Homeschooling or Housekeeping?by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger 27 Jan 2007 06:35 PM Among the many things that relatives of homeschoolers should know, according to a blog called Preschoolers and Peace, is that "housekeeping and homeschooling is mutually exclusive". Many homeschooling moms start the day trying to decide if they should concentrate on homeschooling or housekeeping. Homeschooling often wins and the house is usually a mess. It is nearly impossible to keep a house clean and to homeschool children. After all, the children are there... always there. How can you have a clean kitchen with science experiments on the counter? How can you vacuum a carpet with children underfoot? How do you sort a child's room with the child's body guarding their junk that they would have never missed if you gave away? In addition to just having kids in the way, or having the room immediately destroyed when you are done cleaning, the time you spend cleaning, is time away from teaching. After about 2 years of homeschooling all day, and cleaning all evening, my husband sat me down and asked me what my priorities were. Was it more important for me to clean the house or to homeschool the children? After careful consideration, I decided that while I wanted the house clean, my time was better spent teaching. To keep the house from turning into a complete disaster area, he hired a housekeeper. A strange thing happened once we got the house under control. (Notice I said under control, but not clean... it still does not stay clean). Time was actually cleared up for me to pursue other interests. Because I know Miss Elizabeth would come by once a week to clean, I worried less about the state of the house and no longer spent my evenings cleaning and fussing. Instead, we all just pick up behind ourselves, out of courtesy to the cleaner, and I have spare time to follow my own interests. I increased the amount of time I spend writing and the income more than covers the cost of the cleaning. Now I am less stressed. My husband and the kids do not avoid me in the evenings. I have time to do my own thing. In addition, Miss Elizabeth has gainful employment. If hiring a housekeeper is not in your budget: Do you do you keep a clean home and find time for family? Participate in this forum. Can you get your children to do chores? *Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask. *Want to know more about homeschooling? Start here! Learn more about Andrea Hermitt  Andrea Hermitt is a native New Yorker currently residing in GA. She has been married for over 16 years and has two teenage children. Relevanthomeschooling tags User Comments  Julie Gentry (5915) 27 Jan 2007 05:59 PMWhat an awful sterotype for homeschoolers to have. We do have a rumpus room that is rarely as tidy as I'd like, but my dh would have a fit if the house wasn't clean when he got home. Chores first, THEN homeschooling. I'd love to have a housekeeper come in, but I do have four that live here ;-).  Andrea Hermitt (5512) 27 Jan 2007 06:04 PMOK... for us, homeschooling usually game first, and the house was usually a mess.... especially when they were a little younger.  Valorie Delp (49340) 27 Jan 2007 06:26 PMYeah--but Julie your kids are a LOT older than mine--no? In fact, didn't the quote "homeschooling and cleaning are mutually exclusive", come from a newsletter entitled PRESCHOOLERS and peace? I cannot keep my house clean AND homeschool to satisfy state requirements. I can homeschool, keep up with the laundry, make sure we have 3 meals and snacks, and do dishes. I can either set the kids to watch a video so I can really clean or I can teach them how to do their chores. . .of course my 7 year old can do a few things on her own. But teaching them how to do chores will not yield the immediate results of a clean house. I know it will pay off in the long run. . .but my house is usually messy. I appreciate articles like this--it helps me to know I'm not completely dysfunctional!!!! Andrea Hermitt (5512) 27 Jan 2007 07:33 PMditto: "I can homeschool, keep up with the laundry, make sure we have 3 meals and snacks, and do dishes." This is about how much I can get done in one day as well... and write, of course. Meanwhile, someone has to clean the bathrooms, mop floors, vacuum carpets, polish hardwood, disinfect surfaces, and remove fingerprints, dust, and organize closets even after the kids tidy up behind themselves! I have considered having them do more chores... but would prefer they spend the time doing academics. Julie Gentry (5915) 27 Jan 2007 08:55 PMYes they are, Valorie (10-15). People with children under 5 are always exempt! Same as when people are late -- if they have children under 5, it's completely forgivable and usually expected due to a last minute diaper change, accident on the floor, owwies, etc. LOL. It gets SO much easier when the little ones get bigger (though I really DO miss having babies around here!). Andrea, you are so blessed to have a housekeeper! I had one years ago and was amazed at how quickly she was able to get the hard stuff done. Andrea Hermitt (5512) 27 Jan 2007 09:42 PMYes, Julie... I am truly blessed... One of the points I was trying to make in the blog is that by freeing up my time and sanity and hiring a housekeeper, I was able to cover the expense by picking up a couple of writing jobs. I'd much rather write than clean! Valorie Delp (49340) 28 Jan 2007 05:13 AMOkay Julie. . .I feel much better! There are a few women in my church that kind of forget I have twins (or don't get that they are harder than singletons) and that my kids are little. Then they stop over and wonder why the house looks like a mild hurricane. I used to be all stressed about keeping up but I have since decided it's simply not worth it. I imagine that once ALL of my kids are old enough to help with the chores and do them correctly without supervision or without my having to go back and "fix" something or help. . .my house will start to look infinitely better. Julie Gentry (5915) 02 Feb 2007 12:26 PMValorie, my mom says that our house was never clean when the kids were little (I'm one of 11). The funny thing is, I only really remember what it looked like when we were teens -- and by then it was very clean. I do remember, though, that it was safe and loving. Andrea, I wish we had the finances to hire a housekeeper. I'm green with envy ;-). Community Tags Cleaning, homeschool, housekeeping Discuss this article
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