From the MVA website:
Beginning October 2011, the knowledge test you must pass to get a non-commercial Class C learner’s permit will be based on information in the new Maryland Driver’s Manual. The new Manual includes basic knowledge on driver safety for new drivers, including: traffic laws of this State; highway signs regulating, warning & directing traffic; and safe driving practices.  The improved graphics, full-color design, and brief paragraphs provide an easy read of only 39 pages – packed with core driver safety facts.

I have updated the links (on the column to the right) to include the New Driver’s Handbook in English, Spanish and an audio version. Paper copies are available in MVA offices.

There is now one booklet instead of two. The yellow booklet that contains the information on who needs a driver’s license and who does not, which I have given out to be kept in the car, will probably not be available after September.

What to keep in the car for proof now?
I have obtained a copy of the Maryland Law regarding International Drivers. The information is copied directly from a booklet which all police officers have in their squad car. The idea is that it shows them where to look up the law and once they compare your paper to that section of their booklet, they should realize that au pairs are allowed to drive on their country license (for up to one year.) Sometimes, they will still choose to write you the ticket for not having a Maryland license. If that happens, don’t worry. You can go to court and the judge should drop the ticket, as long as you are in your first year and have a valid license from your home country in your possession.

I have uploaded this document on Google Docs. You may access it HERE and print a copy for each car the au pair drives.

Each au pair arrives in the U.S. with her own child minding style and expectations. These individual differences spring from her own experiences in her own family as well as from cultural styles typical of her home country. Throughout the world parents want the best for their children, but what is best in one country may not be considered best in another.

Child care customs, games and songs are not universal and no au pair arrives knowing how parents in the U.S. raise and educate their children. This is just one of many aspects of our culture that are unfamiliar to au pairs when they arrive. Much time is spent at orientation educating au pairs about the patterns and expectations in this country. Host families can help their au pairs learn to adjust to American family expectations while the family learns to understand their au pair. Differences in expectations and style underscore the need for adequate orientation to the expectations of your household.

Au pairs will generally be surprised by the abundance of toys and activities typical of most American homes. Their inclination is likely to be towards more imaginative play, unstructured time outside and less directed playtime generally. The pace set by the classes many children attend adds to a hectic lifestyle unfamiliar to many au pairs.

When it comes to discipline, the majority of American parents tend to give choices, reward, and explain, generally being more permissive and “democratic” than is common in other cultures. Au pairs need help in understanding and accepting these practices as otherwise they may just see the children as manipulative or disrespectful when they voice their opinions and negotiate.

The cultural exchange nature of the Au Pair in America program ensures that au pairs are interested in and committed to learning about new ways of caring for children. Keep a discussion open about differences in parenting styles and be sure to help your au pair learn as much as she can about American child rearing.