How to Homeschool and Work Full Time: 5 Tips
Learning how to homeschool and work full time is absolutely possible — especially for parents working from home with a flexible mindset and solid routine.
Author
Kristy Howard
Published:
April 2025
Key takeaways
- • Figuring out how to homeschool and work full time can feel challenging, depending on your job. (Working from home makes it more manageable.)
- • Many families successfully balance homeschooling and working full time, especially moms who work remotely or freelance.
- • With the right planning, working from home and homeschooling can be a rewarding and doable lifestyle.
Juggling Work and Homeschool? You’re Not Alone
When I first started working while homeschooling, I wasn’t sure it was going to be sustainable long term. I had deadlines to meet, virtual and in-person meetings to attend — and kids who still needed one-on-one instruction.
Like many moms, I wondered, Can you homeschool and work full time? The short answer: yes. The longer answer: yes, but it takes some planning, flexibility, and letting go of the idea that every day needs to be perfectly balanced.
These days, more families are taking advantage of remote work to build a homeschooling lifestyle. In fact, I’d say it’s far more common for women to be working from home and homeschooling than to work full-time outside the home and homeschool.
That said, if you do work outside the home, it’s still doable — it just requires a different kind of schedule and support system.
5 tips for working full time while homeschooling
1. Create a Flexible Homeschool Schedule
One of the biggest mindset shifts I had to make was realizing that homeschooling doesn’t have to mimic a traditional school day. Especially when you’re working from home and homeschooling, it helps to build your day around natural rhythms.
Maybe you do read-alouds over breakfast, independent learning during your work block, and science projects in the evening. Set up your homeschool schedule to align with your work hours. Some families thrive with a four-day week or homeschooling in the evenings.
Table of contents
2. Use Online Tools and Independent Learning
Online programs are essential when you’re juggling both roles! I rely heavily on digital tools to give my kids meaningful learning while I work. Programs like this homeschool math program offer interactive, adaptive homeschool math practice that doesn’t require my constant supervision.
I also encourage independent projects, audiobooks, or typing practice — all great for kids (and quiet time for me).
3. Rely on a Weekly Planning Session
During the weekend, I take 30 minutes to plan the week ahead. I match up my work projects and deadlines with what’s going on in our homeschool. If I have a big work deadline midweek, that’s a great day for more independent tasks or educational screen time.
I’ve also learned to batch prep things like meals and worksheets in advance. And when I skip this step? We feel it. A little planning keeps both my work and our learning running smoother.
4. Communicate with Your Employer and Support System
One big benefit of working from home and homeschooling is the flexibility — but it only works if everyone’s on the same page.
Be clear with your employer about your availability and needs. Many remote employers are supportive as long as you’re meeting expectations. If you work freelance or own a small business, you may have more control over your hours, but it’s still important to set boundaries.
And don’t forget your support system. Whether it’s a spouse, grandparent, babysitter, or co-op, having backup makes a huge difference — especially if you occasionally need focused, uninterrupted time for your job.
5. Let Go of Perfection and Embrace Realistic Expectations
This might be the most important tip of all. Homeschooling and working — especially under one roof — is messy, beautiful, and ever-changing. There are days when it clicks and days when we pivot the whole plan.
What’s helped me most is letting go of comparison and embracing what works for us. Your homeschool doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Some days, it’s all audiobooks and math games. Some days, it’s project-based learning while I work quietly nearby. And some days, it’s survival mode. That’s okay.
The end goal isn’t perfection — it’s progress.
Summary: You Can Homeschool and Work Full Time
So, can you homeschool and work full time? Absolutely.
For many of us, working from home and homeschooling has become a way of life — not always easy, but incredibly worth it. The key is staying flexible, planning ahead, and remembering why you chose this path in the first place.
Looking for more support? Also read “How to Start Homeschooling.”
FAQs
Yes! Many parents successfully homeschool while working full-time, part-time, or remotely — it just takes creativity and planning.
Technically yes, but it’s extremely demanding. Time management and clear priorities are essential. In a homeschool context, pacing and flexibility are major benefits.
Definitely. Working part-time can offer a nice balance between income and time for direct instruction and enrichment.
It varies widely. Some families live on a single income, while others have two working parents. Speaking from my personal life, a lot of the homeschooling moms I know have side hustles or creative outlets that also bring in money. If you’re an ambitious mom who wants to work and homeschool, you’re definitely not alone!
