There is much to juggle when a working, homeschooling mom has to go outside her home to work. It requires planning, strategy and partnership. Meet Rachel, she is a Performing Arts Studio Owner and Director, who attributes the homeschooling option of education to the added flexibility when planning her schedule.
Hi Rachel!Tell us about yourself, What do you do for a living?
As the visionary Leader and Owner of Devoted Performing Arts Center, in Chalmette, La my calling in life is to speak value, instill confidence and grace into the lives of the youth of my community, more specifically through the Performing Arts.
That’s excellent. Could you share your work schedule?
My schedule is different per season. It is great (and I suggest) having a rhythm and balance within your work schedule and personal schedule, but also don’t get caught in the this isn’t a “typical” schedule – work can be done at anytime that is needed as long as you find a true balance.
If you work outside your home, who cares for your children while you are away?
When working outside of my home my sister or a friend of mine have alternated turns watching our little ones…they are both Homeschool Mamas too and one of them works also. It has been great to establish this alternation!
What a neat partnership! How long have you homeschooled for and what are your children’s ages?
It is quite interesting that our Homeschooling journey began before I even became a Mama! Yes, I have been involved within our local Homeschool community for the last 10 years and our children are six years old (twins) along with one that just arrived last month.
Congratulations on the new addition to the family! Do you do all the teaching or do you have someone assisting you?
Thank you! The majority of our schooling is completed with me however my husband has definitely pitched in with his share. He is a great supporter of the education of our children and not to mention he is wiser and has more of a niche for certain “subjects” and I vice versa.
That’s a blessing! In what ways has working benefitted your homeschool life?
It is my true balance in life to be a Homeschooling Mama and a Working Mama! I am able to teach my child so many valuable life lessons through me being a strong and confident entrepreneur and community leader. Having that true balance also makes me appreciate the quality time spent with family!
Do you have time for extracurricular activities? (e.g. field trips, co-ops, etc.)
Absolutely, a portion of our “schooling” is extracurricular and field trips with being apart of co-ops!
Do co-ops benefit you in any way? If so, how?
As mentioned, a portion of our schooling is completed throughout co-op, I firmly believe it takes a load of weight off of you as the soul educator. Co-ops provide a “village” and we know “it takes a village”, to truly raise a child and with that our community of homeschoolers has definitely provided that aspect for us.
However you will often hear me state you have to find your true balance as you can overbook yourself and then the different weight of I have to do it all shows up.
Do you utilize a “boxed curriculum” or do you gather sources together to form your own curriculum? Which Homeschooling approach do you follow? (Classical, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, Unschooling, etc..)
We are a mash of a few different styles of Homeschooling, during the different seasons we will take different approaches and I personally love this as it has taught our children, as well as us to adapt to change well! It has provided us with what we need when we need it.
During the business’s “semi-busy“ season, it is nice to take the all in one curriculum approach as it is all there and we don’t have to think about planning it all out. When the business slows down some we are able to take the more Unschooling approach as I have more time to sit, explain, answer questions more accurately and research if we are not able to answer them 😉 Lastly, we have participated in the Classical approach as this season coming we will be apart of our Classical Conversations Community.
What is the main challenge you face of working with a homeschooling lifestyle?
Often times as mama’s we can beat ourselves up believing that we aren’t giving our best attention to our children. I find it is common when we tend to take on working or even leadership and ministry roles, but in reality God is using that time to grow their perspective. It is amazing the things my children have learned from me when “I wasn’t giving them ALL of my attention.” They have learned independence, patience, customer and community service, resiliency, healthy financial habits, and the list can go on for days!
What is your best time management tip you would share with a working mom who is just beginning homeschooling?
Time management just like most things in life is a direct source of your own self- discipline. You have to know your own boundaries and of course actually stick to them! I haven’t heard it better than from one of my mentors “If you can’t say YES! YES! Than say NO! NO!” – Misty Lown
Rachel, thank you so much for your time.
You are very welcome!
I pray that you find this interview insightful. As always, “We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us” (Phil. 4:13), but we can’t do them all at once.
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