Parenting? There's An App for That

Working from home I dread the "Wahhh" coming from the upstairs playroom when I'm in the middle of a report or article. Because.... sisters. Quiet hours long tea parties and the building of a town out of Legos can dissolve into an instant into an interrogation scenario. While I'd love to think that when I run from my office to see what happened I'll be told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth it usually ends up being the individual child's creative interpretation of "their truth".

The system we have. Description & image from panasonic.com

Enter the Panasonic Home Monitoring System. The starter kit had 2 outdoor cameras and a monitoring hub. From the moment it arrived at the house my husband and I were in a debate about where exactly to put it. We already had an alarm system but no cameras with it. Until my father in law, the voice of reason, chimed in "Why don't you use it to watch the girls in the playroom?". Genius! With a micro SD that could record video and direct viewing on the Panasonic Home Network app it was the perfect solution. After a quick setup that didn't involve massive amounts of Googling or scratching our heads we were ready for a test run. (Fellow TravelingMom Karyn Locke gives a really in depth setup review HERE.)

The True Test

"Now we just have to wait for them to argue," I told my husband. Of course everyone knows that kids have their own timeline so we waited for a long 15 minutes (does that count as a date?). And then the shrieking kicked in. "Stop," we yelled thru the monitor. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that you can talk THROUGH THE MONITOR? Epic. The girls froze. 

We went upstairs. Normally asking what happened results in a song and dance where we try to interpret the embellishments out and understand the younger one (who is speech challenged). This time the talking monitor had them at full attention and we got a quick answer. It was such a momentous occasion that I even documented it on Facebook. 

Video confirms this story. 

We've also gotten some fun random captures from the camera. Did you know that stuffed animals dress up when you aren't looking?

Monster is really rocking that cowboy hat. 

The Verdict

This product is a strongly recommends. It has solved several mysteries for us (Yes, the dog does stand behind me when I'm not looking on purpose). We have another camera aimed at our stoop for security purposes. I receive a lot of packages for work and if anything ever goes missing I will have footage of it. We are looking at purchasing additional cameras. This system is a much more realistic system for families. With the smart phone app integration it is extremely easy to check in on your house or family from wherever you are. 

Now I'm not advocating parenting through smartphone or consistently reviewing the tape to see who is in the clear but the ability to speak to the kids through the monitor and do quick safety glances while still being productive in my office has been fantastic. (And is the reason I was able to even type out this review!)

Disclosure: I received the  Home Monitoring System to use and review as a member of the TravelingMom Network.