Technology gives mummy and daddy the chance to be a fly on the wall
As a nursery proprietor, I understand the need to keep an eye on our little ones. Letting go and handing your child over for someone else to look after is never easy. More often than not it is accompanied by an instinctual feeling that you might be doing the wrong thing. This, I’m afraid, is part and parcel of motherhood. As parents, we truly believe that no one can give our child what our childneeds. Especially as we feel that what our child needs is usmums or dads.
Published on Dorset Spring issue March 2007, ABC magazine by Chanine K Boulton (Proprietor of Ickle Angels Day Nursery)

How many of us can put our hands up and honestly say that children haven't changed our lives and our careers forever? I certainly can’t. But moving from an IT sales background into the nursery industry was the best decision I have ever made. I started my new career, as most people do, by looking around for ideas. What immediately struck me was the fact that nurseries seemed reluctant to use the technology which is now so readily available. After a great amount of research and listening to the working parent, I soon came to realise what I certainly wanted for my child. So with all this in mind I began searching for a very safe, password protected, easy to use and easy to control Webcam company. Let's face it, times have changed and technology is a wonderful thing. Webcam is now available for parents to reap the benefits.

The working parent
Naturally, our child may have a few tears when leaving us. Maybe it is because they did not get enough sleep last night or because they were rushed out of the door this morning! Or maybe they just don't fancy going to nursery just like we don't fancy going to work some days. There could be many different reasons but we still carry that weight on our shoulders all day. The benefits of a Webcam in the nursery are clear. Logging on as soon as you get to your desk to have a little peep at your child will help reassure you. It is an instant way for you to know that your child is happy.

This tool of 'seeing for yourself' may appeal for many more reasons. Some parents feel that working deprives them of being totally aware of their child's behaviour. A Webcam enables parents to see how their child is interacting with other children. It also allows you to assess how your child's behaviour at nursery is affected by any changes at home, or the affect of you working those extra hours which has thrown their most important routine out of sequence. Increasingly these days, careers require trips away which are above and beyond the nine to five. Being unable to see your little ones for a couple of days can be extremely upsetting. The nursery-cam system combats this by allowing you to log on four times a day for ten minutes at a time. In addition, you can see exactly what your child is doing right this second.

Security
Well of course, this is any parent's next concern. A good Webcam provider will offer you an extremely secure password protected system which enables the nursery to have complete control over who is viewing the nursery. The nursery will control when you can log on and it can see which IP address you have logged on from. A good Webcam provider will be as secure as on-line banking, and will only allow people with the nursery passwords to view. On the flip side, the Webcam allows you to be one hundred per cent confident with whom you entrust your children.

On a lighter note, to achieve the best for your child in our modern society there is often a conflict between two schools of thought:
- Should I continue my career and find a good nursery to help me care for my child?
- Should I put my career on hold for the next couple of years and care for my child at home?
Well, today's society is different to when our parents were young. Women gave birth at a much younger age and had not begun their careers, therefore it was an easier decision to stay at home and allow the man to further his career. Today we as parents choose to start a family at a much later age and both men and woman have great careers, which they do not want to put on hold.

Nowadays, the majority of nurseries incorporate so much with your child that it is an exciting environment for them to be in. Singing, dancing, yoga, ceramic painting, clay making, garden adventures, going for walks, fancy dress, model making, painting, cooking, healthy food. The list is endless. The main thing is that you, as a parent, have peace of mind to continue your work whilst feeling that you are as close to your child as possible. For you to have the opportunity to 'see' your children will make the separation much easier.

I personally think Webcam is priceless. Who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall and peep on their child?

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