NannyCam and our Male Nanny (Manny)

Genidef...At interview stage you should be able to sort out for example, how you wish your child to be disciplined, what you want her to do, eat, etc.

A very good Nanny will take all of those things on board & bring up your child up as you wish.

My oh my... I think you need to remember who works for whom.

Yes, new Parents...In general they're hiring a highly qualified Nanny because hopefully she knows what she's doing & is able to make life easier for the family not cause stresses & strains because she needs managing.

The point about a carer is not that someone has x number of years experience and therefore knows more than the parents who aren't qualified to manage them. It's that in order for the parents to have the sort of care which they want for a child, it requires discussion and negotiation with the carer to achieve that. It's really really difficult to work with someone who doesn't see things like this, but thinks they know best. This is one of hte reasons I avoided a nanny at the start, as being a first time mum I knew it would really wind me up.

Who are you referring to when you say someone with no experience? New parents?

Well I guess when I've been doing my job for 15yrs someone with no experience doesn't really feel qualified to manage me then or something!

I agree with Eleusis, everyone in any job gets managed in some way or another. It's just the way it works. I assume E is not talking about having to tell someone three or four times to do something but rather offering some more constructive sort of guidance...?! which maybe one could learn from, dunno.

When i stop getting advice from a boss I usually assume they've given up on me, not the other way around.

I disagree, a Nanny shouldn't need management at all unless she's young & inexperienced.

I, as are all of my friends very professional highly competent Nannies.

Now now, I don't think that because one requires managing it means she's crap. Most people need to managered. It's human nature and it's why we have managers in all industries.

Perhaps the world is full of too many crap Nannies, though it wouldn't be if people didn't employ them!

None of my Bosses have ever felt the need to manage me, gladly!

Ha! In a perfect world maybe.

Eleusis, you shouldn't have to feel the need to manage a good Nanny though, that's the point!

But, there is much more to managing an employee than a couple days of training and leving them to it for next few years. You have to manage them throughout. And that id difficult. It doesn't justify secretlly spying on them, ut still it is a uninque management challenge.

both parents stayed with me first day showed me the routine etc, but then left on my own second day, but they tend to pop back here n there as they travel allot

I think it's very important to spend a few days with a new Nanny & call regularly for the first couple of weeks.

The weird thing with respect to nannies is that however many people you may manage at work, in my opinion, it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be able to manage the nanny effectively. At least in my case. If you have to 'discuss' an issue with someone you work with in the office, the worst they're likely to do is moan about you to a colleague. What I can't stand is going through these chats with someone who is then left in one on one care with my daughter. Not that I seriously think she'd ever HARM her, believe me, it's simply that it's not a nice feeling. I find it much easier to negotiate issues with the nursery.

I have no idea, ScottishThistle. I have not come across the need to work that out. I suppose I'd send a friend round to pop in on her and see what was going on. Or I'd call her. I'd talk to other mums who see her in the day. Or I'd pop in myself unannounced.

I will say, however, that being a nanny employer does have a unique challenge in that you have to manage an employee whom you are never there to supervise. And that is difficult sometimes.

Perhaps Enid did have a point to make but it was far from understandable.

Eleusis, So how do you suggest you would find out something was actually going on if you didn't trust your Nanny without installing hidden cameras???

I totally agree with you re Parents who feel the need to secretly video their Nanny having chosen the wrong type of childcare.

I'm not saying it was right to put the camera in. I'm just saying Edna's post was logical and she has a point to make.

Personally, I tink if you are the sort of person who feels they need a nanny camera, then a nanny is perhaps not the right childcare for you. When you employ a nanny you have to step back and let her/him have some control. And if you can't bear to trust that control, then you should probably reconsider your decision to employ a nanny at all.

However, I disagree that you should sack your nanny because you suspect something is going wrong. You should not sack any employ until you know for sure that they have done something wrong. It would be irresponsible to go round firing people on suspicion alone.

Sorry but I think if you have any doubts/worries re your childcarer you should sack them & move on!

"We were curious to see what he was doing with our child every day"

Why not just say to the Manny "Would you mind if we set up a camera so we can watch a bit of what our child's doing in the day?"

I think Edna's post makes sense. It is wrong to tape an employee secreyly. But, on the other hand, we all do whatever it takes to protect our kids.

I have never set up a nanny camera and am not inclined to do so in the future. But, if I had any doubts about my children's safety I would certainly do everything in my power to protect them... legal or not.

Edna is just saying if something had been revealed on this tape, then the posters on this thread would all be singing a very different tune.

quietmouse that's exactly what I was thinking!

lol at edna

don't have a clue what your post is about.

Have you been drinking?

I think the only reason for putting a camera in is if the child has maybe unexplained bruises or starts to exhibit different troubling behavior. Then as a parent i would consider it but if there were no problems and your child is happy and you have a great relationship with your nanny and get lots of feedback about their day then i am appaled that you did this. I am with Scottish Thistle on this one i would leave immediatly. Then look in to legal action if that was a possibility.

edna your post makes no sense to me sorry!