When we picture homeschooling families, we often imagine stay-at-home parents with flexible schedules. But what about those working full-time in demanding careers? In this week’s episode of Homeschool How-To, we meet Amber, a sheriff’s sergeant from California who balances her law enforcement career with homeschooling four children while managing a family ranch.
Amber’s story challenges the notion that homeschooling is only for certain types of families. With a nine-year-old daughter, seven-year-old son, five-year-old son, and six-month-old baby girl, she’s navigating homeschooling while working four 10-hour shifts each week. Her journey into homeschooling wasn’t part of her original life plan. She joined the sheriff’s department at 23 with career advancement as her primary focus. “My whole life was to be a career woman,” she explains. “I was not thinking about being a wife. I was definitely not thinking about being a mom. All I cared about was how am I going to climb? How am I going to get to the top the fastest?”
Her perspective shifted when she met her husband, reconnected with her faith, and started having children. The catalyst for homeschooling came when her oldest daughter experienced adverse reactions to vaccines. Living in California, where vaccine exemptions have been increasingly restricted by legislation like SB 276, Amber realized homeschooling might be her only option to maintain medical freedom for her children. Though initially intimidated by the prospect of teaching (“Who am I to homeschool these babies?”), her husband’s academic strengths gave her confidence to take the leap.
What makes Amber’s story particularly compelling is how she structures homeschooling around her work schedule. She and her husband “high-five” as they pass each other – he works evenings as a wrestling coach while she works days. On her three days off, she focuses intensively on language arts and math. Science happens naturally on their property as the children explore nature and research animals they discover. History comes through resources like the Tuttle Twins books and educational YouTube channels like Drive Through History.
Perhaps most inspiring is how the family has integrated life skills and responsibility into their educational approach. Amber’s children help maintain their 2.5-acre ranch, caring for goats, chickens, and other animals. Her nine-year-old collects eggs and manages the goats, while even the younger children help with household chores like emptying the dishwasher and doing laundry. These practical skills are valued as highly as academic subjects in their homeschooling approach.
Contrary to concerns about socialization, Amber finds her children have more meaningful social interactions than she ever did in public school. They participate in co-op groups, field trips, and activities with other homeschooling families. “We have this co-op group that we’re on like a mom group chat. There’s like 14 moms, probably about 28 kids, and we always send out text messages like ‘hey, we’re going to this event, we’re going to check out this science museum,'” she explains.
For Amber, homeschooling aligns with her vision for her children’s future. Rather than emphasizing college and traditional career paths, she focuses on teaching them to be kind, helpful members of their rural community. She envisions them developing entrepreneurial skills by offering animal care services to elderly neighbors.
Perhaps most powerful is Amber’s message to other working parents who feel homeschooling is beyond their reach: “Focus on not the excuses of why they can’t, but try to focus on why they should.” She acknowledges the leap of faith required but insists the rewards far outweigh the challenges. In her experience, the time spent with her children and the ability to guide their education personally makes every sacrifice worthwhile.
As she looks toward retirement, Amber dreams of creating a “ranch school” day camp for city kids to experience country living – a vision her daughter might one day carry forward. For now, she continues balancing her commitment to public service with her dedication to her family’s education, proving that with creativity and determination, working parents can successfully embrace the homeschooling journey.