Titus's Reviews

Not a good fit for us

1. Incessant contact:

This sitter contacted me numerous times expressing her keenness to be given an opportunity to babysit for us. At times the contact was multiple times a day, even after she was told I would get back in touch with her.

2. Limited flexibility and availability, wants to bring 6 year old along on evening babysits:

I struggled to find a window that would work within her limited availability. She asked to bring her 6 year old along for evening babysits, due to lack of alternate childcare.

I was extremely cautious regarding this request, due to the age gap with our 5 month old baby, and the fact that our home has not been set up for a 6 year old child's safety or comfort.

Louise quoted a rate of £8 per hour for babysits when her child was present; I did not feel this was an appropriate rate as this is a standard rate for other sitters that do not bring along their own children.

However, as Louise did not have flexibility with her rate, we decided to try to be open minded and give her (and her child) a chance. I made it clear to Louise that having another child present would be a first for us and we would have to see how it worked in practice before agreeing to it on an ongoing basis.

Louise then asked to do weekends only, when she had care available for her own child. We agreed. At this point we had spent a lot of time addressing Louise's various needs / requests and just needed to book in a date!

3. Refusing to properly mask:

While we showed utmost flexibility with Louise, we found she wasn’t quite as willing to be flexible with us.

While she had agreed in advance to wear a mask during the babysit, she entered our home with her mask around her neck, rendering it useless.

When I saw this, I asked if she could pull up her mask to cover her nose and mouth. She visibly bristled at the request.

I had to explain one of us has asthma and therefore we need to be especially cautious about COVID-19.

This added justification should not have been necessary when she had already agreed to wear a mask prior to the babysit.

I learned after the babysit that my partner had also asked her to pull her mask up over her nose and mouth and she had ignored this request.

She should not agree to babysits requiring masks to be worn if she’s unwilling to wear a mask properly, especially if she is going to react negatively to requests for her to wear the mask correctly.

4. Limited help with baby-related tasks despite significant downtime while baby was asleep:

On the day Louise babysat for us, both parents were present to give her an overview of our baby's likes / dislikes, how to prep food, etc. I was on hand for the entire babysit to provide support as needed.

The baby was asleep for the first hour, and then took another 30 minute nap an hour later. During this significant amount of down time (1.5 hours), Louise washed two baby bottles. No other help was provided despite the fact that I had requested help in giving the baby's clothes a gentle wash and rinse before dropping them into the washing machine.

Louise was shown her our whiteboard where we ask our sitters to log the baby's naps, sleep, tummy time etc. She did not log anything during her stay.

During the final 15 minutes of the babysit, Louise repeatedly checked the time on her watch. I was given the impression that her focus was on leaving on time rather than caring for the baby during the final quarter of an hour. She did not do any work during this time.

The baby awoke during the final 15 minutes; I prompted her to change the baby's nappy. She did not move. I then changed the baby's nappy myself while Louise watched from the couch and continued to check the time.

I am used to sitters preparing to leave in the last 5 minutes, but mentally checking out in the last quarter hour seemed excessive to me.

5. Inappropriate contact and messaging with no consideration for parents tending to newborns. Started harassing us for payment within 3 minutes of babysit ending:

As Louise was not willing to help with the baby during the final 15 minutes, I had my hands full and was focused on settling the baby. My partner saw her to the door. We both assumed the other had prompted Louise to provide her bank details for payment. She didn't mention payment to either of us before leaving.

Instead, within 3 minutes of the babysit ending she began video calling me and sending me comments about how I had promised to pay her but had not.

I answered her second call, during which I was still juggling the baby. I reiterated our commitment to pay and asked if she had been expecting cash in hand, which we had never agreed to.

I reassured her we would make payment as soon as we received her bank details. I hoped this would calm her down, but she continued to make comments such as "You promised to pay but didn't", and "You didn't take my bank details before I left."

Louise could see I was busy with the baby when she left. Even though she left without sharing her banking details with either of us parents, she berated me several times for not asking for her banking details before she left. I am shocked by her approach and complete lack of empathy for the baby's needs, and her lack of understanding that it was appropriate for me to settle the baby before seeing to anything else.

We are an international family, and suspect that if we had been fellow English parents she would not have suddenly looked at us with such suspicion and assumed we were dishonest / untrustworthy.

I paid her within 15 minutes of the babysit ending, and I made it a point to tell her that while we usually pay sitters in the evening once the baby has settled, I had asked my partner to keep an eye on the crying baby while I sorted payment because she was so anxious about getting paid. Louise did not acknowledge the undue stress she caused.

In fact, she gave me the wrong banking details so I had to send her screenshots of error messages from my bank and prompt her for the correct details.

Due to her inability to provide correct banking details I had to initiate payment twice, which is not appreciated when I have a baby to see to. Especially when I've been chased for payment within 3 minutes of the babysit ending, when the sitter is fully aware the baby has just awoken and needs me.

6. Zero interest in feedback, only cares about payment. Extreme mistrust toward international and multicultural (American) families regarding payment. Best suited to an English family

Louise left without collecting payment while I was caring for the baby. Within minutes of leaving, she began calling repeatedly to demand payment before she stepped on the train to return home. She had not provided bank details up to this point; as soon as she did, I paid her the agreed-upon amount.

At the end of this ordeal, I was upfront with Louise and fed back to her that her sudden suspicion that we would not pay was extremely odd. I told her that her repeat messages and comments that I had promised to make payment but had not, gave the impression she was concerned I would not stick to my word.

I asked her what it was about us that made her immediately question our credibility. I told her we don't believe she would have treated a fellow English parent with such suspicion, and that it was quite insulting to be treated in this manner.

I also told her these are not values we want modelled for our child, and we would not be looking to re-book.

Louise did not bother responding to this feedback. She simply left the whatsapp group my partner and I had set up for her to communicate with us.

Clearly all that matters to her is getting paid; she showed no interest in receiving our feedback on the visit, or how her actions impact the baby and parents.

I'd like to think that if her mistreatment was not due to our international (north American) and multicultural background, she would have been concerned that she has given such an impression. The complete lack of any response leads me to think our suspicions were spot on.


Note: We have booked several fantastic sitters through this app, all of whom are providing ongoing care. Luckily, this negative experience has been a complete anomaly!

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication

by Titus about Louise84 on 20/09/2021

Response by Louise84 on 20/09/2021:

I am extremely shocked and feel disrespected that you would make up so much lies and incorrect information about myself.
The fact that you want to mention cultures and fellow English parents is very shocking and disrespectful I have no issues or problems with your culture or anyones cultures.
You have purposely set out to make me to look bad and ruin my profile account for other parents to view I do not feel I deserve that
I do however feel that we were not suited on both sides of requirements I totally agree therefore I polity explained that to you afterwards
I feel how I’ve been treated and spoken too is seriously unfair and your rudeness towards me
Nothing was asked of me that I didn’t do
Especially when baby was sleeping for long periods of time
Therefore before inviting people to your home you should consider your attitude and environment better and not let people come into the mess and uncleaned environment that you want people to sit in and take care of your child
Next time I hope you will think about the way you welcome and treat visitors in your home
This has been a very bad and negative experience for myself