Instances of nanny abuse and babysitter abuse are not as common as they used to be. But can you be absolutely certain that your babysitter or your nanny isn’t stealing from you? Or that they’re doing all the things you’re supposed to be doing? After all, in the case of a babysitter, they are almost complete strangers. And a nanny, who knows what their background is?

The best way to keep an eye on a babysitter or nanny when they’re taking care of your children is with a hidden spy camera. One of the best of them is the Boombox Nanny Camera. The radio is a fully functioning AM/FM radio with all the bells and whistles that you would expect, but inside is a hidden camera and a DVR that records to an SD card similar to the one you have in your camera. It has motion activated recording so it only records when there is motion in front of the camera. It features area masking so you can block out a dog or a cat, for example.

You can check out all of our other Hidden Cameras. One of them might be what you are looking for.

Nannies can be heaven-sent, especially during times when we need an extra hand to take care of our children. However, not every nanny who comes around may be the right person for our kids. Even with a thorough background check, things may not always be what they seem. To avoid nanny anxiety and keep your baby safe, here are gadgets you can use:

Nanny cam
The nanny cam is so named because it’s designed to monitor and if necessary, record the activities of the nanny with your baby when you’re not around. The nanny cam is actually a small camera that may be disguised as a small toy, a clock or a radio. It is hidden from view, which allows it to capture your nanny’s activities with your baby.

The nanny cam can be rigged to record images remotely. These images are kept on tape or as a digital file that you can review later.

Baby monitor
A baby monitor is similar to a nanny cam, although some models feature audio-only capability. A baby monitor may be placed next to your baby’s crib so you can listen in from a remote location. You could also view your baby with this gadget, since some models feature a small color LCD screen. It can even function in infrared mode in case of low light conditions.

The drawback is that baby monitors often only work within a limited range, usually 300 to 400 feet. That means you could use it to make sure your baby’s safe with the nanny from another room in the house or next door.

Security cameras
Other than the nanny cam, you could install security cameras around the house so you will have different viewing angles. This is an excellent step in case your nanny likes to bring your baby to different parts of the house. Security cameras will monitor and capture images that you can review once you get home.

Audio recorder
A portable audio recorder can be a very effective gadget to make sure your baby is safe with the nanny. A good audio recorder to use for this purpose is a digital gadget that automatically records when sound waves are produced. That way, what you’ll hear are only sounds produced by the occupants of your house namely your baby and the nanny. An audio recorder will capture sounds that will tell you whether or not your nanny is performing his/her duties in the appropriate manner.

wall clock nanny camera image

Hiring someone to take care of your children is essentially like asking someone to take your place. This is why having a nanny is really as much an issue of trust as it is of necessity. If you suspect that this trust is breached, then you might want to consider using a nanny cam to keep your children safe and your nanny in line. But how do you prevent your nanny from manipulating the nanny cam? Here are tips you can use:

Buy a nanny cam that can be hidden
Most nannies will take it personally if they find out that you’re using a nanny cam. This can affect her relationship with you and your child. Furthermore, if she knows exactly where your nanny cam is located and has plans of harming your child, she could manipulate your nanny cam in such a way that it won’t show her in a bad light.

For example: if you keep your nanny cam only in a specific place in the bedroom, the nanny could avoid hitting your child in that area, since she knows the nanny cam is watching. But what’s to stop her from hurting your child in another area of the house where no nanny cam is present?

To make sure your nanny won’t be able to manipulate the nanny cam to her benefit, buy one that resemble a common household item. Or, use a nanny cam that can be integrated into things that are inside the room such as the child’s crib, stuffed toy, books or furniture. If she doesn’t suspect it, she won’t be able to do with it as she pleases.

Use dummy cameras
Dummy nanny cams can work in your favor in case you have a clever nanny in your hands. In case she goes around searching for a hidden camera that spies on her, you could place multiple cameras in the room, preferably hidden in an area where she either would not think to look or cannot easily reach. Place the dummy camera in an obvious area and the other camera/s in a more conspicuous location.

Tell your nanny that you have a nanny cam installed
Another way to prevent your nanny from manipulating the nanny cam is to simply inform them that you have one installed. Explain that it’s not that you don’t trust her to take care of your child, it’s just that you like to check on your child yourself. However, do not tell your nanny where the nanny cam is located. That way, she won’t have an idea which places in the house she could be in her best behavior in and which areas she can let loose.

cube clock radio camera image