{Yes, I Work and Homeschool!} Meet Cathy



Tell us about the work you do, Cathy. 

I work between 30-40 hours a week working as a Health Information Technology consultant.


Tell us about why you chose to homeschool. 

I homeschool my 8th grade son. I chose to homeschool to put him in a more positive learning environment.


What are some of the challenges you face balancing working while homeschooling? What are some of the delights?

Most responsibilities fall on me: cooking, cleaning, homeschool, etcetera. The blessing is that despite the craziness we can follow our own schedule!

{Yes, I Work and Homeschool!} Meet Kathleen from Australia

Tell us about the work you do, Kathleen. 
I’m a part-time volunteer for three organizations. I'm on the board for one and answer emails. (It's a parent support group.) For the other two, I'm a first point of contact for gifted/twice-exceptional (a.k.a “gifted/2e”) families for that organization in my area. I also run a website, edit a magazine, and write.

Tell us about why you chose to homeschool. 
We chose homeschooling as the only option for our 2e son. Our daughter is also 2e, and so we homeschool her too now. They are 10 and 6, respectively.

What are some of the challenges you face balancing working while homeschooling? What are some of the delights?
As for the challenges, the first is trying to fit all the work in in between other events. I often underestimate the amount of time it will take. Other challenges include making sure the kids have enough activities scheduled when I need to be working or thinking.
The delights? Having something I can sink my teeth into that is intellectually challenging while I educate my kids.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received about homeschooling? What are your favorite homeschool resources?
Take it one year--or sometimes one day--at a time. Don't get upset at what doesn't get done. Instead, focus on what worked that day. My favorite resources include GHF: Gifted Homeschoolers Forum and the Home Education Network.

What's your best advice or tip for someone who wants to work and homeschool?
Have realistic expectations about what you personally can do. Be prepared to have some activities that can be done with low levels of supervision. Build in buffers and down time or you may find yourself getting run down and sick.
Thanks, Kathleen

Readers, you can follow Kathleen at YellowReadis.com as well as  Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.





{Yes, I Work and Homeschool!} Meet Angie






Tell us about the work you do, Angie. 
I do both paid and volunteer work. For paid work, I do freelance writing for the educational market. Most recently I wrote a series of picture books in conjunction with educational researchers at a research university. I also write children's books, and I'm actively seeking publication and an agent. I have one board book published so far and another was just accepted for publication next spring. 
On the volunteer side, I have done quite a few things over the years: taught Sunday school classes, served on multiple committees, etcetera. Earlier this year I helped organize our local March for Science including all the website work and social media. 
Currently I am building a website for Kidlit Nation, a new national non-profit. Kidlit Nation’s goal is to address the lack of diversity in children’s literature by supporting diverse authors and illustrators. 

Tell us about why you chose to homeschool. 
My husband and I had several friends in college who were homeschooled. It appealed to us for many reasons: the ability to tailor instruction to the child, increased flexibility, not being tied down to a school schedule, and so forth. When our oldest was 3 we put her in part-time preschool. Even then it wasn't clear that she didn't fit well. That was when googling led to me to “giftedness,” and from there I began to see what would work best to teach her at home.
Today the kids are 7 and 4. The youngest will be doing part-time preschool this year, but she will be homeschooling the rest of the time with her sister.

What are some of the challenges you face balancing working while homeschooling? What are some of the delights?
Time and stress are the biggest challenges. There just does not seem to be enough time in the day to do everything. On the other hand, the flexibility is wonderful. When I'm up against a deadline, we can take a break from homeschooling. The reverse is also true. Work can take a backseat when homeschooling needs to be emphasized. Plus, since my husband also telecommutes part of the time, we have been able to take trips without worrying about school schedules and can work along the way.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received about homeschooling? What are your favorite homeschool resources (books, blogs, websites, curriculum, etc.)?
The best advice is to follow the child. That can mean abandoning curriculum you labored over choosing when you realize it won't work for your child. Or it can mean modifying curriculum, skipping whole grades, or making your 2nd grader do kindergarten handwriting work because they need it. My favorite book is Creative Homeschooling: A Guide for Smart Families by Lisa Rivera. 
What's your best advice or tip for someone who wants to work and homeschool?
Be realistic about what you can achieve and let the rest go. Don't be afraid to outsource somethings or ask for help: create childcare swaps, hire a tutor to cover your least favorite subject, pay for a cleaning service (I wish!). These are all valid options that let you put your time and energy where you feel they matter most.
Thanks, Angie! You can follow Angie on Twitter ( @aisaacswrites ).






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