How to Balance Homeschooling and Housework

As a homeschooling parent, you and your kids spend the majority of time in your home, while other families work and are educated outside of the home. So, it is understandable if your house is messier. However, having a clean house instills a sense of calm and prevents dangerous bacteria from spreading. Find ways to integrate homeschool learning with housework to help you balance the two duties, but try to accept that one tradeoff of a spotless house is the ability to educate your children to your own standards.

Things You'll Need

  • Poster board or white erase board
  • Markers
  • Stickers (optional)
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Instructions

  1. General Housework

    • 1

      List all of your housework in groups of how frequently the tasks need to be attended to, such as daily or bi-weekly. Distinguish which household duties, such as cooking and laundry, occur on a daily basis and learn how to stretch these chores to every other day, i.e., cooking a large meal that can serve your family for two days in a row, and doing a certain color of laundry on a single day of each week.

    • 2

      Inform every child that is of homeschooling age -- toddlers are too young for this -- that he is responsible for cleaning his own room, study area and play space. Instruct him that he should make his bed each morning, pick up his toys, organize his homeschool study space and clean up after himself after bath time. Accept that the child's room and space may not be as clean as you would want it to be, but appreciate the child's effort and try to let it go without recleaning if possible to save you time and not to undermine his work.

    • 3

      Complete housework that requires undivided attention, such as writing checks for bills or organizing closets, while your children are in individual study time or after they go to bed.

    Assigning Chores

    • 4

      Involve your children in specific housework, such as washing dishes or sweeping floors. Consider the child's age and skill level when assigning chores, i.e., collecting dirty laundry is more appropriate for younger children while older, taller children should be able to operate the washing machine. This will help you in tending to housework, as well as provide your children with life skills and build self-confidence.

    • 5

      Design a chore chart for children to assign weekly household duties. Include each child in the assignment of chores to give her a chance to choose which chores she wants to try. Change the chore list for each child monthly so everyone has a chance to practice a new skill.

    • 6

      Incorporate time to complete housework into homeschool subjects. Use food preparation time for a lesson in math by using measuring tools, or try a science experiment when baking. Introduce problem-solving techniques when completing household tasks, such as repairing leaky faucets or removing stubborn stains from clothing.

    • 7

      Give each completed task a reward sticker or a star on the poster board. Reward those children who complete their chores with an allowance or let them participate in an entertaining activity.

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