The new year often brings a flurry of resolutions—personal promises to eat better, exercise more, or get organized. For early childhood education (ECE) leaders, the turn of the calendar marks one of the most stressful periods of the year. It’s a convergence of tuition rate changes, family re-enrollment, staff scheduling, and year-end financial reporting. The ambition for a “new year, new me” quickly gets buried under a mountain of administrative tasks.
This year, what if you skipped the resolutions and focused on something with more staying power? Routines.
Resolutions are fragile; they often fade by February. Routines, on the other hand, are the backbone of a well-run organization. They create predictability, reduce cognitive load, and build momentum. For a childcare program, efficient routines are the key to navigating the busiest seasons with calm and confidence. This is where brightwheel can fundamentally change your approach.
The all-in-one platform that builds better routines
Brightwheel isn't just another piece of software; it's an all-in-one platform designed to create seamless, automated routines across every facet of your program. It’s a system built to bring order to chaos.
Let’s explore how brightwheel helps establish routines that last all year.
1. Financial routines: From chaos to clarity
The pain point: Chasing down late payments, manually adjusting for tuition increases, and preparing tax documents during the holidays. Sound familiar? These tasks drain time and create financial uncertainty.
The brightwheel routine: Brightwheel automates your entire billing process. You can set up recurring, automated invoices that account for new tuition rates, discounts, and subsidies. Families receive timely reminders and can pay online via autopay, which is why 90% of programs report that more families pay on time with brightwheel.
Instead of spending hours reconciling payments, you get a clear, real-time dashboard of your revenue. Year-end tax statements are generated with a single click. This isn’t a resolution to "get better at billing"; it's a routine that ensures your finances are always in order.
Free Childcare Billing Guide
Download this free guide to streamline your childcare billing processes and save time.
2. Enrollment routines: From waitlists to welcomes
The pain point: Managing a messy waitlist, sending out paper enrollment packets, and manually tracking forms as the new year approaches. It's a process ripe for human error and lost opportunities.
The brightwheel routine: Brightwheel digitizes your entire admissions workflow. You can create custom digital enrollment forms, accept applications online, and manage your waitlist with clarity. Parents and guardians can e-sign documents, and you get automated follow-ups to keep the process moving.
This transforms enrollment from a frantic scramble into a smooth, predictable process. You can secure your 2026 enrollment numbers before the new year even begins, giving you the stability to plan effectively.
3. Operational routines: From burnout to balance
The pain point: Staff members are often bogged down with administrative tasks like manual attendance tracking, daily reports, and compliance paperwork. This leads to burnout and less time spent with the children.
The brightwheel routine: With brightwheel, check-ins are digital and contactless. Daily reports are logged in the app throughout the day, and staff can easily document learning milestones and activities. This efficiency is why two-thirds of staff say they would rather work at a program that uses brightwheel.
By automating these tasks, you create a calmer classroom environment and enable your teachers to focus on what they do best: educating and nurturing children. It builds a routine of efficiency that supports your most valuable asset—your staff.
4. Communication routines: From disconnected to engaged
The pain point: Families, especially after the holidays, crave connection and transparency. Answering one-off emails and phone calls about their child’s day is inefficient and inconsistent.
The brightwheel routine: Brightwheel's app provides a direct line of communication with families. You can share real-time photos, videos, and updates throughout the day. Emergency alerts can be sent via text, and all communication is centralized in one place.
This establishes a routine of proactive communication that builds trust and strengthens the home-school connection.
Start the year in control
The start of a new year doesn't have to be a period of stress and survival. By implementing solid routines, you can approach it with a sense of control and confidence. Brightwheel provides the framework to build those routines, transforming your operations from the ground up.
Ready to make a change that sticks?
