Question: I have come to realize that homeschooling is very time consuming. How to I get anything else done like housework, volunteering, and socializing when homeschooling my kids. Answer: It is true that homeschooling can be very time consuming and that you can find yourself bogged down and even paralized due to having too much on your plate. Around year 3 of my homeschooling journey, I had to cut out all outside activities that did not either bring money into the house or involve teaching my kids. It didn’t make people around me happy, but it saved my sanity and kept us on our homeschooling path. Actually, I am contemplating doing that again because my life is getting a little crowded.
By eliminating outside activities that have nothing to do with homeschooling and care and feeding of your family, you will find that you actually have plenty of time to homeschool. Personally, I cut off church obligations, family obligations, and even friendly obligations. Nothing was too sacred to spare my sanity. Some people weren’t happy, but life went on. To make it easier, all you have to do is tell people you are taking a year off and at the end of the year, you can pick back up whatever you can that fits back into your life.
Simplify your meals to make more time for homeschooling and/or rest. Get a crock pot or to and learn how to use them. Also, consider purchasing pre-cooked meals from the grocery store. When we are having a day outside of the house, I swing by the grocery store on the way home and grab dinner. For $12.00 I can purchase a pre-cooked roasted chicken, side dishes, bread, and drinks. After dinner, I throw what is left over of the chicken in a crockpot and make chicken soup for the next day. Using this method, I find that I also don’t have to cook every day. I can cook a meal one day, and transform the meal into something completely different using my slow-cooker.
Get the kids to pitch in. If the workload in your home is too much for you give some chores to your kids. Put in a load of laundry every morning, and have the kids help you sort and fold it every night. Have kids help with dishes, and clear and set the table. Household chores are family duties, you should not be trying to do everything by yourself.
Finally, remember as time passes, you children will become more independent and you will have more free time as they will practically teach themselves. Take the time now to instill good learning habits and you will have more time for other endeavors later.