Organizing kids is a tricky business. On the one hand, there are always about a million details you have to keep track of at any given time. You need to maintain order, you need to keep the money coming in, you need to have a ton of names and contact info ready at any given time, etc., etc.
At the same time, though, you can’t really expect to run an after school program like some kind of office space. Your kids need you. Working with children takes constant attention and supervision—and with all the chaos that often comes with trying to keep everyone on-task or at least having fun, it can sometimes seem like you’re trying to work too many jobs at once.
How can you hold onto all the details you need to without letting down your kids?
This is where technology comes in. With the right software and techniques, you’ll never miss a beat when it comes to organizing your business.
Below are a couple quick-and-easy tactics to help smooth out the rough patches sure to come with any after school program.
Build a Solid Directory
Every time a child passes through your doors, there’s a whole of lot new information you now need to have at your fingertips.
At the bare minimum, you need the child’s full name, their parents’ names and contact info, and probably some emergency contacts on top of that.
You’ll also probably want to know things like how many days this kid is coming per week, whether they have any food allergies, and whether there are any special concerns you’ll need to be aware of.
It’s a lot of things to think about, which is why software is so important. Programs like Excel can help with some of this, but those spreadsheets are often a pain to sort through.
If you’re running a bigger program, or if you’re hoping to seriously expand your program in the near future, you should really consider looking into more specialized software.
Once you have the right program, practically everything gets easier—from everyday concerns about keeping everything in one place, to more serious scenarios like medical emergencies.
Know Your Schedule
There are only so many hours in a day. That’s something we all have to come to terms with sooner or later, and especially if things are starting to get a little busier around your after school program, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you look at everything you have to do.
That’s why automatic scheduling software is so helpful.
Not only can you plan everything you should be doing at each hour of the day, but you can also map out the progress you want to make, along with any special events you might want to schedule in your after school program. Take back your time with smart tech!
Keep in Touch with Parents
No matter what kind of program you’re running, one thing is for sure: you’re always going to have parents who want to know exactly what is going on. Keeping up clear and open lines of communication with parents is of utmost importance, and software can seriously help streamline this process.
Try getting reminders for when you should be sending out emails—or even set up triggers for when different messages should go out. Once get have the right technology, keeping all your parents informed and happy is sure to get a whole lot easier.
Automate Income
Like it or not, no business can hold its head above the water for too long without a steady stream of income. Often, this is something we don’t like to think about too much. Money stresses us all out from time to time, and if you don’t want to deal with it, you can definitely be sure your customers won’t.
Good software makes this simpler for everyone. With automatic payments and payment reminders, for instance, your kids’ parents will never have to worry about forgetting this month’s check. Just get the right tech, and we can all breathe a little easier.
Streamline Spending
Technology can also be a tremendous help when it comes to working out your own finances. Spreadsheets are the way to go, here.
It might not be too much fun, but sorting out the whats, whens, and wheres of your spending will save you a lot headaches in the long run. Pool it all together in one place, and set up reminders for when all of your payments are due.
The right technology can seriously help you out when it comes to running a successful after school program. Everybody wins: the kids, the parents, and especially you! Tech is here to make your life easier—all it takes is a computer and the willingness to try.