Deciding to start a childcare center is the very tip of an iceberg that can sink your hopes and plans if you don’t have a solid plan in place. Whether you begin with childcare in your home or decide to create a free-standing facility, there is a generally defined pathway from making your decision to opening your doors.

Online registration is less perk and more expectation as the digital natives grow up and become parents. The kids who don’t know a time when technology was not part of everyday life have come of age and expect service providers to implement digital solutions over analog processes.

Ah, the smell of the s’mores, the chirping of the crickets, and the itch of the chiggers… it all brings back fond memories of summer camp for many parents. They want to pass that experience down to their kids.

How many hours do you spend each month on billing and payment processing? If you still perform a largely manual process, you are spending time that is better used operating and marketing your business.

How is your summer camp registration going? Is your staff and activity schedule completed to accommodate new kids every week? Have all the parents completed the required documentation and made payment?

Is this true for your childcare program? There are a few parents, usually moms, who are extremely involved and supportive of your school... and then there is everyone else. They drop off and pick up their children and rarely stay long enough to say, “Hello.”

After school programs have increased in popularity over the past few decades as more parents enter the workforce and the number of single-parent homes continues to rise. Parents want after school programs for a variety of reasons for keeping children safe after the school day is over to improving their child's success in school.

Selecting the best childcare software for your business takes planning and due diligence, but if you follow a rational business path, you will find the solution you need for your childcare operation.

Tracking attendance is important in many of the processes of operating a childcare center. Government regulations, planning, and insurance all require accurate records of attendance to ensure the safety and security of the children in your care.

Everyone wants to find their tribe, children included. A strong after school program can offer the opportunity to meet people outside the confines of the formal classroom. Also, it can be a safe space to practice skills, whether they are social, educational, or emotional, which is critical to the development of a successful adult.