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Marissa Schneggenburger

The Struggles of Childcare and How Childcare Management Software Can Help

  • February 23, 2021

Being a childcare provider comes with a range of challenges and responsibilities. From communicating with parents and teachers to managing finances, there’s a lot that goes into running a childcare business. Although it isn’t always easy, there are ways to help manage the day-to-day chaos at your center using different tools and resources. In this post, we’ll outline some of the common challenges you face as a childcare provider and how to help alleviate the stress that comes with them. 

1. Asking parents for outstanding tuition payments

It can be awkward and tiresome to chase down outstanding payments at your center. Parents can oftentimes be busy and hard to reach. While it’s crucial to collect what you owe, it’s not always easy. To help take the pressure off, consider implementing a software program to automate your payments. This way, you can clearly see any outstanding payments while giving parents an easy way to pay. With Kangarootime, parents can pay right from their app and are sent reminders if they owe an outstanding payment. This allows you to collect what you owe without stress, giving you more time to run your business.  

Kangarootime’s Billing Module

2. Staying up to date on ratios

Managing ratios and complying with licensing requirements can be taxing. With so many children and so many spaces, it’s not always easy for you or your staff to know where everyone is at all times in order to maintain those ratios. Managing this process manually can be nearly impossible for directors and staff. To help make it easier, Kangarootime offers a Rooming module, giving you an overview of your entire center. Now you can see where each student and staff member is along with the appropriate ratio for each space. Not only does this allow you to easily follow regulations, but also gives you a glimpse into where you have space at your center in order to maximize enrollment and profits. 

Kangarootime’s Rooming Module

3. Overwhelming amount of paper and reports

Stacks and stacks of paper, files, records, reports, etc. aren’t uncommon for childcare centers. It seems like there’s always a new document to update or fill out. Keeping track of this important information can be difficult and overwhelming even for the most organized center. To help increase efficiency and save time on administrative work, store these documents digitally. Using a software like Kangarootime allows you to upload important records and forms and update them right within the software. You’ll even get reminders for important records like immunizations to make sure they’re up to date. Not only will this save space at your center, but it will also save time, keep your staff organized, and create a better experience for families. 

Kangarootime’s Document Manager

4. Effectively communicating with staff and families

As a childcare provider, you have to keep track of a number of staff members, parents, children, etc. Having to communicate important information to so many people can be extremely difficult. These days, there’s a multitude of ways your staff and families can receive information. It’s important to utilize the most effective channels in order to communicate this information as quickly and efficiently as possible. Your software program could offer a messaging system that allows you to send messages fast. With Kangarootime, your center can message parents through their Parent App and send them a text message with our SMS texting service. Sending emails, posting on social media, and handing out physical reminders are other effective channels that ensure everyone gets the information they need. 

Kangarootime’s Parent App

5. Managing staff’s schedules

Keeping up with time-off, schedules, breaks, and more can be one of the hardest parts of running a business. Each staff member will have a different set of skills and availability. Figuring out when each staff member can be scheduled, in which rooms, and for how long is a pain when done manually. Luckily, there’s new tools like Kangarootime’s Staff Scheduling module that makes it easy to manage all your staff in one place. Now you can track staff’s hours with time logs and timesheets, create employees schedules, approve time-off requests, and safely have your staff clock in and out. 

Kangarootime’s Staff Scheduling Module

6. Keeping your center safe and secure

There’s a multitude of people going in and out of your facility everyday. With COVID-19, it’s crucial to keep track of who’s entering your center and their current health status. Having a CCMS makes it easier to keep your center secure and comply with the CDC’s guidelines by recording health records. With Kangarootime, your staff and parents have access to contactless check-in and check-out, health checks, and health screenings. For further center security, Kangarootime partners with Kisi, a door lock system that can be accessed through an app on your smartphone. 

Kisi Doorlock System

 

We know your job as a childcare provider can be challenging and stressful. By implementing a CCMS not only can you save time and money, but you can put your focus back on what matters most – the children. To learn more about Kangarootime, fill out the form below and one of our team members will get back to you. 


Kangarootime is the leading all-in-one childcare management software for daycares and preschools. With billing and invoicing capabilities, parent communication and staff management tools and classroom automation, Kangarootime helps childcare centers grow and scale. To learn more about optimizing your center with Kangarootime, visit kangarootime.com.

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