Home Ed Parents- what do you do for work?

[SparklyNavyHare]

Hi Everyone,

I am considering home education for my little one but I currently work 5 days a week in a pressurised job that if I do choose to home educate I would have to leave.

What careers do home ed parents have that fits around their child?
I’m not interested in MLM/join my team/ buy my course social media stuff- I don’t like taking photos of myself never mind posting videos.

Im happy to learn new skills, employed or self employed but want something realistic and where I can make a reasonable living- thank you

@SparklyNavyHare I think what people are trying to say is that home education needs a proper plan both financially and academically for your child and that even with a plan, if often involves serious compromise that you need to be aware of and have taken into account.

Ignoring all the ill informed arguing, the home ed parents I know:
Both work part time from home around each other
One works supermarket shifts evenings/weekends
One works in the week, one works at weekends
One works full time, one part time (NHS) and they use childminders or grandparents to full the gaps
Parent is self employed as a cleaner/childminder/hairdresser and can take child with them
One parent works 3 days a week and they use a learning hub/forest school setting

Home Ed - done properly - IS your work.
Not room for much else imo.

Unfortunately that's not the reality for most families these days - you need two incomes.

Not a home educator but for the time in my life when I had 2 small children and needed a change due to OH work travel and kids additional needs I worked as a content writer for an educational resources provider. All remote, had a few meetings online but you could pick and choose (attend 3 out of 5 a week) and the rest of my hours I could do when I wanted. Was great for the time but pay/holiday/ pension wasn't great and I went back in to another post out of the home when family life was easier. But just so you are aware those kind of jobs are around

I teach/tutor online both for an online school and privately. I also worked as associate lecturer for the OU for many years. My husband works full time.

It's absolutely not true that you have to home educate 'full time'. My older child was a very independent learner by about 10; my younger one is reaching that stage at 12. I've used online schools, local classes etc. as well as directly supporting learning myself.

Just an update- Been offered the Unicorn!

So I was discussing with someone in my wider professional network the narrative on this thread, some of my thoughts about school etc and feedback I received on here and this led to a conversation on if I would be interested in a part time contract in their organisation- whilst it would be a slight drop in salary, for 16 hours a week that I can work flexibly and remotely with an office day in head office every few months-
even without home schooling being the reason to opt for this, its a viable option to consider just to have more balance and be more present at home!

So if you have skills and experience that are in demand- there may be another way that giving up your whole career to work in an industry that you don’t want to or facing a full career change- its worth talking to people and seeing where it leads!

Thank you everyone for the food for thought and great discussion :-)

Really good news, @SparklyNavyHaregood luck!

Brava, Sparkly!

I'm a veterinary surgeon and home ed'd my daughters from age 7 and 8 until they went to a school 6th form. DH worked full time during the week but had weekends off. When they were young I only worked weekends and night shifts on-call. When they were older teenagers and I could leave them at home I did a couple of short weekday shifts too.

We went freelance/self employed and work across a portfolio of careers. Between us: metalsmith, gardener, online tutor, writer and musician.

A few ideas:

AmazonFlex driver - very flexible if you drive

Tutor

Dog walker/boarder

My friend qualified as an NCT antenatal teacher, which is evening and weekend work. Other providers are available and could work well with a nursing background. You can add on various specialties as DC gets older, pregnancy yoga etc. Option to offer private classes.

🤣

@SparklyNavyHare sorty for the weird angle this thread took! I home educate and run my own business- I do get a couple of hours in the day on my three days from
dh so I can do the bits that need me present in working hours- the rest I do over eve and weekend.

soubds like you’re sorted but my other suggestion is working for a firm on a different timezone - India or USA so you can start your day more in line with theirs either an early or later start . I know several people who do this.