ABU DHABI // Mothers say they feel “happy, relaxed and at ease” after installing CCTV cameras at home to monitor their children.
Hind El Hage, a Lebanese mother of two, said she was very satisfied with the devices that enabled her to view domestic footage on her smartphone.
With certain camera companies, parents can choose whether they would like to be alerted to incidents by phone, text message or email.
“I definitely feel more at ease since the cameras have been installed,” said Ms El Hage, 32.
“I have a wonderful nanny who has been with us for three years now, and we trust her with our kids and our home.
“However, I am a very hands-on mum and like to keep an eye on matters in the house and be able to see my kids when I am away.
“And although things had been as fine as they were without cameras, I still feel more relaxed.”.
Ms El Hage said she was able to monitor her children’s activities whenever she was out of the house and that she had a contract with CCTV installation company Snapsights that provided a smartphone application.
“I basically use the service to monitor my children’s activities – how much television they are watching, how are they spending the time while I’m away – and ensure that my nanny is following the schedule I set for her to complete with my kids.”
She said the app offered her audio that allowed her to hear what was going on at home.
Panita Rifai, 34, said she wanted additional measures at her house after her maternity leave, for “peace of mind”, which was why she installed cameras.
“Nothing could be as reassuring as watching my son myself but I cannot be there all the time,” she said.
“This is definitely the next best thing. It’s an extra pair of eyes watching him.”
She said she was able to ensure that caregivers at home were taking care of her baby.
CCTV cameras also provide parents with fun moments with their children.
Basak Sen Sasal, general manager of Snapsights, said the company helped parents reconnect with their children, even when they were not in the same room.
“We capture the tummy time, feed time, first crawl, or even the first words of babies, or playful moments of toddlers for parents to just enjoy not missing them,” she said.
The Department of Protective Systems at Dubai Police has certified the company, and the all-female operations team that views the footage has undergone training at the Dubai Police Academy.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
