Homeschooling and Doula-ing

[granola_mom]

Do any of you homeschool/unschool and still work as a doula? I want to unschool my DD so badly but also want to continue working so badly. I don't need to work much, but just enough to keep this birth junkie satisfied. Those of you who do it... what does your schedule look like, or did you have to give up one or the other?

If it comes down to deciding, my DD is always my priority, but I also sort of need to bring in an income. I think with the unschooling philosophy I can reasonably do one or two births per month. I don't have a curriculum to follow, I can keep going on saturdays and sundays when normal kids have weekend breaks, and through the summer to make up for missed time. DD's breaks will just be more like "surprise" breaks, which might even be fun! I could see that it could even be easier than having her in school and working as a doula, since I don't have any strict schedules to follow.

Thoughts and ideas?

[birthhands]

In the early years it does not take a lot of time to cover the basics or required grade elements (My 2nd grader does 2-2.5 hours a day at most). There is huge flexibility in homeschooling and I find it easy than trying to juggle someone elses arbitrary schedule. I have not found it to conflict with my work as a doula because I can always make up the time missed

[teachinmamaof4]

I homeschool my children and work as a doula and midwife apprentice.

Homeschooling is really quite ideal for doula work IMO. As long as you have a good system in place for childcare, it seems that it would be much easier than having children in public/private school. You don't have to worry about getting them there in the morning or picking them up in the afternoon. If you have to be at a birth your child(ren) can do school work (I know unschoolers don't really do that but I just mean that in the broad sense of projects, interests, etc. however it relates to the type of schooling gyou does) while you are away.

You can also schedule your "year" to allow for days off. So if you are at a birth, take a "teacher inservice".

If your dh is home in the evenings, schedule prenatal visits then. That way you don't miss school time during the day.

[dorothyh]

I homeschool my 4 youngest children (ranging in age from 5-16) and doula work works very nicely with homeschooling. I only do 1-2 births a month. Birth days are lighter school days, but it's not a big deal.

[aetrusty]

My midwife homeschools her 3 children (well now 4). She said that homeschooling was by far easier than having them in a traditional school.

as long as you have good daycare set up, it should be fine.

[granola_mom]

Wow, thanks everyone! Your replies really reassured me.
I remembered reading "the paradox of natural mothering" and one of the families Bobel profiled was a doula who homeschooled, and I thought that seemed like something I could do!

[ctowndoula]

We unschool for certain subjects. I think it works great! I don't have to worry about bus pick up or drop off, parent/teacher conf (actually that can get pretty fun now with dh! ), and packing lunches, etc.
I have a list of other doulas and homeschool mamas that can help me with childcare. I only do 1 birth a month though, b/c I do find that prenatals and postpartum visits start to fill up the evenings. We do school "year round" with several breaks (nothing gets done the month of december!) throughout the year.
It works. Go for it.

[HotRodMama]

I am very glad you asked, because I've been wondering the same thing.

The only school I can tolerate is a 30-minute drive each way which is weighing heavily on my conscious. My 2nd is starting kindergarten in the Fall, and they're debating separating the KG'ers from the Grades to another campus! I would love to allow my not-so-morning-children to begin their day when they are ready.

I appreciate your feeding my thoughts, too.

[doulamo]

Hi there,
I homeschool my 4 children ages 2-11 and work as a doula. I only take 1-2 births a months. I love it and so do my kids. We follow a Charlotte Mason approach and when i am at a birth my oldest daughter does her independent work and the rest of the children take the day off. When you start to homeschool you realize that it is less of a 9-3 thing and more of a lifestyle and really it only takes a couple hours to get work done at home because you are one on one we rarely school for 6 hours a day maybe 3 at the most! Good luck with your decision

Monique in Ontario

[11 is heaven]

I homeschool 9 of my youngest (2 are grown, one on the way to Iraq w/the Army, and one married w/2 children). I have a goal of two births a month, and I already have 7 between now and the end of Feb....... Yahoo!! It just takes a lot of organization and good time management. Like for meals if your making a cassarole for dinner, make two or three and freeze the extras, so on birth days dinner is made, just pull it out of the freezer. For chores, we try to never get behind in cleaning or laundry so if I have to be away for 24, the place is not three days behind. For school, I just let my older ones be "the teachers for the day" for the younger ones, so they don't get behind, plus it is always a good review for the older children. We try to stay ahead in school, b/c SOMETHING is ALWAYS coming up. And like the other moms said you can always go into summer if needed. The hard part for me is getting my school done for my CAPPA cert. so I usually end up staying up very late every night, well....by the time I get in bed it is usually early........... as in 2:00AM !!

[thew]

I homeschool my four little ones aged between 3 and 10. I also plan on taking on about 2 births a month. You know what? You can try it and if it doesn't work for you, then school will always take you back again! I'm pretty sure you'll love it though...but it is definitely a lifestyle not an academic choice. Good luck

[Homeschoolmom]

I homeschool my kids, but I only take about 2-3 clients a year. Right now that is all that I can do and feel like I am still giving my "best"( or at least close to it) to everyone. I will say that the hardest part for me is having good childcare that is willing to watch them any time of day.

[Matrescence]

Do any of you homeschool/unschool and still work as a doula?

Yuppers

I want to unschool my DD so badly but also want to continue working so badly. I don't need to work much, but just enough to keep this birth junkie satisfied. Those of you who do it... what does your schedule look like, or did you have to give up one or the other?

Our schedule looks like a normal stay at home schedule expect our mornings are devoted to school. I can easily switch around days when I have a client. So if we miss 2 days no big deal we make them up on the weekend or the next holiday. Here in NC 180 days is the recommended number of school days, the public school has teacher workdays, a week (or 2?) at Christmas/New Years, a week at Thanksgiving and a week around Independence day I believe. We follow their school year and can make up days during those weeks or teacher works days or days that they take a snow day. So it all works out. The one thing I love about homeschooling is the flexibility

[nurdoumi]

Hi granolamom,
I have homeschooled for the last 6 years and started doula work a year ago ( having a midwifery education from long ago) . I limit my clients to one per month and I have a couple very kind friends who also homeschool. They watch my kids when I go to a birth, kids still do their work. I will not do more than one per month till kids are done with high school, 7 years from now.
Nourdoumi )

[cathy]

I also homeschool 3 children (16,14 & 9 yrs.) and I teach childbirth classes and doula. It is possible. I also am the opposite of unschooling in my approach. I have a set curriculum for each subject for each child. I am just organized, my older kids do a lot on their own and we make up for any time missed on another day. I also think the flexibility with homeschooling with be a lot easier than the schedules of a traditional school