This January, we joined other Boston area clusters for some night time snowtubing at Nashoba Valley. Au pairs had a good time on the slopes as well as in the lodge. Counselors provided hot chocolate and snacks.
We said good-bye to Alita and Aurore who are finished with their au pair year. We welcomed new au pair Vanessa to our group.
For more photos, go to snowtubing 2015
In December, we joined another local au pair cluster and celebrated the holiday season at ArtLounge in Arlington.
Au Pairs had a chance to mingle, listen to holiday music and enjoy refreshments. They also participated in a fun Yankee Swap.
Half way through the evening, an artist came in to lead those who chose to paint through the steps of creating their own painting. It was interesting to observe how each au pair put her personal touch to the painting.
For more photos of our celebration, go to Holiday Party.
In September, our cluster meeting was at my house for a breakfast. The weather was nice and we were able to sit outside. We said hello to some more summer arrivals and it was nice to see them connect with the other au pairs.
for more photos go to September 2014.
Once or twice a year, Au Pair in America counselors offer a host family workshop that gives host families the chance to connect and discuss aspects of the host family – au pair relationship. This is in compliance with State Department regulations to hold an event like this once a year.
This year, I joined 3 other counselors we met our host families on a beautiful day at Honeypot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA for an apple picking picnic. Many au pairs attended as well. We enjoyed conversations, apple cider donuts and apple cider. Host children participated in cookie decorating and fall craft activities.
For more photos go to host family day 2014
On a beautiful day in August, our au pair cluster went to Nahant beach. It was nice for the summer arrivals to meet each other and more seasoned au pairs. It helps them adapt more easily after they have left their families and friend network to come to a new country.
We welcomed Laura B, Laura L, Victoria, Shiran, and Jaqueline. We said good-bye to Tifaine who moved to another host family.
For more photos, visit beach 2014
This month, we met at my house for a barbecue. Since it is summer, there were many good-byes and some hellos. We said good-bye to Melissa, Tazmyn, Natalia, Audrey, Liz and Priscilla. Good luck to you all with your future endeavors! We said hello to Londeka and Miriam, who had just arrived to the area that week. It was nice to see them start making connections with other au pairs. They also benefited from advice and feedback from the more seasoned au pairs.
For more photos, go to July Barbecue.
What a fun event our annual canoeing and picnic was again this June! For our cluster meeting, we met up with 2 other clusters at the South Bridge boat house. From there, au pairs canoed to the North Bridge, where counselors had prepared a picnic with fruit, brownies and lemonade. It was a beautiful day, perfect for our event.
Summer is a big time for good-byes. We said good-bye to Julia, Junika, Jenni, Khim and Lucie. We wish you all the best for your future! We welcomed Veronika into our cluster.
For more photos please visit Concord 2014
During the summer months we need to take some added precautions to keep children safe in the sun and by the water. Here are some good tips to share with your au pairs and host families.
As well as the host parents’ numbers, au pairs should have the phone number of the community counselor and the Au Pair in America 800 number saved to their phones. This way if you need assistance you can quickly and easily dial the number. Please make sure you know what to do if there is an emergency situation while you are in charge of the children. This is a good time of year to review any family rules that apply to summer activities especially by the pool and while at the beach.
Enjoy the summer and be safe!
In May, we congregated at my house for breakfast. It was a beautiful day and we could sit outside in the backyard. Some au pairs even brought their children along. These meetings at my house are always a great opportunity for au pairs to sit together, bond, and talk about their lives as au pairs.
The meeting provided a wonderful opportunity for me to check in with each of them to see how they are doing. We also took care of some end of the year business by discussing their last meetings and providing me with proof of their education.
We said good-bye to Yann Ling who will leave us soon to go back to Malaysia. We also said good-bye to Kathrin who moved to Connecticut.
For more photos please visit May Breakfast
Making Safe Decisions
Driving
Alcohol Laws in the United States
Home Alone
Always make safe choices! If you have any questions about anything that concerns your safety, call me so we can talk about it.
