As a full time homeschool mother, wife, taxi driver, “family-medic,” “family-psy-chologist,” cheerleader, cook, cleaner, educator and just in general, a living, breathing human, I recently realized that my biggest dream for my child is to have a decent education that will grant her freedom for her future.

As a child, I personally never had the opportunity to go to university, purely because there was no money and well, frankly, let’s just say I was one of those kids in school who got labeled as a black sheep and properly bullied by many teachers. I wanted out, as quickly as possible. And so it was.

I only completed Gr 12 and got some diplomas done to get me going financially in life, then worked my way up through experience. Which, up until now, was perfect. I didn’t desire more than that. But as I proceeded to homeschool my very inquisitive daughter who loves academics and learning, I realized that I too, wouldn’t mind exploring my passion by furthering my education.

I’ve always been very passionate about health and psychology/consciousness and have been practicing living a healthy, natural life for over 14 years. So I thought why not anchor that into a varsity degree?

So I enrolled myself for a B.A in Holistic and Health Sciences!

Starting this program is the most nerve-wracking thing I have ever gotten myself into. I mean, what am I thinking, knowing that I have my hands full already?

Now, I can add “student” onto my list of titles for once. Very broke student, may I add–or better known as “platsak” in my mother tongue.

Now my biggest challenge I am dealing with is: how am I going to juggle all of this?

My number one priority is still my daughter’s education and supporting my husband as he becomes all that he can be. Then, my studies and then the rest.

The only thing I can find comfort in and which brought peace of mind in this new adventure is knowing planning and preparation is my biggest friend here.

Plenty of people are doing what I am embracing now. Some succeed and some don’t. The ones that do succeed, plan well.

I have realized with working and homeschooling, that planning is crucial in anything that one wishes to be successful in. Always planning well ahead is key!

Working out a schedule or routine and sticking to it will add ease to a situation. However, remaining open to adjust in certain circumstances and of course emergencies, will keep the strain and stress away.

I can’t yet give much “advice” on how to juggle everything AND complete a degree, but what I can say is that planning is everything when it comes to homeschooling and working full-time from home.

Yes, we have those days. You know, THOSE days, where everything feels like it is falling apart properly–my child won’t cooperate and pinches my very last nerve, the only one left, while I have an urgent project that needs to be completed on a deadline.

But, somehow, it always works out. I always manage it. Or, at least, I think so.

In my understanding, life is busy in general, for anyone. We all have our hands full on various levels. I might only have one child to homeschool, with a full-time career and a degree to complete, where you may not have any of these, but instead be homeschooling a half a dozen of children. Either way, we are going to be busy as homeschooling parents and the one thing we need to remember, while we do our daily, weekly, and monthly planning, is this: We’ve got this. We can do it, one day at a time.

Happy homeschooling!