Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait until the next time they book you for an evening of sitting, then say "Great, I have you scheduled for July 1st at 8 pm. This time is reserved for you, and I will not make any other plans. If you have to cancel for any reason, please do so within 48 hours. After that time, a cancelation fee of $X will apply."

Excellent advice. If any of them get huffy, it's time to replace them with some new families.

+1

I want to be cautious how I go about this because I already lost one family when I tried to bring up the issue about them constantly canceling. How can I correct this without causing issues. Some of these familes I'm been working with for at least two years. And I feel like making them sign a contract would be a deal breaker.

This and your subsequent posts may simply mean that there are ample sitters in your area so families that choose to cancel see that as one of the options. You can't change this and make them continue to hire you when you have a cancellation and other sitters do not.

If a family cancels often, I would ask for a cancellation fee. If they refuse or get pissed, there is really not much you can do. By then, it is out of your hands.

Anyway, just do not agree to sit for them again. If they cancel on you on a regular basis, and do not offer to compensate you for it, they are just an irresponsible and selfish family and you are much better off w/out them.

OP, the advice you are getting here sounds good in theory, but you are correct that it would be a turnoff to many families--not because they are frequent cancelers, but it is not the norm among occasional sitters and, when imposed in the manner recommended by 20:48 and 21:18, it makes you seem difficult and presumptuous. I would probably stop using a sitter with such a policy, especially if your cancellation fee is more than a nominal sum. I say this as someone who goes out of her way not to cancel on sitters. In fact, as far as I can recall, I have never done so.

When you get a booking, try saying "Great, I've reserved [x slot] for you. If for any reason your plans change, please be sure to let me know at least 24 hours in advance. I count on my babysitting income to help make ends meet, and short notice cancellations are a real problem for me because they leave me unable to book other jobs."

A gentle reminder like this should help in getting families to take your bookings more seriously. If you encounter a family that cancels on more than a very occasional basis, then you could either stop being available to them or explain that their cancellations are a problem and that you'd like you continue being available to them but need to talk about a cancellation policy. Then sit down and work out something that seems fair to both you and that particular family. If you can't work it out, drop them.

Find people to babysit for that are willing to pay a cancellation fee, or find families that don't cancel. I've only had 2 occurrences of people canceling last minute because I tell them upfront that this is my income not just for fun.

I would quit being available to them. There are plenty of other people who are reliable.

I think it's less confrontational to say it routinely than AFTER they cancel. This is what other businesses do. Also, knowing about a cancelation fee acts as a deterent, and you rarely have to actually collect one. Even if you gave each family one pass, you will still get less cancelations overall. "Jane, as you are aware I have a cancelation fee of $X. I can waive it this one time, but will be unable to do so again."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait until the next time they book you for an evening of sitting, then say "Great, I have you scheduled for July 1st at 8 pm. This time is reserved for you, and I will not make any other plans. If you have to cancel for any reason, please do so within 48 hours. After that time, a cancelation fee of $X will apply."

Excellent advice. If any of them get huffy, it's time to replace them with some new families.

I understand what your saying but it's hard to do. I relly don't think they will pay a cancelation fee. My last family I watched there daughter for two years and they dumped me when I tried to charge them a cancelation fee and tell them how it was effecting me. It ended badly and now we are not even n speaking terms.

I don't think you're really asking a question then, just ranting, because if you're not willing to charge a cancelation fee there is not a solution. Instead of starting by telling every family you now have a cancelation policy you could wait until a family cancels on you, and then tell them "alright, but next time you will have to pay a cancelation fee of X dollars".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait until the next time they book you for an evening of sitting, then say "Great, I have you scheduled for July 1st at 8 pm. This time is reserved for you, and I will not make any other plans. If you have to cancel for any reason, please do so within 48 hours. After that time, a cancelation fee of $X will apply."

Excellent advice. If any of them get huffy, it's time to replace them with some new families.

I understand what your saying but it's hard to do. I relly don't think they will pay a cancelation fee. My last family I watched there daughter for two years and they dumped me when I tried to charge them a cancelation fee and tell them how it was effecting me. It ended badly and now we are not even n speaking terms.

Anonymous wrote:Wait until the next time they book you for an evening of sitting, then say "Great, I have you scheduled for July 1st at 8 pm. This time is reserved for you, and I will not make any other plans. If you have to cancel for any reason, please do so within 48 hours. After that time, a cancelation fee of $X will apply."

Excellent advice. If any of them get huffy, it's time to replace them with some new families.

Wait until the next time they book you for an evening of sitting, then say "Great, I have you scheduled for July 1st at 8 pm. This time is reserved for you, and I will not make any other plans. If you have to cancel for any reason, please do so within 48 hours. After that time, a cancelation fee of $X will apply."

I'm a nanny who babysits on the side. I'm have a lot of familes who I babysit for. But one issue I keep having is people canceling on me last minute. To me every once in a while is acceptable but canceling a hour before puts me in a tough place. I feel like i set aside the times they requested and if anyone asks me to make plans in there timeframe i decline and say I already have a commitment. i have about 4 different familes i sit for and at times they are all wanting to same slots so i go on a first come first serve basis but when this family then cancels last minute I'm screwed with NO Money or my family wants to make plans so i decline then its to late for me to go. I want to be cautious how I go about this because I already lost one family when I tried to bring up the issue about them constantly canceling. How can I correct this without causing issues. Some of these familes I'm been working with for at least two years. And I feel like making them sign a contract would be a deal breaker.