'd be interested in a poll of real people on that image

All of this to counterbalance: I couldn't do it myself. I worked while beginning homeschooling with my first, and it did not work in the least. I think it's a personality thing, though. But for me, homeschooling did not work very well until I came home full-time.

~Hope~ · 05-09-2004, 07:46 AM

I agree about the dh comment.
In real life, I have seen dhs go on field trips with the kids, but as for doing the sit down/school part of homeschooling, I have not heard of anyone that has a dh that does this.
Now, not to say it does not happen... but the norm...
And tv/computer is not always bad. (Ok, I know some people disagree with me here, but I know my vet wanna be child has learned SO much from animal videos from our library. Her wealth of animal knowledge astounds me!)
On computer, my children have math and foreign language games they play.

Oh, I am already a drained woman.
But I will get through it though because I HAVE to.
Our public schools SUCK for lack of better word, can not afford private schools (not that I think they are any better where I am) and I NEED to go to school.

Hope

NicosMami · 05-10-2004, 04:57 AM

Kim, you're right. I think that if this us forest service thing doesn't allow me to homeschool they way I would like to, I will go back to teaching at a community college. It is very flexible and allows me to keep my fingers in the biz. And it gives me hope to see that other mamas have been able to handle it. As for my dh, yeah, he has his strengths, this just isn't one of them. No one is perfect right

And you're right hope about the computer/tv thing. It's just so easy for Nicos to get "addicted" to it. We've already had a few fits over closing the sesame street web sit. But I'm sure that I can find ways around that with a little effort and patience.