It is never too early to start reading to children.  Children of all ages enjoy having stories read to them.  Reading, cuddling up on a couch or reading before a child takes a nap or goes to sleep at night, is comforting for the child.  This special time together builds a bond, take the time to read to the children in your life.

• Read slowly, this gives children time to think about what you are reading.
• Change your voice for different characters, or read in a softer voice from some characters, louder for others.   A sing song voice is fun for young children.
• Share a picture book with a child and have them tell you a story from the pictures!
• Read every day!
• Children have favorites, so don’t worry if they want the same story every day, but add a few others so they can develop new favorites.
• Talk about the story, ask the children what was their favorite part.  Let them share the story back to you or their parents!
• Do arts and crafts about the story.  Have them draw you a picture about the story.
• If the children are old enough to read themselves, have them read you a story.  Alternate, you read, they read.  This will encourage them to read more!
• Have fun, read stories about subjects you and the children enjoy!
• Turn off the TV and computer and read!

NY GIANTS WIN THE SUPER BOWL!

Sunday, February 5th

Your Host Family is probably very excited about the Super Bowl this year because the NY Giants are playing!  They are competing against the New England Patriots (think NY vs Boston!).  It is truly an American experience to watch the biggest game of the season on TV with a bunch of people!  Join in!

• There is a simple explanation of American Football for au pairs on the APIA website:               http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp
• Even if football is not something you enjoy, the commercials are amazing!  Advertisers pay about  $30 million dollars for a 30 second commercial to be shown during the Super Bowl, so expect great commercials!  People will be talking about the commercials as much as the game!
• Great entertainment during halftime!  This year Madonna is the featured act! 

                                     Football Fun with Kids

                        Before putting anything on the walls, ask your host family if it OK!!

Wall Football – Football version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey

 Instructions

1. For the game pieces, first create a goal post from two-inch-wide strips of poster board. (The uprights and the crossbar are each 20 inches long, and the post is 6 inches tall.) We attached ours to the wall using poster tack.
2. For the footballs, cut 5-inch-long shapes out of brown card stock. We found some in the scrapbook aisle of our craft store that looks like football leather. Use a white opaque paint marker to decorate and add players’ names to the footballs. Put a blob of poster tack on the back of each one.
3. Players line up about six feet away from the goal. One at a time, each player is blindfolded, spun around three times by another person, and set loose to try to stick their football between the uprights. (No reaching out your empty hand to feel the wall.) Play several rounds with 3 points awarded for each field goal. Highest score wins.

Wall Street Journal writer, John J. Edwards III writes a blog called “The Juggle” for families who work at balancing family life and work.  His latest blog entry is about why he and his wife have decided to switch from a full time babysitter to an au pair.   

Click on the link below for the article:

http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2012/02/02/switching-to-an-au-pair/

John Edwards will be continuing to post entries as the au pair selection process and the experience of using an au pair.

Groundhog Day is celebrated in the U.S. each year on February 2nd. On this day in mid-winter, the groundhog awakens from a long winter’s nap, and goes outside of his den to see if he sees his shadow. This tradition is big on an otherwise cold and dreary mid-winter’s day.

According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow (a sunny morning), there will be six more weeks of winter. He then returns to his den and goes back to sleep. If however, he does not see his shadow (cloudy days), he plays around outside of his hole for a while. If he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner.

The Groundhog’s Day tradition travelled long ways. It comes from German roots. German immigrants brought the tradition with them from Germany. As they settled in hills of Pennsylvania, they began the tradition of using the Groundhog to predict the the arrival of Spring. The tradition is based upon Candlemas, the day that is the midpoint between Winter and Spring. A famous Candlemas poems goes:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is the site of the annual Ground Hog event. Our little rodent friend (yes, Groundhogs are classified as rodents) is called Punxsutawney Phil. There are a few other “predictors” around the country, but they all pale in comparison to Phil’s ability to predict the remainder of winter.

Watch the movie Groundhog Day, a fun romantic comedy that centers around the Punxsutawney event!

Tonight is ESL Graduation at Suffolk Community College! 

To all the Au Pair in America Au Pairs graduating tonight, CONGRATULATIONS! 

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Today, January 23, 2012, we wave goodbye to the rabbit and welcome in the Year of the Dragon!  

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which begins on January 23, 2012 and ends on February 9, 2013.  The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal signs.  The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend.  In ancient China, the celestial Dragon represents an emperor and  power. Today, it  is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness.           May the celestial Dragon bring great good luck to everyone.

AAA recommends the following winter driving tips:

• Avoid driving while you’re tired. Get the proper amount of rest!!
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
• Watch weather reports and do NOT drive in bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
• If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don’t try to walk in a severe storm.
• Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running.

Tips for driving in the snow:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
• Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

Keep in your car for safety during the winter:

• An ice scraper and brush – ASK CINDY FOR A SCRAPER!!
• Spray de-icer
• Cat litter – for getting out of a rut, for traction in the snow
• Collapsible show shovel
• Blanket
• Cell phone – know who to call in an emergency
• Flash light

 Au Pair in America was available to talk with families at the FREE Childcare and Pre-School Showcase at the Sachem Public Library.   

Families learned about Au Pair in America and how the program can be the answer their childcare needs!  Au Pair in America is flexible, dependable, affordable childcare with an enriching cultural experience for families!

Cindy Garruba, Local Community Counselor for Au Pair in America was there to answer families questions.  Cindy provides experienced support for her host families and au pairs having over 11 years of service as Senior Community Counselor in Suffolk County. 

Elsa, an au pair from Germany, gave first hand information on what an au pair can does for a host family!

Au Pair in America is the answer for busy families who need flexible, reliable childcare. 

A lucky local family won the raffle for $1200 off the cost of an au pair for a year!

MLK holiday celebrations in Suffolk County

By Newsday Staff

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
– Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream Quote

Photo credit: Spin Cycle

The Martin Luther King Day federal holiday is Monday, Jan. 16 this year, and it will be marked in many ways by many organizations across Suffolk County. The following lists some of those observances.

Saturday

Sag Harbor: Canio’s Bookstore (290 Main St.) will commemorate the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by playing a video excerpt of his “Other America” speech. The Rev. Katrina Foster, of nearby St. Michael’s and Incarnation Lutheran churches, will lead a discussion on the ties between King’s speech in the ’60s and the current Occupy Wall Street economic revolt across America. The event begins at 5 p.m.

Sunday

Riverhead: The East End Voters Coalition will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a special program in the Riverhead Public Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Frances Brisbane, dean of the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University, will be guest speaker, and there will be a choir from the Living Temple Ministry of Center Moriches. Refreshments will be served at 5 p.m.

Monday

Huntington: The NAACP Huntington Branch will celebrate its Jubilee Program commemorating King’s birthday at 7 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church (291 Park Ave.). The keynote speaker will be Rev. Luonne Abram Rouse, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Huntington.

In NYC:

Harlem Gospel Choir in Concert – Children’s Museum of Manhattan

What better way to welcome the New Year then to watch the ball drop in Times Square?  Many Au Pairs have watched the ball drop on TV in their countries and dream of being there in person.  Many Au Pairs from Suffolk County Au Pair in America ushered in the New Year 2012 on a warm night in NYC!

Kristina Heinze says, “I spent with my friend and her parents new years eve in NYC at Times Square. We got tickets for the AMC theatre on 42nd street…they used the space there for parties…each floor a different party, different age group, different part of the society…to give you an idea: there was a family floor (which means also for kids…there was a age limit, so no babies, but still parents with kids),or there was a floor for the very very rich people (really expensive, prob best view to the ball of course) etc…  They opened the doors at 8 pm…we used the time to watch a movie inside the theatre which was also included in the price…around 10:45 pm we went outside, in front of the theatre…on 42nd street…we were able to see the ball! it was perfect! It is a really unique experience to wait with all the people there until midnight…everybody was cheering, talking, making noise…i really liked it. after midnight we walked closer to times square…confetti everywhere!!! in the air and on the street haha! 

Ana Rapljenović says, “I was on Times square for  New Year”s Eve with Dorcas Cristal.It was great.We came at 4 pm,and we were waiting 8 hours on the street.We met some other people and played with them some games like “Phone”…We were lucky because that day wether was great,it wasn”t cold..That would be really nice memory:))))”

Arzu Cheema says, “I went on New Years Eve to the Times Square. It was first a bit confusing because we din’t know where to go exactly. But when we were in our ‘’section” and it was okay. Because I was wearing  many clothes and it wasn’t that cold, I didn’t have any problems because of the weather. Then after waiting 5hours, the show started at 6pm. It was a bit sad that they just put the shows of the stars on one little screen on the Times Square. But all in all we had a good time and I would recommend this to everybody. It was nice that there were some pizza and drinks seller who walked around with their things in case you get really hungry or thirsty.”