Yearly Archives: 2010

Cooking with Kids

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1.  Burns: If you are cooking with older kids and also have an infant in your care, the only safe place for him/her while you are cooking is in the play pen, high chair or crib.

2. If a child does get burned, put cold water on the burned area immediately.  Then cover the burn loosely with a bandage or clean cloth.  Call the doctor for all burns.

BE PREPARED – know where the First Aid Kit is in your house

Cooking With Kids

Cooking with children has many benefits.  It is a wonderful way for adults and children to have fun together while the children learn important skills.  Cooking activities can: help to develop hand-eye coordination, help to improve small motor skills, encourage the ability to do things in a logical order, and build reading and math skills.  Through cooperation it can give the children an important sense of accomplishment.  There is no other way we can see, smell, taste and share the results of our efforts.

Children as young as a year can begin to help in the kitchen doing very simple tasks such as putting ingredients into a bowl.  By the time children are 3 or 4 they can start to use a knife, but it must always be with adult supervision.  Cooking on the stove should be limited to older children.  Use the back burner whenever you can, and make sure pot handles don’t stick out where little hands can reach them, or where they can accidentally be knocked off the stove.  Make sure that children wash their hands before cooking, and if theyr are handling meat or eggs they should always wash afterwards as well.   Remember to teach children that clean-up is part of cooking.  Here are some recipes to get you started:

Soft Pretzels

1 package yeast

1 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

1 egg, beaten

Stir yeast into water.  Add the sugar and salt.  Blend in flour.  Knead until smooth.  Cut into pieces and roll long and skinny.  Let the children make balls, worms, letters, etc.  Put on foil lined greased cookie sheet.  Brush with egg.  Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Fruit Smoothie

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 banana and/or pieces of most any other fruit – melon, berries, peach, etc.

2 tsp honey

dried mint or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.

Put all ingredients in the jar of a blender – don’t fill it to the top, as it needs space to blend.  Blend until smooth.  You can also blend in some ice for a frosty treat

Muddy Hand Cookies

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa mix

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add dry ingredients, blending thoroughly.  Chill dough until firm.  Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick.  Lay you hand on the dough and cut around it to make your hand print.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes

English Muffin Pizza

6 English Muffins, split

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can or jar pizza sauce

Line a cookie sheet with foil and place English muffin halves on it.  Spread with the pizza sauce.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.  Add other toppings (vegetables or meat) if you wish

The Importance Of Complying With Au Pair Program Rules and Regulations

The au pair program is a state department regulated cultural exchange program and by joining it, host families have agreed to comply with the program rules and regulations, most of which are set by the State Department.  During busy times of your life as a host family it might be tempting to make exceptions to the rules.  However, it is important to keep to the program rules and make sure that alternate arrangements are made in times of high need.

Please remember that your most important asset is your kids, and the au pair is the one watching them.  The way the au pair is treated automatically affects the way she interacts with your children.  An au pair that feels respected and like a member of the family (versus an employee) will be happier and will have more pleasant interactions with you and your children.  An au pair that is not stressed and tired because she is overworked will be more focused on the safety and well-being of your children.

Please remember that even if an au pair agreed to disregard regulations, it does not make it right.  Many au pairs might not agree, but are too afraid to speak up to you.  They are far away from their own home and you are their family away from home.  Here is a quote from one of my host mothers, Elizabeth: “It’s not a matter of Jomkwan’s willingness, we know she would probably be willing to work overtime in exchange for money or extra days off. We don’t feel comfortable violating the rules of the program. I know lots of people do it, and the au pairs go along willingly, but I think our relationship with Jomkwan has been better because we follow the rules so strictly, even though she’d probably be happy to go along with bending them now and then. We’re talking here about a young woman who is smart and responsible and resourceful, but who is also living in our house thousands of miles from her own home with a limited grasp of English. She’s also from a culture where deferring to authority is the norm. We are very sensitive to the fact that she has a diminished ability to tell us no when we make a request; following the program rules to the letter is an insurance against making her feel pressured to do things that she would rather not do.”

Here is a list of the most important program rules and regulations relating to the daily interactions with your au pair:

-Au Pair’s work hours cannot exceed 45 hours for the week.  There is no banking of hours.  If an au pair only worked 20 hours one week, she cannot be expected to work 65 the next week.

-Scheduled working hours cannot exceed 10 hours per day.  Do not leave an au pair in sole charge of a child overnight.

-Au Pair gets 1.5 days off a week, and a full weekend every month.

-Au Pair cannot alone with the children during the first 3 days after she has arrived in your home.

-Never leave an au pair in sole charge of an infant under 3 months old.

-Au Pair may not care for the children of other families unless it is an occasional playdate.

-Your au pair can be expected to do chores associated with taking care of your children.  Au pairs are not housekeepers, cooks, or maids.  They are not responsible for house cleaning.

-Provide the au pair the opportunity to attend monthly cluster meetings.

-Facilitate the opportunity for your au pair to register and take the required educational classes

-Treat the au pair like a member of your family

originally posted by Bettina Velona

Back to School

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It is that time of year again when students of all ages get ready for the first day of school.  Here are some tips to assist with the “back to school” transition and hopefully great start to the new school year.

MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER

  • Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
  • Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
  • Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus.
  • If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.

BACKPACK SAFETY

  • Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
  • Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.
  • Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
  • Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

WELCOME!

Welcome to the blog for three of the New England clusters that encompass many of the surrounding Boston suburbs including  Cape Cod.   We hope you will find this site informative and fun to use. It is for you so please  let us know if you have any suggestions for it!  Happy Reading!