- Between work, family and other responsibilities,
hiring a nanny can lighten your load around the house.
Adding a nanny cam can give you extra peace of mind
when you check in on the kids
or their caretaker throughout the day.
Before you buy a nanny cam,
there are four things you should consider.
Placement, state laws, consent and security.
Unfortunately not all nanny cams are created equal.
Some can pan, tilt, or zoom while others stay stationary.
If you want to place your nanny cam
on a bookshelf or on the wall,
make sure it has a wide field of vision
so it can capture everything in the room or hallway,
even that.
For bigger rooms, like a nursery or play area,
you can go for the fancier features
like panning, side to side, tilting,
up and down or zooming in.
In all 50 states, you can record out in the open
as long as you're not also recording audio.
Be sure to check on your own state surveillance laws
before you set up a nanny camera.
We have further details on our best nanny cams page
on Safewise.com.
You can check the link below to get more information.
Even if you catch something suspicious,
the recording might not hold up in court
if you film illegally,
which brings us to our next point.
We recommend starting the relationship right.
If you're hiring a new nanny or babysitter
go ahead and tell them about any indoor cameras
or security equipment you have inside.
Or if the camera is the new addition to the family
explain to your nanny that it's just a precaution,
because recording without consent is illegal in some states
and it creates a huge breach of trust between you
and your kid's caretaker.
Overall, it's better that you tell your nanny
about any indoor cameras before they find them on their own.
Say there's a break-in or some kind of accident
that happens while your nanny's at home with your kids.
Not only will your nanny be able
to help keep your kid safe,
they'll be able to know what time and where it happened
so you can check the footage later.
And finally, it's simple psychology.
People act differently when they know they're being watched.
So tell your nanny about the camera
and everyone will be on their best behavior.
In the past few years, there have been an amount
of disturbing hacking cases throughout the country.
So if you install a nanny cam in your home,
do you know how to keep the line safe from prying eyes?
Start by changing your password
to the wifi and camera regularly.
Think one to every three months.
Use long complex, original passwords
whenever you do change it.
And be sure to log out of your camera app
every time you're done using it.
If you want more information on that,
check out our security camera safety video.
Nanny cams can add an extra layer
of security to your childcare routine
or they can breed paranoia and suspicion.
It all depends on how you use them.
Different families need different things
so we recommend doing a bit of research
before you hire a nanny or get an indoor camera.
Get more videos like this one twice a week
when you subscribe to our YouTube channel.
This one, you're here already.
That's all you have to do.
We also have a best nanny cams page on Safewise.com
that ranks some of our favorite indoor cameras.
Some of them can pan, tilt, and zoom.
Others are better for hiding.
We've got a whole smorgasbord
of nanny cams for you to choose from.
It'll help you get started on your research.
But for now, stay safe.
(gentle music)