How would you feel if you wanted to cancel a babysitter booking and then got hit with a cancellation fee… without agreeing to one beforehand!?
A US mother who cancelled her babysitter six hours before the booking was hit with a $120 invoice, sparking a fierce debate among parents about whether unused time still has to be paid for. The woman messaged the sitter to say the family’s plans had changed “unexpectedly.” The sitter replied that it was “no problem.” The next morning, however, a $120 bill arrived. When the mother asked why, the sitter explained she had kept the evening free and turned down another family.
The mother said she comprehended the point but noted that no one had discussed a cancellation fee. She offered $60 instead. The sitter refused, saying the six hours had been booked whether they were used or not. The mother then took the dilemma to Instagram, asking other parents whether she should pay the full amount or stand her ground.
Opinions split quickly.
Some parents insisted the sitter should be paid in full because her time had been reserved and she turned down another job. Others claimed that without a clearly agreed cancellation policy, the $60 offer was already generous.
Many parents feel thea fee should apply only in cases of last-minute medical emergencies. Another said booked time must be paid for, “period.”
Sydney mum and etiquette expert Kate Heussler told news.com.au she could see both sides. Booking someone for six hours means asking them to set that part of their evening aside, she said, and six hours’ notice is not always enough to find another full booking. At the same time, she argued it is poor form to introduce a cancellation fee after the fact. The sitter’s “no problem” reply also reasonably suggested there would be no further charge.
Heussler described the mother’s $60 offer as a decent starting point for a conversation rather than a final settlement decided by one party. Good etiquette, she said, is less about winning the $60-versus-$120 argument and more about accepting that a change of plans can still cost the other person money. Neither side needs to be painted as the villain: family plans collapse all the time, but cancellation rules should be stated upfront.
A separate babysitting row has also gone viral on TikTok. After an eight-hour booking, a sitter requested $192. The mother objected to paying for the three hours her daughter was asleep, saying she was uncomfortable paying someone to sit on the couch. When the sitter pointed out she remained responsible for the child even while the girl slept, the mother suggested there was plenty of housework to do and paid only $120.
Comments on TikTok saying:
“Take the $80, next time they call you to babysit say yes then bail on them last minute and ruin their date night.”
“Can I leave after she sleeps? No? Then pay me.”
Many even think the story might be fake for views.
Still, both cases emphasise the same underlying issue: when expectations around time, availability, and extra duties aren’t spelled out in advance, small cancellations and quiet hours quickly turn into public arguments.
So where do you stand on this?
