Canceling babysitting- do you charge?

[Anonymous]

A couple weeks ago I was asked to sit this Saturday night. Earlier this week I was asked by another family if I was free. I sent an email to confirm I was still needed. MB responded that yes, they'd still be need me Saturday. I declined the offer from the other family and an offer from a third family. Yesterday I was told that they would no longer be needing me on Saturday, and both of the other families have found other sitters. What do you do in this situation?

[Anonymous]

I would let them know that you turned down two other jobs because they said they needed you. How long were you supposed to babysit for?

[Anonymous]

I charge a cancellation fee of 3 hours x my rate if a family cancels less than 48 hours before I am expected to arrive.
I am up front about this before I even agree to babysit for a new family. I have very few cancellations and when they do cancel, it is always before my 48 hour deadline. This allows me the time to fill that slot with another family.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should charge.

[Anonymous]

You can't charge now. This is something you need to set up BEFORE hand, not after. You can let them no that you cancelled other sitting jobs and tell them that from now on you will need to charge a rate if you are cancelled. But in this particular situation theres nothing you can do. You can't demand cash after the fact.

[Anonymous]

I think they gave you plenty of notice. My cancellation policy is within 48 hours. You have a week to find another gig.

[Anonymous]

No I don't charge. I actually get excited as then I don't have to do it. Not a fan of working extra and I don't seek it out but oh do people seek out me the only nanny on the block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I don't charge. I actually get excited as then I don't have to do it. Not a fan of working extra and I don't seek it out but oh do people seek out me the only nanny on the block.

+1 Haha, me too!
On a practical note, how do the nannies who charge a cancellation go about doing so? Short of showing up at someone's door and demanding to be paid, how are you getting this money?
Were I a family who cancelled and then was informed that I owed a fee, I would just not use you again...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No I don't charge. I actually get excited as then I don't have to do it. Not a fan of working extra and I don't seek it out but oh do people seek out me the only nanny on the block.

+1 Haha, me too!
On a practical note, how do the nannies who charge a cancellation go about doing so? Short of showing up at someone's door and demanding to be paid, how are you getting this money?
Were I a family who cancelled and then was informed that I owed a fee, I would just not use you again...

I have a very brief work agreement that I use for my babysitting families, and it goes over my policy for cancellation. Its never been a problem and its only had to be used maybe twice, and the moms paid me without my having to say anything. As for not using me again, also not really been an issue. As easily as you can find a new sitter, I can find a new family. If I weren't in demand, or desperately needed money/families, I would let more things slide, but I don't need any one particular family and I value my time.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Normally I wouldn't be upset about a family canceling, however I had confirmed with her two days prior thus missing out on another job offer so it was annoying. As a pp suggested, I told her that I had turned down other jobs after confirming with her. She offered to pay me. I decided not to accept the offer because it's better in the long run to have them continue to use me as a sitter than to be compensated for one cancellation.