Mike:
My wife, Vickie, has proven that it’s possible to home school a very large family. Let me share what she has learned from experience.
First, moms should remember that children in grades one through three need only about an hour or two a day of formal academic instruction. There is an enormous amount of wasted time in the classroom setting. Public school visiting teachers who tutor children with long-term illnesses have found that they can greatly reduce the number of school hours and more than adequately keep pace with the progress being made in the classroom.
If you have children who are ten or older, they can help you clear some time for academic instruction. Vickie and I have our older-but-still-at-home children take a one-half-hour turn each day to supervise the preschoolers while Vickie is teaching in an adjoining room.
Finally, I would say let housework take a back seat during school hours. Kids should still keep their own rooms, books, and toys cleaned up throughout the day, but Mom’s labor should be kept to a minimum. When Dad gets home, housework can become a whole family activity with Dad, not Mom, taking command of the kids.
Home schooling with a large family is not easy. With ten children and 15 years of home schooling experience, I can testify that Vickie has found the way to do it and maintain her sanity. You can do it, too.
I’m Michael Farris.
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