Is there a 24 hour cancellation rule or something?

[Anonymous]

We found a terrific nanny/sitter for occasional use. DS loves her and always talks about her. We had her scheduled for 9 to 5 one day last November and at around 8PM the night before and left a message on her home phone that we didn't need her until 10:30AM. Somehow she didn't get the message and arrived at 9. DH and I had both been up late working and DS was still asleep. When DH told her about the message she apologized and offered to go and come back at 10:30. Which she did. I paid her at the end of the day for the hours that she worked (10:30 to 5).

Now, she will not even return our calls much less turn our requests to care for DS. Did we screw up?

[Anonymous]

so you saved like 20 bux and burned the bridge. WTF.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should have paid for for the full eight hours. You did screw up. Now you are paying for that screw up.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but yes you did. Majorly.

First of all, you cancelled on her very last minute. And then you just assumed she got your message, but never actually had it confirmed by her. Then you inconvenienced her by making her turn around and come back 2x and didn't have the courtesy to pay her for YOUR bad judgement calls.

I would have done the exact same thing.

Remember: She set that time frame for YOU. Had she known she was only needed for a later time frame, she could have done other things, preferably sleep in.

You still should have paid her for the hours you expected her to show up.

If you want to keep a good nanny/sitter next time, please do not repeat what you did.

Hard lesson learned.

[Anonymous]

I think you were wrong, OP. You definitely should have paid her for the time you originally contracted but most certainly after she showed up at the original time. We have always paid our sitters anyway when we were forced to cancel at the last minute, btw.

[Anonymous]

Shouldn't the sitter have brought this up when she was paid? Or at the very least returned OP's calls and said why she wouldn't work for them again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't the sitter have brought this up when she was paid? Or at the very least returned OP's calls and said why she wouldn't work for them again?

No, the sitter was being polite (and I'm sure she decided right then and there that she would not work for you again). And no, this is not a long-term personal relationship and she owes the parents no explanation.


And yes to OP - you lost a great sitter over being cheap and thoughtless.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should have paid her for the full time.

- MB

[Anonymous]

I am an MB and you were 100% wrong in not paying her for the full scheduled eight hours. I wouldn't bother returning your calls either.

I hope the $20 savings was important to you as you lost a great sitter forever.

[Anonymous]

People have cancelled on me last minute and I didn't expect anything from them in terms of free pay and I continued to babysit for them on future dates.

Consider yourself lucky your sitter showed you her true colors without leaving you in a lurch. You got off lucky.

[Anonymous]

I think you should have paid her, OP, but I don't think you made some major mistake and there is no "cancellation rule" unless your sitter has one and tells you ahead of time.

Personally, I think your sitter is pretty immature by just ignoring your calls. She should just tell you she isn't open to sitting because you didn't pay for 90min one day.

She should also check her messages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People have cancelled on me last minute and I didn't expect anything from them in terms of free pay and I continued to babysit for them on future dates.

Consider yourself lucky your sitter showed you her true colors without leaving you in a lurch. You got off lucky.

Apparently OP and her son don't agree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have paid her, OP, but I don't think you made some major mistake and there is no "cancellation rule" unless your sitter has one and tells you ahead of time.

Personally, I think your sitter is pretty immature by just ignoring your calls. She should just tell you she isn't open to sitting because you didn't pay for 90min one day.

She should also check her messages.

She should probably get a cell phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have paid her, OP, but I don't think you made some major mistake and there is no "cancellation rule" unless your sitter has one and tells you ahead of time.

Personally, I think your sitter is pretty immature by just ignoring your calls. She should just tell you she isn't open to sitting because you didn't pay for 90min one day.

She should also check her messages.

Not worth the hassle. Not for an occasional babysitting job. I am an MB but I babysat for years and what OP did was wrong. If the sitter is requested by OP's son - she is good. She doesn't need the hassle of cheap parents or the drama of educating them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you should have paid her, OP, but I don't think you made some major mistake and there is no "cancellation rule" unless your sitter has one and tells you ahead of time.

Personally, I think your sitter is pretty immature by just ignoring your calls. She should just tell you she isn't open to sitting because you didn't pay for 90min one day.

She should also check her messages.

She should probably get a cell phone.

To me that wouldn't matter - the nanny/babysitter held open 9 to 5 for this family. She should be paid for 9 to 5 regardless of whether she picked up her messages 12 or 13 hours before her start time.