Homeschooling while working, earning a degree, etc.

[Fly2Peace]

Boy, am I tired. Working and homeschooling makes for a very busy day, but I am convicted that this is best for my daughter. Anybody else working while homeschooling? I could use any ideas you have for time management, organization, anything. Just tell me how you do it. Thanks!

Yes, working and homeschooling... been there, and still doing it. :)

It is challenging - how to balance, and get to what NEEDS done. That is the key, what NEEDS done? Other things will probably need put aside for this time in your life.

For me, I had heard / read so many places that the prime time to "do" school with dc is in the morning. We started out that way. But, I found that too often, I was watching the clock, and rushing to get to work. So, we have switched, and now I work in the mornings, and school in the afternoons. I work 7 to noonish. Then school starts somewhere between 1 and 2 o'clock. It is easier to walk away from an unfinished work task, and know that I will come back to it the next day, than to walk away from my child when she is in the middle of grasping a new concept.

Time and sleep are premium commodities. I don't have enough of either. :)

MFW is truly a gift to be able to do this though. My dc are getting a wonderful and thorough education, with the limited time that is available.

[Joy1139]

I work on an "as needed" basis. I am a relief worker. So, I am only called when a regular employee has to be away from their job. Our agency has four relief workers. It's ok for me to say "no" when they call but I try not to do it very often, because I want to be a reliable employee. I feel very blessed to have this job. It's what I was trained to do before my babies were born. I LOVE it. I really love it. But, I don't think I could do it without the great flexibility that I currently have. I average 20 hours a week but they are overnight or week-end hours, so it really does not effect the children as they are home with their Daddy or at Grandmomma's.

I manage very well except I find I just have to say No sometimes. There is this pressure to do more (go to more conferences, take extra training hours, attend staff functions that aren't really required... like birthday get togethers, etc.) but I just don't do it. I am frequently given the opportunity to become a regular employee but continue with the flexibility but I say No because of all the other stuff that comes along with that.

I can't offer alot of ideas. Each situation is so different. I just make sure I am as well rested as possible because if not, I lack patience with the children. If I'm very tired, we don't do school. It's no big deal because we just catch up the next day. We just sit and read or watch educational videos. I am ok with that. I don't feel that our home has to look like a regular school anyways.

[Julie in MN]

Anybody else working while homeschooling?

I have to work also, but only 16-20 hours a week, and most of my hands-on teaching is for just one student (the other one still at home is a high schooler), so I may have the "easy life" compared to you! But we school from about 9-2, and then ds does different "educational" things until 3:30 (when the neighborhood kids come home). Meanwhile, I am getting ready and going to work.

I work 3-7. I am fortunate to have a husband who cooks dinner, which takes a lot of pressure off of me.

And after a late dinner, we do the Bible study portion of CTG as a family, which is a blessing on our family but also takes care of one of our "school subjects." We often do the read-alouds in the evening as well. Two subjects done!

Just before I go to sleep, I try to quickly record & organize anything undone from the day (especially from the end of the day). Then I use the back of an envelope from the junk mail & jot down anything I want to be sure to get done the next day. Also I took an idea from the Hazells & try to have everything set out & ready to go in the morning. We get so much more done that way.

I enjoy using MFW because it insures I spend time together with my son, teaching him and raising him up, which is the reason I decided to homeschool him. But it does require developing a pattern so everything gets done in a day.

Julie

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:25 pm
There are actually quite a few of us on the boards who have to work at least part-time. Each of our situations is different, but God makes it all good. Here is some more encouragement: [above]

When you think about it, the curriculum was written by a mom who works and homeschools. Marie Hazell does teach her kids at 8 a.m. (I have questioned them in person at conventions LOL!). But then she also writes curriculum. In fact, she's usually working on more than one year at a time (the one she is just beginning to write, as well as the one(s) she is piloting with various families), so there are some long hours in there somewhere. I guesss if MFW works for her family, that's an encouragement in itself, eh?!

[Julie in MN]

Who is watching the kids from 7-noon or 3-7? Are your husbands home? do you have grandparents nearby?

I am considering working and homeschooling - anybody got a job that goes with them while taking kids to all their appointments and activities? I am looking for ideas?

Heidi,
As for babysitters, over the years we have often hired a babysitter for the gap hours between when I leave & dh returns home, but mostly we tried to work different hours. Since we've begun homeschooling, I have an older child at home who owes me a few favors :) And because I have my youngest son's friends at our house a LOT, their parents often are happy to repay the favor & watch my youngest. In the summer, I have grandparents available about once a week, but not during the school year unfortunately. My husband is around occasionally too.

As for jobs, I used to do transcription at a hospital (and before that at home), but I wouldn't recommend that any more, as everyone is trying to cut costs & outsource.

My current job would be good for many homeschoolers, I think. I am a tutor (at Kumon). I think being a tutor at *any* facility, or even a private tutor, or even bringing home work to correct for a tutoring center (which I sometimes do), would be a good fit for homeschooling moms. I am able to bring my son along, but he does NOT like that option LOL!

Julie

[Tricia Croke]

Hello and Welcome Newtohomeschooling~
I work also; but at night (3 nights) at a local restaurant. The hours and flexibility of the job work for our family. My husband gets off work at 3:00 and I have to be in at 4:30~so it doesn't interfere with our homeschool too much unless I had had a late night the night before a school day in that case we just start school in the later morning around 10:00.

It's not easy and at times I'm very tired but thanks to MFW we're able to have a successful homeschool.

Tricia
Loving MFWK & CTG w/ Lauren (11), Alison (10), Tommy (8) and Kelly (5)

[Fly2Peace]

As far as who watched the children, in my case, I work from home. I am a software engineer (computer programmer, when you get right down to it). I dial in on my computer to the contract customers I work for. Right now that is really one. They keep me very busy. I program on very specialized financial / legal software. So, it is a great job from home. The pay is pretty good. It can be high stress though. The world of programming changes quickly, but usually you can apply what works in one area to another. So, my kiddos are here with me. :) They are doing independent work, chores, playing, and (OK hate to admit this part) watching movies. I am blessed with my job. I am an independent consultant, so there are no benefits. But I also have much control over hours, and many other factors.

[sarajoy]

Hi all,

I'm a stay at homer, but funds have been getting tight so I went looking for ways to bring in a little extra cash. I thought about getting a part-time job at the library (hey I'm there often enough). My dh wasn't thrilled with that, thought it wouldn't pay much and would take too much time. So after dreading it and dragging my feet for awhile, I've started tutoring. I'm actually enjoying it! I get to stretch my brain and work on hs algebra (my favorite school subjest, honestly). I'm also only working about 2-3 hours per week and am making more per hour than my dh. And, to beat all, we meet at the library after my dh gets home from work. So, I guess I'm working part time at the library anyways.

SJ

[gv3550]

I work every Mon and Tues evening and 1, 2 or sometimes 3 weekends a month. I am a Medical Technologist in Microbiology and work at a hospital. My shift is from 2:30pm - 11:00pm. We homeschool in the day and have to be finished on Mon and Tues by 1:30 to leave for the babysitter's house. She is a homeschool mom who I found through a local email list. She watches the kids until 5:30pm when my husband picks them up.

I think working and homeschooling is difficult. I don't manage my time well. I need to be better about all of it: housecleaning, kid's chores, lesson planning, organizing the next day's school supplies. I would say our biggest downfall to a successful school day is my not being prepared and getting out of bed on time. There are many work nights that I don't get to clock out and get home until after midnight. Then I may stay up a little while or visit with my hubby and not get to bed until 1am or later. Obviously, I am not out of bed, showered with breakfast on the table before my kids get up. As a matter of fact, they usually wake me up. That's the part that is hard for me.

It can definitely be done. I don't feel like we have a better alternative and homeschooling is what I want so I make it work. Have you ever seen Flylady.net? She has great ideas on routines to keep things running. I need to do them.

Bobbi

[Sue in MN]

I work at a SuperTarget store on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Saturday or Sunday could be days but they have been scheduling me evenings. I have wanted to work at a Target for ten years because I'm always shopping there anyway. LOL It was really hard when I started last June but now I'm getting used to it and its not so bad. I don't start until 5:30 or 6PM on weeknights and work until 11 but Sundays it is only until 10PM. Once we are on holiday hours I might be working until midnight. I usually sleep in mornings because my dc are at the PS first thing in the morning and dd17 drives them there.Then we begin homeschool later in the morning when they return. It would be nice to just stay home but it is nice to have some spending money and pay off debts too. I don't think I will be going back to just being home because dh has been wanting me to do this for a long time.

[Kisa in CA]

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:43 pm

Welcome! I think a lot depends on you and your daughter.

I have worked approx. 8 hours a week from home since I began homeschooling. It hasn't been that hard, but now I work one whole day out of the home and that has been harder. On that day my niece homeschools for me. I also added a housekeeper every-other week for 4 hours.

If your daughter can work independently it will really help. Honestly, I think it will be difficult and you will need to be structured. Since the young ones need consistency to learn, more than large blocks of time, I think it is a better option is to school daily for at least an hour a day while shooting for 2 hours. My experience is that first graders need lots of Mommy time. Can you work at a desk w/her next to you? Could you afford an afternoon babysitter for a couple hours to do school with her and read to the kids? My 16 year old homeschooled niece does a great job with my kids. I just tell her what to do. Another idea is to get up really early and work a few hours so you can give the kids an entire hour of devotion.

I so admire your desire! It would be a big sacrifice, but it can work if it is what the Lord is calling you to! Just realize it won't be easy.

Hope that helps!
Blessings,
Kisa

[Renai]

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:06 pm

I work part time both in and out of the home (to end this spring hopefully the outside job). I must be out of the house by 12:30 to go to work (dd goes with me- it's a preschool) and the goal is to have things done by then. For us, if it's not done in the morning, it will not get done the rest of the day, so bedtime stuff is out of the question. My at-home job is pretty flexible, so I can do some early morning (I prefer not to), evenings, and weekends. I take calls for a call center and do tutoring if that info helps.

We have a schedule that is posted and things are done at a certain time every day. MFW1 is very easy to complete within 1-1.5 hours, if you consider that one day a week is a very light day, giving some flexibility to move things around or continue something the next day. I schedule breaks and snacks and lunch and art and... so if we start at 8, we'll finish in time to go to work (IF we ever followed that schedule exactly, which we have not, we're down to bare bones now that I'm doing the last of my school work, oh, yeah, I'm back in college too, doing postgrad work).

On days that I take calls during the morning hours (usually not very long), dd is either next to me working on a notebook page that I have just finished going over with her, doing her Spanish (we homeschool bilingually), or on the other computer (very close to the work computer) on starfall.com, or other educational game I have planned for that time. I always work with her first before I begin working. She knows when the phone rings she has to be quiet, but other than that we can interact.

Because I work few hours at home, it's different for me. She still gets a lot of interaction with me throughout the day, including at the preschool where I work. However, I do know of others working from home to support themselves and still homeschooling. There is a work-at-home message board with homeschoolers that's most helpful in explaining how they make it work (some of these are single moms, so wah is their complete livelihood).

Hope this is helpful.
Renai

[Fly2Peace]

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:43 pm

I was a true full time WAHM when we began. I am down to part time now. We did Adventures with a pre-schooler tagging along while I worked about 30 hours a week. We are doing ECC plus some more pre-school / almost K and I am working between 20 and 30 hours a week now.

I am also Admin Chairperson at our church. On a Pastor Search Committee. Teach two coop classes. We are in rehearsals for some kind of drama production 90% of the weekends in a year. So... Can it be done? YES!!

Recommendation, don't do too many outside things (OK, here is where I need serious help, I am committed to too many other things, but it is getting better!) Also, be comfortable with setting priorities and letting certain things go. My house is never white glove ready. Do some serious menu planning, as it will help hold things together. My suggestion, start with a clean schedule, and add only necessities first (school time, work time, church time, etc) then as you get that working you can add in another thing. If that works alright, then maybe one more... but don't let it snowball, and drag you down.

It is sometimes hard to make that choice between a wonderful women's Bible study, and just staying home.

Just my thoughts and advice...

Oh, by the way, I work 7AM to noonish. Then we begin school after lunch. It just worked better, as it was easier for me to walk away from an unfinished work task, than to walk away when my dd was on the verge of getting some new concept. Now the dc know that once I am done with work, I am pretty much at their disposal until dh and I are ready for time together. We do school and chores together.

[Amy in NC]

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:43 pm

I think MFW1 is very doable in about an hour a day. I'm using MFW1 this year with my 6dd. She still struggles with reading & we managed to finish everything in the TM today in 1 hr & 15 min. That included an extra page of math & some extra Bible reading. You will probably have to schedule activities for Saturday & possibly some Science on Sat. - depending on whether you are tied to the desk during that time. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well it will work.

Oh, by the way, I work 2 days a week outside the home, 16 hrs/wk. My mom & MIL keep the kids and help with their schoolwork on those days.

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:36 am

There was actually more juggling and chaos involved when oldest dd was in Christian school.

[angelsoup]

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:29 am

The first two years of homeschooling I worked a full time graveyard shift. I am a single parent, blessed to live with my very supportive parents. We are also very involved in church and Cub Scouts, I also volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corp of Dallas and am in Toastmasters. We are extremely busy!!

I have 2 boys who are ADHD, one who also has emotional difficulties. I really had reached a point where I could no longer leave my children in PS. The one with the emotional problems was in special ed and they let him sleep all day, the other one was having difficulty learning to read and I found out the teacher was calling him stupid so often that his classmates were too, but the damage had already been done. We still deal with that a bit. There were so many bad habits taught we spent a lot of time unlearning them and learning new habits. FRUSTRATING for ALL!!!

They have many appointments to keep up with. I know it sounds as if we are doing alot but everything does stagger out - it took a while to reach a groove where everything works.

I have had to learn some lessons the hard way! God has been very gracious to us though. I have slowly made friends in the homeschooling community and reaped tons of encouragement as a result. I have one very precious friend who is doing Adventures at the same time and we are planning to do an ECC co-op next year! Very exciting. Make sure you get involved in a homeschool association.

When I removed the boys from school, the PS had graduated them to 2nd and 4th grades - what I found out was I had to reteach 1st and 3rd. We were not using MFW at the time, b/c I didn't know about them. I was unsuccessfully trying to use something too advanced. We struggled and struggled until I finally stumbled into MFW. We are using Adventures and it has been a Godsend!

I wish I had a job working at home, but alas God has not brought that to me YET. What he has done very recently was to make it possible for me to only 16 hours a week and from 3-11. It has been very hard, but worth it. I am broke all the time, but all of our needs are supplied by our Father who has a thousand cattle on the hillside. I would not trade one minute of the time I have with my children - to do it the easy way and just let them run through the system.

My house is a mess - drives me right up the wall, but I don't lose sleep over it, dinner is not always on time, the laundry, oh the mountains of laundry, sometimes we rush from one thing to another. But my children smile and laugh more, they are learning so much about God and taking it to heart. They are more confident and outgoing. Sometimes school is in the morning, sometimes its in the afternoon, sometimes we get a week done in 3 days -ok so we skip art or book basket once in awhile. Nothing's perfect.

I love MFW and plan on using it all the way through. I can pick up my TM and read it for the week in about 30 minutes, I just glance at the items needed for the week and add it to the grocery list or look around - I usually have what we need on hand. I don't keep extra lists, I just mark up my TM. I thank God for Marie all the time, what a gift she has! She has made it so easy, it's all laid out. My children love school, and adore all the hands on activities. Marie is even teaching me stuff I didn't know. It's fun! Well I could gush and gush about MFW all day, but you get the picture.

The Adventures program takes us about 3 1/2 - 4 hours a day.

I know there is a lot of discussion about homeschooled kids outdoing their PS counterparts and that might very well be true, but I don't worry about that. Maybe they will or maybe they won't. What is more important to me, is that they have a heart for God and that they're happy. I hope I don't do a worse job than the teachers they did have - anyway both are wide awake for class and nobody's stupid.

I guess what I am saying is if I can do it anyone can - but I only do it through God's grace. If He had not called me to do this, it would be nothing but a huge disaster. If God is calling your family to do this, FOLLOW HIS LEADING, there is IMO always a blessing and unexpected riches in obedience to Him.

I will pray for ya'll as you make your decision and will look for your decision here. Sorry it was so long. I hope I was able to answer some of your questions.

[mgardenh]

I am a single working mom (I work from home) and have just been having trouble adjusting to work and homeschooling and getting everything to fit etc. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:16 am
I do not know your financial situation but if you could, hire someone a couple hours a day so you can work and not have to be continually pulled by the kids (or maybe a grandma type person from your church that would volunteer). I also have a home business and know that If I do not shut the door for an hour of uninterrupted time nothing work-wise gets done (that's why the suggestion on the hiring someone).

It takes a while to get used to working and homeschooling. I find that the day's I work that sometimes I have to put something to the next day because I can not fit it in.

Planning is very important. I have to really think about my day and what needs to get done on the days I work. So I put off some things like cleaning the house for days I do not work.

Way to go on all you're doing.

Has anyone else had to work through this "working and HSing" problem, with day care, etc.? We don't have any other kids and work out of our home, so keeping him at home all day is not an option (he doesn't particularly like being by himself all the time).

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:08 pm
I have a home business, work a part time job, and homeschool. We use mfw 1. It definitely can be done. I work mostly opposite my wife. But we do have 2 or 3 hours (2 to 3 days each week) that we need child care. Due to the special high needs of our dc we have a college student or an older couple from our church come to our house to watch the girls, or even if they did not have special needs we probably would still want our children home.

I must say the days I work the only things that get done are school and work. I have to save housecleaning, extra cooking , or whatever for days I do not work.

Could you and your husband do the business opposite from each other, like one work the morning the other work the afternoon or some other way? That way the parent not working can be with dc. Or how about including your child in the busness? Are there things he can do to help? My daughter puts stickers on the back of the books I sell for me and sometimes I take her with me to shows and stuff (children's books and others see how much she enjoys them). Even though he is young there might be things your son could help with. My daughter has helped me since she was 4 from time to time.

Mike

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:20 pm
I work 20-30 hours a week, have 2 special needs children, and homeschool. Up until this week we have at least 4 appointments a week. Being able to work and homeschool depends somewhat on when and how much you work. I usually work 3-10 or 4-9PM and have a least one shift on the weekend. In order to do this you have to be organized.

You children have to do chores (to help keep you sane and the house somewhat clean). On the days that I work the house is definitely much messier. On the days I work I focus on homeschool first over everything else.

Other things that help: Make a menu and shopping list from that menu so that you do not have to think about "what are we going to eat", Be creative you do not have to do school just in the morning, How can dh help out (do read alouds, math, history, science) whatever way is helpful.

Believe me it is not easy to do but with prayer, help from dh, friends, and family, you can do it as long as you feel God is calling you to this.

[my3boys]

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 9:58 am
I'm actually going to hire someone for the school year ( a couple hours, three days a week ) so that I can do reading and oral work (and chores)with my older kids in peace.

If that's not an option can you put the younger kids to bed earlier and do the reading /oral work with your fifth grader in the evening a few days a week.

[niki]

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:16 pm

I'm a working/homeschooling mom. It's tough at times I have to admit. My heart is home but there is a reason God has me where I am... I don't fully understand but it helps me as I leave my family in the evening and work all night. Last year I did this during the week, but this year I get to work Friday nights...much better for us all :)

Anyway, yes, you can do it - by His strong and mighty hand He will be your support!

I've been working and homeschooling since the beginning, this is our 5th year (wow, I can hardly believe it).

Praying for you, Niki

[ChristyH]

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:50 am

I also work but only every other weekend so it really doesn't interfer with our homeschooling.

[705emily]

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:05 pm

I work about 15 hpw. (2 days) One thing that has helped me is to organize the year ahead of time. During the summer, I go through the TM and make a folder for each week of the school year. (We will be doing Adv. and 1st.) Then I collect any books, worksheets, extra craft project ideas and/or activities that might go with that topic, etc. and place it in the folder for the week. By the time I'm done I usually have 2 big plastic bins filled for the year.

I also make a list of any supplies that I might need and buy the ones (where I can) in advance.

I try to "cook ahead" on the weekends and freeze an extra casserole where I can so that I have things to pull out when I'm in a pinch.

Usually on the days I work--I keep that day's schoolwork focus on "essentials". The other days--we have a little longer day and incorporate other topics such as art and music.

Sometimes--if we need to--we do school on Saturdays. This summer I also continued with some math with my dd--as this is an area she needs extra work in. I also leave work out for my dd to do while I am gone--and the sitter (a dear Christian neighbor lady) makes sure she completes it.

By God's grace it has worked for us so far--even though it is not easy!

[melinda]

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:24 pm

I work in the house, so I'm somewhat available to the kids. My oldest three are the same grades as your oldest 2 and we are also using ECC this year. We also throw in our 14-month-old firecracker in the mix. :) Three weeks into the year and we are getting all of our schooling done by lunch. My dh does help a lot in the evenings by doing Bible and leftover math or english with the girls. I do believe you can make it work for your family!

[mgardenh]

This has been a tough year for us financially, and I have had to start a home business. I love having a home business, but I have been finding that it gets in the way of H.S. many days. I try to only work early in the morning before the boys get up, but I am often not successful. When I get important calls, it is so easy to get distracted by business and never get back to school.

Has anyone else dealt with this? I know that my boys have learned a lot this year, but we are a couple of months behind. I am feeling anxious, because we have done much less spelling and English than we should have.

Part of my brain acknowledges that my boys know more about most subjects than I did when I started college, but the other part is feeling very guilty because we should have done much more school this year than we have. Our weak areas are spelling, and punctuation.

We have been using MFW for 6 years, but I feel pressure to switch to a curriculum where the boys are much more self directed. I really don't want to though. What do you think?
Blessings,
Sara

I have a home business. During kindergarten and first grade I did a lot. Here is what I have found helpful not just with a business but also in general.

Have a set time frame to do school and stick to it. Let phone calls personal and business go to voice mail (i have ringtones on my home phone and one specific to my wife's work and only answer that one). Then have a set time to do your business. I don't know what kind of business you have but I did my on Monday and Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. That way my wife was available to watch the kids while I worked.

I also had specific activities for when I needed to to work other times that my DD's could do. I would explain that it was very important to work on it and that I not be disturbed unless it was very important. My children were 5 and 2 at the time and understood.

Also are there things they can help with. I have a book business and My older dd liked to but my stickers with my info on the back of the books. She also put stamps on envelopes to be mailed. There might be other things your kids can do as well.

You can do it if you just take a few minutes to plan. One strategy might be you spend 15 minutes doing something then do a subject of school then 15 minutes of business and then subject and so forth. You will be amazed in what you can accomplish in 15 minutes when you put your mind to it. (not my idea but flylady's but it really works).

[HSmommi2mine]

How old are your kids Sara and are they reading well? MFW can be done very independently if necessary. THey key for me has been to choose more self explanatory math and LA products and give my ds a copy of the weekly grid. Each child has a weekly binder with assignments they can do on their own: copy-work, logic puzzles, math worksheets, spelling assignments..... These are the things that even my second grader can do without me. The oldest can do his Rod and Staff grammar and Writing Strands if need be, because he has the assignments listed for him and these all contain instruction in the text so that he is not reliant on me.

I do most of the reading and activities from MFW world with everyone together, but when necessary ds can look at his copy of the weekly grid, read the pages and make a notebook page. It isn't my first choice but it is a good skill.

[cbollin]

This is the first time since homeschooling that this has ever even been discussed in our home but it is looking like I might have to do this. Ideally I'd like to maybe clean houses and have my daughter help in that endeavor (DD is 6th grader) or maybe keep a child in my home during the week. Im praying a lot as is my husband...this has been weighing heavy for weeks now. Of course, my immediate concern is being able to accomplish MFW and work too. Depending on what type of work I'm doing obviously could make or break this. I REALLY, REALLY don't want to change...I LOVE our books and what we are learning! My biggest question i guess is if any of you are either doing this or have done it? I'd greatly appreciate your insight, experiences...and prayers! Thank you!

((hugs))

I work part time and still use MFW. I'm a group fitness instructor. last semester I was teaching 6 classes a week. So there's those hours plus my prep time (learning routines and making a set). I have some tips and things I'm still learning in this part of the journey.

be encouraged! I know sometimes we don't think about it this way, but don't all of the mfw staff families have 2 working parents?

-crystal

[mommasue]

I worked the first four years of homeschooling, babysitting two children after school, I would pick them up at their school, bring them home, feed them, help them with homework and then bring them to piano practice, because of the *pain* of driving etc.. I was paid more, and it was such a blessing for me financially. maybe there is a family in need of after school care?

[KelsiTX]

I've actually done after school care in the past when we lived in town. A couple of girls across the street from us needed that and it was a HUGE blessing that year because I was able to purchase all my curriculum that year out of that money...which was a blessing to tell my husband I didn't need X amount of dollars for books!! Not that he minds at all, but it was just one less burden for him.

Of course, now we live about 10 miles out of town and someone would have to pay REALLY well for that to work. I'm not crazy about the idea of keeping a baby or toddler during the day, but I'm willing. I'm really praying about what God could have me do to help with income. The thought I had today was how being in this position right now is sort of forcing me to think of a creative, uh, Proverbs 31 way of bringing in income, teaching our children work and values, etc whether our finances get better or not. My dh is always talking about how great it would be if we had them involved doing something like a home based business. I can definitely see benefits to us as a family in doing something like this...of course we have to get REALLY creative because I am not a fitness instructor or much of a farmer (but I'm gonna keep trying), can't sew, etc. BUT I can CLEAN and I LOVE kids and I LOVE my home and family, so I know God can use that in His way.

It's been a good day and I thank you for your encouragement...the Scripture in my calendar for today is Romans 8:28...this is for my good, for our good as a family!

Oh I would still love to hear anyone's tips if they feel like sharing!!