Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day

Au Pairs celebrate Valentine’s Day

This month we had a Valentine’s meeting at my house. We had a great turnout for a weekday night. We enjoyed Valentine’s treats and au pairs had a great time connecting with each other.

During this meeting, we welcomed new au pairs Chura and Sarah. We also discussed taxes which can feel daunting to au pairs.

For more photos of our meeting, go to Valentine’s 2016

Valentine’s Meeting

 

In February, we gathered at my house for Valentine’s Treats.  Au pairs shared stories about the significance of Valentine’s Day in their countries and things they might do to celebrate it.  At this meeting, we welcomed Justine who joined us from another cluster.

We also talked about how to file taxes.  This is something that au pairs are required to do.  Although it is a fairly easy process, it can be daunting when you are from a different country and have never done it before.

For more photos go to Valentine’s Photos. 

Valentine's Meeting

In February, we had a Valentine’s meeting at my house which included sweet Valentine’s treats.   Since taxes are due in April, we also discussed the process of filing taxes for au pairs.  It is an easy process, but it doesn’t feel so easy when you are from a different country and haven’t done it before.

It was nice sitting around the table and chatting.  It is always a good chance for au pairs to exchange experiences and get feedback from others.  We also said good-bye to Jaque, who left our cluster in January.

Au Pairs Celebrate Valentine's Day

This week my au pair group met at my house for a Valentine’s Day celebration.  We made heart-shaped pizzas and also enjoyed heart-shaped fruit and cookies as well as Valentine’s candy.

We said good-bye to Lena who is moving to another cluster and to Wi who will be going home to Thailand.   We welcomed new arrivals Janice, Malin and Luisa.

We also had a discussion about taxes.   Au pairs that are here for more than 18 weeks for the tax year need to file taxes.  That can be confusing.  Our agency is very helpful in providing the necessary information, but it was helpful to go over it again and get questions answered.

For more photos of our meeting go to Valentine 2013

Valentine's Day

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A little history about Saint Valentine’s Day

On Thursday, February 14th we celebrate Valentine’s Day in the United States by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, “Who is St. Valentine”? Time to brush up on your Valentine’s history!

Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger army. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree was not fair and married young couples in secret. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine’s actions he had his head cut off making him a martyr of love.  Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first ‘valentine’ himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine’, words still used on cards today.

Perhaps we’ll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure…February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.   For some fun children’s activities including crafts, coloring pages, games, puzzles and poems go to:

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/valentines/index.htm

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/valentines-day/

Valentine's Day

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A little history about Saint Valentine’s Day

Every February we celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, “Who is St. Valentine”? Time to brush up on your Valentine’s history!

Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger army. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree was not fair and married young couples in secret. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine’s actions he had his head cut off making him a martyr of love.  Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first ‘valentine’ himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine’, words still used on cards today.

Perhaps we’ll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure…February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating clear back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.

For some fun children’s activities including crafts, coloring pages, games, puzzles and poems go to:

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/valentines/index.htm

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/valentines-day/

Valentine fun at February au pair meeting

Valentine’s Day may not be celebrated in countries that my au pairs come from.  However, they are part of an American family now and sharing American customs provides an important cultural learning experience for them.   At our Valentine meeting it was all about hearts: eating heart-shaped cake, cookies, pancakes and candy and making heart necklaces.   We had so much fun together and au pairs shared their experiences with and feelings about Valentine’s Day.

We also said good-bye to Pearly from Thailand who has been an outstanding au pair with her current host family in Belmont for the last two years.  She leaves having gained another family and many valued friends.

For more picture of our February meeting please go to Valentine Meeting

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.