Monday, March 31, 2008

IP Cameras protect your children


Ip camera or ip cameras can and will protect your children from over aggressive nannies and any kind of danger in general. Remember that security and surveillance are not always scary words, because i know a lot of you are afraid of these of these two terms but don't be.If you’re not familiar with a nanny camera, you’d be surprised to know that it is pretty much like any other security camera on the market. It records and relays moving images to a T.V. screen or computer so that you are able monitor the broadcasts in real time or save them for a later time. The major difference between an average security camera and a nanny camera is that nanny cameras are designed to be concealed. For this reason they are much smaller than normal security cameras. This means that you can easily mount a tiny nanny security camera behind a clock, in a child’s doll, behind furniture or just about in any location that you could imagine. The need for secrecy is necessary so that you can catch your nanny doing some appalling act against your children when you are away from the house.


A nanny camera is not limited to nanny surveillance either. You can always hide the camera to broadcast images to the outside of your home. For example, if you have a vandalism problem in your neighborhood and you don’t want to mount an unattractive surveillance camera on your home, you should consider a nanny security camera instead, as its tiny size will not ruin the façade of your home.


If you feel a little intimidated to go out and buy a nanny camera don’t be alarmed. In response to a rising demand there is a surprisingly wide selection of nanny cameras to choose from. In fact, choosing the right nanny camera is probably easier than finding the right nanny!

Friday, March 21, 2008

The Nanny Salary?

There are many variables that need to be considered when deciding a nanny's salary. Experience, Responsibilities, Number of children in the Family, Live in or Live out arrangements, area in which you live (cost of living for your nanny) and any benefits that you're offering your Nanny.

Experience is the most important aspect to consider. Bottom line, this is what you are paying for. The salary that you're considering should reflect the amount of experience the nanny has.

Your child(ren) are the #1 Responsibility of any Nanny you are considering to join your Family, but there may be other tasks that you may ask of the nanny. Grocery shopping, errands, laundry, housekeeping or cooking are just a few things it takes to run a household smoothly. The house and its everyday/week routines takes time, energy and organization and should be compensated. Also, does the nanny have experience in performing the tasks at hand and how well? That question can only be answered by talking to their references.

Number of children in the family also needs to be a factor. The Nanny's responsibility level is raised with the amount of children that she must look after and take care of.

Living arrangements for your nanny need to be addressed. Live out Nannies are generally paid more because you are not offering room, board, food and car as a benefit. Live in Nannies are paid less because you are offering them room/board and possibly a car.

Area in which you live plays a part. Just as in any other job the cost of living in the area reflects your salary.

Benefits that should be considered in the nanny's salary are health, vacation time, sick days, overtime, traveling and the use of a car.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Au Pair vs. Nanny?

Are you weighing au pairs vs. nannies to hire? It’s a good idea to get informed about both your options before you make your choice. Both types of childcare have pros and cons and it’s important to weigh your decision carefully to figure out what option works best for your family. Here are a few things to consider when you’re weighing an au pair vs. nanny.


What is a Au Pair? What is a Nanny?


  • An au pair is a foreign young person who comes to the United States to work in exchange for housing under a prescribed set of guidelines and weekly stipend.
  • A nanny is a broader term to refer to anyone a family employs to look after a child or children in the household.
  • Nannies are typically residents of the United States.
  • Nannies can be live-in or live-out, while all au pairs must be live-in childcare providers.
  • Au pairs may or may not have prior childcare experience, so it’s important to check with the agency if a candidate has worked with children before.
  • Nannies can provide full-time or part-time childcare for your family, depending on your needs.
  • Au pairs typically provide up to 45 hours of childcare a week.
  • Both au pairs and nannies can provide household upkeep services. If you’re working with an au pair agency, it’s important to find out exactly what services an au pair will provide. If you’re screening a nanny, you can discuss individual job duties with an applicant.
  • If you’re looking for an au pair, you must find one through one of the approved U.S. Department of State agencies.
  • If you’re hiring a nanny, you have a range of options. An online database, such as Nannies4Hire.com, word of mouth, nanny agencies, and job boards are all places you can find a nanny.
  • Au pairs may speak little English causing a language barrier.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Nanny Cam catches 60 yr old beating up 5 month old

This just in from the YouTube posting.


"This is Cheryl White of Murrells Inlet from South Carolina. CNN said so far the baby seems OK. You know long term damage could be there. She KNEW what she was doing. And it's unforgivable. I hope they throw the book at her. You should never shake a baby, NEVER! And this LAZY, IGNORANT, HURTFUL, EVIL woman does it over and over again. Nobody forced her to babysit. Please if your going to lose your patience with kids any age...take a break, walk outside; never hurt a baby. Get help, call a friend."


For whatever reason this 60 year old thought it would be a good idea to beat up and shake around a 5 month old. It just ceases to amaze me how callus and ignorant people can actually be!.


  • 1. Don't shake babies...they can and will break.
  • 2. Don't shake a baby if the babies especially if the parents are attorneys.
  • 3. Don't shake babies it will not make them 'be quiet.'
  • 4. Shaking babies is bad for your health and the baby might not make it through it.





    Coping with crying

    By the fourth month of life, all babies, including colicky babies, cry a lot less. Long bouts of crying and crying that can't be soothed are rare by the time an infant is five months of age. In the meantime, here are some ideas about what you can do to soothe a baby: Changing Baby

  • Make baby as comfortable as possible, e.g., check temperature and diaper.
  • Provide gentle motion.
  • Provide soft music or other relaxing sounds, like a vacuum cleaner.
  • Feed baby slowly and burp often.

    Things to keep in mind about infant crying:

    Different ways of soothing may work at different times. A comforted baby doesn't always mean a quiet baby. Even if your attempts to soothe your baby don't stop your baby from crying, your baby is still benefiting from your attention. You are building your baby's trust in you. Keep in mind that sometimes a baby just has to cry—crying doesn't always mean that something is wrong.

    When you have done everything you can to meet your baby's needs and your baby keeps crying, you may feel tired, alone, or frustrated. You might feel that you are not doing a good enough job or that your baby is purposely making things hard. It is normal to have strong feelings in response to inconsolable crying; however, you must never shake or otherwise harm a baby.

    If at anytime you start feeling tense, frustrated or angry, remember:

    * It is more important to stay calm than to stop the crying
    * It's OK to ask for help
    * Take a break, don't shake


    It is more important to stay calm than to stop the crying

    When you can't soothe your baby, remember that it is more important for you to stay calm than to stop the crying. Knowing how, and practicing ways, to keep yourself calm will help you through the challenging times now and in the future as your child or children grow up.

    Different self-calming strategies work for different people. Here are some ideas that might work for you:

  • close your eyes and imagine you are somewhere relaxing and pleasant like a warm beach
  • read
  • listen to music
  • take a shower or bath
  • take a deep breath and slowly count to 10 or more. Don't think about the problem, just concentrate on your breathing, count and take the time to calm down.
  • do something that makes you laugh and/or smile
  • yell into a pillow
  • hit a punching bag or weight bag


    It's OK to ask for help, in fact sometimes it is the best thing to do.

    All parents and caregivers need help, and it is important for you to have a IT's OK To Ask for Helpsupport system in place. Have the phone numbers of people who can help when the crying is too much, such as:

    * a neighbour, relative, or friend that can come over right away and help
    * the baby's doctor or public health nurse

    Take a break, don't shake

    "Take a break, don't shake" is a strategy to help you and other caregivers cope with crying. When the crying is too much:

    * Put the baby in a safe place, like the crib.
    * Shut the door and take a 15 minute break in another area of your home. Use a timer to help you keep track of the time. Letting your baby cry for a few minutes will not hurt your baby.
    * When you are feeling calm, you can try again to soothe your baby. If you don't feel like you can handle things, ask for help. Call someone.

    The most common reason given by perpetrators for shaking a baby is that the baby wouldn't stop crying or fussing.

    For more information about the dangers of shaking and Shaken Baby Syndrome, click here.
    Parents, know you can trust your baby's other caregivers

    Not only can crying be frustrating for parents, crying can be frustrating for the other people who look after your baby as well. So be sure your baby's caregiver knows:

    * Babies cry for many reasons.
    * Tips for soothing your baby.
    * It is NEVER OK to shake a baby.

    Ask other caregivers what they will do when the baby can't stop crying. Ask what they will do if they get frustrated or upset with the baby. Tell them that if something happens that they can't handle, it is OK to place the baby in the crib, leave the room and take a break.

    Let them know who they can call for help, such as:

    * the names of close-by neighbours
    * the number where you can be reached - assure them that you will return immediately if they feel they are unable to calmly care for the child
    * Health Link Alberta

    Talk about crying and the dangers of shaking to every person who will look after your children. It can be hard to ask people if they might get frustrated with your baby, try using the When your BABY can't stop CRYING brochure and the Crying Plan as conversation starters. These will help you talk about infant crying and the importance of never shaking a baby with the other people who live with and/or look after your baby.

    Try to remember that the period of increased crying will come to an end!
    As a baby grows he or she becomes more settled. By the fourth month of life, all babies, including colicky babies, cry a lot less.

  • Tuesday, March 11, 2008

    Nanny cam? suspicious of babysitter? Not alone!

    As we have unfortunately seen all over television, the web, aol, yahoo, the radio, xm, Sirius, our family dinners there has been an unbelievable upswing in attention to the phenomenon known as the nanny cam. You use to not have to think about or use the word surveillance and your kids names in the same sentence...well its apparent now that you do. Just take a look at the following graph pulled this morning from Google Trends.


    Really everywhere you look you either have a mom who clearly wasn't having a great day fire hosing a toddler or you have this Neanderthal Babysitter literally abusing children, It's upsetting and it's not just upsetting to parents its also upsetting to kids.



    Its becoming larger and larger just keep watching and we'll keep posting. By the end of the week there will be another whacked out nanny caught on tape. I've got to say that although the number of nanny acts will simply continue to climb the number of idiot nannies will also. Unfortunately this wont change the behavior it will only deter it.

    Friday, March 7, 2008

    Florida Woman punishes girl with high pressured hose

    Babysitter sprays toddler with car wash hose


    Thursday, March 6, 2008

    Nanny Cam Video with Office Star



    Ok, so its been a bit of complaining and trying to scare people into thinking they need a security system. Well this is a video that should get people to relax and laugh at themselves. That is if they...meaning you have an ip camera system already.

    Note that in the video the Office star is viewing her 'baby' on a laptop...which I'm sure you already knew. That is the amazing thing about IP surveillance and home security! Although they are making fun of it in the Office Elevator spin off...its ture. What do they say about satires...If their making em and they're making em about you...you made it....welcome to the big time IP cameras.

    Tuesday, March 4, 2008

    Hiring a Nanny

    How to Hire a Nanny

    1. Time… You must, must, must know how many hours you need your nanny or babysitter to work before you even begin to look for one in your local papers or online. Way before you even hire a nanny, you should have a general idea of how many hours a week, maximum, you’ll need her to work. If you have a schedule that changes frequently, be sure to mention that up front and be sure your nanny can accommodate that. When your schedule does change or emergencies come up, let the nanny know as soon as you can. This can be especially important with a live in nanny; she may end up feeling trapped or taken for granted in you don’t extend this simple courtesy.

    2. Compensation… You must, must, must know what range you are willing to spend of your baby sitter or nanny. Don't be cheap...I repeat do not be cheap. This issue should be decided up front. You should know what you can afford to pay before you start looking. Do your homework. See what type of fees and salaries agencies are getting for their placements. If anyone in your family or even possibly a friend that has a nanny, ask what she pays. A live in nanny generally gets a weekly salary, including room and board. Some families include the use of a car and it’s expenses as a perk. If your nanny must use her own vehicle during her care of your child, be sure to compensate her accordingly. Nannies who live out are generally paid on an hourly scale. Au pairs tend to get lower weekly salaries, but you often pay their travel expenses to and from their country of origin. Be sure to check on all federal and local tax regulations concerning withholding and social security. You and your nanny will have to pay these in order for you to claim her salary as a childcare deduction on your income tax return.

    3. Discipline/child rearing issues… You’ll need to discuss in clear terms what is and is not acceptable when disciplining your child. The same should be done for key issues like TV time, naps, snacks, etc. Be sure they are understood from the beginning and check to make sure they are being followed.

    4. Vacation Time… You must have at least a rough idea as to how much vaction time your nanny or baby sitter may be looking forward to having. You simply can not have someone who plans on taking months off at a time. That would be utterly useless. do not i repeat do not be afraid to demand long hours and very few extended vacations for your nanny. Remember you are looking to hire them. Now in saying all of that don't take it as i am demanding that you run a muck with your requirements in so far as time as you will need to pay them handseomely for it...remember that. A nanny, like any other employee, needs time off. This is especially key with a live in nanny. Unless otherwise agreed upon, your nanny is not there to baby-sit your child when you go out to dinner or away for a weekend. If you do ask her to do these things for you, in addition to any regular work hours, she will need to be compensated, either with extra pay or with time off during the week. If you ask your nanny to travel with you and your family, you should pay all her costs for the trip (transportation, lodging, food, entrance fees, etc.) as well as her regular salary.