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

Monday, February 20th, President’s Day, A National Holiday

School is closed on this day. President’s Day is a Federal holiday created to commemorate the births of former Presidents George Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12). Throughout America, Presidents’ Day is observed by big sales in the stores, closed schools and no mail delivery.

Things to do with children: The United States has had more than 40 presidents. How many can the children name? Who has been president during their lifetime? Take a look at American coins and bills; who are the Presidents pictured on each coin and bill.

Au Pair in America 25th Anniversary Cultural Fair

When: May 15th, 2011. 12:00 to 3:00 pmClick here to view full information about this spectacular event.

Where: Discovery Museum 
               4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT (exit 47 off the Merritt)

Who’s Invited: 

Host families and friends and au pairs, the first 400 entrants to the museum are free, thereafter, standard museum entrance fees apply.

Many of the clusters in CT area will be participating. We expect to have au pairs representing over 18 different countries. Anyone interested in learning about other cultures and the Au Pair in America program are invited. For more information, email me at lledwell@aol.com

*FYI – This post will remain at the top of my blog until the Cultural Fair.  
New posts will appear beneath this post.

 

 In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Au Pair in America and the beginning of legal au pair programs in America, we will be hosting a  Cultural Fair.