Check out what spring activities you can do with your children: SPRING ACTIVITIES

Back to School Safety Tips 

It won’t be long and school will be starting again. It is time to go over a few, simple rules.  Practice with your host children how to safely wait for and board the school bus. Go over safe bicycling procedures if they’ll be riding. And don’t forget children who are in your car. They are at particular risk and need your guidance.

Riding the Bus

• Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
• Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.
• When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.
• Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
• Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it’s okay to approach.
• Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses, however, not all do.

Walking and biking to school

Even if you don’t ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a wide variety of decisions making situations and dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:  

• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard — never cross the street against a light, even if you don’t see any traffic coming.
• Walk your bike through intersections.
• Walk with a buddy.

Wear reflective material…it makes you more visible to street traffic.

Riding in a car

Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45%. You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.

Remember: One Person – One Belt

• Everybody needs a child safety seat, booster seat, or safety belt!
• There must be one safety belt for each person. Buckling two people, even children, into one belt could injure both.
• Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.
• The back seat is the safest place in a crash. Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back. Infants riding rear-facing must NEVER be placed in front of an airbag.
• People who are not buckled up can be thrown from the car or around inside the car, and seriously hurt themselves or others.
• Never hold a child on your lap! You could crush him/her in a crash, or the child may be torn from your arms.
• Never ride in the cargo area of a station wagon, van, or pickup! Anyone riding in the cargo area could be thrown out and severely injured or killed.
• No one seat is ‘best’, The ‘best’ child safety seat is the one that fits your child and can be installed correctly.

CHOOSING AND USING THE CORRECT SEAT

Summer Safety Tips

1. Never leave a child unattended in a car, even with the windows
rolled down.
2. Always lock the car when not in use so kids can’t play in it.
3. Make sure to check the temperature of the car seat and seat belt
before buckling a child in the car.
4. Don’t keep a baby in the infant carrier for long periods of time
on hot days. It can feel much hotter in the seat than outside.
5. Dress children in light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
6. Have children drink a lot of water (this is good advice for everyone).
7. Reduce or eliminate strenuous activities during the hottest parts
of the day.

Swimming Pool Safety Tips

An adult should be at arm’s length of any child under the age of 5
in a swimming pool
Never leave any child alone in or near the water
Keep a phone by the pool at all times
Always check the gate is closed properly when leaving the pool
area
Host families should review their own home and pool safety rules
with the au pair.
DON’T FORGET THE SUN SCREEN!

• Activities outside.  Try to keep children out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest.  If you take care of a baby, make sure it is never under the direct sun.  Please make sure you put on a sunscreen on your kids and yourself 30 minutes BEFORE going outside.  Make sure your kids are wearing hats, and you have plenty of drink with you.
• Car safety.  I don’t need to repeat that you never ever leave kids alone in the car.  However, I want to add that temperatures during summer can reach extremely high in the car.  Before putting kids in the car, I advise you to turn it on for a few minutes with the air-conditioning running.  This way, the car will be cool when you get inside with your kids.
• Personal  Americans shower and use deodorants every day, and you all are expected to do the same.  As the weather most likely is hotter and more humid here than in your country – you don’t want to have a body odor problem.  Also, be careful with the choice of your clothes – overexposure will make your family and kids feel uncomfortable.
• Pool safety.  No running near the pool – the area is wet and slippery, and your kid might slip and fall on the hard concrete floor.  No glass containers (bottles, drinking cups) in the pool area.  Make sure you watch your kids ALL the time – never take your eyes away from them even with the life guard on duty.  Don’t let your kids to be in the pool too long.  Once in a while take them in the shade to have a drink and some calming activity – read a book, etc.  Don’t let your kids to jump in the pool from the side – have them walk down the steps.
• Plan activities.  Many of you work more hours during summer because kids don’t have school then.  Maximum hours you are allowed to work per week is 45.  Make sure you plan your activities so they are fun not only for your kids, but also for you!  Make playdates, take them to the park, to the zoo, museums, movies, etc.  Discuss with the host parents what are you planning to do with the kids.  Make sure you pack the bag you will take with you early enough so that you don’t run around looking for things in the last minute.
• Sunburn.  How to treat it: apply a cool compress (an easy one: a small carton of milk or juice) for fast relief, or have a bath in a tepid water with ¼ cup each of baking soda and cornstarch.  Aloe-vera plant gel is a good relief, too.  Call the doctor if you have blisters from the sunburn.

June

Childcare focus- Use a Timer

Ask your host parents how much time they think it should take your host kids to complete a certain tasks that you and your host kids struggle with.  Then set the timer and have a race against the clock to get things done before the timer beeps.  There is no reward, just a high five and a challenge to do it faster the next day.   This makes it fun and exciting!  Once the behavior has changed and the struggle is over, you will not need the timer as the expectation has been set and met.

Use a timer for things like

• getting dressed
• room cleaning–set the timer for five or ten minutes and challenge your host kids to clean as much of the toys room as possible before the timer beeps
• playtime before doing homework or chores

Driving- Do you have your state driver’s license?

Links to the Department of Motor Vehicles for all states can be found here.  A US driver’s license is a requirement in some states and it makes a great souvenir!

http://aupairinamerica.com/state/index.asp 

Education- TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language is generally not required for au pairs to take classes at local colleges.  If it will be useful for you in your home country, take it towards the end of your year when you have had many months to practice your English.

Healthy eating-Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a fruit or vegetable to your diet every day. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.

Hints for success – Nice weather is here. Seek out opportunities to interact with Americans- at fairs, festivals and farmer’s markets for example. This will help you to learn English more quickly and adjust to cultural differences more easily. 

Internet use-pictures of host children are not to be posted on Facebook or any other website.  If you want to send pictures of your super cute host kids to your friends and family back home, ask your host family for the best way to do that. 

Travel-Check the Au Pair in American website for travel deals and referrals for booking travel

http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/travel_and_flights/travel_deals.asp

June is…

Dairy Month

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

Zoo and Aquarium Month

Holidays/Dates to Remember

20~ Father’s Day

21~ First day of Summer

Dairy Month
Milk and milk products are important for strong bones and healthy teeth. Children should have 3-4 servings a day of foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

Children should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Many children prefer the crunch of raw food – especially popular are apples, pears, carrots, broccoli, celery and cucumbers.  Use your imagination to serve cut up vegetables in an interesting way– for example, make a figure with carrot stick arms and legs, a celery body and a round of cucumber for a head. 

Zoo and Aquarium Month

Visit your local zoo or aquarium or set up a pretend zoo with play animals and blocks. Invite the host parents to visit your pretend zoo. Read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish or If I Ran the Zoo, both by Dr. Seuss. Encourage the children to make up their own animals and draw them. Think of all the animal sounds you can and play a game guessing what animal you are. You may find that the same animal says one thing in America and something quite different in your own country!

June 4 – Aesop was born on this date.  His stories, all with a lesson at the end are still well known today.  Read one to your host children.

June 6 – National Applesauce Cake Day

Here’s a recipe for a healthy and delicious snack to make with the children

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Mix first sugar and shortening, then add flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix in applesauce and raisins/cranberries. Place in a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

June 11 – National Hug Day

Everyone appreciates a hug – have you hugged your host children today?  Have they hugged you? 

June 14 – Flag Day 

Flying the American flag is more popular than ever. It is a symbol of the country’s values and traditions. Do you know what the stars and stripes mean?   Its 13 red and white stripes represent the original colonies and the 50 stars stand for the states. You might also want to use this day to teach the children about your own flag.  You can find a print out of the American flag and flags of many other countries in the Kids Culture Corner http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/kids/culture_corner/

June 15 – Erik Erickson  

Erickson was born in Germany in 1902 and later moved to the US.  He is famous for his studies of Native Americans and for giving us a new way to understand child development.  Take some time study Erickson where your host children fit in Erickson’s timeline.  Are these descriptions true in your culture as well?

June 17 – The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France in 1885 to recognize the French-American cooperation during the American Revolution.  She stands 305 feet (93 meters) high in New York Harbor.  The seven rays on her crown represent the seven continents and seven seas of the world. 

June 18 – MC Escher was born in 1898.  He was a Dutch graphic artist famous for his spatial illusions, impossible buildings, repeating geometric patterns (tessellations), and his incredible techniques in woodcutting and lithography. 

June 19 – Juneteenth

This day celebrates the freedom of over 250,000 slaves at the close of the Civil War in the United States in 1865.  Over the years, Juneteenth festivals have evolved into day long events that include picnics, parades, music, dancing, and baseball. 

June 20 – Father’s Day

To honor the father in your family work together to make a special picture or homemade gift

June 21- First day of summer!  Long hot days make for children who need some quiet time.  Relax and unwind at the end of the day with some summertime reading. 

General posts

~Try new foods!  Are you caring for children who are fussy eaters or are reluctant to try new things?  Make a tasting passport.  Take several pieces of computer paper and fold in half and staple.  On the front write “Tasting Passport” and the child’s name and the date you started.  Look for food pictures in magazines that the child can glue into their passport when they try a new food. 

~Dream catchers.  Native Americans used dream catchers to keep bad dreams away and let good dreams come in.  Simple to make for 5 year olds and older, this is a fun craft activity that can then be hung in the child’s room. 

~Take an ordinary paper plate and cut the center out of it leaving just the rim of the plate. Color the rim the child’s favorite color. Next, punch holes with a hole punch every inch or two all the way around the plate. Then, string the yarn back and forth from one side of the rim to the other forming a web like design inside of the paper ring. Decide which is the top and which is the bottom of their dream catcher. At the bottom of the dream catcher attach small feathers.

Dates to Remember

1~ April Fool’s Day

2~Good Friday

4~ Easter Sunday

22~ Earth Day

Childcare focus – Cleaning Up Made Easy 

Is it hard to get cooperation at clean-up time?
Turn clean-up time into a game. Try throwing a die, if it lands on one, the person who threw the die must clean-up one thing, if the die lands on four, he or she must pick up four things, and so on. Everyone plays (even the au pair)!

Driving- Personal car use for au pairs is a privilege and calls for a high level of responsibility.   If you have a car accident, you can be asked to pay a deductible of up to $500.  Parking tickets are expensive and you pay for them, so pay attention to parking restrictions.

Education- Extending: In order to extend, you must show proof that you have completed the education requirement at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution. Your extension request will not be processed without this proof.

One or more of the following documents can be used to verify that you have completed your education:

Letter from the school on letterhead

Completion certificate from the school

School transcript

Hints for success- Take responsibility for your actions

No one is perfect. If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize and work to correct the situation.

Lost Passports Make a copy of your passport and visa and keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, you should call the Stamford office to speak to the Compliance Officer. Then you should contact the consulate or embassy of your home country and get the process started to replace your passport.   Chances are your visa was stapled in your passport. If you lost your visa as well, you cannot travel outside the U.S., but you can stay in the U.S. to finish the program. To learn how to replace your visa, visit http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/procedure_5.asp

April 26 National Pretzel Day

Bake your own soft pretzels. Easy and delicious:

Ingredients:

1 package yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg, beaten

Coarse salt to sprinkle on pretzels

Stir yeast into water.  Add the sugar and salt.  Blend in flour with hands.  Knead until smooth.  Cut into pieces and roll into long skinny twists.  Put a little flour on the counter and give the child a piece of dough to create a pretzel of their own-balls, worms, or letters-whatever they want.  Put onto well greased cookie sheet.  Brush with egg.  Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes.

General posts…

Acting
Most children love to be the center of attention, so being on stage is natural for them. Choose 4 or five things that don’t go together and put them in a bag. Work with the children to make up a story to act out using the things in the bag. It can be very funny!

Fun With Crayons!
The first box of 8 crayons was introduced in 1903.  Since then over a 100 billion crayons have been produced and there are now 120 colors available!  Check the labels for some interesting color names. 
Jokes

Children love jokes and riddles. Look in the library for joke books.

If you are planning to travel outside the US during your first year, you need to follow these steps:

1. Check if you need visa with the country’s embassy.

2. Mail your original DS-2019 Form 3 weeks before your travel to:

3. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

4. You will receive the validated DS-2019 Form back

Have a great trip!

Learn more details about Aupair insurance HERE

If you went to a doctor and paid your own money, here is how you file the claim:

1. Gather all receipts you paid to the doctor and medicines, including the original prescriptions

2. Make copies and keep them for your records just in case the mail is lost

3. Fill out the reimbursement form – click HERE to get it, print it out and mail to the insurance along with the original receipts

4. The address is on the form

5. Mail everything to the insurance and give it 4-6 weeks for the reimbursement check to arrive.

Get well soon!

Doctors in the area:

Fun Things to do in Washington area:

Bethesda Events

Events in Washington, DC area

Smithsonian Institution

MD Rennaisance Festival

Travel Maryland

Free outdoors Movies in August

Baltimore Aquarium

Ticketmaster for concert tickets

Washington, DC Tourmobile

Things to DO in MD

Luray Caverns

George Washington’s Mt. Vernon

Colonial Williamsburg

Harper’s Ferry

Alexandria, VA

Potomac River Ferries

Canoe, cayak, boat trips

Skyline Drive, VA