Nanny Camera

[Anonymous]

Have a nanny starting soon for our first child and are debating whether or not to do a nanny cam. It would definitely give us piece of mind, but we don't want to create an uncomfortable situation for the nanny right off the bat. Is this a normal practice? If so, are cameras generally hidden or visible?

[Anonymous]

We had hidden cameras. Still do actually. Never told the nanny. We feel fine about it.

The nannies on this board try to imply they only work for people who tell them about cameras, that it's dishonest not to, that they're shy about singing or dancing to babies if they know someone's watching.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if any of my employers have had cameras, but I have never ever had a problem with any NF. I wouldn't care about the cameras but I personally probably wouldn't want to know about them if they are there, it would just seem strange to know your being watched.

So if you do it, keep it to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Guys ,you have to have some respect for the nannies,if I know the family have cam,I just leave them,no way I can stay with this jorkes family.
Stay home with yours kids if you no trust nobody.

[Anonymous]

DH and I have had this discussion again and again. As a former nanny myself, I cringe at the idea of an employer watching me--what if I picked my nose or scratched myself? Even the idea of another adult watching me crawl around on the floor, or sing silly songs, just feels so awkward. I feel that it is a big infringement on an employee to do this.

For me, the fact is, if I were so uncomfortable with a nanny that I felt the need to watch her on that level, I would not hire that person. If the fear was--she might harm our kids, ignore them, scream at them--anything like that which I thought I might catch her in, then that's not the right person/nanny for us.

Of course, my kids are older and could tell me if something went wrong. I know it's more nerve-wracking with a baby. But we have never had one and I never will.

[Anonymous]

My last emloyers had nanny cams out in the open. They told me about them during the interview. It didn't bother me, and I would rather know about them. I don't mind people seeing do my job, even the silly parts of it. Knowing where the cameras are actually allows me the privacy to blow my nose or change clothes out of sight of the camera. Like many nannies, I usually leave the door open when I use the bathroom. I used the bathroom that wasn't in sight of them.

My employers never mentioned them during my employment. I don't even know if they watched the video. It would be seriously unbearable if they had used them to micromanage us.

[Anonymous]

I think it's a very personal decision OP. We never used nanny cams and I don't regret it. The nanny we hired came exceedingly well recommended and from neighborhood families we knew who had known her for years. So her credentials coming in were great.

I very much want to be able to leave the house and not worry, not micromanage, not have any concerns about how my kids are being cared for. I think that if we had cameras I'd be watching them and be getting too caught up in silly/inconsequential stuff. Our nanny does lots of things differently than I do them, but her way is equally safe/loving/appropriate. If I were watching her do it though I think I would easily be sucked into a habit of commenting on things, being unneccessarily critical, micromanaging, etc...

I think I'd also find it charming to see how goofy she is with the kids when no one is watching, to see the complete chaos of the house during the day (when I only almost always see order and calm when I get home) etc... So there are some positive aspects also.

But I trust the woman we hired, and in the 3 years she's been with us she has never once given us reason to distrust her. So no cameras for us.

I do feel that if we were to have nanny cams we would let the nanny know. I just don't think it's right to do that behind someone's back, and if you ever needed to discuss something you saw on the camera then you have the double whammy of disciplining someone and simultaneously letting them know you had been filming without their knowledge. I think that would pretty immediately do serious harm to the relationship between you and the nanny that might be far more serious than the incident you wanted to discuss.

[Anonymous]

My last employers got a nanny cam because their good friends got one. They don't know that I know they did. It changed my dynamic with them, and not in a good way. MB became very critical and began micromanaging everything I did it was really stressful. Before we didn't have much conflict. Then all of a sudden nothing I did was right.

[Anonymous]

Whether or not you want a nanny cam is completely up to you, but I do think you should be upfront and honest about the camera and where they are if you do choose to use them. Ideally, you should hire a nanny you have enough confidence in to trust the care given to your child when you're not around.

[nannydebsays]

I think that if you choose to use a nanny cam (or cams), all you need to do is say during interviews or pre-job meetings is this:

"We want you to know that we will be using nanny cams at random times during your employment."

Then look up local laws, follow them to a T, and add a nanny cam clause into your employment contract.

Failing to disclose that you may use a cam *might* weed out "bad nannies", *might* dissuade so-so nannies from performing poorly, and so on.

However, using cams without a general disclosure will *LIKELY* cause bad feelings, lack of trust, and possibly a breakdown of the work relationship between you and any good nanny you might hire.

[Anonymous]

nannydebsays wrote:I think that if you choose to use a nanny cam (or cams), all you need to do is say during interviews or pre-job meetings is this:

"We want you to know that we will be using nanny cams at random times during your employment."

Then look up local laws, follow them to a T, and add a nanny cam clause into your employment contract.

Failing to disclose that you may use a cam *might* weed out "bad nannies", *might* dissuade so-so nannies from performing poorly, and so on.

However, using cams without a general disclosure will *LIKELY* cause bad feelings, lack of trust, and possibly a breakdown of the work relationship between you and any good nanny you might hire.

I agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Sure nanny cams are legal, but are they ethical? Because legal does not always = ethical, right?

In my opinion, a good nanny/parent relationship is truly based on great chemistry and when that chemistry works and there is an excellent match made, it is a win-win for everyone involved, most importantly the child.

And in ANY and ALL good relationships, trust + honesty are the bones. No exceptions. Without integrity, no good relationship can ever exist. EVER.

So if family starts off on the wrong foot by filming the nanny w/out her permission, then the relationship is being initially built on deceit. For whatever purposes, good or bad, you cannot argue the fact that it is deceit because when you do not disclose to someone something that directly affects them, that is deceit. Plain and simple.

So anything that happens after that is just going to go downhill. Because once someone learns or suspects they have been deceived, they will feel betrayed and all integrity goes out the window. The relationship is destroyed and everyone loses out. Most esp. the child.

[Anonymous]

If a person intends to hurt a baby they will with or without cameras and could do it in the bathroom where cameras are illegal, out on walls or other activities out of the house. Cameras won't prevent your child getting hurt thorough screening, interviews, calls to references will help weed out bad nannies.
If you do get a nanny cam please tell the person you hire, you don't have to say where they are just that you have them. Hidden cameras show that you don't trust or respect the person you're huring and it could hurt the relationship if they ever found out. You want them to be honest and it goes both ways you should be honest and upfront with them

[Anonymous]

Sure nanny cams are legal, but are they ethical? Because legal does not always = ethical, right?

I don't see any ethical issue with nanny cams. You don't have any expectation of privacy in your workplace, or anyplace outside your own home.

We had a nanny cam. We always disclosed this at the interview and no candidate expressed any issue with it. During the early months of employment, I did review it periodically. We didn't see anything that caused concern. Sure, nanny did things differently than I would, but she was effective and loving and providing a great environment for our DD.

She's in her fourth year with us and I removed the cam years ago. When I told her, she said she didn't mind it and I should keep it if I wanted to see what went on. I trusted and respected her even more for being so open with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sure nanny cams are legal, but are they ethical? Because legal does not always = ethical, right?

I don't see any ethical issue with nanny cams. You don't have any expectation of privacy in your workplace, or anyplace outside your own home.

We had a nanny cam. We always disclosed this at the interview and no candidate expressed any issue with it. During the early months of employment, I did review it periodically. We didn't see anything that caused concern. Sure, nanny did things differently than I would, but she was effective and loving and providing a great environment for our DD.

She's in her fourth year with us and I removed the cam years ago. When I told her, she said she didn't mind it and I should keep it if I wanted to see what went on. I trusted and respected her even more for being so open with me.

I think PP meant that not disclosing use of a camera is unethical. Using a camera and telling a nanny about it is much different from using a camera and not telling the nanny about it.