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anyone have any nannycam suggestions? i'm looking for one that's somewhat stealth and they all look so obvious – a giant digital clock, for example, that seems to scream "NOPE – NO CAMERA IN HERE. I'M JUST A CLOCK FROM 1982. MOVE ALONG.... NOTHING TO SEE HERE."

Out of curiosity, why do you feel you need one? I would suggest finding a nanny that you trust in the first place. As a former nanny, I would feel extremely uncomfotable working for someone who had a nanny cam, and I find it especially disconcerting when the nanny is not aware she is on film. I understand that she is in your home with your children, but... would you want a camera focused on your office all day long?

I agree with Joy, though I also understand the parental anxiety involved in leaving your child with someone else all day.

But let's face it, the majority of baby shaking incidents and acts of neglect or violence are performed by moms and dads and other family members against their own children. It is harsh but true. Are you going to film your partner or your parents?

I think if you are going to use a nanny cam you must be totally open about it. Plus, you aren't going to be able to capture every second of every day...are you going to put one in every single room?...what about the times your nanny is out of the room or outdoors at the park or at a playdate?

You'd do much better to spend a whole lot of time and thought in selecting a nanny you have confidence in, and then fostering a relationship of trust and respect. I think the nannycam immediately throws up a wall of distrust and suspicion.

It's another story altogether if you suspect abuse or neglect with a nanny already in your employ. In that case you must sever the relationship immediately. I firmly believe that instincts should be trusted in a situation like that.

the original post is old, so i don't know if you'll ever read this but i wanted to write a reply nonetheless.

joy: of course - we found a nanny that we trusted and, by and large, still do. but it's naive to think that situations don't change over time. people get divorced, people get depressed, peoples situations change in such a way that could impact on the way the way they take care of children.

and there are plenty of people who have cameras focused on them at their jobs - bank tellers, blackjack dealers, pretty much anyone dealing in large amounts of money. i value my kids over money so it seems like a no brainer.

polkadot: i'll ignore your second and third paragraphs because they're just silly and focus on the fourth... and ask you to see my reply to joy above. addtionally i think it's an extreme situation to fire someone because there's a SUSPICION of neglect. pardon the poorly timed analogy but that's like throwing the baby out with the bath water.

i'd like nothing more than to have the 10% doubt that i have get satiated and i think an extra pair of eyes will do just the trick. when you think about it, it's really no different than asking friends, family, neighbors, local merchants to keep their eyes open and alert you if they see anything they don't like. i mean, it *does* take a village, doesn't it???