Tag Archives: au pairs

Social Distancing: 5 Online Adventures for Kids

Reading, playing, and doing art projects are always great ways to entertain children and keep them physically active and learning. It’s a good idea to limit screen time. But, in this time of social distancing, technology can play an important role in allowing kids to see and connect with the world outside of their homes. Many online resources are popping up to create those opportunities.

Here are five to get you started:

And if kids have questions about the coronavirus, Live Science has created an ultimate kids’ guide to the new coronavirus that has lots of information and is appropriate for school-aged kids.

Handling Expenses

Host parents often ask for suggestions on how best to handle common expenses that occur as au pairs are caring for the children.

Miscellaneous Expenses

There are different ways to handle the little day to day expenses that come up.  Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon of milk.  Some families keep a cookie jar fund, a little cash that they set aside weekly or monthly for these types of expenses. Others give their au pair a prepaid debit card for this purpose. Below are some suggestions for avoiding problems with expenses.

Host Families

  • It’s important to be clear about how long this money should last and what types of expenses are approved.
  • Let the au pair know whether or not you expect receipts.

Au Pairs

  • Only spend the money on approved expenses.
  • If it is something you are not sure about, ask first.
  • Put your receipts in the cookie jar in place of the money to avoid any confusion.

Gas and Fare Cards 

Host families are responsible for the au pair’s transportation costs: to and from classes, cluster meetings and when driving the kids.

It is a good idea to figure out how much gas an au pair will use for these trips and either put gas in the car or give a gas allowance.   If your au pair is riding to classes or cluster meetings with another au pair, you should offer to share the cost of gas.

Au pairs are responsible for their own transportation at all other times.  You should replace the amount of gas used for personal use.

Photo: Andrea Travillian

Avoiding the ER

Health- Avoid the ER and save some money.  There is an additional ER deductible for visits not deemed “emergencies”.  **Note there are several plans with differing deductibles.  Visit http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/insurance_3.asp for full details. If you are not feeling well, but it is not an emergency try to visit a local walk-in health care clinic. There are several clinics in our area including those located inside the Southbury CVS, and Walgreens. There is also an urgent care clinic in Southbury and one near Newtown in Monroe. Please contact me if you need to see a healthcare professional and have trouble finding a clinic near you.

Traveling with your Au Pair

MP900289501Travel- Scheduling

If your au pair travels with your family as part of her child care responsibilities; it is strongly recommended that a schedule be discussed in advance. Think about how you will divide child care responsibilities between you and the au pair. Remember that the au pair may need orienting to a new setting and that you are responsible for her lodging and meals while she is traveling with you.