Should Nanny Be Told?



A nannycam at home, is it legal? You are torn between secrecy and fear of the law. Anyway, it is your home and your children. Are these not enough reasons to withhold the information from the nanny? This is the dilemma confounding parents in 15 US states.

The law notwithstanding, there are valid reasons why you should still tell the nanny you have not only one nannycam but also several scattered all over the place.

1. Basic courtesy - Nannies are your employees and should be treated with the courtesy due their position in the household. They are trained to provide child care and are carefully screened by nanny agencies to prevent repeats of notorious nanny cases where children are abused and harmed by the people who are supposed to care for them.

2. Keep a good nanny - If you do not tell the nanny about the nannycams stashed in your place and she discovers it by chance, she will be insulted by the implications of the cameras' presence. What if she's reliable, competent, and great with the kids? You'll lose a gem. Informing the nanny-hopefuls about the nannycam before the hire is the best time to give the information. If they have nothing to hide, they'll pursue their application for the posting.

3. Safety - In instances you get a temporary nanny, most likely a teenager in the neighborhood, you want to be sure of everybody's safety in the house. Young babysitters need instructions, not only on child-minding, but also on their safety from unwanted visitors.

4. Good performance - Knowing that there are cameras in the house keeps nanny on her toes. She'll be more circumspect in dealing with the children, following schedules, and keeping away from the phone and the master's bedroom.

5. Develops trust - Believe or not, but the presence of nannycams develops trust. The nanny knows you know she is doing a good job and this positive turn enhances your employer-employee relationship.

The nanny camera does not only videotape the activities of the nanny. You can check if the kids are behaving or making life miserable for the nanny. This gives you even more reason why you should tell the nanny about your stash.

Precautions to Take

The ethical and legal issues about a hidden nannycam are not to be dismissed lightly. To avoid legal tussles, the hidden nanny cameras should not be positioned in areas where the nanny's privacy can be violated, nor should you install audio recording.

Audio recording is illegal in majority of the states, and there are gray areas in audio surveillance especially when it concerns children in the care of adults. Unless you are a police officer on duty, or working on national security projects, you can tape conversations. But with the nanny, it is a different story.

Before outfitting your home with a nannycam know the local laws. You might get an activist nanny who can put you in trouble. Like you, nannies have wised up to the ways of spy cameras, too. So beware.