Technology has evolved to the point where you can install sophisticated hidden cameras in your home and nobody will be able to tell. There are many reasons to install such devices inside your home but one of them is to keep a watchful eye on your nanny who has been entrusted to look after your child (or children). Parents have every right to be somewhat overprotective and even paranoid when it comes to protecting their kids.
There have, after all, been true horror stories where toddlers have even died as a result of an outsider caring for the child. Let’s take an in-depth look at nanny cameras to learn more about it.
1. The Nannycam
The nanny camera or nannycam is installed in a home by parents to keep an eye on the hired nanny who is looking after their child. This is to keep their child safe or at least have some proof of whether their child is mistreated by the nanny. There was a famous case that made world headlines when an English au pair named Louise Woodward was convicted of involuntary manslaughter of a baby boy while he was under her care in Massachusetts. Such things do occur and nanny cameras can be used to monitor other caregivers and nurses for someone elderly. It is a great tool to have to keep your loved ones safe. These cameras are hidden and can even be made to look like alarm clocks, hidden in teddy bears or in flowers and no one will ever know.
2. Nannycam Benefits
There are some obvious benefits to installing a nannycam in your home. You can keep a watchful eye on your children at all times even if you are far away. If you have a nanny or some other outsider caring for your child, it can help you to gain trust (or not) in them. You can check out how your nanny interacts with your child, not to see anything untoward, but to see if it makes a good fit. They may not be great at it in the same way that someone who is a teacher may not be good at teaching. It is also a very affordable security solution. Children can also tell tall tales, so you have a way of verifying whether your child is telling you the truth or not.
3. Nanny Camera Considerations
If you are thinking of getting a nanny camera, look at the brand’s reputation. Some are known to have an excellent reputation which means you can’t go wrong. You have options of self-recording, wired or wireless, so see what is a good fit for you. You may want one of a higher quality and you also want to make sure you have a warranty. These security cameras come in all kinds of shapes that are just downright ingenious. Some look like it’s just an ordinary toolbox! The more undetectable, the better, right?
4. Legalities
If you hire a nanny, you can actually let them know that your home is monitored by a hidden camera. However, this basically defeats the purpose of catching them, but it does mean that your child will be safer. You don’t have to say anything, as it is not illegal to record someone in your home without their knowledge, however, you should not have audio recordings (unless you have the nanny’s written consent) as this may have consequences. You also cannot record anything that goes on in the washroom or in the nanny’s bedroom. You should also destroy these recordings after a certain period.
In monitoring your child, make sure that you find out what you can and can’t do and follow the rules when using a nanny camera. The most important thing is the child’s protection, but sticking to the rules will keep you safe as well.