10 mistakes to avoid when booking a Nanny with Nannies on Call
At Nannies on Call, our goal is to help families find professional, pre-screened, occasional nannies for in-home babysitting appointments with ease.
From setting up babysitting appointments, and browsing through our pool of professional nannies, to confirming appointments with the nanny of their choosing, or cancelling appointments as needed, our subscription-based service makes the nanny-finding process easy!
That being said, if you’re making any of the 10 mistakes we list below, you may not be making the most of your Nannies on Call subscription.
Here are the 10 mistakes you want to avoid when booking a nanny with Nannies on Call:
Insisting on finding one nanny for all your babysitting appointments
Occasional nannies typically have other jobs or studies and work as nannies occasionally to supplement their income. This means that they’re typically unavailable for regular childcare work or may not want to commit to a set schedule, even short-term. See: Is it possible to have the same nanny for every appointment?
You’ll have a better chance of finding the childcare you need if you are open to having different nannies for your babysitting appointments.
If you’re looking for a regular nanny, we recommend using a nanny placement service like our sister company, The Nanny Solution.
Having a family profile that’s incomplete or has errors
Nannies let us know that they often see family profiles that have children’s ages listed as -1.5 years old, for example, or where not all of the children in a household are listed. If your family profile is incomplete or has errors, it’s going to be harder for you to find a nanny for your babysitting appointments.
Not including the closest intersection/cross street to your home
Another common error we see is nanny appointments that only list the neighbourhood, but don’t clearly state the intersection or cross street closest to your home. Without this information, nannies won’t be able to know if they can get to your location and they’re more likely to request another appointment that provides all of the necessary information. See: How to Complete Your Profile
Adding instructions include the words “flexible” or “let me know what works for you”
Nannies on the Nannies on Call platform can only request or confirm appointments exactly as posted by you. It’s not helpful to say that you’re “flexible” or ask nannies to “let me know what works for you” in the instructions as neither you nor the nanny can edit the appointments nor communicate with each other to make other arrangements.
You can only book and confirm nannies for the exact dates, times and locations you’ve posted. See: Best Practices for Booking a Nanny
Asking nannies to do tasks that fall outside of their typical childcare duties (eg. driving, housekeeping, cooking)
Nannies on Call nannies are childcare professionals so caring for children is their sole responsibility while they’re in your home. Nannies can only perform all of the duties related to the care of your children including playtime, light meal preparation for them, cleaning up after their meals and playtime, bedtime and bathtime routines, and homework supervision.
Occasional nannies are not permitted to drive your children during babysitting appointments.
If your instructions include cooking, housekeeping duties or driving, nannies are unlikely to request your appointments.
Not including relevant information about your children’s medical or special needs
Nannies request appointments based on the information included in your family profile. This includes any allergies, medical conditions or special needs your children may have. Leaving this important information off your family profile means that you won’t have a nanny who’s prepared to cater to your children’s specific needs when they arrive at your home.
Ignoring appointment requests and email notifications from available nannies
If you take too long to confirm or decline Nannies when they request your appointments, they’ll likely withdraw their request and move on to request other appointments. Over time nannies may even stop requesting your appointments if they notice you're not responsive.
We strongly recommend confirming Nannies for your appointments sooner rather than later.
Forgetting to cancel babysitting appointments you no longer need
If you no longer need a nanny but leave your babysitting appointments listed on the platform, nannies think you’re still looking for someone and they will continue to request your appointment(s) and wait for your confirmation.
So, If your plans have changed, please cancel your babysitting appointment on the platform.
Booking your appointments with too short notice
Although you can technically set up babysitting appointments on the Nannies on Call platform with a minimum of 4 hours' notice, this may be too short notice for you to find and confirm a nanny. Remember, nanny availability depends on the date, time, and location of your appointment, the ages of your children, AND how many other families have already confirmed nannies for the same date and time.
To increase your chances of finding a nanny, we recommend booking with at least 48 hours' notice, but the more notice you provide, the better your chances.
Forgetting to cancel your Nannies on Call subscription before it auto-renews
This one is super important! Your Nannies on Call subscription auto-renews month to month quarterly or annually, depending on your plan, unless you cancel. This is a convenient way for you to have seamless, uninterrupted access to our platform.
If you no longer need our service, remember to cancel your plan at least 1 day before your subscription renewal date.
By avoiding these 10 mistakes, you are likely to have a smooth experience with the Nannies on Call platform while making the most of your subscription. Book an occasional nanny in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Ottawa NOW!