Re: burnout, working and hsing, careers
[email protected]
Hello, everyone!
I was wondering, does anyone have any problems with getting burned out? We
have been unschooling, but my hubby and I were always planning on me going
back to work when the kids get into Kg-- now, we are worried about how to
handle it financially, which is kind of burning me out a bit, and also what
about my plans for a career? I planned to have a part time career when my
kids were both in school-- what now? Can you homeschool and work? Can you
unschool at home and still work in a schooled world? I find its so hard to
stop thinking and moving in the unschooling way when I need to go to work.
Any suggestions or comments on this subject would be great.
Rachael
I was wondering, does anyone have any problems with getting burned out? We
have been unschooling, but my hubby and I were always planning on me going
back to work when the kids get into Kg-- now, we are worried about how to
handle it financially, which is kind of burning me out a bit, and also what
about my plans for a career? I planned to have a part time career when my
kids were both in school-- what now? Can you homeschool and work? Can you
unschool at home and still work in a schooled world? I find its so hard to
stop thinking and moving in the unschooling way when I need to go to work.
Any suggestions or comments on this subject would be great.
Rachael
ann leadbetter
Dear Rachael,
I haven't responded to the list yet because I was waiting until I had
something pressing or useful to say. The area of working and unschooling
is something I've had experience in.
I started unschooling when my older daugther was 7 and my younger 5. I
teach parttime at a small local college which only required I
actually be on campus 12 hours a week. What I did was to find/create
activities/classes my kids were interested in primarily through our
homeschooling group which puts out a calander of activities every month.
Sometimes I had to create the opportunity myself, for instance by
contacting a dance studio and asking it they could teach a class at such
and such a time (when I had to be at work). Then I'd call around to other
hs'ers and try to find interested dancers. Then I'd ask another mom
whose children had signed up if I could drop off my daughters at their
house so she could take them and her daughter to class at the same time.
Usually it wasn't asking too much if I could drop them off an hour ahead
of time (the girls could play with their child) and I could return the
favor by picking them all up after the class and maybe bringing their
child to my house to play.
There are always places that are unused during the school day
that wouldn't mind opening their facility for hs'ers: gymnastics studios,
places that teach children's art classes, tennis facilties, pottery
places that teach classes.
Of course this didn't work all the time. Sometimes I just had to do the
trade thing: I'll have your child to play this day, if my girls can come
play at your house this day. And fortuneately I had several moms from my
hs group that this worked with (meaning that our kids got along well
enough that seeing each other a few times a week wasn't too much).
When all else failed I had to bring them to the college and let them color
or play on the computer or play with legos while I taught my classes. They
really didn't like this scenario and it was a bit dubious from the
college's pt. of view. Sometimes I could take them to their dad's office
who teaches at the same college. sometimes he had a hour free to take them
to lunch or to the college gym.
REmember too that they grow up fast. Now mine are 10 and 12 and I can
leave them to do their own projects for a few hours at time. Although
these young years seem interminable while you're in them, in reality they
fly by. Mostly you need to find a job with flexible hours and you need to
look for multiple solutions to childcare. It really helps to have a hs
support group and a husband able to take up some slack.
There's much more I could impart, so if you have other questions feel free
to ask.
Ann
You could email me individually at aleadbet@...
I haven't responded to the list yet because I was waiting until I had
something pressing or useful to say. The area of working and unschooling
is something I've had experience in.
I started unschooling when my older daugther was 7 and my younger 5. I
teach parttime at a small local college which only required I
actually be on campus 12 hours a week. What I did was to find/create
activities/classes my kids were interested in primarily through our
homeschooling group which puts out a calander of activities every month.
Sometimes I had to create the opportunity myself, for instance by
contacting a dance studio and asking it they could teach a class at such
and such a time (when I had to be at work). Then I'd call around to other
hs'ers and try to find interested dancers. Then I'd ask another mom
whose children had signed up if I could drop off my daughters at their
house so she could take them and her daughter to class at the same time.
Usually it wasn't asking too much if I could drop them off an hour ahead
of time (the girls could play with their child) and I could return the
favor by picking them all up after the class and maybe bringing their
child to my house to play.
There are always places that are unused during the school day
that wouldn't mind opening their facility for hs'ers: gymnastics studios,
places that teach children's art classes, tennis facilties, pottery
places that teach classes.
Of course this didn't work all the time. Sometimes I just had to do the
trade thing: I'll have your child to play this day, if my girls can come
play at your house this day. And fortuneately I had several moms from my
hs group that this worked with (meaning that our kids got along well
enough that seeing each other a few times a week wasn't too much).
When all else failed I had to bring them to the college and let them color
or play on the computer or play with legos while I taught my classes. They
really didn't like this scenario and it was a bit dubious from the
college's pt. of view. Sometimes I could take them to their dad's office
who teaches at the same college. sometimes he had a hour free to take them
to lunch or to the college gym.
REmember too that they grow up fast. Now mine are 10 and 12 and I can
leave them to do their own projects for a few hours at time. Although
these young years seem interminable while you're in them, in reality they
fly by. Mostly you need to find a job with flexible hours and you need to
look for multiple solutions to childcare. It really helps to have a hs
support group and a husband able to take up some slack.
There's much more I could impart, so if you have other questions feel free
to ask.
Ann
You could email me individually at aleadbet@...
Mary E Gates
>>we are worried about how to handle it financially, >>Of course I can't speak to your situation, but I thought I "had" to work
for financial reasons. To make a long story short, we've been living on
one very irregular income for 6 years now. It is stressful at times
(understatement), yet amazing how we always somehow manage. It is very
worth the trade-off for our family, for now.
>>I planned to have a part time career when my kids were both in school--Technically, you could have someone provide childcare while you are
>>what now? Can you homeschool and work?>>
working and you provide "school" when you are home. I have a friend
whose daughter is being "homeschooled" by someone else, but our state
doesn't require children to go to school until they are 8. So as far as
any authorities are concerned, the dd is being babysat. There was stuff
on this list a while ago about hs other people's children.
I'll bet there are ways that you could work this situation out. Good
luck!
Mary Ellen
Be absolutely determined to enjoy what you do.
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dawn
> >>what now? Can you homeschool and work?>>I know several people who hs and work. many, like me, work around our
> Technically, you could have someone provide childcare while you are
partner's schedule. My dh flexes his week to get off @ 3:15 two days a
week and I teach on those days from 4-9 pm, do office hours another
evening after dinner, and then work at home and in my office on weekends a
lot, for a total of 30+ hours a week. I know several people who are
nurses and hs, and one midwife who does it. It just requires thinking
outside of the lines to work it all out.
Good Luck!
dawn h-s
Jane E.
>I am a hospital RN and for the last year and a half have been working
> In a message dated 9/18/99 6:59:55 PM EST, dawn@... writes:
>
> << what now? Can you homeschool and work?>> >>
full-time nights, four 9-hour shifts a week. It has worked well with hsing
when that is all I work--however, due to our being chronically short
staffed, I end up working a lot more than that. I have tried hard to only
work weekends, but have finally given up and gone to part-time, which will
start in November. I have taken another part-time job which I can do at
home.
We spent years with only one income, and I have a lot of experience in
stretching our dollars. My second income has been wonderful, but it has
been a tradeoff in terms of family life. It was a big decision to go back
to part-time work, and I was afraid dh would be opposed, but he was very
supportive (probably feeling the lack of good meals). I could not have
worked and homeschooled young children, but my kids are high school age,
now, and working very independently--however they need their mother more
than they have had me for the last 18 months.
Jane
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/18/99 6:59:55 PM EST, dawn@... writes:
<< what now? Can you homeschool and work?>> >>
I worked while homeschooling for the past two years. I was a bartender, going
to work from 8-10:00 pm and getting off work around 3:00 am. It worked very
well for us. Now, due to a change in my husbands career, I don't have to work
at all, and it is even better!! There are ways to work around the "typical"
setup, however, and I trust you will find a way that will work for you.
Blessings, Lori in TX
<< what now? Can you homeschool and work?>> >>
I worked while homeschooling for the past two years. I was a bartender, going
to work from 8-10:00 pm and getting off work around 3:00 am. It worked very
well for us. Now, due to a change in my husbands career, I don't have to work
at all, and it is even better!! There are ways to work around the "typical"
setup, however, and I trust you will find a way that will work for you.
Blessings, Lori in TX