Feeling stressed about the slower months in your childcare business? Dreading the summer months when parents decide to pull out their kids from your program….maybe losing sleep over the dunk in sales?

Being prepared can help you take on the slower months like a boss and can help you get past them.

I spent many sleepless nights thinking that I had more days than cash flow at the end of the month. Over time, I learned how to prepare my business and my mindset to take on the more difficult months. Here’s a few tips you can try!

Emergency Fund

You can’t control when your  slower months will appear in your childcare business but you can control how prepared you are financially. 

Start an emergency fund and add to it monthly. Just imagine knowing you have enough cash flow to overcome your slower months without stressing. Wouldn't that feel amazing? Automate if you must, just set it and forget it.

Know your calendar and minimize 

Awareness is key when prepping for slower months in your childcare business. You have to know when the slower months usually are so that you can intentionally prepare. This can be easily done by tracking your months. Once you know when you’re struggling it’s time to get to work. Pass out a summer vacation calendar and ask your clients and staff to mark off their vacation dates. Once you know how many kids are going to be present then you can adjust your staff's schedules, your expenses and get prepared accordingly. If the kids on vacation won’t be coming back after their holidays, why not call in the next child on your list and ask the family if their child can start sooner?

Get Creative and hustle

Get creative and start thinking of ways you can increase your cash flow….

• Hold a book fair for your community
• Hold a summer BBQ fundraiser
• Rent out your classroom after hours to specialists offering workshops to kids and families
• Rent out your classroom for weekly meetup groups.
• Have a list of replacement kids that need a spot occasionally

If there’s one thing you can control is your preparation heading into slower months. In business, there are ups and downs and in childcare it’s no different but being prepared is half the battle.

I hope this blesses you and your business-

Christina

Childcare Business Strategist 

Marketing and consultant

If you need help with your childcare business here’s how I can help

Www.childcarebusinessmarketing.com/courses