Many readers have been wondering recently about what they can do to keep an eye on their babysitters or nannies, and how to do it efficiently. Sometimes, children may not be disciplined by the nanny, or they may be over-disciplined by the nanny. Both extremes are not conducive to a good home environment, and may result in the child reacting to the parents as a result. So, in answer to all your questions, I will now address the topic of nanny cams, which for the reasons above is now an increasingly popular subject among families.

So, where do you start with nanny cams. The first thing you should know is what you can and cannot do with a nanny cam. Specifically, it is completely legal to make any visual recordings inside your home, so do not worry about that. There are however restrictions regarding the recording of audio inside your home. In most states, it is illegal to make audio recordings for surveillance purposes, and you could get in trouble with the law if you do so. You might think that this is a serious blow to your surveillance since you cannot hear if the nanny is verbally abusing your child, but video footage is more than enough to tell if verbal abuse is occurring. Other than that one restriction, you do not have to own a special permit or anything similar in order to operate a nanny camera system in your home, which makes it a reasonably pain-free investment.

There are all types of nanny cameras out on the market. From teddy bears to beer cans, there are all kinds of hidden surveillance devices you can use to keep track of what is happening. The great thing about all of this is that with technological advances, nanny cams are cheap enough that anyone can install them in their home. Systems start as low as one hundred dollars and go up from there. Usually these cameras can transmit to some location about 700 feet away, so it does allow some distance, and even some higher-end transmitters can reach distances of over 2000 feet! The important thing to consider here though is placement. Make sure your camera is in a good location, so that you will be filming more than just someone's foot. Also, interference can occur for electronics that make use of a similar frequency, such as cordless phones and other electronics. The interference should always be minimal, but to make sure you have a good recording, place your camera somewhere that is not in line with other equipment that utilizes the same transmitting frequency.

The other thing you need to consider about your nanny camera system is what kind of a receiver you will be using. Some people still use a VCR to make their recordings, but the more advanced DVR is probably your best option now. DVR will allow for better recording since it is digital, and it also allows for you to erase and record footage over and over again on the hard drive.

Overall, there are many benefits and advantages to having a nanny camera system installed in your home. In contrast, the only real negative effect of having a nanny camera is the overall feeling created in your home of 'being watched.' This can be avoided though with prudent use of the camera, such as only turning it on when the kids are alone in the house with a nanny. In conclusion, a nanny cam can be an extremely valuable asset to protect your children from possible abuse.