Homeschooling and The Single Parent

One of the most daunting challenges is faced by those who wish to homeschool a child, but have no partner. For most in that situation, the need to earn enough income to support both parent and child is paramount. That can leave little time to devote to education. Private school is often economically out of reach for single parents, even when a good one can be found.

But thousands of determined single parents of either sex find a way every year to homeschool a child. The results are invariably worth it. Homeschooled children generally surpass their peers on standardized tests and rank high on college admissions lists.

The first issue is time management. Organized parents find they have more time for homeschooling than they expect. That's especially true when you calculate the actual instruction hours provided in public schools. In a six hour public school day, there are lunch breaks, breaks between classes and a great deal of sitting doing nothing useful. Making every hour count can easily compensate.

That time difference can be made even smaller, or even tip in your favor, if you count weekends, holidays and summer. Though children need free time to relax and pursue their own interests, when learning is enjoyable life and learning merge. Adding up holidays, weekends and summer as well as time in the evening it's possible to come out with even more time for education in a homeschooling situation.

Many homeschooling approaches are fairly unstructured or child-driven. That means that it isn't always the case that a parent is continually monitoring the child's activities as is the case in public school.

Children may be left entirely free to pursue any subject that interests them, at their own pace, as in the unschooling approach. Or, they may be provided with resources and guidance and perform a great deal of independent study. Results can be checked later in the day or on weekends and adjustments made, if needed.

Tutoring in various forms is another option for many single parents who want to homeschool. Tutors range from in-home teachers to a totally automated, online resource. Costs vary enormously, but many tutors cost much less than day care. In some instances, day care can be combined with tutoring services, too.

Many single parents choose to start a home-based business. When you add up the cost of day care, extra gasoline for the car and the time required to commute, a home-based business will often look more economically feasible. That doesn't even include the possible tax savings from extra write-offs. Avoid businesses that require a large up-front investment, to give yourself the maximum time and freedom.

The Internet has made this option more feasible than ever before. Many affiliate marketers, for example, make upwards of $50,000 or more per year. They build websites or write newsletters, requiring little technical skill, and advertise products and services offered by others.

With a fair amount of research and a little creative thinking, single parents can find the time and resources to homeschool their child. Both parent and child can benefit greatly if they do. The first step just requires the courage to dare. But that's an attribute that single parents already have in spades.