A Day in the Life of a Busy Mom who semi-homeschools.
A few years ago, when the pandemic hit, my daughter, who was in 2nd grade, shifted from going to school every day to online school through Google Classroom.
What an adjustment that was for all of us! First, as much as I love and engage in Google use every day, I hated this new system for learning. Every day I tried to help her submit assignments, I got angry and wanted to throw her laptop.
So when the next year rolled around, we were told we could expect more of the same, as well as the uncertainty of knowing if there would be in-person schooling. I knew for sure I wanted to avoid dealing with Google classrooms. A colleague of mine told me about a school that has been in the online public school industry for a while and stated that they had online schooling down to science, so I made the switch. That online program was called K12, which has subsequently changed to Stride.
My colleague was correct; not only was this school very organized regarding teaching and learning materials, but they also had teachers who held classes through Zoom and provided learning guides for the parents. The parent guide provides answers for the workbooks and explains how to assist the student. I have found that especially this year, I am learning math with her now that she is in 5th grade. This was such a relief as I am not a mathematician, and it is one of the struggles I have always had, so I knew once my daughter started doing any pre-algebra, my assistance would be limited in the course. We have decided to stick with this school for now, and should she choose to return to a traditional school, we will support that.
A typical day for us starts at 8 in the morning. She gets up, gets breakfast, brushes her teeth, and spends a little time mentally preparing for class. She then heads out to our makeshift office/classroom in the garage. I work on my writing, blogging, or social media posts while she attends her live sessions or works through some of the material. We have installed a heating/ac unit to be comfortable while we both work.
Her first class is generally at 9 am and runs for 30 minutes in the Zoom meeting. I then give her a 30-minute break which she must take away from the “class” area. This is so that she gets a “recess” in which she is not worried about anything related to school whatsoever. She returns at 10 am and begins working through her class modules and workbooks. We start this together if she needs guidance or for me to run through any learning coach (teaching) materials. At 11 am, she attends her next Zoom class, which runs for about 30 minutes. When she finishes this class, she again gets 30 minutes to 60 minutes for a break/lunch. This varies depending on how many assignments she has if she needs extra help or is behind. Some afternoons she has a 1 pm class in which she receives any remedial support, she may need. Most days, this is her schedule. She is done after this afternoon session if she has completed all of her assignments. if she has not completed all of her studies, she gets another 30-minute break before returning to “class.” We never work past 4 pm even if her assignments are not done because there comes the point where she cannot process any more info. This is our typical Monday through Friday routine.
Fridays are more relaxed since there are generally no sessions or only optional sessions. She is allowed to sleep until 9 am on Fridays and start her day. Whether she has sessions or not, she gets started on her class modules. If she is behind or struggling, we use this as a catch-up or re-teach enhancement day. Occasionally, we use this as a “field trip” day in which we go to a museum or do something that can mix fun and learning together. Unfortunately, mom has gotten so busy that we do not get to do this as often as we would like.
There are some pros and cons to this type of education. Some of the pros are flexibility. We have been able to travel or go somewhere during an emergency and take her schooling with us, and she doesn’t miss any days. If I think she will miss a live session, I reach out to her teacher as soon as I suspect she may miss those sessions. I also love that we do not have to worry about her being bullied in the classroom, as there is a lot of monitoring between the teacher and the parents. If she gets sick, sometimes she can still complete her assignments.
My daughter has listed her pros: No fears of a school shooting; she can take a break if something becomes too challenging. She can attend class in slippers or with a blanket; she does not have to get up early to catch the school bus. She does not have homework after school. Most every day, she completes whatever is assigned to her for that day.
Some of the cons of this way of life are less face-to-face interaction with kids her age. The burden of teaching, tracking attendance, and ensuring her assignments are complete daily falls on me. Some days I spend all day repeating myself or redirecting her back to her schoolwork. If I get sick or cannot assist her, she completes what she can without me and may get a day or two behind, depending on how much I can help.
We tried to play dates with peers she had met before attending an online school to counteract some social skills she was not getting in school. We also enrolled her in activities she enjoys; for a while, she was in gym or dance classes. She now has an interest in creating cartoon videos or crafts.
There are some days when she and I both get sick of each other, and we have to work our way through it, but overall, this method of education has worked for us. Since I also have the flexibility to conduct most of my business from home, I can generally work around her school schedule. We have been so used to homeschooling this way that it does not feel like it has been something we have been doing for nearly three years! In conclusion, homeschooling my daughter has been an enriching experience that I would not trade for anything. We have created a unique and special bond, and she is learning in ways I could never have imagined possible. Although there are days when it can be challenging, the benefits far outweigh any negatives.
***Disclaimer***This is not an endorsement of or a paid sponsorship for Stride, Inc. This is merely a discussion of our family’s experience with this program.
Jamie is a former addiction counselor who now writes fiction about substance abuse and mental health issues. She has authored two short novels in her Memoirs of a Black Sheep series and a series she co-authors, The Borderline Chronicles, on Amazon Kindle Vella. Jamie has also formed her own small publishing company, Flawed By Design Publishing LLC, where she produces her published works and offers other writing and media services.
Flawed by Design is a woman-owned, veteran-owned business for those who seek a writing coach, editor, or proofreader.