I remember seeing those first horrible images of a baby sitter who slapped a crying baby girl over and over again on a video.  I was shocked and horrified.  As a teenager I was babysitting 20 hours a week for other people and it made me a little paranoid for a week or so at their homes, wondering if they were taping me!  (Don’t worry, I’m not a baby slapper.)

Video technology and home surveilance has come a long ways since my teens.  Do you realize how simple it is to set up a camera and keep an eye on things while you’re away for an evening?  You can get a spy camera for your home and be able to know what happens to your baby while you’re out.  There are no wires, no way to tell it’s there.

I honestly don’t know if I would use a nanny cam or not. I never left my son with strangers and rarely even left him with family when he was little.  Still, I’m sure there are some little one’s who get abused even when in the care of aunts and grandmas - though the thought makes me sick to my stomach.

Many young couples turn to a teen for weekend babysitting and while teens are great - they are young and more likely to become overwhelmed with a cranky baby.  What do you think? Is it a good idea to monitor what is happening?  What would you do if you did spot something even mildly inappropriate?  Would you tell the babysitter about the camera in advance? 

There are some real interesting questions and thoughts about the whole hidden camera thing.  I’m interested in hearing what you all think.