Sure, OP, you can write this in a letter. I would think that a 24 hr cancellation fee is a reasonable step. Be prepared to lose some families, but if you want to make a living patching together a lot of babysitting assignments, scheduling will always be an issue. Just market yourself and your new policies to new families so you always have options.

It is TRUE that private schools, daycares and preschools charge the parents even if the child is too ill to attend. They may even charge holidays as well. I used to work at a school that charged parents per minute if they were late picking up their child after school.

This policy set in motion the philosophy that childcare workers are just that = Workers. We have our own family and domestic responsibilities and our time is just as valuable as any other working adult.

As a nanny, you CAN instill a cancellation policy. Just be prepared for the families to get offended. Why? The way you describe these families, they seem like they do not value your time very much and take you for granted. They expect you to be at their every beck + call and think nothing of what you lose when they cancel "last minute."

You deserve to be compensated if you are not needed. They need to give you at least a 24 hr notice...more if possible.
I would charge at least 1/2 of what you were supposed to make. Hey...you have to pay your light bill just like they do, right?????

These parents sound very self~entitled and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they act all offended and seek another nanny. One they can take for granted.

These parents suck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like OP wants to implement a cancellation policy for babysitting that is a week or more notice. I don't think that is reasonable. HOwever, I am also having a REALLY hard time understanding OP...she doesn't seem too smart.

Ask me a question and let me know what you don't understand.....How about trying that before you try to determine my knowledge level? I'm at work while typing this and have you ever stopped to think I didn't have the time to type out a well drafted essay for an anonymous website..it doesn't mean I'm not smart...

Someone a bit smarter might wait until they were NOT working, maybe at home, at a time when they could focus on what they are writing and getting their point across. Your post was harder to read than it should have been. It is hard to come up with good suggestions for someone when you can't understand the whole situation in the post.

Use things like Family A and Family B to help us realize which family is which. Only mention what is relevant, we don't need to hear how long you have been working with the other families or that you have watched their kids grow up etc.

I started working with Family A first, then added on Family B. I also work for a daycare center. I used to work for Family A on quite a few Saturdays but when I started to work for Family B, Saturdays were part of the schedule so I am with them every week as needed. I can no longer take on Family A for those days unless Family B cancels and I have enough time to accept work for Family A still. Family B does not do guaranteed hours or pay, I don't get paid if not working and they cancel on me quite often, anywhere from 24 hours- 7 days in advance. That amount of time is not always enough to fill my Saturday Schedule and I am left with no work sometimes due to this. I really need to work Saturdays to help with my expenses.

I would see something like the above and then ask:

Why did you take on Saturdays for you new position (Family B) if you had already been doing quite a few (if not all) Saturdays with Family A? Family A was first and using you quite often, you should be available to Family A FIRST and then if they don't need you, find other work to fill in. IF Family A did not want to commit to all Saturdays with you and it was just whenever they could use you, and Family B DID want to commit to you, then you need Family B to do guaranteed hours/pay. Or if Family A decided they wanted to have you work most Saturdays, maybe they would do guaranteed hours/pay to keep you on those days. If

If doing guaranteed hours/pay, you will work EVERY Saturday. If they don't need you, you will still get paid. If you are willing to do some kind of other work that day like simple light housekeeping (vacuuming and kids laundry, cleaning the kitchen, petsitting etc) then that makes it more likely that you will get paid while they are gone on vacation and don't need childcare. I hate banking hours so I prefer not to do that, but you could if you wanted to. If you don't want to do either of those things, then guaranteed hours/pay is harder to get on a PT schedule when working for multiple families. So you have to decide which you would rather have, other non-childcare work at times and the money, OR days off unpaid.

Frankly, if I had 2 families that wanted to use me the same day and about as often for each (like 3 saturdays a month at least) and neither wanted to guarantee me anything, I would go with the family that doesn't cancel as often, even if I would be getting days off unpaid.

I stopped reading replies about half way down. First, talk to the family that cancels a lot and say that you need to work with a guaranteed amount of hours each week (with a regular schedule). If this position is more of an occasional type of work, whenever they need some help, then don't cancel any other work you may have on that day for them. You are already scheduled for something and just let them know if they can't make it a regular schedule, that there are going to be many times that you will already have something else (if not always).

They as employers can decide if they want to commit a regular schedule to you (with regular guaranteed pay) OR they can then find someone else for when you are not available (or just find another sitter to use totally).

I would not be canceling ANY other work for them, especially if they are known to cancel on you at a time when it is too late for you to find something else (whether it is 24 hours before or even a week before). Talk to them in person about all of this, you can make notes to refer to while talking to them, but talking is necessary.

*can't not can