ETTIQUETTE FOR CANCELING A BABY SITTER?

[hifi]

ONE AND A HALF HOURS NOTICE, should i pay her still? ooh caps

Yes. Families for whom I babysit will typically still pay me, if they cancel with less than 24 hours notice.

It would depend on how long it's booked for, and how much you pay her?
Could you just give her part as apology for inconvinience?
Maybe thats just me being tightfisted!
But I wouldn't give her the full amount- it's not like they'd already turned up

thought so, thanks.

Paying the full amount is fair with such short notice. She may have turned down another job as she had agreed to yours first.

booked for 2 weeks, she is very popular so would have worked somewhere else i think, also dont want to lose her.

is it a teenage babysitter?

My dd would be really chuffed if someone paid her ...has only happened once and they gave her a fiver as a gesture.She was pleased with that.

If you don't want to lose her then pay her a fair amount.

The not losing them part is important. Keep on good terms by offering to pay the amount you would have paid had you gone out - it's then their decision if they want to accept that, or if they will say not to worry about it.

I do not feel that the age of the babysitter is very important. Be they a teenager, or in their 30's, or 60's... they have allocated the evening in their diary to babysit for you. You are cancelling late notice, so it is hard for them to book someone else into your slot.
I would charge a minimum of 3 hours usual fee in this circumstance.

If you had booked via an agency, I would have thought that most agencies would charge the booking fee plus an amount to the babysitter, 3 maybe 4 hours pay.

as a regualar babysitter, it can be a pain to be cancelled at short notice, however unless i had actually started my journey to them i don't expect any money.. Yes there have been times i have had to turn others down but ..it happens. But i do agree if you want to keep her it would be nice to pay her, even a gesture.

I babysit and wouldn't expect to be given money in this instance but it would be a nice gesture and keep her on good terms if you offered part payment.

I babysit and if i get cancelled with less than 24hrs notice then i charge my minium rate which is 4hrs worth £40 - as others have said has prob turned down other work, esp on a fri or sat eve

i paid her £30, 4 hours we would have been out, £60 for concert we didnt go to, very expensive evening!

Thanks for updating hifi... always nice to hear the outcome.

i have never charged when cancelled at short notice and at times have wished i had.

esp a few times one family have cancelled me for proxy parent work twice at short notice - once they had even asked me to take 3 days annual leave from my full time job so they could have 5 days away i didnt mind as had some to use up then they cancelled last miunte (3 days before) and didnt offer me any money.

I never liked asking to be paid if a babysitting job was cancelled last minute -ie- on the day- and if the reason was the children had suddenly become poorly I was always relieved they had cancelled. (been left with really ill, 'I just want my mummy' 9 month old before, not nice)

However, I have also been cancelled last minute for other reasons like a change of plans or simply 'we don't feel like going out now' and then I would be a bit miffed if I wasn't paid anyway. I think it's important to acknowledge that a babysitter has a life too and her (or his!) time is no less important than yours.

I generally go by the 24 hour rule as well. Think it's only fair.