9 Best Work from Home Jobs for Homeschooling Single Parents

Pros and cons of each from lived experience

It’s never been harder to be a single parent.

Covid-19 has completely upended any semblance of normalcy in your daily life. Child care is hazardous. Playgroups are unsafe. Babysitters are risky. So what’s a single parent with young kids, struggling to make ends meet, to do?

And now, the First Day of School is upon you.

As a single mom, you have a gut feeling — some call it intuition — that school is not a good place to send your littles every day. There are too, too many unknowns. You’d be totally devastated — ready to crawl into a dark hole forever — if your precious child caught potentially deadly COVID. Then, heaven forbid, they showed no symptoms whatsoever but passed it to your toddler.

You’d have a full-blown crisis on your hands. All alone. Scary stuff.

No question that you should definitely listen to your heart and keep them home from school this year. But…then what?

Homeschooling is the obvious alternative. And you can make it work for your family, even as a single parent! In a previous article titled 5 Key Ways to Set Up a Pandemic Homeschool That Your Kids Will Love, I outlined things you can do right now to start the year off right and set yourself and your children up for success. The best part is: They won’t break the bank!

Here I tackle an issue specific to single parents who wish to homeschool. Homeschooling while working from home (WFH) is more than possible for you despite what you may think. I did it for twelve years as a single mom of three kiddos spaced exactly two years apart. When I “officially” began homeschooling with my 6-year-old, we had her brothers (ages 2 and 4) vying for our attention. I was also working from home part-time and had recently launched two web businesses.

Read on to discover how I made what sounds like life too challenging for even superwomen to handle into something that was manageable and enjoyable (although, quite honestly, sometimes not easy). For me, it all came down to setting priorities and following through. (Laundry and dirty dishes could wait. And they still are.)

Multiple Streams of Income

Because childcare facilities aren’t safe from the coronavirus, working outside of the home is not an option this year. All schools will likely go all-virtual at some point during the school year (probably by Thanksgiving when the weather gets colder). In that case, your school-aged child will be sent home anyway. Deciding to homeschool now removes that uncertainty and the anxiety it brings.

So, you’re left with making a living from home while homeschooling. You really have no choice when the bills are piling up.

A key strategy I used from the get-go was developing multiple streams of income. This way, if one didn’t perform well in a given month, I’d have others to fall back on.

As a mom of three little ones, I focused my research into WFH jobs that were easy to do with babies and young children around. Ideally, a job where I could bounce one or two on my lap while doing it. Or breastfeed at the same time.

Knowing that my angels could scream or throw a tantrum at any time would make being a customer service rep using the phone difficult if not impossible. I knew my precious ones well enough to know that they’d wait until I was well into a conversation on the phone to have a meltdown. I needed a job where this would never happen.

So, here’s how I got started with creating multiple streams of income. Hopefully, these ideas will help you carve out a living for yourself, too.

My WFH Experiences

Looking back over the last 13 years after leaving my then-estranged husband and taking our three children ages 2, 4, and 6 with me, I was fortunate to already have a part-time job working from home about 13 hours per week. Without that cushion, I may not have made the leap to single parenthood.

I was working for a nonprofit organization that I had begun volunteering in 1988 when I was still in college. TIP: Think back over your life. Do you have any connections made long ago, possibly as a volunteer? If so, look them up now. If it’s a group working on a cause close to your heart, could you offer to do some remote volunteering for them now? Even two hours per week is something. Who knows? It could set you on a path to future employment as it did for me.

A year previous to leaving, I had launched a freelance writing business and another online business featuring multicultural products for children. Although income was initially modest, setting up multiple streams of money was a financially wise move. My web businesses eventually evolved over the years into what they are today: Toxic Chemical Tracker and Green Marble SEO.

It was the birth of my third child in 2004 that convinced me to resign from teaching in public schools. I frankly was tired of lugging around a heavy breast pump and pumping milk 2–3 times a day. I realized I hadn’t carried three pregnancies to term and given birth to three children only to leave them behind for 10 hours a day, five days per week. My place was with my babies. Of this, I was absolutely sure.

So, it’s no exaggeration to say that I was a woman driven with one goal in mind: Support myself and my children while working from home. I bet you have the same over-arching priority in life, too, especially now with COVID rearing its ugly head everywhere you turn.

So you’re torn between staying home with your little ones during a global pandemic and earning a living. Even working from home requires you to divert your attention from them. To minimize this, and maximize your time spent with your children, finding WFH that’s easy to do when distracted, or that doesn’t require total silence is preferable.

Here are pros and cons for single moms of the most popular types of remote work, many of which I did, am doing, or looking into. I mention a few friends doing certain ones and describe their experiences. Hopefully, something on this list — ideally two or three options — will work for you.

1. Blogging

The truth is (despite what you hear to the contrary): Starting a profitable website or blog takes time and money. There are some upfront costs that you may not be able to bear right now like web hosting and registering a domain name. It’s possible to make money, but you may not get immediate results.

Unlike other jobs on this list that are paid hourly, blogging is not. This means you could spend gobs of time researching and writing just one blog post. Do you think your kiddos will just quietly look at you with sad, questioning eyes for all that time while you stare at a screen when all they really want is to play with mommy?

If you’re writing in a profitable niche and writing stuff that’s wildly and widely popular, the best case scenario after a couple of months of launching is at most $1K/month of passive income. It can grow with time if you expand your offerings from affiliate sales, to coaching, then to online courses or memberships, etc. Note: This estimate is very optimistic.

I don’t recommend blogging if you need to make money in the next month. But if you have time and some startup funds, planning one with the help of a qualified mentor is a good idea as a long-term source of income. Getting it to coalesce with your eBay or Etsy store (see below) is ideal.

2. Freelance Writing

Likewise, freelance writing jobs, at least initially, aren’t big moneymakers for most people. If you have no experience, it’s even more challenging and unlikely. Don’t get sucked up by content mills paying you, in some cases, less than a penny per word. You’re worth more than that.

Being paid by word means that you can literally spend hours or days researching and writing one article. (By contrast, freelance editing is typically hourly.) Do you really have time for that?

Rule of thumb: If you explore freelance writing gigs, aim for a rate of at least $0.10/word, preferably $0.15/word. Below that, you’d have to crank out loads of articles to make it worth your time.

You can plug away at it if writing is your passion, and there are some good online classes out there to get you started. If you have mouths to feed and rent to pay, I can’t advise you to count on freelance writing to make you rich any time soon. You really need something more substantial that provides a constant stream of income — or two.

3. eBay

Selling online could bring in some fast cash if you know what you’re doing. Read up on it first. Reach out on social media to learn the ins and outs.

I was an eBay seller for a while, but I couldn’t keep up with the high volumes of merchandise needed to make eBay fly in most cases. You need to do this to balance out the high listing fees. I bought bulk designer-label clothes for children on eBay and resold them. I also sold some baby clothes (new with tags) that I had bought from local consignment shops.

Possibly, you may be able to do this as a side hustle. Finding treasures at thrift stores or yard sales, then reselling, is a potentially lucrative strategy especially if you have a good eye to score incredible finds. Or maybe you have relatives willing to donate some cool stuff gathering dust in their attics? Another option is to purchase large quantities of popular items at wholesale prices. Then resell them at retail prices.

Doing eBay well requires research into the current going rates of things to avoid being ripped off. Finding the perfect sweet spot on pricing to succeed at running auctions will get easier for you over time. eBay could make you very quick money if you have the right products at the right price, so if you’re desperate, give it a try.

4. Etsy

If you’re into DIY and love homemade products, you’ll love Etsy! Do you create your own products, like clothes, quilts, soaps, jewelry or perfume already? If so, Etsy could be your ticket to making money from home. The problem is that there are so many sellers that it would be hard to stand out and attract customers. If you had or could create a large online following who’d support your efforts, Etsy could become a significant income stream for you.

Do your research to determine which products are most profitable, taking into consideration fees you’d have to pay to have a presence there. Study the top sellers and see how you could replicate their good fortune. Network on social media to learn more. Etsy could yield good results in a few weeks if you sell a high-demand product and you have an online tribe.

5. Teaching English to Kids in China

I haven’t tried this yet but would consider it as a backup plan if one or more of my current streams of income dries up. You don’t need to be a teacher, but it helps. Experience with children is a must. You’re an expert at that! And since you’re homeschooling, you can honestly state in your application that you are a teacher.

Because of the time difference between countries, online teaching happens at 6 am — 10 am, EST. Ideally, your own little cherubs would be sleeping for at least part of that time. (Tip: White noise machines work wonders.) So, maybe this could work out as a regular source of income for you! Positions start out at $15/hr., which is more than what many retail or food service jobs pay. With previous teaching experience or a degree, you could start at $23/hr.

Lessons typically run for 30 minutes. The best part is you don’t have to design or plan the lessons. All is given to you! You just need to present the lessons to your students. You have access to the lessons the day before going live, so you’re never going in cold. That would be horrifying! Finger puppets and small toys (which you probably already have anyway as a parent of little ones) will boost your teaching effectiveness. The kids (and their parents) will love you if you have props! Even if you could manage only two students a day, that represents guaranteed, stable income.

I think this option may be one of your best bets as a single parent desperate to cobble out an income with children at home all the time. Contact me for other details I’ve learned about this opportunity.

6. Live Chat

You’re probably familiar with the little rectangle that pops up in the corner of your screen when you visit many websites. There’s usually a question displayed like How may I help you? That’s the company’s live chat service, which partially eliminates the need for paying people to answer telephone calls.

Working on the phone is not realistic with the potential of a child outburst at any time. I know that many companies which allow remote customer service that’s phone-based will visit your home to determine if you have a quiet place to work before giving you the job. Screaming children will certainly disqualify you!

But with the invention of live chat help, you could get paid to assist customers from home with a screaming toddler or a colicky newborn on your lap. Technology can be a godsend for single moms! Take advantage of this opportunity.

Most of the live chat services operate by AI, at least initially. But when the questioning from a potential or current customer is too complicated, the system switches to humans. So there will always be job openings doing live chat help. Some of these are remote jobs.

I’d start by looking into companies that you purchase from already. Maybe you’re a loyal customer at a child’s clothing company or a toy business? Possibly you are already part of their affiliate program where you make a small commission with each sale that you bring to the company. Inquire about working their live chat service from home. Nothing like having their fans doing customer service! Or, contact your auto or home insurer. Don’t forget your phone company or internet provider. Reach out and see. It certainly won’t hurt.

7. Coding

I mentioned that with the internet, it’s easier than ever to support yourself at home when you’re parenting + schooling young children. Tech is your friend.

One job market that’s super hot right now is coding. There are online courses — some of them free — that will teach you this skill. My 19-year-old daughter is seriously looking into this now herself while a college student. Amira does not consider herself a whiz at math and tech but is exploring new horizons. Maybe you could join her?

However, be honest with yourself. If you’re not too tech-savvy, maybe even scared of computers, this may not be the best option for you. But it’s worth exploring to see if you could be a good fit.

I have two friends (both moms) who work in IT, developing software. Since the virus makes working in the office dangerous, they both code from home. They told me their companies are always looking for people who can code because it’s a specialized skill that not everyone has. Coding remotely looks promising as a way to earn a living.

8. Medical billing

Nicole, a neighbor and friend, works in this field at home and loves it! She’s been doing this for over 15 years with the same company. Nicole’s required to hop on a conference call every now and then, but they are always scheduled well in advance. The best part is your end of the call is always muted. So, your kiddos can scream to their hearts’ desire with no repercussions for you. (Assuming you can concentrate!)

Most of the time, Nicole works by herself. Her company sends the electronic documents that she analyzes for miscodings. She’s become very good over the years because of her eagle eyes. In fact, she often gets asked to put in more hours than she’d like. Nicole started at $10/hr. but now makes $15/hr.

9. Legal transcriptionist

Another friend and fellow homeschooler, Jackie, transcribes court recordings and documents. Because she can do both audio and written, Jackie’s pay rate is more than for those who just work with written documents. In her case, Jackie’s wages have not gone up although she’s been doing this for over eight years. Once she does the math, (you’re paid per page), Jackie earns about $10/hr.

This could be the perfect job for you if you’re a fast typist. Since you’re paid per page, the faster you can type, the more you can get done and the more you’ll earn.

Jackie loves the freedom to set her own hours and type at her own pace. She suffers from arthritis in her hands so she can’t type fast. And she needs to take frequent breaks. So, Jackie finds this job at home suitable to her needs.

Networking Is Key

As a final piece of general advice, I’d get active on social media and make connections. If you’ve been in a salaried position before, LinkedIn may be your go-to source for job referrals. If you’ve been in hourly jobs, Facebook may be best for you. In both cases, networking is absolutely crucial to your job-hunting success. Unfortunately, the reality is it often comes down to who you know. So, get social virtually!

WFH as a Homeschooling Single Parent

Covid-19 has turned your world as a single parent completely on its head. You’re frankly very worried about how you will ever make ends meet. The First Day of School is right around the corner. You know you cannot send your little ones in the direct path of a deadly virus.

Fortunately, homeschooling is the perfect solution to that problem. Learn more about how to bring your kids onboard to homeschooling if they’re not yet thrilled about it in my previous article.

But homeschooling is only part of the solution. How will you earn enough money to survive the economic downturn?

There are plenty of work from home opportunities out there. Not all of them are lucrative, although they may lead you to believe they are. You’ll lose time and waste money if you start one without researching it first.

Plus, many WFH options are not suitable for moms with babies and toddlers to care for. Scouting out remote jobs that could work for your special circumstances takes time. And if you do it yourself, you may not discover all of the pitfalls until it’s too late.

I’ve been there. I’ve tried several WFH jobs as a single mom of young kids while homeschooling at the same time. I’ve landed on a few ideas that work for me. They may work for you, too.

Good luck this school year! With some research and networking, you can be successful at homeschooling while working from home.