As someone who spent many years as a family child care provider, I can tell you one thing for sure: I did not open my doors because I dreamed of doing paperwork. But after running my program for 16 years, I learned something important—if you can get a handle on the paperwork, you can run a smooth and successful business. What took me a little longer to realize is that recordkeeping isn’t just forms and files. It’s the backbone of understanding your program, your kids, and your own growth as a provider.