July 13, 2007, Newsletter Issue #49: Nanny Cams Disguised as Teddy Bears

Tip of the Week

We've all heard of nanny cams: They let you spy on the babysitter to make sure she is doing her job. The key for many working parents is to unobtrusively observe her interactions with your child. It's easy if a security camera is hidden in a stuffed animal, boom box, or artificial plant.

Perhaps you suspect your nanny is pilfering small items from your home, or inviting her boyfriend over when she should be watching your child. She may not be giving your child proper attention, or using discipline that is inappropriate.

The surest way to evaluate performance is to watch her on the job without her knowing it. Some of the more popular nanny cams are disguised as ordinary household objects. They come packaged in stuffed toys, DVD players, radios, lamps, wall clocks, clock radios and smoke detectors. Because they are wireless they need only batteries to work, so they can be moved from room to room, and there are no cords sticking out from the hidden camera.

The rule of thumb for finding the right babysitter or nanny, is that if you think you need to spy on her with a security camera, then you probably have a problem on your hands. It may make the most sense to find another helper without trying to catch her breaking the rules.

About LifeTips

Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.