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Halloween Safety

Every Halloween night, a chill fills the air as little ghouls and ghosts take to the streets for a night of Trick-or-Treating. Halloween is a time for frights and fun, but is also a time when parents and children should focus on safety.

Tips for a safe Halloween

Remember to follow these safety tips to help ensure you and your “Trick-or-Treaters” have a safe and enjoyable experience this year:

  • Wear bright clothing or reflective gear; Carry a flashlight if out after dark;
  • Know the route that your children will be taking if you aren’t going with them;
  • Younger children should go with adults: at least a 4:1 ratio is preferable;
  • If possible, give your kids a cell phone and check in with them at specified intervals;
  • Have an understood time for everyone to be home;
  • Explain the difference between a “trick” and “vandalism.” This is also another good opportunity to discuss peer pressure. More often than not, kids participate in acts that they know are wrong because a “friend” led the way.

Summer Heat wave safety

Tips for Staying Cool This Summer

  • heat wave Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and modify your activities appropriately.
  • Pay attention to your hydration status and be sure to drink plenty of fluids.
  • Try to stay in relatively cool areas, even when outside. Many public places, such as libraries, shopping malls and movie theatres, are air conditioned.
  • Avoid hot, enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children unattended in a car!
  • Use a fan, if available.
  • Stay on the lowest floor of your building.
  • Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.
  • Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing.
  • Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.
  • Cool beverages are good for cooling down the body, while alcoholic drinks can impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

Signs of Heat Overexposure

  • Heavy sweating — though if heat stroke sets in, the body can no longer compensate and stops sweating.boy drinking water
  • Pale skin.
  • Muscle cramps.
  • Feeling tired and weak.
  • Altered mental status (confusion or disorientation).
  • Headache.
  • Becoming semi-conscious or passing out.
  • Nausea or vomiting.

Steps to Take After Recognizing Heat-Induced Illness

  • Call 911.
  • Get the person out of the sun and into a cool area. An air-conditioned area is ideal, but moving someone into the shade will also help.
  • Apply water to help the person cool off.
  • Apply ice to the neck or armpits, where large blood vessels are close to the surface.
  • Remove any heavy clothing.
  • Immerse the body in cool water, either at a swimming pool or in a bathtub.

cool offDon’t forget the pets, keep them cool and hydrated too!

Happy Mother's Day

mothers_day_graphic-300x172Sunday, May 8th is Mother’s Day! I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Host Moms for all they do for their Au Pairs. I hope the day is extra special and that you each have time to enjoy the day with your families!

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” Zora Neale Hurston

MOTHER’S DAY AROUND THE WORLD A special day in the honor of mothers, Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries around the world though on different dates. In a large number of countries including US, Mothers Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May, but in many other countries Mothers Day is celebrated in an entirely different time of the year. But what ever may be the date of Mother’s Day around the world, the spirit is the same everywhere. Everywhere in the world mothers are respected for their extreme devotion towards their kids. And on Mother’s Day children pay their humblest tribute to their mothers and thank them for giving them birth and providing them with the best of care and upbringing.