
Look BEFORE you LOCK

Keeping kids busy and active is the key to success for those long summer days!
When kids are out of school for the summer, it doesn’t take long for them to become bored. Boredom leads to sibling squabbles and mischief! Children don’t realize how much they miss the routine and predictability in their daily schedule. One solution is to make fun plans to keep them busy! Make Camp Au Pair!
Have a ready list of easy, fun activities that you can do with your host children. Get prepared for the upcoming week by getting a list of what is needed and asking the host parents for help in purchasing your supplies.
Use your Au Pair In America resources to find activities and ideas. Check your Au Pair portal for “150 Things to Do with Children”. This is jammed with super ideas.
My favorite outside activity is making super planet size bubbles, using a homemade bubble recipe. Ask your host dad to bend wire coat hangers into large circles with a handle. Outside on the driveway, pour the bubble mix into a shallow dish large enough for the circular coat hanger. A clean trash can lid works great. See how large you get can your bubbles to float!
Create your own bubble solution by gently combining 1 cup dish soap, 1 tbsp glycerine and 4 cups water in a large bucket.
Check out Au Pair in America’s Pinterest pages; Summer Fun & Summer Holidays pin boards for even more ideas.
10 fun ideas:
1.Dance-Put on classical music and move like trees or animals!
2.Cook-Freeze juice and make yummy popsicles!
3.Craft-Make a craft out of leftover Popsicle sticks or shells from the beach trip.
4.Make a tent-Use the Kitchen table and a sheet to make a cool place to get out of the sun on a hot day!
5.Dress up-Be Super man or a princess! Have fun pretending.
6. Chalk on the driveway-Endless fun with drawing pictures and hopscotch!
7.Balls-Make up a new game outside with the ball or just toss or kick
8.Read out loud and use funny voices to make all the characters come alive!
9.Bird watch-See how many kinds of birds you can find in your back yard. Look them up on Google to identify what kind of bird it is. Have a bird watch every day to keep track of them 10. Plant a sunflower– Plant seeds in a super, sunny place and water it every day!
Tips For Communicating About Problems With Your Host Family.
How you approach an issue of concern with your host family will often determine the outcome. A thoughtful, respectful approach will prompt success, but an aggressive, demanding conversation is likely to harm your relationship. American culture is supportive of positive solution-focused communication. Talking about concerns is hard, but well worth the effort.
As a host family, it is great to have your Au Pair along on a vacation. However, there are pitfalls that can happen One of the biggest issues is the danger that can be involved when no-one is clear about whose job it is to oversee the kids.
Here are 10 Tips for Vacationing with your Au Pair so that everyone has a great time, and the kids are safe!
There are two tests that must be completed to receive a Georgia driver’s license. The first is the written or knowledge exam and the second is the skills test or road’s test. All non-US citizens who are residing in the state for more than thirty days are considered residents and are required to obtain a Class C Driver’s License in order to drive in Georgia. https://dds.georgia.gov/information-non-us-citizens
Documents Required
Documentation showing your identity and legal presence in the USA:
For more information regarding the Georgia Driver’s License refer to our Blog under life in the USA
How the Au pair program affected Adult Children from Former Host Families.
(Excerpted from Au Pair in America Program Outcomes- Perspectives of Host Children 1999-2017)
Cassie Heine and Catie Steidl, AIFS program Researchers stated:
“The host children love and learned from their Au pairs. As a result, their eyes were open to the world beyond the doorsteps of their home.”
Catie “When children are raised to think of cross-cultural understanding, interaction and the embrace of difference and diversity as the norm, they are guaranteed to grow into similarly tolerant young people and adults who are interested in and enthusiastic about the positive aspects of cultural understanding.”
The impact Statistics gained from surveying 4000 former host children now age 21 or older:
An ability to accept differences in other people- 88%
An appreciation for global cuisine- 81%
A desire for more diverse friendships and social networks-71%
A better understanding of myself and my values- 71%
The Au pair affected their lives in a positive way- 99%
Would you have an Au pair care for your children- 94%
I consider the Au pair who lived with us to be like family-92%
62% of adult children of APIA can comfortably hold a conversation in a different language. Only 26% of American-born citizens can do this.
College-age children of APIA were 7x more likely to study abroad.
Quotes from former host children:
Caitlin Age 25 New Jersey:
“They broadened my horizons and showed me that people everywhere live different and interesting, but equally beautiful lives. Through them I learned about different languages, food, architecture, and displays of friendship. I wanted to know more about people, and I wanted to go on adventures because of them.”
Madeleine, age 26 Massachusetts:
“I attended my former Au pair’s weddings. I’ve met their parents and their children. To me, to everyone in my family, they are Family. I feel like they will stay that way for the rest of my life.”
Feeling homesick is a normal feeling when you first arrive as an Au pair. YOU CAN GET THROUGH IT! It just takes a little time and some effort on your part. Tell yourself that you can live with being uncomfortable for a short time. Trust yourself that you made the right decision. Trust me when I say it will get better and your whole year is ahead of you. Fun times and lifetime friends await you. GO GET THEM!
Almost everyone experiences homesickness and culture shock to some degree when they come to live in a completely new environment. So much is different and it takes time to adjust.
It is normal to miss your own family, at home. Try to remember that they support you and want you to make the most of this experience. Your family and friends back home will enjoy learning more about the U.S., through your eyes, as you share your adventures with them.
1. Make Friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There are lots of new au pairs who are feeling the same way you are right now. Set a goal to reach out to a few of them each day. Some will respond and some will not. Don’t let that discourage you. No one will ever be mad at you for sending them a message to say hello or ask if they want to do something together. Make friends from various countries and you will also get a chance to practice your English skills together.
2. Stay in touch with your home country, but not too much. Skyping or talking on the phone every day with your family and/or friends back home normally makes homesickness worse. Try to lessen your contact by every other day and slowly to once a week, until you feel stronger. It’s much harder seeing the faces and hearing the voices of those you miss.
3. Get out of the house (or your room specifically) – Attend your zoom cluster meetings! Ask your host family how you can be social with other Au pairs outside of their home. Perhaps you can have coffee or meet outside with other au pairs, join a gym, go to the library, go for a walk, visit the mall, get a manicure, visit a museum. If someone invites you out, say “yes”. Also, don’t be afraid to do the inviting. If your host family invites you to do things with them, say “yes.” This will help you get to know each other and contribute to your overall happiness.
4. Realize that it definitely gets better – All au pairs experience homesickness and the vast majority of them get through it, stay and have a successful year (some even extend for a second year!) So, it must get better, right? Once you get past the initial homesickness, most au pairs report how quickly the year goes by.
5. Make Plans – Create your own Au Pair Bucket List (places you want to go, new foods to try, new things to experience during your year in the U.S.) and start doing them now. Post on our cluster Facebook group to find others who may want to join you on your adventures.
Photo by: Shimelle Laine (Flickr)
The information contained in this article was obtained from The Centers for Disease Control And Prevention. For more information, please go to https://www.cdc.gov/flu/
The best way to protect yourself and your host family against influenza (flu) is to get a flu vaccine. Flu is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to serious illness, hospitalization, or even death. CDC recommends everyone six months and older get an annual flu vaccine.
Au pairs can get a flu vaccination at many locations( urgent care centers, Pharmacies, Doctor’s office, Public health centers.) Costco and your county health clinic may offer the best cost.
The average cost is 20 to 40 dollars. Au Pair insurance will not cover the cost of flu vaccination. Most host families will gladly pay for your flu shot.
What are some key reasons to get a flu vaccine?
Misconceptions about the Flu Vaccine:
Can a flu vaccine give you the flu?
No, flu vaccines cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines given with a needle (i.e., flu shots) are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with a) flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ (killed) and that therefore are not infectious, or b) using only a single gene from a flu virus (as opposed to the full virus) in order to produce an immune response without causing infection.
No. Flu can be a serious disease, particularly among young children, older adults, and people with certain chronic health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes. Any flu infection can carry a risk of serious complications, hospitalization or death, even among otherwise healthy children and adults. Most people suffering from flu illness miss 4 to 7 days of work and will spend $250.00 to 1000.00 dollars in health care costs (http://theweek.com/articles/471450/cost-getting-flu-by-numbers.) Therefore, getting vaccinated is a safer and less costly choice than risking illness to obtain immune protection.
Is the flu vaccine safe?
Flu vaccines have a good safety record. Hundreds of millions of
Americans have safely received flu vaccines over the past 50 years.
Extensive research supports the safety of seasonal flu vaccines.
Each year, CDC works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and other partners to ensure the highest safety standards for
flu vaccines. More information about the safety of flu vaccines is
available at www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/vaccinesafety.htm.
What are the side effects of flu vaccines?
Flu shots: Flu shots are made using killed flu viruses (for inactivated
vaccines), or without flu virus at all (for the recombinant vaccine). So,
you cannot get flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that may
occur include soreness, redness and/or swelling where the shot was
given, low-grade fever, and aches. If these problems occur, they are usually mild and go away on their own, but serious reactions are also possible. Almost all people who receive flu vaccine have no serious problems from it.
When and Where to get vaccinated?
You should get a flu vaccine by the end of October. However, as long
as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue throughout
flu season, even in January or later.
Online Education Options for Au Pairs:
ALL CLasses must be from an accredited, USA college or university!
Most Popular Search Mechanisms: NOT all classes found will be approved by the State Department. Check with your counselor BEFORE you sign up!
Some classes are grouped together and are called a ” Specialization”. This means that each course within the specialization group must be taken and will give a specific amount of hours. Please count each course’s hours to total up how many you will achieve.
www.coursera.org
www.edx.org
www.ed2go.com/
https://online-learning.harvard.edu/catalog
Most Popular Courses:
The Science of Well Being – www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
Dog Emotion and Cognition – www.coursera.org/learn/dog-emotion-and-cognition
Interior Design – www.ed2go.com/courses/arts-and-design/graphic-arts/ilc/introduction-to-interior-design
Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Industry – https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-to-hospitality-and-tourism-industry
Computer Science for Business Professionals – https://online-learning.harvard.edu/course/cs50s-computer-science-business-professionals?delta=0
How to Write an Essay – https://www.edx.org/course/how-to-write-an-essay
Tricky American English Pronunciation – https://www.classcentral.com/course/tricky-american-english-pronunciation-8274
Fundamentals of Supervision and Management – www.ed2go.com/courses/business/soft-skills/ilc/fundamentals-of-supervision-and-management
English for Career Development – https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment
Improve your English Communication Skills – https://www.coursera.org/specializations/improve-english?
Photography – www.ed2go.com/schoolcraft/online-courses/secrets-of-better-photography/
Culinary Arts – https://classroomaupair.org/intro-to-culinary-arts/
Best Course for 5 Hours:
Fairfax University of America – Online Museum Courses https://www.fxua.edu/sls/programs/non-intensive-esl/#museum-classes
Best ESL/TOEFL Courses:
The University of California at Irvine offers a series of classes: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/intermediate-grammar
International Language Institute – DC – www.ilidc.com
LADO – DC Metro Area – www.lado.com
UCEDA – https://uceda.edu/toefl-preparation/ or https://uceda.edu/aupair/ for ESL classes, too.
EFI Online – https://www.eng4intl.com/daytime-evening-classes-overview/toefl-ibt-prep/
Kenton County Adult ESL – https://www.kentonesl.org/
Community College of Allegheny County – Grammar Refresher – https://www.ed2go.com/ccac/online-courses/grammar-refresher
Zoni Language Center – Intermediate Conversations – www.zoni.edu/intensive-english-program/
Hudson County Community College – English Skills for Real Life Situations – https://classroomaupair.org/english
Prince Georges Community College – ESL – https://www.pgcc.edu/go/adulteducationesl/
Fairfax Universtiy of America – https://www.fxua.edu/sls/programs/non-intensive-esl/
Georgia Tech Language Institute – https://esl.gatech.edu/additional-programs/short-courses
International Language Institute – www.ilidc.com
https://www.ed2go.com/courses/language/languages/ilc/speed-spanish
https://www.coursera.org/specializations/learn-spanish
More Popular Choices:
Learning Across America and Learning Express – https://www.learningacrossamerica.net/find-your-class
Classroom Au Pair – www.classroomaupair.org
Psychology Classes:
Yale University: One course gives 15 hours https://www.coursera.org/learn/introduction-psychology?recoOrder=5&utm_medium=email&utm_source=recommendations&utm_campaign=Kl0YwECzEeuTnfsZ4aha4w
Penn State University: five courses in the specialization giving 80 hours. https://www.coursera.org/specializations/positivepsychology?recoOrder=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=recommendations&utm_campaign=Kl0YwECzEeuTnfsZ4aha4w
Wesleyan Unversity 38 hours https://www.coursera.org/learn/social-psychology?