Friday, May 30, 2014
Abu Dhabi: For mothers who spend long hours away from home, relying on nannies to care for their children may bring up safety issues that cause concern. That is why several parents in the UAE have opted for installing surveillance cameras that can be accessed remotely to keep an eye on the situation at home.
Abu Dhabi Police regularly issues warnings about the limited safety that is provided to children when they are left with caretakers other than their own parents.
Palestinian mother of one, Noor Samir, who is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree and therefore has to spend some time away from her two-year-old son, said: “I was constantly worried about him and thought about what I would do if I had to travel or be gone for some time. So, I installed two cameras — one in his room, where he normally plays, and one in the hallway.”
Noor refrained from placing a camera in the living room for fear of making invited guests feel uncomfortable about being watched.
“I can access all footage remotely, and frequently open the link that allows me to get a live feed of what is happening inside my house. I installed the camera in front of the nanny so that I could indirectly tell her that it is not an issue of trust but that I am just worried about my boy. If she was previously doing anything that makes her worry about being seen or caught, she has just stopped. I was not looking to apprehend her or punish my nanny for anything,” the 25-year-old mother said.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Fadi Zaiter, an HR manager and owner of a restaurant and a typing centre, says he uses these cameras at work and at home. As a father of one, he has placed two cameras — one in the living room, which is his daughter’s regular play area, and one at the entrance of the house.
“Not only do I get remote access to see my child all the time but it also helps that I can hear my child at home and often speak to her through the equipment I have installed at home. My wife and I have phones and tablets compatible with the program being used to access the camera at home so it makes us feel relieved,” he said.
The Syrian expat also pointed out the benefits of the camera, which can not only monitor but also help make fair judgements in sensitive situations. “If my daughter claims that the nanny hit her, for example, it is up to me to rewind the video and see whether the nanny committed this act or not. So, in a sense, it is also there to protect the nanny’s rights, so that we do not wrongfully blame her for doing something,” he added.
However, some parents have also encouraged the use of these remotely accessed cameras at their children’s schools, claiming that the devices would help put parents at ease by being able to virtually see their children at any time.
Although Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) regulations stipulate installation of cameras in school halls and playgrounds, not all Abu Dhabi schools agree with the notion of placing them in classrooms.
Darcy Reynolds, Associate Superintendent for the Canadian International School in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News: “I do encourage the placement of cameras because of emergencies, but we rarely ever use them for that purpose. Our children are so well-behaved and both our students and staff have good values and are very respecting, so the presence of these values acts as a preventative measure against situations that may need monitoring. We do, however, use our cameras to help students find an iPad or a mobile phone they might have misplaced, and by retracing their steps we often end up finding the lost item.”
By Nada Al Taher Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
