Abstract: An electronic monitoring system particularly useful as a telephone babysitter comprises a monitoring unit connectable to the telephone line at the location to be monitored, and a portable sound-producing unit for actuating the monitoring unit from a remote telephone handset via the telephone line. The monitoring unit at the monitored location includes a microphone, a code detector detecting a predetermined code transmitted by the portable sound-producing unit, a keyboard for storing the telephone number of a selected remote telephone handset, a sound level comparator, automatic dialling means, and a microcomputer including a plurality of settable flags controlling the monitoring unit according to preprogrammed routines and in response to the transmission of preselected codes by the portable sound-producing unit.