Growth

The Life of a Child Care Manager

Gavin Wieske
April 22, 2015

Managing a daycare center is a huge job and requires a person who loves children, understands people and experienced in handling the business side of child care. The manager is responsible for assuring that each child is receiving the best care possible.

Many parents like sending their children to daycare centers because they offer a formal, nurturing and structured environment. Daycare centers are inspected for licensing purposes and a daycare manager oversees the entire operation. This person is typically responsible for the hiring, training and management of the staff, as well as establishing the center’s daily routine to ensure a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for children.

One of the main objectives for a child care manager is planning the implementation of activities to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs of the children in the program. Child care managers also meet with prospective students and their families to review the program’s suitability for the new attendee.

A child care manager has numerous administrative responsibilities, such as keeping a detailed record of payments and issuing receipts. The manager must makes purchases for books, craft supplies, furniture, snack and lunch items. They must keep track of allergies in the daycare center and all other medical information. This includes emergency contact numbers for every child in their care. The child care manager is required to keep in close communication with the individual responsible for placing the child in the center.

Some daycare centers may be part of a franchise or they may be independently owned and some may even receive government funding. Regardless of the ownership or funding, the daycare manager carries a heavy load of responsibility.

Daycare centers may include a nice mix of instructional projects to teach children different skills, such as singing, dancing, and storytelling. There is a good mix of left-right-brain activities such as using simple objects like building blocks for developing creativity or encouraging motor skills like climbing, running or riding wheeled toys. Art, music, and quiet reading time are encouraged for toddlers and older kids. The child care manager is in charge of having a well-thought-out daily routine and it is changed regularly so that the children can learn new skills and not get bored.

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