AIBU to be annoyed that Sitters have taken me off their register for not understanding the mother whose children I was suppose to be looking after??

[bump6]

Hi, I have worked for sitters for years and have never cancelled a booking, until today!! I called the mother to confirm I was still needed to sit tonight.
She is Chinese and I could barely understand what she was saying to me and she couldn't even give me directions to her home, I found myself saying pardon to everything she said, which in the end makes me feel rude! I just about got after 4 attempts that she lives near a book shop!!!
I rang sitters to explain that I wasn't happy to be sitting for someone who I couldn't communicate with! was asked what I expected sitters to do!!
I said what happens if the children's english is poor too!! again not much response. I asked if she would feel happy to go and she said she didn't know. I mentioned that I hadn't been feeling 100% all day and am also 6 months pregnant but hadn't cancelled as it isn't in my nature to let people down, but wasn't comforatable with the booking. So cancelled.
Sitters called back to say they had spoken to the lady and nothing wrong with her English(feel like I am being accused of lying!), really didn't know what I was talking about so therefore not a good enough reason to cancel, as also not 100% and pregnant then not able to do job, so therefore have taken me off the register! Would like to say that I have been able to work my normal hours this week as a nanny even though not feeling fab(just cold symptoms) so thought that just sitting I would be more than ok.
Really think this over the top! but would appreciate any thoughts on this.
Sorry its such a long ramble!!

Most of my families have been fine I have had a couple I would not go back to. Yes I always check where it is, they say five miles away which is really ten. Another time I accepted a booking then cancelled because this family had moved another ten miles away and they were really shirty with me. I think their office staff need training.

I think you have hit the nail on head redglow! Think its terrible that not all the sitters are police checked!! good to have back up on the mileage issue!!

Agree all sitters should be police checked. If you was a holiday rep would you be able to understand the child and parents? You would still be able to look after them. Do you think you are feeling a bit emotional because you are pregnant bump? I get the impression that you did not want to go anyway. I still say you could have phoned sitters and got directions.

hangon; don't quite know why you are getting the impression that I didn't want to go aside from the language problem.
I am not a holiday Rep! and I am sure that there would be a mix of other nationalities! Also as I have tried to explain, how would a child feel waking up(not with it!!) and having 1: a stranger in their home and 2: not being able to understand each other!!(they were of speaking ages)
No I am not feeling emotional!! I am(touch wood) having a lovely pregnacy, as I have also said I have never cancelled a booking!!
I shouldn't have to phone sitters for directions, they wouldn't know anyway! they don't live there do they!! how would they know about the parking etc??
I was very much looking forward to a babysit, peace and quiet(never guaranteed but always hopefull) after a week at work!

No just pointing out that you are often in situations as a nanny where you do not always understand the child. As sitters could understand the lady but you could not they could have told you. Its just your whole manner with all the question and exclamation marks you seem a bit emotional. I got the impression you did not want to go as you was feeling ill and pregnant sorry if I was wrong lots of luck with your pregnancy.

Hangon: No worries and thanks for good wishes. I think I may like exclamation marks alot..use them in texts too.
Agree you don't always understand the children but this is usually a child who at least recognises us..and would always expect to understand the parent. However that is just my own personal opinion.

Even when arranging babysitting yourself you can come across similar problems. For example I babysat for a new family and it was fine the first time. The second time they had friends stay over who were visiting from Russia. I didn't know that before I arrived. Upon arrival I was faced with two extra children either of whom understood or spoke English. My Russian isn't very good - it's non existent.

Hello bump6! No I have never worked for sitters! I have used them for babysitters though, and they were fine - the lady they sent was lovely, and we were lucky enough to have her every time - not that we go out a lot! Joining in with the exclamation marks!

I used to do babysitting for strangers as it were, but mainly from recommendations through friends and acquaintances, not an agency. I'd always try to visit beforehand while the child(ren) were up and about so I'd not be a totally strange face if they found me there when they woke, or failing that, to come early and help put them to bed so they would get a little bit used to me. Now I only babysit for children I care for during the day anyway.

Hello Nick! Now I would have been okay there as I do speak some Russian. One of my families spoke Malayalam, which I have to admit is a language I had never even heard of!

Yes Nick I find when i do private babysitting they often have extra children. Never with sitters though so far.

Nannynick, that must have been a huge surprise for you, I too have non existent Russian.!! I do think that parents do like to take advantage of us..
I have sat for the family I nanny for before(3 kids) to arrive to find they all have a friend for a sleep over!
Hi minderjinx, good to see someone else with !!!! appreciation. Glad you have had good experience with Sitters, I do think they try to send the same person and like wise think most of the sitters prefer that too. Unfortunatly you don't get to meet before, asked to arrive 5 mins early, and usually its the parents trying to finish getting ready whilst introducing children(if still up) and showing you kettle etc.! Maybe thats something they should consider for the future.
I think from now on I will only sit for children that I know. easier all round!!

Yes but bump I would not really go all over there before just to meet the children.

I don't know about sitters and how they treat you but it is always better to ask people to text you the address and postcode.

Minderjinx have no idea where that is from!!
Redglow think sometimes its nicer to meet everyone before you go, but unfortunatly its never an option with sitters. They wouldn't pay you to go either!
Laquitar, sitters send you address and postcode.so you can usually check it.
I always find it helps to check with the parents, especially when going to a flat, as you never know if you can park outside or how far it is for a parking spot. Also some houses are on roads which in the dark are hard to find so landmarks always helpful.

I think you may find yourself being asked to return during the next month or so. I haven't worked for them for nearly 3 years and got a text the other day, saying they were desperate busy

I don't work for them any more because:

1. I got sick of parents turning up hours after they said they would. 12 midnight is 12 midnight, not 3am!

1. I got even sicker of turning up myself only to find that the parents were hosting a sleep-over and sodding off for the evening, leaving me to cope with up to 8 kids instead of 1 or 2.

1. I was very cross that clients could just cancel at the last minute so that I lost a booking with no compensation. One Saturday, I actually had 4 cancellations. The last straw came when a New Years Eve booking fell through with hours to go.

1. For all the vetting they did for their sitters, there is no vetting or any security checks done on their clients. I got into an argument with the office because I refused to sit at a premises in the middle of nowhere, no land-line number and I knew from experience that there was no mobile coverage in the area.

1. I always write bookings on my calendar as a precaution so DH knows where I am. Sitters accused me of a breach of confidentiality.

1. I'm OK with most dogs, but they should really advise you if the household has one. I lost count of the number of times I was confronted by a slavering Hound of the Baskervilles refusing to let me in the garden gate until the owner arrived and assured me what a sweetie he was and what was I doing standing there?

They had to shut a particularly aggressive Jack Russell in the kitchen because wasn't used to visitors and didn't stop snarling at me.

And that's before we start discussing the abysmal pay!

Allthough I don't think sitters treated you very well I do wonder if you are feeling a bit over sensitive because of your pregnancy. I have worked as a supply nanny for a company that briefed families of many nationalities going to work abroad and never found language a barrier where the children were concerned I even had a severely autistic boy but with advice from his dad and the help of his 9 year old sister I coped.

I do partially understand your concerns about the mother but the agency could have given you directions and you would have only had to deal with her for a short time. I'm sure it would have been easier face to face and perhaps her husband would have been easier to understand.

I too get the impression that you were perhaps not that keen on going but sitters were a little harsh. I have heard complaints from a friend who works for them. I wish you well with the coming baby and think you should look for another agency if you want to do babysitting in the future, one that treats their sitters better.

agree with last poster

I worked for sitters and found all this to be true

They don't vet the clients at all and half the time there are more children than they said

also the pay is awful

I hope sitters can get to read this and realise what they are like as they are not comming over too good on this site. I always leave where I am for my husband too so i must be breaching confidentiality. If they do not like it it is tough, I will leave too.

Tanith, wow that really is a shocking time you've had with them..no wonder you don't work for them anymore. I have a friend who cancelled a booking, for good reasons, they told her she was getting a black mark...whats that all about??!! Agree the pay is rubbish, which also was why I thought I don't need the extra hassle of not being understood or understanding!! However, for just watching tv its ok.
Sunshinenanny, I can assure you that if I hadn't wanted to go I would have cancelled before speaking to the mum.(I did feel really rude.
I think if you nanny for a family whose English isn't that great, then that is something you chose to do, however with Sitters they make the decision for you.
Perhaps her husband would have been easier to understand..but couldn't guarantee he would be there.
I just think that Sitters should have handled the situation better, rather than the shrug of the shoulders attitude. The way I was spoken to was not professional and this added to my annoyance.
Thanks for the good wishes and most definitly will be looking for a nicer babysitting agency.
Ssd, seems I am not the only one who has had bad experiences, interesting that alot of the complaints are the same!!
But why should sitters care, they get there quarterly fee for doing nothing, then when the workers say no..they get annoyed because it means they have to do something.

Redglow, I too have always left address and their house No, so He knows where I am! so must be breaching confidentiality!
I hope they read this as its not positive advertisment for them.
I will be emailing them tomorrow. Can't wait to see if they bother to respond or not!

Yes please let us know the outcome.

Tanith its funny about a year age they started informing us if the house had a dog. I too have been locked out of the kitchen by a dog.

I think you would be on sticky ground if you told sitters that you could only go to children that spoke english.

Sitters would not be able to do this either. You say she is always requesting people to sit so cannot really have had a problem before.

Maybe its best if you leave sitters if you are that unhappy,

Hi Hangon, once again as I have previously said I will be leaving.
(guess already have as have been taken off the register!) I have only noticed requests in the last couple of weeks, which does make me wonder (as my friend receiving them too) that either the sitter they have requested can't make it or the sitter found it a challenge, this however is just speculation.
Probably would be on sticky ground to request only english speaking families, which is insane really!! however, I do think that it is only right to be told before you go.

I haven't sat for them for at least 8 years but get texts moat weeks asking me to sit.

I only signed up as I was thinking of buying a franchise and wanted to see how they operated. to be fair they vetted me quite carefully, but told me nothing about the families.

I devised my own questionnaire that had to be filed in before they went out, detailing emergency numbers, doctors, stop cock, fuse box, allergies, bedtime routines etc etc.

Some families were shocked when I refused to bath their children before they went to bed, do homework, make packed lunches for the next day.

My DD used to get paid more as a 16 year old babysitting then they paid then, and now, the pay is appalling considering you need to pay to get there and home again.