COVID-19 has, of course, forced many to work remotely. At the same time, it has made parents consider homeschooling their children rather than sending them off to school where they would be at risk from the pandemic. Yet this has undoubtedly caused parents to wonder how they could possibly homeschool while working from home simultaneously. Amanda Butler, a homeschool mom who works full-time, is proof that both are possible.
Insights:
- Organization is key.
- Keep your children who easily get distracted in-sight and focused.
- Let go of your ideas of perfection.
Organization is key.
The first bit of advice that Amanda offers parents attempting homeschooling and working from home is to create a weekly agenda for each child. On these sheets, each day’s specific assignments are plotted out, like the exact page numbers to be read in a history textbook. This eliminates conversations between Amanda and her children about what they need to get done each day, as everything is on these weekly agendas. In a similar manner, Amanda places all the school supplies her children might use in a single place, so that they are not asking her where the markers, rulers, and notebook paper are. Both of these organization practices help free up Amanda’s time so that she is able to work full time from home.
Keep your children who easily get distracted in-sight and focused.
Amanda’s youngest son gets distracted all the time. To keep him on track, he sits right next to Amanda while she works. By multitasking in this way, Amanda is actually saving time in the long run because she doesn’t have to sit down with her son at the end of her workday to ensure he finishes his schoolwork.
Let go of your ideas of perfection.
Amanda’s final recommendation is to let go of ideas of perfection. For her, this has meant accepting that the house is going to be a disaster. With her busy schedule, she doesn’t have the time to keep the house immaculate nor can she keep the children from disheveling it. Not caring about the mess has freed up Amanda’s schedule. For example, at the end of the day, her son will cook up some meal, wrecking the kitchen in the process but giving Amanda some distraction-free time to get more work done.
How can I homeschool while working from home?
Try out Amanda’s suggestions! They’ll help you stay more organized and your children more focused on their assignments, all the while giving you more time to work from home.
For more encouragement and answers to your questions, visit our blog or our video series Ask a Homeschooling Parent.
