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Moms Taking Steps To Defend Families From 'Nanny Attraction'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Many moms nowadays are worried about the "nanny attraction" that tore apart some Hollywood marriages.

Hilary Sheinbaum, a reporter for In Touch Weekly, told CBS's Hazel Sanchez that the nanny-cheating husband phenomenon is not new on the star circuit, and not limited to celebrities.

"It's definitely an ongoing trend," she said, mentioning the marriages of Gavin Rosdale and Gwen Stefani and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner falling apart over nannies.

There are now blogs that "out" cheating nannies online and moms like Leslie Venokeur are setting new rules and mounting the first line of family defense.

"If they're wearing dangling earrings, that to me is a no-no," she told CBS2.

Experts told CBS2 that there should be more than just an interview and a reference check when it comes to a family hiring a nanny.

"One of the most important things that I do is I provide the nanny with a personality test," Limor Weinstein, president of LW Consulting, told CBS2.

Weinstein said a test like this could uncover a lapse in judgment, and when it comes to making sure the nanny is the right fit for the family, surveillance cameras may be necessary.

"I did follow a very beautiful nanny that was walking on the streets and getting a lot of comments and flirting with a lot of people," she explained to CBS2.

Tamika Frye, a mom and writer for MommyNoire, cautioned families to always be aware of what everyone's role in the home should be.

"If you do hire a hot nanny, just know that you're bringing 'sand to the beach,' so to speak," she told CBS2.

Frye added, "You're bringing your competition into your house and she's gonna take the place of where you're not, and that's very appealing to a lot of men."

One former nanny told CBS2 that there are still sensitive situations that can work with families.

"I went to the vacation with the husband and the kids, something that nobody does, but they did because they trust me, and I trust them," the anonymous nanny said.

Some families do go so far as to have written contracts that lay out rules and boundaries between nannies and the family.

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