Tag Archives: Boston

Au Pair in America Cultural Fair Boston

Mexican Table

Mexican Table

Chinese Table

Chinese Table

On Sunday, March 21, Au Pair in America brought the world to the Boston Children’s Museum.   Boston area counselors organized a Cultural Fair, open to their host families and to the public.

Au pairs from all over the world did an amazing job putting together information about their countries and presenting it at country tables.  They seemed very excited to share their culture with others. Parents and children talked to au pairs, played games, enjoyed crafts, danced, watched performances and learned words from different languages.   Children received passports and collected country stickers at each table.

Ukrainian Table

Ukrainian Table

This event provided an entertaining and educational afternoon for children and adults.  It also satisfied the State Department requirement that counselors offer annual host family workshops for their host families.  Au Pair in America prides itself in providing an excellent cultural exchange opportunity for host families and au pairs in addition to offering affordable and flexible child care.

Brazilian Dancing

Brazilian Dancing

French Table

FrenchTable
Learning Thai

Learning Thai

For more Cultural Fair photos, please visit Cultural Fair Photos and Heidi’s Photos

March Meeting: 50 Boston area au pairs visit the Prudential Center Skywalk

Beautiful view of boston

Beautiful view of Boston

Last Sunday, on a beautiful sunny day,  my au pairs joined other Au Pair in America clusters in the area for a visit to the Prudential Center Skywalk.   Au Pairs enjoyed a bird’s eye view of Boston and the surrounding area and learned a lot about Boston’s history during the audio tour.  Since the weather was so nice we had a great turnout and about 50 au pairs showed up.   When we organize our meetings, we try to keep the cost down for the au pairs.  Thanks to the Prudential Center Skywalk staff who got us a very affordable group rate!

Au Pairs at the Prudential Skywalk

Au Pairs at the Prudential Skywalk

For more photos of our meeting, please visit Prudential Center Skywalk Photos

Au Pair Valentine's Fun

Valentines Au Pair Meeting

Valentine's Au Pair Meeting

For our February cluster meeting, I invited my au pair group for a Valentine’s Extravaganza at my house.   Au pairs had a choice of making heart-shaped pizzas, decorating heart-shaped cookies and making a heart craft.  After eating their pizzas, many au pairs decorated cookies and made a captured heart craft as  Valentines for their their host children.

Making heart-shaped pizza

Making heart-shaped pizza

It is a requirement of the Au Pair in America program that one of the monthly cluster meetings each quarter focuses on child care, child development and/or child safety.  During this week’s meeting, we discussed cultural differences and how they can affect child care as well as the relationship between au pairs and host families.  We discussed problems that might come up and how to prevent them.

Decorated Cookies
Check out those hearts

For more photos of our cluster meeting, check out Valentine’s Cluster Meeting.

Feedback from Host Mother

“While there are challenges with every childcare experience, I have been pleasantly surprised by almost every Au Pair I have had and they just keep getting better and better!!  My children have a wonderful sense of being citizens of the world as well as a nation.  They have a better understanding of geography and languages as well.  I have the security of knowing that my childcare will always show up for work because she lives with us.  And the comfort of truly getting to know the person whom my kids play with and depend on while I am at work.  The price tag is also extremely attractive.  It is most definitely one of the most affordable childcare option is you work at least 4 days a week or have multiple children.”
C.M, Host Mother

Boston Area Au Pairs Go Snowtubing

Bettina's Au Pairs enjoy the tubing

Bettina's Au Pairs enjoy the tubing

The cold weather did not deter over 60 au pairs from having fun going snowtubing at Nashoba Valley this week.  Bundled up and nourished by hot chocolate provided by their counselors, they were well-prepared.  Bettina’s au pair group joined other local Au Pair in America groups for their January meeting.  These monthly meetings, organized by the community counselors, give au pairs another social networking opportunity, especially important in the winter months which can be isolating.  This group certainly left in good spirits!  Check out pictures from Bettina’s group at Snowtubing Photos

Boston Area Au Pairs Celebrate The Holiday Season

Bettina's Au Pair Group

Bettina's Au Pairs Meet Santa

This week, several local Au Pair in America counselors joined forces and held a holiday party for their au pairs in Concord, Massachusetts.   Au pairs enjoyed an international potluck dinner, a visit by Santa, carolling in many different languages, and exchanging small presents.  Over 70 au pairs attended and seemed to enjoy sharing various holiday traditions.  Check out more pictures at Bettina’s Holiday Party Pictures as well as Tina’s Holiday Party Pictures

Brazilian Au Pairs sing a Christmas Song

Brazilian Au Pairs sing a Christmas Song