Memorial
Day is a patriotic holiday in the United States of America, celebrated on the
last Monday in May. It is a celebration of remembrance for the brave service of
men and women who gave their lives for their country. Memorial Day was declared
a federal holiday in 1971. We now, designate this day to remember loved ones who
have passed on, as well as remembering our service men and women. Flowers and
flags are placed on graves in remembrance of them. Parades and dedications of
memorials usually are part of the day’s activities. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts,
local marching bands, members of the armed service, fire departments, police
departments, and fraternal orders often march in parades and attend ceremonies
to commemorate the day.
Yearly Archives: 2013
Good Family time at the Piney Orchard Street Festival
Despite warnings of bad weather it turned out to be a fantastic day for the Piney Orchard Street Festival on Saturday, May 11th. Au pairs were on hand to answer questions about their experience as an au pair and to offer tips to interested host families on how to have a successful year and what to expect. Children were able to make a Mother’s Day card and get their faces painted. We were right next to the Piney Orchard Elementary School table, the rock climbing wall and the dunking booth … lots of activity for the children and the parents! Good thing the sun came out and warmed us up from all the splashing that took place next to us!
Au Pairs Celebrate the Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC
On April 6th the Baltimore and Annapolis clusters met in downtown DC and were given a private tour by the owner “Eddie” from DC by Foot. Eddie treated our group to a wonderful educational tour of the various monuments on the National Mall to include the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. We learned some great facts to include that the term “Mall” does not mean a shopping mall but rather means “open space” and the Lincoln Memorial takes after the Greek Parthenon which translates to “perfect unity.” Lincoln was remembered in history as a great unifier of our country and the 36 pillars that adorn the Lincoln Memorial represent the 36 states that were part of the Union at the time. Our group was able to see the first signs of the Cherry Blossoms (a gift from Japan) come to life throughout the city on a wonderful sunny day. These delicate blossoms signify the beginning of spring! Something we in the DC area have been looking forward to after a long cold winter.
On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches. Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus. For some wonderful craft ideas to do with your children please visit http://holidays.kaboose.com/easter/.
Statue Of Liberty to Reopen
For those of you in the NYC area or with au pairs planning a visit, our most famous icon symbolizing the American people and culture will re-open on July 4th after damage from Hurricane Sandy. On October 29th the 820 mile (1320km) wide hurricane brought high winds and storm surges to much of the Eastern United States, including New York City. The Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island, a 12 acre island located a mile south of lower Manhattan. Normally, the confines of the New York Harbor protect Liberty Island from extreme weather. However, when Hurricane Sandy hit, Liberty Island was in the direct path of a massive storm surge. Nearby in Battery Park, water rose 13.8 feet (4.2m). On Liberty Island, that meant nearly 75% of the Island was under water.
The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986.
Visits to Liberty Island can be planned by going to the website:
http://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/statue2012reopening.htm
Celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th
International Women’s Day is celebrated in 176 countries and allows women worldwide to connect, celebrate and honor women’s past, present, and future. On this day women will “Celebrate, Commit, and Connect.” They’ll celebrate like never before ~ connect as only women do ~ and commit to improve in 3 areas of their lives:
1. Personal ~ improve their personal health and well being, and their businesses as employees, business owners, entrepreneurs.
2. Family ~ help their families be healthier and prepare for the future right now.
3. Country ~ let their voices be heard: to speak up, to make positive changes in their communities/countries.
Au Pair in America is an organization fully committed to enriching the lives and minds of young women and this day is highly regarded within the organization. Young women from all over the globe, ages 18 -26, come to America to live with an American family and learn about American culture. The Au Pair in America cultural exchange program provides a platform to really the change lives of the young women that participate. Fanny Carvajal-Delgado, one of our former au pairs from Costa Rica, has said “Working as an au pair with Au Pair in America is a life changing experience. It has changed my life, the way I value my family and friends, the way I see the world and the way I think about myself, in a positive way. I will never be the same person! When I finished the program I was more mature, Independent and responsible.”
In recognition of International Women’s Day, below are some ways you can celebrate this day as well as National Women’s History month in your local community:
- Register to vote
- Attend an event promoting women’s health, equality or safety
- Thank a woman who has been a positive influence in your life
- Support a program that provides business training for women in developing countries
- Make a donation that provides education for girls
To find for an International Women’s Day event in your area, go to www.internationalwomensday.com!
Valentines Day February 14
A little history about Saint Valentine’s Day
On Thursday, February 14th we celebrate Valentine’s Day in the United States by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, “Who is St. Valentine”? Time to brush up on your Valentine’s history!
Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger army. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree was not fair and married young couples in secret. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine’s actions he had his head cut off making him a martyr of love. Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first ‘valentine’ himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine’, words still used on cards today.
Perhaps we’ll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure…February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent. For some fun children’s activities including crafts, coloring pages, games, puzzles and poems go to:
Au Pairs receive hands on instruction on CPR and First Aid
This past Saturday, au pairs from the Annapolis cluster met for hands on training provided by the American Red Cross. The Annapolis Evangelical Lutheran Church graciously offered their space for this event. The au pairs received instruction on First Aid and CPR. With the help of dolls these young ladies were able to put into practice what was taught during the 5 1/2 hour course. This program was designed to teach the participants how to recognize and respond appropriately to infant and pediatric emergencies such as cardiac arrest, recognize the signals of a breathing emergency, how to care for a child that is chocking, identify the signals of shock, and how to check a conscious person for life-threatening and non-life threatening conditions. This class provided participants with the knowledge and skills needed to know how to give immediate care to a suddenly injured or ill child until more advanced medical personnel arrive and take over. All participants received a certificate of training upon the completion of this class.
Super Bowl is this Sunday, February 3rd!
Check it out at http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/47/super-bowl-matchup
Your Host Family will probably be watching, even if only for half time featuring Beyonce, and for the exciting new commercials! 
- 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
Supplies: · Poster board · Brown card stock or construction paper · White marker · Poster tacks · BlindfoldInstructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Celebrate Martin Luther King this Monday, Jan 21st
Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He was a leader in the movement to end racial segregation in the United States. His most famous address was the “I Have A Dream” speech. He was an advocate of non-violent protest and became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was assassinated in 1968. Shortly after he died, a campaign was started for his birthday to become a holiday to honor him. Following support from the musician Stevie Wonder with his single “Happy Birthday” and a petition with six million signatures, the bill became law in 1983. Martin Luther King Day was first observed in 1986, although it was not observed in all states until the year 2000.
Martin Luther King Day is seen as a day to promote equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their background. Some educational establishments mark the day by teaching their pupils or students about the work of Martin Luther King and the struggle against racial segregation and racism. In recent years, federal legislation has encouraged Americans to give some of their time on this day as volunteers in citizen action groups.
Here are some fun activities to do with children on this holiday:
http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/mlk/games.htm