Archive for homeschool
Balancing Homeschooling and Working at Home
Posted by: | CommentsA common reason for moms to homeschool their children and work from home is that the at-home lifestyle appeals to them. It sounds like an ideal situation – you’re home, the kids are at home, and everyone’s happy.
But juggling a home business with homeschooling usually doesn’t look as peaceful as it might sound. In fact, this is a more likely scenario:
You’ve planned to do a math lesson with your children at 9 am. Since you have a few minutes of peace while the kids are finishing breakfast, you decide to fit in a quick email check.
There’s an email from a prospective client, who wants a proposal from you right away, for a juicy contract. There’s still 20 minutes before you had planned to start your school day, so you start to reply.
Well, one thing leads to another… the computer is slower than usual, someone spills a bowl of cereal in the kitchen, the cat decides to throw up on the couch, and by the time your email is sent, it’s an hour later.
Still, not bad, you tell yourself, and you settle down with the kids to begin their lesson.
Halfway through the first page of math problems, you hear a new email coming in. Thinking it might be about the email you just sent, you tell the kids, “I’ll be right back.”
Now he wants to talk to you over the phone. Can you call him as soon as you get this email? You pick up the phone and start dialing.
In the next room, the kids are frustrated with the math problems and starting to throw pencils and erasers at each other. While the phone’s ringing, you call out to them to quiet down and just read a book instead.
Your call is answered, but it’s a little hard to hear the reply over the fighting that has ensued. Your children have suddenly decided they have to read the very same book, at the same time. Their arguing has gotten the dog riled up, and now he’s barking too.
You mumble something about needing to call back later, apologize, and hang up the phone. By the time you get the dog outside, the kids calmed down enough to focus on their lesson, it’s time for lunch and you need a nap.
There are a few steps you can do to be sure your days don’t end up looking like this.
Schedule time for work and time for school. When it’s time for school, give your kids 100% of your attention. Then when it’s time for you to work, give 100% of your attention to your business. Problems arise when you try to multi-task because you’re won’t be able to give proper attention to either your kids or your business.
Teach your children how to work independently. There will be times when you won’t be available for your kids because of your business. So, it’s important to give your kids opportunities to learn to work independently. If you have a phone call that goes long, or if you are busy with an important project, the school day won’t automatically fall apart. Even young children can work independently for a short time.
Enlist the help of other homeschooling parents. See if you can work out a childcare exchange, for times when you need the kids out of the house. Then you can return the favor when they need help.
Be flexible. No matter how well you plan your day, always expect the unexpected. Organize your day as best as you can, but be willing to change your schedule at a moment’s notice.
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
Work at home mom extraordinaire Michelle Shaeffer publishes The Muses Brainstorm, a weekly ezine with tips to help you balance, manage, and market your home based business. If you’re ready for inspirational guidance and bright ideas sign up free at www.thesmallbusinessmuse.com
What Real Work at Home Moms Do with the Kids
Posted by: | CommentsAt first glance, the lifestyle of a work at home mom seems idyllic – earning money from home doing something you love while, magically, the kids play quietly in the corner or take their naps when they’re supposed to.
Ha! Any real work at home mom will tell you that just isn’t so. In fact, keeping the kids out from underfoot while you work, and still making time to spend with them every day, is usually an ongoing challenge.
Here are some of the strategies that I’ve used, and that other moms have shared with me over the years, to manage the kids when you work from home.
Send the kids to a daycare or dayhome. I know, you want to work from home so you don’t have to send your kids to someone else for the day. But if having them home is keeping you from getting your work done, this can be a lifesaver. The good news is, because you won’t be commuting, and because you have control over the hours you work, they may not have to go to daycare as often or as long as if you held a job outside the home.
Hire a mother’s helper. Is there a teenager in your neighborhood who would like to earn some extra cash by playing with your kids for a few hours each day? They don’t cost as much as a dayhome provider, and there is the added benefit of your children staying in your own home.
Work around your children’s schedules. Some moms find it most practical to work whenever they’re able to… during nap times and late at night.
Switch with your spouse. If you have a supportive spouse, a popular approach is to switch roles with him when he comes home from work. Have him take care of the kids while you do your work for the day.
Movies and TV. I hate to recommend using movies and television as babysitters, but if used carefully, these can be a great help!
Teach children to work independently. I was homeschooling my children when I began to work from home. I would give them work to focus on for several minutes at a time, while I did my own work. They learned to work independently, and I was able to work at home while homeschooling my children.
Most importantly, yield to reality. For some work at home moms, your business may not take off the way you want it to while your children are still young. If being available for them is a priority for you – as it is for me and many others – there will probably be times when your business will be shortchanged so you can fulfill your children’s needs. The good news is that as your children grow, they will need you less and less, giving you more time to focus on your business.
And when that time comes, you will miss the days when young children vied for your attention.
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
Denise Willms is a Publicity and Marketing Virtual Assistant and work at home mom of two teenagers. Do you want to know more about how you can work at home too? Visit www.wahm-articles.com and search for work at home articles on the topics you’re most interested in. While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe to the weekly WAHM Tips newsletter. You’ll get new WAHM expert articles delivered to your inbox each week!
Facebook
Twitter