I can tell you that Life Long Learning as we call it, can definitely be done as a single parent no doubt. And it need not be done in "normal school hours" either. Life Long Learning is learning 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There are no time limits or restrictions on when, where, or how of learning, which is what makes Life Long Learning so unique and so wonderful. The same ideas and concepts that I speak about within the book are the very ones that can be utilized no matter if you are a single mom or married or whatever type of family life you embrace. Incorporate learning into everything you do. If you have chosen that this Saturday you are going to work on fixing the toilet, then this is the day that your child can learn about plumbing. If its your shopping day, have your child help to plan nutritious meals, shop for the best buys (explaining what parts of the plant or animal the food comes from), and later on help cook. (That covers health science, economics, biology, and the physics of cooking -- even handwriting, if they wrote out the list!)

Within Life Long Learning as a single parent or in any form of life we have, we are free from having to learn everything ALL at once or having to take this on all by ourselves. Just as we do here as a Life Long Learning family, you can have others you know who have skill in areas that your children wish to learn and then trade or barter things with them in exchange for learning with your children. Our son Chris does this alot in instructing other children in homelearning families on the uses of the computer. We trade with other people in life of learning so that we all can learn. Shoot, even if you have a vet, the vet can help your child to learn about the life cycle of fleas!:)

If you find due to custody issues as I almost did, and did look into and consider at one point, and I know many people who do, that you are required by your state or by your ex spouse to go with a charter so that they feel comfortable that your child is learning "something" by their standards rather than by what you child wishes to learn, then do, finding as flexible of a charter as possible so that you can still incorporate with the Life Long Learning into your life and still fulfill the ex spouses wishes. So, find a good sitter, enlist relatives and friends to instruct your child occasionally on whatever it is they like best, do just a little each night, and be a Life Long Learning Family on weekends or whenever you have your child with you, encourage your child to read a lot and have materials around for 'projects,' and, yes, you can be a Life Long Learning family ~ and relatively cheaply, too.

I also have many resources of learning that can be adapted to fit for the Life Long Learning single parent and for all parents both here on the free stuff page, the links page and within the book. There is also information on the What about curriculum page of this website to assist you as well. All of these ideas are open and adaptable to any situation whether you are a homelearning single parent, a grandma homelearning with your grandchildren with deceased parents, or a family with a mommy and a daddy at home. This is the beauty of Life Long Learning is that it is truly for All, regardless of your life path:)

Note: If you are ever in doubt about whether to use curriculum, and whether your children are progressing take a look at this ~

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

 

This is what one Homelearning mom wrote to me once:

As a single parent who choose Life Long Learning as a way of homelearning for my children, the most common question I get asked is, “How do you do it?” It is really very simple. I do it by one day and one moment at a time. Having said that, raising and providing a Life Long Learning homelearning environment for my children as a single parent is really a daily walk of balance, faith, and love. It is rarely easy, but it can be done.

I have faced the normal struggles I find many homelearning families face when choosing home education, and I face the same questions: “What do I use for a curriculum?” “Am I really qualified to help my children learn what they wish to?” and of course, “What about socialization?” This to me is the biggest laugh I get, because I’ve never met (I’m not saying they don’t exist, only that I’ve never met) a poorly socialized homelearning child. I have, however, met many children that I wish “lacked” the social skills our public schools seem to instill in our children. I feel like I can go to any store and just look at how the child is interacting with those around him and know how lucky I am to have chosen this way of life for our family and how I so hope the same for all families one day.

In addition to the normal issues homelearning families face, single parents often face the additional hurdle of balancing the need to earn an income with the need to be at home with the children. The work-from-home opportunities are growing, thanks to technology. Many often need to accept help from government welfare and social service agencies at least initially. I’ve had times where I’ve received welfare, and others when I’ve been self-employed. I’ve worked as a family childcare provider, which was an excellent fit with our homelearning in the beginning. Now I tutor and work as a freelance writer. We have a Life Long Learning environment that fits within our family and my working. For one day to the next it may be different, and that is ok, as learning happens all the time free from schedules and time variables. We do what works for us in the moment, in that day, in that week, in that month. This leaves a way for me to be able to work, still be with my children, and provide learning for all of us.

Flexibility is the key to making homelearning (Life Long Learning) work as a single parent. What works for me may not work for you. Likewise, what works today may not work tomorrow, next week, or next year. As the children grow, change, and learn, so do the demands on the single parent. Older children may be able to work more independently and help more around the house, freeing up the parent to work more hours.

 

Resources & Inspiration

 

Below then are some resources and inspiration that I have found in my extensive research for single parents out there to see that YES you can be a Life Long Learning family ~ As a Single Parent or as any form of family life you have:) Some of the links here are from various homelearning options and backgrounds, however, all of the ideas and concepts here can easily be applied to Life Long Learning and are a great supplement to the Life Long Learning Book.

 

Single and Working Parent Internet Resources

Note: These websites are accurate as of the publication of this website. These are for reference use only. These web site links are listed as a convenience to you. I am in no way connected to these sites other than to provide them as a resource to you for information. My position is to provide all of the knowledge that I have available to me for your benefit. By publishing these links, I take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties, or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of these sites. Some of the websites listed here are from various homelearning options and backgrounds, however, all of the ideas and concepts here can easily be applied to Life Long Learning.

http://www.mjtate.com/

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/061404.htm

http://www.teach-at-home.com/AskLynn-110102.asp

http://www.hsc.org/chaos/legal/articles/custody.php

http://www.hsc.org/professionals/legalprimer.php

http://members.tripod.com/acorns3/acorns38.html

http://www.families-first.com/homebiz/news/folger2.htm

http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/articles/9-2article15.htm

http://www.homeschooloasis.com/art_single_mom_hs.htm

http://www.pineblossomswebpages.com/raggedyjanet/singleparenthomeschooling.shtml

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SingleParentsAtHome/15070

http://homeschoolblogger.com/maggieraye/

http://forum.homeschool.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=37 (Single parents homelearning forum discussion group)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/1Parent_hs/  (Single parent homelearning yahoo group)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/home_school_single/ (Single parent Homelearning yahoo group)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WORKandHOMESCHOOL/  (Working parents and homelearning yahoo group)

http://www.wahm.com/index1.html (HUGE resources for work at home mom’s and families)

http://www.wahm.com/boards/Forum3/HTML/000214.html

http://www.wahm.com/forum/ (Working mom’s forum group)

http://wahm.sitesell.com/

http://case-studies.sitesell.com/index.html#WAHM (Case studies of successful work at home mom’s)

http://wahm-masters.sitesell.com/

http://www.bizymoms.com/startup.html

http://www.en-parent.com/

http://www.drlaura.com/sah/money.html?mode=view&tile=1&id=3450

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/making_it_work.htm

http://www.mompreneursonline.com/topbiz.htm

http://www.familyandhome.org/topics/transition_home.htm

http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/193/mjwork.html

I truly hope that these links help to inspire you to see that YES Life Long Learning is possible for everyone, it is unlimitless!:) (to find out what this word means please go here to this page)

Infinite Love and Light,

Dr. Patti "Diamondlady" Diamond, DD

 

 

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