Nanny cams

[Anonymous]

We are about to welcome a new au pair (with a 10-day break between our outgoing ap). Dh wants to get a camera to keep tabs on her especially while we are t at home (we have a weekend home and will go frequently without ap unless she wants to come. Mostly I think he doesn't want her to have big gatherings though of course we know nothing about her personality type. If we do get a camera I'd feel it is important to tell her t is there and it's for us to "check in" on the house while we are away. Does anyone else keep a nanny cam and if so what do you tell your au Pair about it?

[Anonymous]

Maybe it is just me, but I think there is a difference between a camera for live-out nanny, when you are observing someone on a job, vs. au pair who also lives in a house, and should be treated as a member of the family. If you had a 20 yo niece visiting, would you have cameras on check on her? If you can't trust AP not to have parties in the house when you are not there, I think you have bigger problems.

I think if HF even consideres cameras in the house, this should be disclosed prior to the match, at least to give AP option not to match with this family. If I were an AP, I would, personally, want to have freedom to go around the house when parents are not there, and not feel that I'm being "watched". It depends on a state, but not disclosing cameras is illegal.

Nanny has much more flexibility to quit and find another job if she doesn't like the cam vs AP.

Your neighbors can be a good source on what's going on when you are not there.

[Anonymous]

I know this might be semantics, but this is not a nanny cam. In my opinion this is invasion of privacy. If your husband needs to check in on the au pair while you are away at your weekend home, then either the weekend home or the au pair are not a right fit for you.

If you are genuinely concerned about the house being broken into during the weekend, then what you need is an alarm system. If you have one, cams and all to see whoever comes in and out of the house, then I feel you should disclose the system to the au pair.

If you don't want your au pair to have sleepovers or parties when you are away, then you make it a rule and you trust that she will respect your home. You can always inquire with your neighbors if you suspect undesired activity, but personally I am the kind of person who assumes that people do what's right until I find out otherwise. Life is pretty miserable if you suspect people to deceive you. I'd rather be optimistic and correct as needed.

[Anonymous]

Why do you not have nanny cams with current AP?

[Anonymous]

We don't have nanny cams and never considered them, but I will say that on some of the hosting FB pages I'm a part of, it is common to the point of nearly ubiquitous for people to have cameras in their homes and trackers on their cars. I sometimes feel like I'm the only one not tracking what my AP is up to.

[Anonymous]

Au pairs are taking care of children just like nannies. If you have concerns about their childcare it is your right to have a camera - but be sure to disclose it.

[Anonymous]

Nothing wrong with having them but the AP should be aware. Even in daycare settings where cameras are situated in the room staff and parents are made aware and aware of how the footage is used/monitored

[Anonymous]

Better inform the ap BEFORE she signs on with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Au pairs are taking care of children just like nannies. If you have concerns about their childcare it is your right to have a camera - but be sure to disclose it.

Except that OP said this is to primarily monitor AP when the family is NOT home. I don't think I would call this a nanny cam. Definitely needs to be disclosed.

[Anonymous]

We have external security cameras on all our exits and perimeter of the home. If DH is worried about who is coming in your home a security system makes more sense and is not as creepy. Having the cameras on when your children are not there borderlines on being a voyeur.
Having them on to monitor your children is one thing, monitoring your child care provider when your children are not there is freaksville, USA.

[Anonymous]

Op - we do have a camera outside that we can check to see who is coming and going, as well as a security system. I don't think a camera is necessary and am not totally sure why dh does, I think maybe he's just testing out the idea.

As a parent I don't think I would leave my kids alone with someone I didn't trust, so having a camera to spy on my childcare provider doesn't seem like a good way to show or establish trust. As a former nanny I know that if you have a gut feeling issue causing you concern you should not leave that person alone with your kids.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it, but I think it is ok during the day when the au pair is taking care of your children if you disclose it.

No way is it ok after hours. Would you rent a room from someone if they told you that you would be recorded while you were at home? Especially with the external cameras in place, it seems there is little advantage to you and an invasion of privacy for her.

If your DH won't budge, choose a daycare.

[Anonymous]

Congrats, you are going to monitor Au program using cameras.
It is illegal without participant full consent. It is illegal also when the Au pair is taking care of the children. Of course HP don't have to tell.

[Anonymous]

Troll post.

No one in their right mind would do this.

Go away unemployed nanny; or in the worst case this is real call the FBI on DH for what he has on his computers already.

[Anonymous]

We have cameras around the permiter of our home for security. Having cameras inside thr home to monitor the AP whrn you are away is really really out of line.