Home Educating as a Single Parent: How to Make it Work

Home education is an option for everyone, whether you’re a single parent or not. But with that being said, it’s easy to see why single parents worry about how they can home educate their children, especially if they work full-time jobs.

Anything new to us can feel overwhelming. In fact, juggling work, finances, and parenting is challenging enough—adding home education into the mix may appear to complicate matters further. Where do you find the time? How is it possible? Will your children be happy?

Let’s pause for a moment. You’re obviously considering home educating your child, and why should being a single parent stop you? Think of everything you already do as a single parent. What’s one more responsibility? Especially one which could hugely benefit your child!

In this guide, we’ll explore everything from managing time and finances to overcoming common challenges, offering you valuable tips to make home educating as a single parent as successful as it can be!

Is it Possible to Home Educate as a Single Parent?

Absolutely! While it does involve planning and a lot of dedication, many single parents successfully home educate their children. Home education is what you make of it and unlike school, it’s not one size fits all. It can be adapted to your lifestyle.

Here’s why home education can work for single parents:

It’s completely flexible

Home education doesn’t have a schedule—it runs on your schedule. It’s not like school where everything has to be structured and regimented; learning can happen at any time. You have the flexibility to home educate whenever it suits you and your child, whether it’s early mornings, afternoons, evenings, or on the weekend.

If you work during the day, you can find time in the evenings or on the weekends to home educate. And it doesn’t have to be for hours on end or every single day. Home educating as a single parent is about having the freedom and flexibility, no matter what your day looks like.

You make it work for your child

As a single parent you want to give the best to your child. Well, the best thing about home education is that it’s completely customisable and personal to your child. No two home education journeys are the same and you’ll be able to tailor your child’s learning to their abilities and needs. You can focus on your child’s strengths while addressing their weaknesses in ways that traditional schools may not.

You’ll find support in a home education community

There will always be help when you need it, and with a home education community you’re all in—or have been—in the same boat. Whether you’re a single parent or not, a home education community is where you’ll find support, no matter what you’re struggling with.

There is a natural tendency to help others and as parents we can all relate to each other. Experiences are what make us stronger and able to advise others. It’s encouraging to know that there are other home educating single parents out there who make it work and can help you too.

Anyone can home educate

When we say anyone can home educate, we mean it. You don’t have to be smart. You don’t have to have qualifications. And you don’t need to know a single thing about home education to begin with!

The essence of home education is learning as you go. You learn with your children, and it happens all the time. With so many valuable guides and resources out there, you’ll never be short of ideas and you’ll easily find what you are looking for or how to do something.

It doesn’t have to look like a 6 hour day

Unlike school, home education doesn’t have to look anything like a 6 hour day. It looks exactly how you want it to! Whether that be an hour a day, or just home educating on the weekends!

It also doesn’t have to involve the kind of learning where your child has to sit at a desk and do worksheets or follow a curriculum. Instead they have the freedom to follow a learning style which works for them—and for some children that might be entirely practical learning.

Can You Still Home Educate While Working Full-time?

You may have doubts about home educating as a single parent if you work full-time, but know that many other single parents do it and that it’s perfectly possible. Yes, it’s hard work but it’s also extremely fulfilling.

So, what do you need to make it work? We can sum it up into three main things: creativity, flexibility and support. When balancing a full-time job with homeschooling, here are some tips that may help you:

Use home education groups or clubs when you’re working

Rest assured that your children can still benefit from learning even when you’re at work. The home education community is wide and resourceful, and there’s always something for everyone. If you look hard enough, you’ll find flexible home education groups, clubs and extracurricular activities that your children can go to during your working hours.

Create a home education schedule around your work

Time is everything when you’re working full-time as a single parent, and adding home education into the mix is an extra priority that you’ll have to manage. That’s where a good schedule comes in handy.

Even if you’re not the most organised of people, having a simple schedule (it doesn’t need to be detailed or complicated) will help you know exactly how much time you have and how to manage it. And when you know how much time you have, you’ll be able to work out when you’re going to home educate.

Make use of online learning

If you work full-time but want to provide your children with a wealth of information and resources when it comes to home educating, the internet is your best friend.

You may have a job where you can take your child with you, and if that’s the case they can still learn using online resources while you work. Or you may work from home but want your child to learn independently while you complete what you need to do.

Regardless of your circumstances, the beauty of online learning is that it can be done at any time, anywhere. That might be early in the morning or even late at night.

Home educate in your spare time

Sometimes the only time you may have to home educate is in your spare time, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s not always about how much time you have, it’s what you do with it. You’ll be amazed what can be achieved in even ten minutes and how much your children learn in moments which don’t feel as significant at the time.

Remember, you don’t have to use all of your spare time to home educate. It’s important that you look after and prioritise yourself too.

Involve your friends and family

Working full-time as a single parent is no easy task, and it’s normal to feel guilty about having to leave your child in order to earn an income. But that doesn’t mean your child can’t benefit from being home educated by someone you trust while you’re at work.

Having friends and family who are willing to help with home educating duties can really make a difference and relieve you of the stress and pressure that comes with trying to do too much all on your own. Don’t be afraid to involve other people and pass the baton to someone else when you need the help.

Find more flexible work

Sometimes small adjustments to our work and lifestyle can make all the difference in being able to dedicate more time to home educating. If your job is becoming too much, keep your eye out for work that offers more flexibility. You could consider working longer hours but having more days off, or you could find an evening job that would allow you to home educate during the day. There are always options. The trick is finding one that works for you.

You might be interested in: How to Successfully Home Educate When Working Full-Time

How to Fund Home Education as a Single Parent

The biggest concern isn’t always about home education itself—it’s funding it. And usually the issue is having the income. As a single parent, this pressure lies on you. Sure you might receive child support but some single parents do not—and even if they do, it’s not enough to cover being a full-time parent and home educator.

Luckily, there are jobs out there that single parents can do, which still allow them to home educate. Here are some ideas:

Freelance writer, ghostwriter or blogger
Virtual assistant
Party planner
Creating and selling products
Bookkeeping
Customer service
Tutoring
Giving music lessons
Dog walking
Childcare
Cleaning

If you’re looking to make more money to fund homeschooling as a single parent, check out these 16 ways you can increase your income!

Now let’s look at some ideas on how to afford to home educate as a single parent:

Use free or cheap resources

You don’t have to spend a lot to get learning resources that are both high quality and valuable. There are tons of free and cheap curriculums and resources online to suit any age and nearly any topic you can think of.

You could also consider buying second-hand or looking online at facebook groups which sell second-hand learning materials. A lot of places and attractions also offer discounts for home educated children which is a bonus for those who love getting out but don’t want to break the bank!

Cut down on costs

Let’s face it, life can be expensive—and when you’re a single parent, you definitely know it. But where there is a will, there is a way, and cutting down on costs is a good place to start.

It’s a good idea to think about what you really need and what is unnecessary. Do you need that TV subscription? Can the car insurance be brought down? How many unessential payments do you have coming out every month? Make a list of everything that is essential and then see what is not essential. You could also try creating a budget, cutting down on your food shop or using coupons and discounts whenever you can!

Once you start cutting down on costs, you’ll find that you have more money to fund home educating and be able to spend it on things that matter!

Start a side hustle

We know that time is important and that you might not have a lot of it, but if you’re able to spare a bit of time during the week, starting a side hustle could really benefit you and add to your income.

Whether it’s making and selling things on Etsy or offering a service, having a bit of extra money will make the world of difference, especially as a single parent who wants to afford home education.

Sell stuff

An easy way to fund home education as a single parent is to sell stuff that you no longer need! It’s easy to accumulate things over time and often you don’t actually need or use most of it! Car boot sales are ideal if you want to get rid of stuff all in one go. Or you could sell online as and when using good old Ebay, Facebook marketplace or Vinted.

Home Educating Tips for Single Parents

Create a realistic routine

When creating a routine to home educate as a single parent, you want it to be realistic. Really think about what you can and can’t do, what’s easily achievable and what’s not. If you try to do too much, you’ll only put more pressure on yourself. It’s better to set tasks and goals that are manageable and doable—that way you won’t overwhelm yourself and you’ll feel even better when you’re able to get things done.

Make a list of priorities every day

The best thing you can do as a single parent who wants to home educate is work out your priorities for the day and make a list of them. What needs to be done? And what can wait? Do you have certain activities that you want to do with your children? Where can you fit them in?

Once you work out your priorities and order them accordingly, you’ll be able to start working through them and ticking them off your list!

Have your ‘me time’

Time might not be on your side as a single home educating parent but it’s important to have your ‘me time.’ You need to have downtime, even if it’s only for ten minutes. If you’re rested and refreshed, you’ll be in a better mindset to tackle the next day of responsibilities and home educating duties. Squeeze it in when you can or ask a friend or family to help you out so that you can enjoy some time to yourself.

Check out: How to Practise Self-Care While Home Educating

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

As mentioned before, there’s no shame in asking your friends or family for help. Even a super-parent needs help from time to time. So, if you need it, ask for it. There are groups and charities out there that will support you too, and it’s what they’re there for.

It will all be worth it

The most important thing to remember is that it will all be worth it. Every ounce of energy and every minute of time will help shape your children’s home education journey and lay the path to a future they can look forward to.

Enjoy the good and hard times as time soon flies. You’ll be proud of everything you’ve achieved through persistence and determination.

Benefits of Home Educating as a Single Parent

The benefits of home educating as a single parent far outweigh the challenges you may face. Here are a few benefits that you can look forward to:

Stronger bonds with your children

The time you spend with your children is everything and because you’re also helping them to learn and grow, you strengthen the bond between you. You’ll have a better understanding of their needs. In fact, you’ll both understand each other more and appreciate your time together.

More personal experiences

As a single parent you spend a lot of time with your children, and with this time comes beautiful, personal experiences that you can share together. Even simply watching a movie on a lazy afternoon is a memory that you will appreciate.

Learning life skills together

It’s not just your child that will learn through home education; you’ll learn with them. The world is full of opportunities and valuable lessons and together you will navigate them.

Check out: The Ultimate List of Life Skills to Teach Children

Overcoming Challenges as a Single-Parent Home Educator

There will undoubtedly be challenges to face as a single parent when home educating, but see them as another lesson to learn. The most likely challenges include:

Time management

Time will either be your best friend or your worst enemy. It can be hard to manage, but with the right mindset you’ll be able to work out how to make the most of your time.

Time management tips for home education:

Divide your day into time blocks
Create a manageable routine
Be flexible when you need to be
Create a to-do list every day

Isolation

As a single parent you may face periods of isolation or a lack of social interaction. This is normal, but there are also ways to tackle it.

Tips for tackling isolation when home educating:

Join local home education groups
Meet up with other home educating families
Seek advice both online and in person
Get out and about when you can

Burnout

Home education can be tiring, especially when you’re doing it alone. So it’s important to be kind to yourself and take breaks. When you start to feel overwhelmed, focus on the small wins and remember that there’s no perfect way to home educate.

Burnout tips for home education:

Look at the bigger picture (home education isn’t perfect)
Have ‘me time’
Take a break from home educating and do something fun
Try doing a stress-relieving activity

You can make home educating work

Being a single parent isn’t by any means a disadvantage. Despite the challenges, you can still make home educating work. Have patience, be persistent, and remember that everything will work out the way it’s meant to.

Home education isn’t just any journey—it’s your journey, which means you can adjust and adapt as you go. Keep the focus on what’s best for you and your child and know that if you want to make something work, you will!

Are you a single parent thinking about or already home educating? Share your challenges, tips, and experiences in the comments below!