Hi Gill I am currently educating four children (10,8,6 &2) at home so I know all about chaos and mess! hahaha my husband works 12 hr shifts to support our little "school" which leaves me with the job of running the home and school. No easy task but it is do-able.
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start lessons in the afternoon and do any daily housework in the morning.
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write a menu for the month - get your child involved in designing it and play cafe
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make tidy up time a game sorting colours, counting shapes, etc race each other to put 5 things away and offer a good reward like an extra story at bedtime
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set aside 2hrs at the weekend to do admin and stick to it! (pay bills by direct debit)
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shop online you will save money by not impulse buying and by using a menu you know exactly what you DO need.
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make a maintainence list cleaning oven, washing woodwork, etc and try to tick off one item per week.
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DON'T EVER compare yourself to "Mrs Perfect" her house is immaculate, her nails and hair are manicured, and she is bragging about her snotty brats ability to recite Shakespear's sonnets at 4 1/2! she has a cleaner! a nanny (who sleeps with her husband!) and get's rid of her offspringat every opportunity!
I hope this will help but the most important advice is if the house looks a little messy and you are knackered! don't panic it is perfectly normal to have a little clutter when you are homeschooling as long as you both enjoy the fun HS brings who cares about a little dust?? ;-)
ABOVE ALL HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOUR! Things will go wrong, you will wonder why you ever dreamt of home schooling, but for that little moment when you realise you have given your child the best gift possible YOU!!! Good luck!
