Monthly Archives: January 2010

New Ideas for Year End gifts for Au Pairs

Au Pair in America has year round arrivals for au pairs with the peak arrival season being July – September. Many host families ask about a good year end gift for their au pair some of whom have been providing child care for 2 years in their home.

Given the rapidly changing scene with air travel popular gifts now include covering the au pair’s cost for baggage check and on-board meals. Au pairs traveling to Asia or southern hemisphere countries often have a flight connection with a long layover at an airport. One host family in Chicago

Thoughtful Year End Gifts for Au Pairs

Thoughtful Year End Gifts for Au Pairs

said “I couldn’t bear to think of her sitting for 8 hours at Heathrow so we each wrote her little notes that she opened at different stages of her journey.  We gave her some Euros to spend in the Duty Free Port and we received a very nice email several days later telling us that our gifts shortened her journey and made the separation from our family a little easier”.

TGIF

In the middle of a Chicago winter Au Pairs love Fridays too!

In the middle of a Chicago winter Au Pairs love Fridays too!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TGIF is an initialism for the phrase Thank (God/Goodness/Gosh) It’s Friday.

History

Starting in the United States, it has become a common expression of relief at the end of the work week and anticipation of relaxing or partying over the weekend. The term was originated by the Akron, Ohio disk jockey Jerry Healy on radio station WAKR in the early 1970s. The phrase was further popularised by the 1978 movie starring Donna Summer, Thank God It’s Friday. The phrase has also become common for advertising and promotional materials. On college campuses beginning in the 1970s, the phrase (sometimes shortened to “TG”) became associated with Friday afternoon beer parties, usually held outdoors.


Did you know January is National Soup Month?

Calendar Day

Chicken Soup is good for the soul!

Chicken Soup is good for the soul!

National Soup Month

January is National Soup Month. Read Stone Soup by Marcia Brown and George and Martha by James Marshall and try cooking your own!

Split Pea Soup

  • 2 cups green split peas
  • 7 cups water
  • 3 cups beef broth (canned or add bouillon cubes to water)
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1 medium onion

Rinse the split peas under cold water. Combine the drained peas, water, and broth in a saucepan. Break the celery into 3 or 4 large pieces and add to the pot. Peel and trim the onion and then place the whole onion into the pot. Heat the soup to a boil on medium heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. When the soup is done, remove the celery and onion and throw them away.

Au Pair in America leads the way

In 1995 the government agency overseeing au pair programs required that all au pair agencies give a standardized orientation to each au pair before she arrives in her host family.
Au Pair in America always required an orientation starting with our very first group of au pairs that arrived in the summer of 1986.
The orientation includes 8 hours of child safety and 24 hours of child development training. A portion of the program is presented by instructors from the American Red Cross.
After au pairs arrive in their host communities they qualify for an American Red Cross scholarship as part of the ongoing training offered by Au Pair in America to help support the highest level of child care.

Meet your Global Neighbor

Children learn about Au Pair's life in Costa Rica

Children learn about Au Pair's life in Costa Rica

Au Pair in America au pairs not only provide childcare but are also active in their local communities too. Global Awareness, a unique volunteer program sponsored by Au Pair in America, is designed to foster a greater knowledge of the diversity and variety of cultures the world has to offer. Au pairs go into elementary school classrooms, libraries, local bookstores, cub scout and brownie groups and other areas of interest to children to share their culture. One teacher recently said “60 kids will go home today knowing more about the world than when they first arrived at school this morning”. The au pairs present a wide variety of topics and all the presentations are interactive. This is just one more reason to consider Au Pair in America as your childcare option. www.aupairinamerica.com

Au Pairs are challenged by Weight Gain too!

Au Pair in America au pairs attend a detailed orientation upon arrival into the US and before going to their host homes. The orientation trainer usually refers to the 5 kilos au pairs typically gain during the year.

Here are some tips for Au Pairs and anyone else who finds their jeans getting too tight:
• Eat breakfast – it’s the best way to start the day.
• Drink water – 4 glasses or more a day, more when it is hot or when you are active.
• Downsize your portions – how much you eat is as important as what you eat.
• Play actively with your kids.
• When you have children napping give yourself at least five minutes of exercise for every hour of computer time.
• If you can’t afford to join a gym then rent an exercise DVD and work out with it.

Many gyms are offering great discount rates at this time of year. Look around for deals in your area. Cardinal Fitness has over 40 locations in the Chicagoland area and is offering a big sign up discount and a very affordable monthly rate.

Nutritional foods and snacks for kids is an important part of an Au Pair’s childcare responsibility. Au Pairs should ask their community counselor for a handout giving information on daily servings from the American Dietetic Association and recommendations on nutritional snacks for serving between meals.

Remember, adults should set a good example with the food they eat and where and how they eat it.

Happy New Year!

The first day of the New Year is a federal holiday. For many people it marks the beginning of a new resolution – to get fit, lose weight, or stop smoking. People will greet each other with “Happy New Year” for approximately two weeks.

Au Pairs enjoy the new year holiday in the Chicago area as they can visit the city and watch the amazing firework displays that welcome in the new year. Au Pairs often have a lighter schedule over this holiday and have less childcare responsibilities.

The greeting ‘Happy New Year’ can be heard in many different languages in the Au Pair in America clusters.

* Brazil (Portguese) Feliz ano novo
* Chinese (Cantonese) – Sun nien fai lok
* Chinese (Mandarin) – Xin nian yu kuai
* Danish – Godt Nytår
* Dutch – Gelukkig nieuwjaar
* French – Bonne année
* Gaelic – Aith-bhliain Fe Nhaise Dhuit
* German – Gutes Neues Jahr
* Hebrew – Shanah tovah
* Italian – Buon Capo d'Anno
* Norwegian – Godt Nyttår
* Polish – Szczesliwego Nowego roku
* Portuguese – Feliz ano novo
* Romanian – La Multi Ani
* Russian – S Novym Godom
* Spanish – Feliz Año Nuevo
* Swedish – Gott Nytt År
* Turkish – Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
* Welsh – Blwyddyn Newydd Dda