Why parents shold consider installing CCTV cameras at home

Working mothers engage the services of maids or nannies to help look after their children or the home while they are at work. Last week, the video of a sick two-year-old child slammed on the floor, spanked with torchlight and stepped on several times sent shivers down the spines of many across the world. The […]

Working mothers engage the services of maids or nannies to help look after their children or the home while they are at work. Last week, the video of a sick two-year-old child slammed on the floor, spanked with torchlight and stepped on several times sent shivers down the spines of many across the world.
The video irked so many people and generated a lot of conversation on what better ways can be employed to curb the excesses of maids when their services are engaged. But the question now is that should maids be told that there are cameras in the house monitoring them?
Rachael Henry, a 30-year-old mother of two, says the essence of installing a camera would be defeated if the maid is told about it: “There is no need to let them know so they don’t pretend. If they do they may take the child outside where there no cameras and do what they want to do. If they are told what is the use of that CCTV then?”
Easter David, a 35-year-old civil servant, drawing from her experience prefers the cameras to remain secret: “Funny enough, I had a similar experience with my maid in the past but for something different. The camera captured my maid drinking red wine from a bottle and refilling it with water and even giving the diluted one to the baby she was caring for. After showing her on computer and cautioning her on what she had done she adjusted and every time she cleans the table she closes my laptop thinking  it was the computer that caught her not knowing it was the CCTV as she still finds it surprising that I still know all that happens even after she closes the laptop. So from experience, only confront her when you want her to know, that you know what is going on but don’t tell her every details, it keeps them on their toes.”
Thirty-year-old Habiba, a lawyer says she prefers the maid knows there is a camera watching her: “At least when you tell her she restrains herself and when you don’t she might torture your child to death. Then you end up having the evidence but no child, God forbid. There is no better way of doing it, I would rather opt for my baby’s nanny knowing I am watching her, that way if anything happens to the child which is not captured then I can confront her that she deliberately avoided being captured and took my child outside to hurt her.”
Blessing Basira Bello, a 45-year-old fashion designer suggests constant checking on kids in the care of maids: “Besides the CCTV, always check on your children, at times the nanny will not be expecting you. A woman once discovered that her nanny was tormenting her son while she was alone with the boy. To some if you can, avoid them but if you must employ a nanny ensure there are cameras both electronic and human (neighbours) to monitor their activities.”
Others suggest taking children to the crèche instead of employing nannies. “Children should be taken to the crèche while the maid is left to do the house chores only so when you come back you can concentrate on your baby. I prefer crèche to hiring a nanny. In a good crèche there are many attendants. There won’t be room for maltreatment. Every woman should save herself the trouble of nannies and opt for a crèche instead,” says Mrs Rakiya Alkassim, a school teacher.
Hajiya Hassana Musa, a lawyer wonders why anyone would need CCTV cameras to monitor nannies. She argues that: “Treat them well and they care for your child well. Give and it shall be given back to you double-fold. We sometimes think we are clever, the maid can run away with your child CCTV camera or not. So why don’t we just imbibe trust in these maids so that you both can discuss the rules and regulations you need in your home. Not all nannies are bad, there are nice ones out there; you will perform well at work knowing that your child is home and well taken care of. Above all, always feed your nanny well, give her pocket money, and buy her nice things. Take her to eateries with your kids. Show her love, you will see a difference. Often times, nannies are wicked as a result of how a wife treats them.”
Marriage counsellor Hajiya Maryam Abdullahi says: “It is complicated. It should remain a secret because telling the maid will amount to her pretending and not telling her might also make her go to the extremes. It is just sad seeing what these nannies do. We should only trust God to take care of our children because there are places she can go that are not within the range of the CCTV. If we treat these maids like our own there is no need of all these CCTV cameras. Leaving a nanny to care for your child means you are putting his/her life in her hands when you are away.  Everything is not about money, commendations should be given where she does exceptionally well and caution should be given verbally when she goes astray. When caution doesn’t work and the maltreatment of the children continues to go on, then the maid should be allowed to go.”