Homeschooling may be one of the hardest things you ever do. While you on paper look like a stay at home mom there is so much more. There is an email I read one time that had all of a home school mom’s responsibilities broken out by what career they would represent and the going salary for those jobs…Shall I say more. But the reality is you have double (maybe triple) the workload now that you are adding home schooling to the load. Many home school mom’s struggle to keep this manageable. Here are a few tips:

1. While you schedule may seem to full to add a home school group meeting the comraderie with other mom’s going through the same thing is vital.

2. Time for you. We also forget about little luxuries for ourselves and our entire purpose revolves around our children. What happens when the children leave or if you have to put them back in school? Time for you is also crucial to rejuvinate to be the mom and wife you need to be. Maybe it’s the daily bubble bath or exercise regimen. Maybe that’s why you take off the summer or maybe you need mom’s night outs or girl’s weekends sporadically. And don’t forget time with spouse away from the kids to kindle that relationship otherwise sometimes dad’s feel left out.

3. Do your thing! Children learn from their parents and when their children see them enjoying learning something new, reading, exercising, etc. they learn from your passions and accomplishments. They will want to learn too. Maybe not the same things but see the lifelong reason to enjoy learning.

4. Accept your limitations. Everyone can’t know everything but that doesn’t mean you can’t teach your child. As I said before there are all sorts of alternatives to teaching a course on your own, you can utilize group classes, dvd or computer courses, or just hire a tutor. Limitations in one (or even a few) areas won’t keep your home schooling from succeeding if your heart is at the right place and you utilize all that is at your disposal.

5. Share the CHORES!! You are not SUPER MOM! Maybe you are but why do it all and keep your children from learning vital skills necessary in life. Maybe you have a detailed work schedule of all that needs to be done each day, week, month, etc. and a chart as to who does what when. Or maybe you just utilize the 10 min. emergency (Dad just called and is on his way home..) Everyone picks a room and blitzes it quickly, share the load and divide and conquer.