For information about our rates, sitter vetting process, services, and to submit a booking request, please refer to the corresponding pages on our website. If you still have questions, check out some of our most commonly asked questions below!
01. When can I expect to hear back after making a booking request?
All booking requests will be responded to by email during office hours within 1 business day. Please keep this in mind when making last minute booking requests.
02. I live in the Flathead locally. Do I need to pay the booking fee?
The booking fee is waived for full time Flathead County locals with proof of residence if your booking request is submitted more than 72hrs in advance. Booking requests within 72 hours are subject to the standard $40 booking fee.
03. At what point is my booking confirmed?
Once we share your sitters’ bio and you confirm you’d like to move forward with booking, we collect a portion of the total estimated payment and a booking fee. As soon as we’ve received the deposit, your booking is confirmed!
04. Is it possible to meet my sitter ahead of time, or schedule an interview?
Our sitters keep very busy and unfortunately it’s not possible for them to schedule meet-and-greets for every booking. We’ll share your sitters’ bio (their photo and an “about them” paragraph) with you at the time of scheduling confirmation and connect you with your sitter once we’re within 72 hours of your booking to give you an opportunity to say hello and get to know each other better. If you have any specific questions about your sitter or would like more information about them, let us know and we’ll be happy to share!
05. How did you come up with your rates?
A lot of thought and extensive research has gone into our rates. Our team is made up of talented medical writers, graphic designers, business owners, teachers, architects, and other working professionals. We have done our best to land on rates that are not only in-line with industry standards in our area, but that also enable us to pay our team with kindness and intentionality.
06. What if the number of kiddos for a given booking ends up being different or my location changes?
Any change requests to the booking location, # of kiddos, and start/end time needs to be approved by your sitter, so please reach out to us with as much notice as possible for the best chance of approval.
07. What if I need to cancel my booking?
We get it, life happens and we understand that plans change! But our sitters work hard and plan ahead to make your vacation or event special. With this in mind, here’s how cancellations work: for visitors, deposits are refundable if canceled more than 72 hours in advance; for locals, deposits are nonrefundable but may be transferred to a new booking within six weeks. The booking fee is nonrefundable.
08. Is there a travel fee?
Out of respect for our sitters’ drive time, a $35 travel fee may be applied for bookings more than 20 miles from Whitefish, depending on where sitters are traveling from. Travel fees will always be discussed upfront as part of the booking process, when applicable.
09. Can I tip my sitter?
Absolutely! If you feel like your sitter has gone above and beyond, you can thank them by leaving a tip via cash or Venmo at the end of your booking
10. Does Field to Forest offer overnight childcare?
Yes! We have a few sitters who specialize in overnights. Please visit our Contact page if interested in our overnight rates and details.
11. When can I expect to be connected with my sitter?
You’ll be connected with your sitter within 72 hours of your booking. You can discuss job-related details like driving directions and special instructions directly with your sitter at that point.
12. What is your sick policy?
We love caring for kids, even with a runny nose or cough, but for everyone’s safety, we cannot provide care if a child has had a fever (100.4°F+), vomiting, or diarrhea in the past 24 hours. If symptoms appear during care, the sitter may ask for early pickup. Not disclosing these symptoms may result in canceled care, nonrefundable fees, and possible loss of future service.
13. What if my sitter cancels or calls in sick?
We pride ourselves in only inviting the most upstanding, reliable sitters into our network and deeply stress the importance of reliability and follow-through at the time of onboarding. However, in the event a sitter must cancel, we will do our best to find a replacement. If a replacement cannot be accommodated, you will receive a full refund of hourly charges and a credit of $35 to put towards the total hourly rate of a future booking. For the more urgent occasions (weddings, work events, music festivals, etc), we do offer the option of paying Sitter Insurance for your additional peace of mind. Read more on Sitter Insurance below!
14. What is Sitter Insurance?
Sitter Insurance is an additional, nonrefundable fee that you can opt to pay at the time of booking to secure a backup/”on-call” sitter in the unlikely event that your original sitter gets sick or has to cancel. It offers additional peace of mind that you are truly covered for your special occasion.
15. Does Field to Forest provide regular (part time or full time) childcare?
Unfortunately we are not set up to provide reoccurring childcare. Date nights, special events, and overnights are our bread and butter! We also offer temp coverage for longer visits, although it is not guaranteed (and often unlikely) that we will be able to provide the same sitter each day.
16. Can I request to have a specific sitter back for future bookings?
Of course!!! However, it is not guaranteed that your requested sitter will be available. You can also always let us know what you loved about your sitter and we’ll do our best to play matchmaker with someone new! Please note that all bookings must go through F2F and not the sitter, per our Integrity Agreement.
17. How far in advance should I submit a booking request?
We recommend submitting your request at least two weeks prior to your event for the best chance at securing a sitter. The more advance notice, the better!
18. I need a sitter for more than one day. Is it possible to request the same sitter each day?
We will do our best to book the same sitter but due to the dynamic nature of sitter schedules, it is not guaranteed.