How To Better Connect With Parents At Your Daycare Center!

The first thing parents want to know when considering enrolling their child at a new childcare center is how they can stay connected. Especially if it's their first time enrolling their child in a childcare program, they'll want to know what is happening with their child every hour. Before this digital era, daycare staff used daily paper sheets and would have to call parents if any incidents occurred. But now we're lucky to have apps on our phones that make it easier to stay connected and update parents constantly throughout the day.

Of course, connecting with parents doesn't just mean keeping them up to date about the different activities their kids are participating in. You can connect with your student's parents in many ways. Building a relationship with the families you serve is hard if constant communication is not happening. Therefore, communication should be a top priority at your center. Engage with them when they're picking up or dropping off their kids, creating a newsletter you send out every month, letting them know about any upcoming changes or events, and keeping your social media current can fit with communicating with the parents. But keep in mind that communication is a mutual concession. If a parent comes to you with comments or concerns, you must listen to them as much as you talk to them.

Another way to connect with parents is to get them involved by hosting meet and greets with teachers and directors; this will allow some one-on-one time with your parents and help you better connect with them. School holiday events are also a great way to strengthen parent engagement and connections, opening a window of opportunity for parents to volunteer and help set up these events or for their child's classroom parties. It's a lot of work to ensure a daycare runs smoothly, and sometimes teachers and directors only have time to prepare their students for said events, so having an extra set of helpful hands can make these less hectic. 

There are so many communication apps these days. You may have different ones for parent communication, billing, and activities. But what better way to connect with your parents than by having an all-in-one parent connection tool? That way, you don't have to switch from app to app to keep parents informed and run your daycare center smoothly. Then they can see their children's activities, view their billing, pay for tuition, and message their teachers directly. You can share pictures, update the school's calendar, and remind parents of events. ChildPilot puts all these things in one place to make connecting with your parents as simple as possible.

Connecting with parents is an essential part of running a childcare center. And there are many ways in which to connect. Be sure to pay attention to how often you communicate with, engage, and involve your parents; that way, parents can feel confident knowing that they chose the right daycare center for their child.