There’s nothing quite like the sadness of walking into your house after a long day at work, expecting dessert to still be sitting in the refrigerator like it was when you left, and yet, lo and behold, it’s all gone. The empty feeling and despair in the pit of your stomach knows no ends.

As a dutiful parent, you then begin the longest game of “whodunit” in existence. Everyone swears up and down that they didn’t touch the dessert, it was their brother, a bird got it, etc. But unless there’s hard evidence, it’s impossible to pinpoint the culprit.

Unless you have a home security system. If so, all you have to do is rewind the videotape or look at the notifications on your phone to see who went where and who ended up with their hand in the literal cookie jar.

1. Use Security Cameras as Baby Monitors

Most parents with security systems figured this trick out long ago, but in case you’ve never thought about it before, use one of your spare home security cameras – or just one that’s not in a very good spot – as a baby monitor in your kid’s bedroom. Not only will you be able to watch them while they sleep, but you’ll also be able to see how they’re getting out of their crib at nights as well. When you’re a working parent, peace of mind is one of the best things you can receive, and having a constant eye on your little one is invaluable.

2. Put Window Sensors On Your Refrigerator

If your kids are old enough to reach the refrigerator door but not old enough to responsibly know what they want, you can use a window sensor that will make a sound on your phone whenever it’s opened, or if it’s left open for a long time. If you prefer silence, you can also program it to send a notification to your phone instead of dinging, making it ideal if you’re working in a shared space. One quick call to the sitter later, and the situation is taken care of.

3. Keep an Eye on the Sitter

In a perfect world, every person we ever trusted to watch our kids would be trustworthy and reputable. Unfortunately, as evidenced by trends in the news, that’s not always the case. Whether you trust your sitter or not, it’s always a good idea to have an extra eye on the situation so you can monitor what’s going on instead of simply taking their word for it. Particularly if your child is having developmental problems, it’s good to track the everyday progress of their skills from your phone, so setting up a monitor that only you know about is a good safeguard against potential problems.

4. Protect Against Dangers Outside

Every year, around 160 children die in pool-related deaths. Though child deaths are not completely avoidable, a substantial amount of them can be avoided if certain safeguards are in place, such as monitors and door sensors attached to gates. If you don’t want your child going outside at all, monitor the sensor on your back door, but if you have a pool, buy an extra one and put it on the gate that leads to your pool. If something happens, you’ll only have minutes to respond, so invest in a good one.

5. Keep an Eye on Sick Kids

Nobody likes going to work when their kids are sick, but if they’re not showing signs, it may be a toss-up one way or the other. With a home security system, you can keep an eye on your kid’s condition as the day progresses; if they start looking lethargic, call and direct the sitter to take them to the doctor immediately if you can’t leave work.

Whether you’re monitoring your children for safety or for cookie-related purposes, having an indoor system that is reliable is always a good safeguard against any kind of potential threats. The cost is minimal, but the peace of mind that comes from added safety is irreplaceable.