Checking Up on Yaya To Ensure Your Child’s Safety

Check-up Measures After Hiring Yaya
Officially welcoming the chosen yaya into the family automatically activates long-term monitoring and supervision. Parents should be on constant-alert mode for telltale signs of child maltreatment or abuse.

To keep vigilance at optimum level, observe the following measures:
•    If you have more than two helpers at home, assign each with the task of monitoring the other.
•    Call often, but at random times.
•    Never divulge details of your schedule to the yaya.
•    Do surprise visits, or let your relatives and neighbors do so on your behalf.

Also note these red flags that indicate your little one’s safety at home may be compromised:
•    child is unhappy and withdrawn when yaya is around
•    child suddenly gets into many avoidable accidents
•    child often looks dirty and unkempt
•    your home landline is often busy when you call
•    child seems to suddenly have forgotten household rules
•    child has started swearing or is easily irritable
•    yaya’s stories simply don’t add up.

It is sad that, sometimes, even with the presence of relatives in the house (especially younger ones like cousins), child maltreatment still takes place undetected.  

However, this should not invalidate the benefits of having a family member (especially adults), next-door neighbor, or trusty helper keeping tabs on things. The presence of caring individuals can still help keep abuse at bay.

Other families have also resorted to having surveillance cameras installed at home. These covert devices can be hidden inside clocks, smoke detectors, plants, and electronic components. Some can even be linked to your office computer, with live viewing facilitated via Internet connection.  

Photo from sxc.hu