The Annapolis cluster twice a month meets at a local Starbucks in Severna Park, MD to get together informally for a cup of coffee. It is a wonderful opportunity for au pairs to get together and meet new au pairs who have just arrived to our cluster. Au pairs share information about what classes they are taking, where to take classes, travel opportunities and upcoming weekend festivities. The au pairs have the chance to share their experience with the new arrivals and offer tips and suggestions on how to have a great year with their host families and what to expect. Phone numbers are exchanged and play-dates are set! This is also a good time to ask me, their counselor, any questions that they may have about any aspect of the program. Personally it gives me the chance to get to know the girls a little bit better in a relaxed environment. I love the fact that it feels like I’m having coffee with many daughters at once!
Yearly Archives: 2013
Rosh Hashanah
September 4- Rosh Hashanah – Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown and is a solemn celebration of the beginning of the Jewish year. Synagogue services are held on Rosh Hashanah. During the services, the shofar, a ram’s horn, is sounded. During Rosh Hashanah special dishes are prepared. Many of the dishes contain honey which symbolizes the desire for a sweet year. A round bread represents the fullness of the year.
To help insure your new year gets off to a sweet start, visit http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Just-as-Sweet-as-Honey-Cake-369050
September 2, Labor Day
September 2 -Labor Day – Labor Day is the first
Monday in September and was first celebrated in the United States on September
5, 1882 as a trade union holiday. Now
Labor Day is seen as the end of summer and the beginning of school for many
students. The day is often celebrated with picnics, sporting events and
reunions.
Surprise your friends and family this year with some interesting Labor Day facts and trivia that you may have not known before.
The first Labor Day Parade held in the U.S. was on September 5, 1882, in New York City. The first week in September was chosen by workers because it was in the middle of Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
The first Monday of every September was designated as a national holiday by a law signed by President Grover Cleveland. The national holiday has been celebrated in the U.S. and Canada since 1894.
In European countries and China, workers celebrate May Day on the first day in May to celebrate workers and labor unions.
Here’s wishing all host families and au pairs a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend 2013!
Back to School Tips
Back to School Tips ~ It the time of year where the schedule changes and the lazy days of summer come to an end. This can mean changes to the au pair’s schedule. It’s a good idea that host host parents and au pairs have a discussion about any changes including new school schedules, after school activities and homework expectations. You can help protect your children from the most frequent kinds of school-related injuries by following these practical, proven tips. according to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign by clicking on this link.
http://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/back-to-school-safety-tips/2/
Au Pairs take in an Oriole's Baseball Game in Baltimore
On Sunday, August 18th, the Annapolis and Baltimore clusters of Au Pair in America got together to see the Baltimore Orioles play against the Colorado Rockies. They won!!! A wonderful experience to see a true American sport at Camden Yards. For some girls this was their first baseball game in the United States.
Au Pairs Go Kayaking on the Bay in Annapolis, MD
What a great day to enjoy Annapolis from the water. Au pairs from the Baltimore and the Annapolis clusters meet at Annapolis Canoe and Kayak (http://www.ackannapolis.com) on Sunday morning. While the sun was shining it was not too hot. A perfect day that was topped off by ice cream afterwards in downtown Annapolis.
Independence Day, July 4th
While you may have heard and seen fireworks already this past weekend, Independence Day is actually this coming Thursday, July 4th. Few Americans, unless they are history enthusiasts or better yet, American history professors, can tell you the complete story on this quintessential holiday of ours. For some fun and interesting facts, click the link below. http://lasvegas.about.com/od/historylandmarks/a/A-History-Of-The-Fourth-Of-July.htm
Summer Safety Tips for Au Pairs
Fun in the Sun
- Babies Under 6 months – Avoid Sun Exposure – Dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts and brimmed hats. Speak to your host family before using sunscreen on an infant
- Young Children – Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15. Children should wear hats and sunglasses if they will keep them on. Limit exposure to the sun — if you are outside for a long period of time — reapply the sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
- Older Children – Apply sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15, children should wear hats and sunglasses. Stay in the shade whenever possible. Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
Pool Safety
- Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
- Whenever infants and toddlers are in or around water, you need to be within an arm’s length away, providing “total supervision.”
Bug Safety
- Speak with your host family about the use of insect repellant on their children – do not use it without their permission.
- Make sure you know whether the children that you care for have any allergies to bug bites and how you should respond
- To remove a visible stinger from the skin, gently scrape it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.
Multi-cluster host family event was a big success!
Thank you SO much for coming out to our Multi-cluster picnic yesterday at Ft. McHenry. The food was fantastic, the kids had a blast, the face painting was incredible and the weather turned out to be lovely! Thanks to all our au pairs and host families who came out and made this event turn out so wonderfully!
![944422_10152933508565454_1244240263_n[1]](https://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/abc/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2013/06/944422_10152933508565454_1244240263_n1-300x224.jpg)
Multi-Cluster Host Family Picnic at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore
The Annapolis, Baltimore, and Columbia based Community Counselors of Au Pair in America are pleased to announce our Annual Host Family picnic. Families and au pairs will join together at the site where our National Anthem was composed at F t. McHenry in Baltimore. In the spirit of sharing cultural heritages, au pairs from each country will be sharing their national anthem with everyone. Au Pairs will also be asked to bring a dish from their home country to share and help with face painting. It is a beautiful location on the water and should be a great event with three clusters participating. Host families are asked to bring their own picnic lunch, and fold up chairs. There will be tables there but not a lot of seating. Counselors are providing paper goods, I.e. plates, napkins, and cutlery, beverages, and cake.Multi Cluster Host Family Picnic
Date: Sunday, June 9 Time: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Fort McHenry National Park 2400 East Fort Ave. Baltimore, MD 21230