Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

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Mastering Your Money in Your Child Care Business

I was inspired to write this blog post after processing my monthly payroll and paying the bills in my childcare business. As I wrote checks to pay my business bills, I realized the importance of cash flow. In fact, when you have cash in your business, you are able to buy the things that your business needs and pay your business debts.

Several weeks prior to paying my bills, I realized that I did not finish processing my food program claim, because I was so focused on getting my center re-accredited.

When I realized that I had not finished processing my food program claim, it was too late to receive my payment in the month of February.  Unfortunately, I discovered that my payment was going to be late and this was going to cause a delay in my accounts payable.

Several weeks later,  I received that my food program payment and I was so glad that I had funds to pay bills. Furthermore, I realized that when there is a cash flow problem, this will cause you to be late paying your bills and it also prevents you from buying what you need for your business.

To assure that you have a constant cash flow in your childcare business I want to suggest the following to you:

  1. Create a monthly budget for your business
  2. Only buy what you need for your business
  3. Never stop marketing your business
  4. When you are not able to pay your bills, make payment arrangements with your creditors to protect your credit.
  5. Be diligent about collecting payments from parents. I suggest collecting payments 2-4 weeks in advance.
  6. Process Subsidized Childcare Payments & Food program claims by the due dates
  7. Always be on the look out for business grants
  8. When parents do not pay on time, charge a late fee.

This is just a small list of ways to master your money, because after all…your money is the lifeline of your business. Moreover, when there is no money; there is no Cash flow!

Do you want to become a master of your money? Are you ready to improve your business management skills? Join the Child Care Center Owner eClub. Join Today!

Are you a home daycare provider? Feel free to check out the Family Home Child Care Business Empowerment Club, where you will be empowered and inspired to manage your money and build a quality in-home preschool.

With Your Business in Mind,

Shiketa

Be sure to check out the video below and I look forward to your feedback about this post……

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Accounting, Budget, Business Management, Child Care Center, Home Daycare

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Kids Love Singing Songs

When parents walk into your childcare business, they are listening to what is going on. One of the most joy-able sounds to hear in a childcare program is the sound of children singing. In fact, I have not seen one child yet that does not like to sing.

Singing songs seem to bring a spirit of cooperation in a classroom or in your home, relaxes everyone, including you and it is great to do throughout the day.

One of the things that I have discovered about singing songs is the simple fact that you can get kids to cooperate better when you are singing songs. Today I am going to share with you how you can incorporate more songs into your program, because after all….Kids love a place where they can sing!

Moreover, when the kids are happy…the parents are happy too!

Singing Songs during Transition Times

Transition times can be chaotic. In fact, anytime that you make a change throughout the day, it interrupts the kids play and some kids may even resist the change. However, incorporating songs as kids transition from activity to another is a great way to add some joy to your transition time.

Before you or your staff tell children to clean-up, it is a great idea to give children a five-minute warning. Ex, You all have five more minutes to play and then we are going to clean-up to go outdoors, prepare for lunch, read a story, set-up cots, go potty, etc. Giving a warning, prepares the child for the change and it gives them enough time finish up their play/projects.

Here are three song ideas for busy times of the day:

1. During hand washing time.  “ This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands, this is the way we wash our hands….. all day long.” Repeat it as many times as the child desires.

2. Singing as the kids are waiting to eat lunch. ” I smell lunch, I smell lunch, um um good, um um good.  I can smell the (name food)  I can smell the (name food) then have the kids to rub their tummies as they say, um um good. Repeat the songs until all food is named and served.

3. Transitioning to line-up. We’re going out to play, we’re going out to play, hi ho the Derry-o, we’re going out to play..hey! Repeat the song, as children line-up and begin to march outside.

This is was just a few songs that I have sung with children in my childcare program to make transition time much smoother and to assure that children have an enjoyable experience while they are in my program. In fact, many of the songs, I simply make-up as I go and the kids, seem to catch on as I song the song with them.

I hope that you are  inspired to incorporate more songs into your program. If I were to walk in your program, what songs will I hear? Feel free to share the songs that the kids in your program love to sing and what you think about the songs in this post.

Check out this Website that is full of children songs: http://www.theteachersguide.com/ChildrensSongs.htm

Thanks for Creating a Child Care Business that kids Love!

Shiketa

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Category:

Child Care Center, Curriculum, Family Child Care, Home Daycare, Lesson Planning, Music, preschool

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