Yearly Archives: 2013

Don't get the flu in your aupair year!

Keep Healthy This Cold and Flu Season!

 

 Here are a few tips that are helpful in keeping yourself and your host children healthy this winter season.

16251243-family-is-lying-on-a-bed-due-to-flu-in-winter

1. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with warm, soapy water. Say your abc song to make sure you are washing long enough!

 

2. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Make a habit of never touching your face.

 

3. Don’t leave your used tissues lying around. Wash your hands after throwing them away. 14424787-woman-with-tissue-and-spray-feels-unwell-with-flu-isolated-on-white

 

4. Routinely disinfect shared objects at home. Don’t forget the keyboard of computers and the TV remote. Door knobs and stair rails are places to clean as well.

 

5. Consider getting a flu shot. It is a myth that the shot will make you sick.  The flu shot can prevent most flu infections.

 

6. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue on the inside of your arm when you sneeze or cough. Flu germs can travel up to 20 feet very quickly.  11369430-close-up-of-a-man-stifling-a-sneeze-in-his-elbow


 

7. If you are sick avoid going to crowded places and keep your distance from family members.

 

8. Get enough rest. Don’t be tempted to stay out late with friends. Let your body have a chance to heal.

 

9. If a fever last more than three days, see a doctor.

 

10. Keep cool air circulating and surfaces dry. Germs like moist, warm environments.

flu season

Photography Certificate from North Georgia University.

Information about the classes taught at the Cumming campus of North Georgia University  

 

The belly dancing class is not taught at the Cumming location. There are several other courses that may be of interest to you.  When looking at their listing of courses, please be careful to see the location where it is taught.

 

These are the photography courses. You can actually achieve a photography certificate by taking several of these courses.

Information about Photography Certificate program

http://ung.edu/continuing-education/dahlonega-cumming/courses/certificate-programs/photography.php

List of photography courses

https://aceweb.northgeorgia.edu/ShowSchedule.awp?&Mode=GROUP&Group=PHOTO&Title=Photography

No Bake Holiday Cookie Ornaments.

Here is a easy idea to make Christmas tree ornaments. No baking is required. This is a great activity for those long days on Christmas break!  

 No Bake Holiday Cookie Ornaments.

Small vanilla wafer cookies wrapped in fruit snacks make brightly colored holiday ornaments.                    

    See Betty Crocker website for more great recipes:          http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/no-bake-holiday-cookie-ornaments/fac8ecc2-d7d5-4125-8c97-c23a63e896b6

 

 no bake cookies

 

Prep Time 0 min Total Time 0 min Servings 20 Ingredients

20 vanilla wafer cookies

1 box Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® Blastin’ Berry Hot Colors® chewy fruit flavored snacks

20 (3-inch) pieces string licorice

Coarse sugar, if desired

•1 Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. Unroll and remove paper from Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups. Cut each in fourths.

•2 Making a loop for ornament using string licorice, and attach to back side of cookie, securing under fruit snack as you wrap fruit snack around cookie. Decorate with sugar, or cut pieces from remaining fruit snack to decorate. Place on cookie sheet.

EXPERT TIPS

* Try using smaller cookies to make miniature ornaments.

Thanksgiving in the USA

Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”  Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday, dates back to the first European settlers in North America.  After much hardship, illness and hard work, the Pilgrims were finally able to celebrate a successful harvest which they shared with their Native American friends who had helped them through their difficult beginning in America.  Today this day is set aside to feast and to give thanks. This is something we can all share, as we too celebrate our cross-cultural friendships. Enjoy the turkey and all the trimmings!

The early settlers at Thanksgiving:Thanksgiving

The most recognized American Thanksgiving by Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving

A modern day Thanksgiving. Modern Day Thanksgiving

Some activities to share with the children :

Maple-Nut-Berry Popcorn Balls ( for children ages 3 and older): Add some chopped walnuts and raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Add enough melted butter to lightly coat popcorn. Stir. Pour maple syrup over the warm popcorn and stir until all the corn, nuts and berries are covered. Shape the sticky corn into balls and place on a plate to refrigerate until the syrup hardens

Enjoy these healthy Halloween Treats!!

Enjoy these healthy Halloween Treats!!

Halloween Treats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HALLOWEEN SAFETYHalloween

 

Safety is a very important issue for Halloween.   This is the most popular holiday for children who are able to go from door to door showing off their choice of costume for this year, collecting candy from the neighbors.  For au pairs there are issues to consider that may not have been encountered before.  I have put together some reminders to help make this holiday fun and safe.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!  

-Children should always be supervised by an adult when going “Trick or Treating”.

-Only go to those homes that are known in the neighborhood to be safe participants.

-Never let a child go inside the neighbor’s home unless you know the person.

-Always check the candy before letting children eat it.  Make sure that anything that has been unwrapped, home made or just does not look safe is thrown away.  Ask the parents about this.

When driving please slow down, as there will be a lot of children out in the dark.  They may not be visible.

-Talk to the children about safety during Halloween. (crossing the street, talking to strangers and waiting until their candy is checked before they eat it).

-Children may want to use a flashlight to see in the dark, this is also a good way for them to be seen by drivers.

Have a reflective pin, necklace or headpiece so that the children can be seen by drivers.

-If you have any safety concerns, talk to the parents.  

-Ask the parents about rules for candy consumption for the children.  Most parents will not want their children to gorge themselves with a lot of candy at one time.  Usually parents will let children have a couple of pieces a day.

-Enjoy yourself.   Halloween is a fun holiday for adults too!  You may want to dress up with the children.  Don’t forget to take lots of photos.

Written by ALowery ATE cluster GA.

 

Au Pair In America has a new location!

 

moving

 

Au pair In America has moved! We have a new address in Connecticut. If you are sending something into the home office, please make sure to use the new address.  If you have old documents, you may need to print out new forms before sending.

 Au Pair In America

1 High Ridge Park

 Stamford, CT 06905.th.jpgmoving

Au pair Information

How to Obtain a Georgia Driver’s License

In July of 2012 the State of Georgia passed new laws regarding Driver’s License for au pairs. The new law resulted from the federal requirements of the Real ID Act. All non US citizens who are present in the state for more than thirty days are required to obtain a Class C Driver’s License. The exam, including a road’s test will be needed. Please refer to www.dds.ga.gov for a copy of the driver’s manual and access to a practice test.  A program verification letter obtain through the community counselor is also needed.  

 

All locations of the DDS do not offer a first issuance of the license. Check the website to find a location closest to you. All are open Tuesday – Friday 8:00-6:00 and Saturday 8:00 am – 12 noon.

 

These are the locations close to our cluster that are the least busy. Sandy Springs and Norcross locations are noted to be very busy with long waiting times.

 

Canton right off 575 behind library- Brown Industrial Parkway, Suite 200 Canton GA. 30114

Cumming 400 Aquatic Circle Cumming GA. 30040

Marietta North Cobb 2800 Canton Rd Piedmont Village Shopping Center Marietta GA. 30066

 

Class C Driver’s License220

Basic Requirements

  1. Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
  2. Pass Knowledge Exam.
  3. Pass Road Skills Test.
  4. Pass Vision Exam.

Documents Required

  1. Documentation showing your identity, residential address, full social security number ( An au pair must be in the USA for ten days before a SS# can be requested.), and U.S. citizenship or proof of lawful presence in the United States. Click here for more information.

Two forms of proof of residential address are required.

Recommended:

Choose two from below:

A bank statement with au pair name and the host family address. The statement must be dated the same month that you are getting your license.

A letter from the au pair insurance company with au pair name and the host family address. This could be a bill, an explanation of benefits regarding a claim or other information. The letter must be the same month that you are getting your license.

The United States post office is a branch of our government. Order and pay for stamps at www.usps.com  Have them mailed to your host family home address. Be sure to have your name on the address.  When they mail the products that you order, you will need to keep the envelope and any written information inside. This will be proof of your Georgia residence.

A verification letter from APIA (Provided by your community counselor)

Proof of lawful presence in the United States:

Passport

Visa (check your DS-2019 form and make sure the correct dates are listed. If not, contact your counselor. If you are a second year au pair, your new DS-2019 form will be needed showing your extended dates.)

I-94 card

  1. Any out-of-state driver’s license/permit/ID cards must be surrendered.
    1. If the applicant previously was issued a driver’s license/permit/ID card in another state, and that card has been lost or stolen, the applicant must provide a certified copy of his or her driving record or motor vehicle report from the state that issued the card. The MVR must be dated within the last 30 days. The DDS does not accept uncertified copies printed from websites, but a fax may be sent to the DDS directly from the other state agency.

All documents must be in English. See the Translator List to locate an approved document translation company

For confirmation and more information on obtaining a Georgia Driver’s License please go to www.dds.ga.gov

Join in for ongoing training on a wide range of au pair topics!

Join in for ongoing training on a wide range of  au pair topics!

We are very proud of the ongoing training we offer our au pairs which provides further educational on a wide range of topics.. Our orientation trainers take great care to research and prepare the topics presented and we get great feedback from au pairs who attend.   

 Au pairs are sent emails monthly  with the webinar details and reminders on the day of training and can register through the webinar link in the email.

 

Webinar Schedule  (All times Eastern time zone)

 

October 15

8 pm               Nutrition. Good eating for you and your kids

9 pm               It’s Up to You. Making the most of your Au Pair year

10 pm             Activities to do with Preschoolers

 

October 29

11 am             Language Development: Birth and beyond

12 noon         Tantrums are no fun for anyone. Help, my kids are fighting again!            

1 pm               American holidays: what they are, activities and getting through

                       the holiday blues

 

November  11

8 pm               Managing play with more than one child

9 pm               Repatriation

10 pm             Feeling Sad or Stressed: Tips for gaining balance in your life

 

November 26

11 am             Help! My kids are fighting again

12 noon         Activities for School Age Kids

1 pm               Homesickness. Making it through

 

December 5

8 pm               Activities to do with Preschoolers

 

December 6

9 pm               Successfully communicating with your host family

 

December 9

10 am             Homework: Finding the right strategy for your child

 

December 15

9 pm               Homesickness. Making it through

10 pm             Toilet Training 101

 

December 17

8 pm               Tantrums are no fun for anyone

Going Unplugged During Work Hours?

Going Unplugged During Work Hours

Posted by Heike on Sep 25, 2013 No Comments
Thanks to Heike, community counselor in Boston, for a thought provoking article!
 
Au Pairs – Imagine for a moment that you went to the hospital and you were in the care of doctors and nurses.  How would you feel if those doctors and nurses who were there to care for you were more interested in texting or using their personal computer than caring for you?  How would that make you feel, about yourself and about them?  Would you think that you were getting the treatment you deserved?  Would you feel like paying the bill after your stay?

Life as an au pair, it is a fine balance between employee and family member. You live with your host family and participate with them as a member of the family, but you also have clear responsibilities as a childcare provider. Being a childcare provider is truly one of the most important jobs I can think of, because you are helping to shape our next generation.  What message are you sending them when you would rather interact with a computer than with them? How will they feel about themselves and about you? Children feel as though everything is about them. They will see this as a rejection of them and they will be more likely to act out.

It also poses a safety concern when you are not paying enough attention to the children in your care.  Accidents happen, but when an adult care giver is close by and appropriately supervising the chances of a major injury dramatically reduce.

During work hours, the following would not be considered acceptable:
-Texting
-Talking to friends on the phone
-Chatting with friends online
-Using Skype or Facetime
-IMing
-Emailing
-Updating your status on Facebook
-Using Orkut, Google+, Studivz, SiempreGente or any other social media site
-Watching videos on YouTube (even my really fabulous ones)
-Tweeting on your Twitter
-Uploading photos on Instragram or Vine
-Anything else on the computer unless it is going to Nickjr.com together with your host children

Think about this — even if you work 45 hours a week, that leaves you 123 hours per week for all of that other stuff, or about 70 hours (if you are getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night.)

Host Parents – You need to be clear about what you consider acceptable during work hours to avoid misunderstandings.  Also, please understand that you are dealing with a new generation of people who are very accustomed to being plugged in at all times.  Their intention is not to be rude, they don’t necessarily realize how their actions will be perceived.  Please use this information as an opportunity to begin a dialogue on the issue.

“An Unforgettable Year”

mareike picture

“An Unforgettable Year”

Written by Mareike Sander

German Au pair 09-17-12 through 09-17-13

“The wish to escape everyday life, the idea of being an au pair, applying for an agency, getting to know host families, matching, preparing, packing, saying “goodbye home, see you later – hello USA”, that’s all the exciting things we have done before the actual adventure started.

 My adventure takes place in Alpharetta. Parts of it are my host parents, three boys bursting with energy, a dog, two cats and fish. They never had an au pair before so it was new to all of us.  Now, my year is almost over and I am incredibly thankful for all the great things I got to do. I travelled through 16 states, saw East and West coast, had a sunny time in the Bahamas, visited the Capital of the US and enjoyed a couple weekend trips with my new friends. Furthermore I got to know my American relatives!

Being an au pair made it possible to get to know another culture in a very special way, I got a whole lot more self-confident and I improved my English. I attended a TOEFL class and took the test which allows me to now study English at the university of my choice, back in Germany.

 Certainly there are moments that are exhausting or you get homesick but to sum it up, this year was not just fun, exciting and unique; it taught me a lot of things that are important for life. I made great friends and we already have plans to meet some time soon. Also, I will miss my host family so much, they made me feel at home and I hope that I get to come back here in the future.

 I hope that all the other au pairs get the chance to enjoy an unforgettable year!”

Mareike