Archive for June 16th, 2010



For working parents, choosing a child care facility is one of the most important decisions they’ll ever make. Entrusting a beloved little one to someone else’s care can be a daunting task, but the best thing you can do is take the time to do a little research, and then trust your instincts. Here are some tips for choosing the right child care facility

–Convenience: Although the idea of traveling all across town to go to the very best facility in your area is a noble one, it’s probably not practical in the long term. You want to start looking at places that are either close to your home or close to your workplace for maximum convenience.

–Licensing: Unfortunately, there are often stories in the news in every community about unlicensed day cares and even preschools that do not provide adequate care to their children. A licensed facility does not guarantee safety or even excellence, but it is tangible proof that the place meets the minimum city and/or state requirements for licensure.

–Low teacher to child ratio: No matter how attentive a staff claims to be, there simply is no way for any child to get individualized attention in a facility that enrolls too many kids. With so many choices available out there, go with a child care facility that actively promotes its low teacher to child ratio.

–Age-appropriate curriculum: All kids begin learning early: even as infants. Choose a facility that carefully customizes educational curricula to meet the needs of each age group, and then creates an environment that fosters imagination, creativity, and discovery.

–Kind, caring people: You want to be sure that your child is in good hands when you cannot be there, and no fancy facility, programs, or nutritious meals can compensate for the lack of kindness and attentiveness from a caregiver.

Do some research, contrast and compare facilities, ask plenty of questions, and then trust your instincts.

By: Ryan Coisson

About the Author:
Jigsaw Kids, LLC (http://www.jigsawkids.net/) Our child care in Pasco program provides an age-appropriate environment which supports each child’s development.



Are Hidden Nanny Cams Legal?



If you leave your children with a nanny or babysitter, you may be tempted to keep an eye on your babysitter while you’re away – particularly if your child(ren) are young and still unable to tell you what happens when you’re not home. Nanny cams are available in a variety of styles and types so that they go virtually undetected. Often, cameras are designed to look like other, every day objects like air fresheners, lamps, radios, or mirrors.

Some parents are concerned whether or not a hidden camera in the home is legal. Could your babysitter sue you for recording him or her? The answer depends on a number of details, but most of the time a camera used to record your babysitter’s behavior is legal.

Audio and Video

If your spy camera records audio in addition to video images, some jurisdiction’s laws state that you must have consent of one or both of the parties being recorded. In most cases, you would be able to provide consent for your minor children to be recorded. Check your local wiretapping and eavesdropping laws to ensure that your nanny cam is within regulations.

Use Camera for Monitoring Rather than Investigation Purposes

One easy way around this is to simply put the camera in plain view and let your child care provider know that you will be recording his or her and their interaction with your children when you hire them. Have them sign a form that states they are aware they are being monitored so they cannot bring a lawsuit about it in the future and for individuals who do not have intentions of doing anything wrong, a nanny cam should not discourage people from caring for your children. Most sitters will not object to being monitored when they are aware of it; but may feel offended if you do it secretively and then they find out about it.

Many families wait until they have reason to suspect their child care provider is harming their children in some way before installing a camera. It makes more sense to keep a camera in the home to monitor the situation from the start.

Hidden Cameras

As long as a camera is not situated in a room where the babysitter would have a ‘reasonable expectation of privacy’, such as the bathroom, or his or her bedroom if the sitter lives in your home, the camera is most likely legal.

Using nanny cams as surveillance of your home and children is legal in every state of the US provided it is not done in the nanny’s bedroom or the bathroom. Recording with sound may pose a few challenges for legality that you will want to verify with your local government just to be on the safe side – but all surveillance equipment is legal if your babysitter is aware the equipment is in place. It’s up to you to decide how you would like to monitor your child care provider’s interaction with your child(ren).

By: Arthur Plotkin

About the Author:
J. Arthur Plotkin is a self-defense and surveillance enthusiast. For more articles and self-defense tips go to [http://www.selfdefensemarketplace.com/] “if you cannot defend someone, help them defense themselves.” For surveillance technology articles and tips go to [http://www.surveillancemarketplace.com/] “should have, could have, would have; knowledge is power”.





The spy camera and nanny camera market has grown and expanded by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. Whereas before, spy cams were big, bulky, heavy and complicated – not to mention expensive and pricey as well. It seemed to be that, in order to actually afford and use a hidden spy nanny cam, you had to be a millionaire with a PhD in electronic-engineering. Of course, as with anything, time brings along advancements, which brings along improvements, which ultimately brings along different variations of the original product. Take Coca-Cola, for example. Think how many different products have been developed from the original soft-drink recipe. With micro spy nanny cams, the same philosophy applies – except you can’t drink them with a straw!

Spy cameras have come a long way from the shoulder-mounted or closed circuit television behemoths of days gone by. While yes, it is true that those “old-school” cameras do exist and are still used on a regular basis, for average everyday homeowners who are looking to protect their families and their property, there are many different options to choose from. However, before you rush out and purchase a cool-looking internet IP spy camera, there are certain things that you have to do first. Most importantly, you have to know where, when, who, why and what – the 5W’s – of the reasons you think you should have a nanny camera available at your disposal.

Once you have determined all your reasons in regards to why you want a spy camera in your life, then comes the truly fun part: figuring out what kind of spy cam is right for you. There are many different types of nanny camera to choose from – and each type has ultra-cool features and benefits. To get you started though, here are some of the more popular spy camera categories for you to select from.

Hidden Spy Nanny Cams

The most popular kind of spy camera, hidden spy nanny cams are the spy cameras that are built into everyday objects which can blend in perfectly and seamlessly within any home or office environment. Calculators, pen holders, wall pictures – even boxes of baby wipes can all be modified to house a hidden spy nanny cam. The great thing about hidden spy nanny cameras is that nobody will ever know that it’s there – which, in turn, means that nobody will ever know that they’re being watched and monitored.

Internet IP Spy Cams

Internet IP spy cams work in much the same way as conventional hidden spy nanny cams. However, with internet IP spy cams, you can watch what they see right on your desktop or laptop computer screens. The reason that many people choose internet IP spy cams is because they can get real-time video data as to what is going on. Additionally, there are internet IP spy cams which are so advanced, they’ll broadcast the video transmission to any computer anywhere in the world – which creates a higher sense of peace of mind and security for those who use them.

Wireless Spy Cams

Everything is going wireless these days, so, why not nanny cameras? Wireless spy cams give their users ultimate control and comfort in regards to where they are placed and how they are used. Because there are no cords or cables to worry about, wireless spy cams usually feature a greater transmission range between camera and receiver than other conventional spy cameras. Most people who have large property or a long distance to monitor will usually opt for wireless spy cams.

Body Worn Spy Nanny Cams

These are the types of cameras that you see in spy movies – cameras that look like ordinary pieces of clothing, like sunglasses or buttons on a jacket. Body worn spy nanny cams do exist, and they are affordable as well! These kinds of portable nanny cameras are perfect for public recording operations. As well, body worn spy nanny cams are usually small in size and design, which means that you can take them anywhere you go without attracting unwanted attention to yourself.

There are many different types and kinds of spy cameras to choose from. Each one can give you features and benefits that others may not be able to deliver. In order for you to make the best and smartest decision when it comes to your spy camera purchase, you have to know the context in which you intend to use your spy camera.

By: Manny J Manuel

About the Author:
Manny J. Manuel is an expert on spy cameras and he wants to share his knowledge and passion with you! He believes that all families should have access to affordable, reliable wireless nanny cameras which can keep families, homes and businesses safe from harm, violence and crime.

Living in Canada, Manny J. Manuel understands that there isn’t anything more important than the safety of your family. That’s why he wants to spread the word and inform people about body worn spy nanny cams that families can afford and which offer reliable protection and security. He also believes that spy cameras shouldn’t be too complicated to families to actually set up and use.





I admit it my two year old daughter knows the names of all the characters on Playhouse Disney. She absolutely positively has her first crush…on Winnie the Pooh. Do I sometimes feel like a bad mother for allowing her to watch more than the recommended one hour of television for a child her age? Sometimes…but not for long.

Why you ask? Because first of all, her telly is supervised. She never watches anything unless I am in the room or nearby. I know what is going into her little mind. Secondly, I believe that watching quality shows is teaching her in a fun manner. The Little Einsteins expose her to classical music and art. Mickey’s Clubhouse teaches her reasoning skills. Bear in the Big Blue House teaches her to get along with others. And most importantly, I re-enforce all those lessons by talking to her about what she sees. We discuss ways that she and I can copy those lessons and use them in our everyday life. It is funny to watch her help her daddy with a DIY project on the weekend and hear her call a ***** driver Turner or Philippe…from Handy Manny.

As I sit here now writing this article, I have one eye on my daughter, who is playing with the large screws from the safety gates. Could that be because she is trying to emulate Manny and his tools? It is called active watching. Rarely will my daughter sit staring at the TV screen…only when she is very tired. It is something that she glances at as she plays.

Yet for a stay-at-home parent trying to balance the demands of caring for a child with the time necessary to build a new business, quality children’s television can be a real life saver. It offers my daughter mental stimulation and lessons when I am at the computer or on the phone. Of course, as I said it is important to monitor what they watch…and to use your discretion. I do not allow her to watch anything that is violent…even in cartoons. But if used wisely, quality children’s television can provide parents with a break and children with important lessons.

By: Terri O'Neale

About the Author:
Terri is the mother of six ranging in age from 2 to 22 years old. Her parenting motto is: I don’t raise children. I raise independent, functioning adult members of society. Whether she was a stay-at-home or a full-time fundraiser, her role of mother is always central to everything she does.

Terri is also a doula & childbirth educator specialising in high-risk, caesarean & VBAC births.

To sign up for her monthly e-newsletter featuring articles on pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting, visit her website Special Start Birth.