Surveying the Scene outside a Suburban Home
When my family and I first moved to our suburban neighborhood, it was rated among the safest in the state. Violent crime was basically nonexistent, and a vending machine break-in would make the local news and be the talk of the town for a week. Then things began to change. When the recession hit last year, a number of budget motels started to appear across the river, on the outskirts of town.
Suddenly the crime rate doubled, then tripled over a period of a few months. Neighbors started gossiping about a string of breaking and entering incidents, and I knew that I would have to take action to keep my family safe. I had a few hidden home security cameras installed at strategic points around the house, and every night before bed I monitored the premises until I felt satisfied that no threat would be posed.
Learning to Let Go
From the time our daughter was born, she and my wife have been virtually inseparable. My wife took an extended leave of absence from her job in order to stay home with the baby, but money has been a bit tight lately. We were both a bit reluctant to seek out nannies, feeling that no one could take care of our child as well as we could. Unfortunately, financial considerations had to come first.
We installed a nanny cam in the family room so that we could keep tabs on our child from afar. After about a week with the new nanny, we both felt comfortable enough to entrust her with the baby without the use of a camera. The transition hasn’t been easy, but we’re now making enough money to live comfortably, supporting our child financially the way we should.