Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time. Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game. Problem:But, Read More
Travel Outside of the U.S.
7 Things to Know Before You Go There is always some risk with traveling outside of the U.S., as re-entry is at the discretion of the port of entry agent. APIA recommends that au pairs and host families discuss the risks and decide whether they are comfortable. Please review the appropriate checklist(s) from APIA, as you Read More
Drive-In Movies
Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Drive-in movies are outdoor theaters where the movie is projected on a large screen and you watch from your car. There were once over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the U.S., and now only a few hundred remain. For our June outdoor movie cluster meeting, there is an Read More
Protecting Privacy & Personal Information Online
We live in a time of constant sharing through social media. We often share pictures, plans of somewhere we are going, or rants about problems, without thinking much about who will see it and what could be the consequences. Before clicking “post”, stop to think: Am I violating someone’s privacy? Am I sharing personal information that could Read More
Birthday Party Cluster Meeting & Service Project
We had a cluster birthday party for our March meeting. We played birthday party games, sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed cupcakes. We also completed a service project. Everyone brought supplies to create birthday bags to donate to the local food pantry. Each bag contained a cake mix, frosting, candles, and other birthday party Read More
Create a Spring Break Game Plan
“Game plan” means a strategy for how you are going to accomplish something. In the case of keeping kids from getting bored and/or into trouble, the best way to prevent it is to keep them busy with safe, fun activities. When there are days home from school, letting kids sit around watching TV or playing video Read More
Three Ways for Au Pairs to Stay Red Cross Ready
Being knowledgeable in basic first aid and CPR is important for au pairs (and anyone else caring for children). Au Pair in America’s commitment to infant/child safety begins before au pairs arrive in the U.S., with pre-arrival training and continues throughout the au pair year. #1 Training At Orientation Our orientation training includes a course by the Read More
Making Plans for Future Travel
Sometimes in the first few months after arrival, au pairs are still getting settled and making friends and not yet traveling very much. Believe it or not a year flies by faster than you think! These early months can be a great time to set goals, research places to go and make plans. What can Read More
Helping Young Children Learn Language
Being an au pair is an important role in a child’s life. When you are caring for young children up to 45 hours per week, there are lots of opportunities to help them learn language. Many host parents are eager for their children to be exposed to more than just English. If this is true of Read More
Hints for Success – 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 Read More