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It’s very exciting when a working mom completes successfully her first year of homeschooling her child. It all comes down to scheduling, and having a routine to follow with consistency. Meet Zaira, she’s a business owner, and has successfully completed her first year of homeschooling.
Hi Zaira, tell us a little bit about yourself, what do you do for a living?
My name is Zaira Lopez, I have been married for 15 years and have a 12 year old son. I am the President/Office Manager of a Painting & Drywall Company and I am currently in the process of opening a new business.
Could you please share your work schedule with us?
Being that my office is at home, I am very flexible, but I try to dedicate at least 4 to 6 hours a day to the company in the morning, while my son does his school work. I’m available for him when he comes to me and asks for help when he needs it. I utilize the afternoons for additional work and errands. I leave the evenings and weekends for family time.
How long have you homeschooled for and what are your children’s ages?
This past 2017-2018 school year was my first year homeschooling my son, who just turned 12 last month.
When do you homeschool and how long it takes you on average per day?
In the beginning it was a strict time, from 9 to 4, but a few months into it, I learned that homeschooling isn’t only about hitting the books and sticking to a set schedule, its also about having fun and making learning fun. By being more flexible, we both have enjoyed homeschooling more.
That’s very good that you realized that early in the journey. Do you do all the teaching or do you have someone assisting you?
I do all the teaching myself, my husband does the field work of the business, so he doesn’t have time.
In what ways has working benefitted your homeschool life and/or vice versa?
Because I own my own company, is why we decided to give homeschooling a chance when my son was about to begin middle school. Sometimes it’s easy because I can work and teach at the same time, but sometimes I do have to separate the two. It helps that my son is quite independent with his learning as well.
Do you have time for extracurricular activities? (e.g. field trips, co-ops, etc.)
We have gone on field trips with other homeschoolers, which he has enjoyed very much and we have also gone on our own.
Do you utilize a “boxed curriculum” or do you gather sources together to form your own curriculum?
I actually did both for his first year of homeschooling. In the beginning we started with a Christian boxed curriculum (Timberdoodle), which I really like, and as months passed by I added other sources of learning, like Youtube, Netflix, library DVD’s, and of course plenty of books from the Library.
Which Homeschooling approach do you follow? (Classical, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, Unschooling, etc..)
Wow, I don’t know exactly…like I said, I am so new at this…but I can say we have done alot of Unschooling, my son has come to me plenty of times and told me..Mom, my school taught me this all wrong, now I understand it.
And that’s part of the journey, to separate our minds from what we know from institutionalized schooling, and modify our learning to the homeschooling methods of good learning.
What is the main challenge you face of working with a homeschooling lifestyle?
The one that has been a challenge is trying to prioritize wisely. Also, since we are about to start 7th grade, I am only scared that I will miss something that he needs to learn. The good thing is that there are many Homeschool Facebook communities and local homeschooling groups, that can help me with my questions.
Excellent! Community and support is essential.
What is the best time management tip you would share with a working mom who is just beginning homeschooling?
Wow, there are so many, but the two top ones would be to prioritize wisely and find balance. For me, I’ve had to learn to do a lot of prioritizing since I have to deal with my painting company, my new business that’s in the works, homeschooling, church responsibilities, and my family (parents & siblings).
Zaira, thank you so much for your time.
No, thank you for allowing me to share a little of my “new” homeschooling life.
I pray that you find Zaira’s experience 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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