Nannies, how do you feel about Nanny Cams?

[Anonymous]

I'm fairly new to nannying. I worked at a Daycare center for two years where we were filmed and I actually grew to like the feeling of having my day monitored on TV. Why? Several reasons. 1) I had a large number of students in my room, if an incident happened we could go back and review it on camera. 2.) I felt safe, any untrue accusations could be dismissed by the cameras 3.) It was hilarious to rewind and watch the day sometimes, after the fact my reaction to an explosive diaper is pretty funny.

So all in all, no I do not mind "Nanny Cams" especially when I am new to a position. However, I find the idea of a hidden camera to be just creepy, yes...you want to see who is watching your child, but secretly video taping them is not the way to do it. I don't mind if you have camera's, I don't even have to know exactly where they are, but I want to know. I get vomited on, and I walk around in a bra and cami while my shirt is washing (my charges are infants). I leave the door open when I pee, so I can watch the kids. It's their house, I know, but I do feel like it's violating privacy to secretly film someone.

As far as I know my current family isn't filming me, but I had a previous family who did. I was fine with it, because they told me before they hired me.

[Anonymous]

I have the same views you seem to have. I work for a family that has two nanny cams in the house. One is in the play room and one is in the kitchen. They are Drop Cams so my MB can actually talk to my charge through the camera. If the cameras were hidden, I would be fine with it-I would just like to know that they exist. I would not care if my employer wanted to keep the location hidden (that's the point, right?) but I think it's common courtesy to simply tell me that I am going to be filmed.

[Anonymous]

Yes, same views as above. Don't mind them, don't need to know exactly where they are, BUT would like to know so I can appropriately cover myself up when I am in a room (or direct view of a room) that has them.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't mind if I was told about them right from the beginning. But if they were hidden and I found out later I wouldn't be happy. Also if I had been in a position a while and then the parents decided they wanted a cam, I would then feel like they didn't trust me etc

[Anonymous]

I'm an MB and I don't have a nanny cam and can't really see the point in having on.

If I DID have one, though, I'd definitely disclose this to any nanny. It feels deeply disrespectful to hide this.

[Anonymous]

If I found out about a secret camera, I would quit, probably without any notice. How do you know if they also hid a camera in the bathroom?? Just to many creepy people out there. And yes, some of them even have children with a nanny. Did anyone do a background check on the parents??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I found out about a secret camera, I would quit, probably without any notice. How do you know if they also hid a camera in the bathroom?? Just to many creepy people out there. And yes, some of them even have children with a nanny. Did anyone do a background check on the parents??

I didn't, but Care.com did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I found out about a secret camera, I would quit, probably without any notice. How do you know if they also hid a camera in the bathroom?? Just to many creepy people out there. And yes, some of them even have children with a nanny. Did anyone do a background check on the parents??

I didn't, but Care.com did.

Really? By whom? I never heard of them doing that. Is it something new? What do they do with the results?

[Anonymous]

I agree with others - don't mind if they are there but if I wasn't told and found out I would be upset.

[Anonymous]

I don't at all mind that my work family uses them. If I were a parent, I would have them installed as well. They've used footage from the cameras as evidence for merit raises in my salary, which was an unexpected bonus. I only ask that I know they are there, even if I don't know the precise locations.

[Anonymous]

I would strongly prefer not to be videotaped for a variety of reasons. I usually try to have a good working relationship with my bosses so I would feel hurt that they felt like they couldn't trust me. I would be very upset to find out about a hidden camera but even wouldn't like it if they let me know ahead of time. I can understand if you have just started working at a job and they are still getting to know you and building trust in you.

[Anonymous]

I honestly wish I was being watched by camera. The kids tell their parents untrue things about me and if the parents were watching me on camera, I know they'd be very happy with my performance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I found out about a secret camera, I would quit, probably without any notice. How do you know if they also hid a camera in the bathroom?? Just to many creepy people out there. And yes, some of them even have children with a nanny. Did anyone do a background check on the parents??

I didn't, but Care.com did.

Care.com background checks are a joke. They're really just an identity verification, not a state/federal criminal background check.

I wouldn't like a hidden camera. But would be ok with nanny cams as long as I knew they existed. It'd be awkward knowing I was on camera, but I'm sure I'd get used to.