One of the questions people ask me most often is about how I homeschool a large family and run a business. (If you don’t know me, I have 7 children and 5 of them are in school.)

People email me or ask in person, “how do you do it all? I’m tired just looking at your Instagram stories!” In this post I share the most important tips for how I homeschool a large family and run a business too. Enjoy!

How I Homeschool a Large Family and Run a Business

1) Simplify Homeschooling

People who don’t homeschool often believe that it looks like “school at home”. It doesn’t! Homeschooling is super efficient and doesn’t take nearly as much time as the public school day.

I focus on the Big 4 subject areas and encourage independence in my learners (and choose curricula that makes that possible). With the older kids, I’m more of a facilitator.

2) Manage Your Energy First, Then Your Time

Understand when you have higher energy and lower energy periods during your day. Schedule accordingly. I do math with my little ones first thing when my energy is high. Read aloud comes later when I’m tired. Same with household chores. They’re less of a priority than important business tasks, which require more creativity and energy.

Managing my energy also includes going to bed early, exercising daily, and getting up before my household. Having 1-2 hours each morning to pour into myself before I serve others is crucial.

3) Know Your Big Rocks

If you take a bucket and start filling it up with rocks and sand, then try to add water, it will overflow. But if you put the big rocks in first, you still end up with room for sand and water. It’s a great metaphor for priorities.

Some things that aren’t a priority to me in this season: socializing, arts and crafts/DIY, having a perfectly decorated, renovated house, TV and movies, and hobbies. When people talk about the latest Netflix series they’re binge-watching, I haven’t the foggiest clue what they’re talking about.

I don’t do it all. I do a few things. “You can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything you want“. Choosing one thing is saying Yes to that thing, and No to other things.

4) Have a Flexible Daily and Weekly Routine

I’ve heard many moms say that time blocking doesn’t work for them. I agree. Having young kids around means being interruptible. What works better in this time of life is having a flexible routine.

Know that the important things will get done every day/week because they’re in the routine you’ve created. One benefit of this is that your brain can relax. You’ll feel less stressed.

Looking for a home business you can do while homeschooling your kids? Contact me or read more about what I do here.