Yearly Archives: 2010

Holidays Around the World

Each holiday season, I ask au pairs to share their traditions with the cluster. This year I treated the au pairs to a family tradition of mine. I took them out for chocolate fondue!! This is something my family does every Christmas while sitting around a fire. Nothing better than dunking a roasted marshmallow into the pot of delicious chocolate. We dunked fruit, cake, cookies and of course, marshmallows which turned out to be the au pairs’ favorite dunking material!

Happy holidays to all! We’re looking forward to a great 2011. BTW, APIA’s 25th anniversary is coming up. Cheers to this very wonderful organization!

Cluster Meeting Hi-lights New Fashion Trend

Notice the headpiece!

Notice the headpiece!

Ms Brazil and Ms Italy hit the runway!

Ms Brazil and Ms Italy hit the runway!

Look at us!

Look at us!

The New Haven and Shoreline clusters hosted a fashion show as part of Game Night. Teams were given rolls of tin foil and told to create a great “look” in ten minutes. I never cease to be amazed by the creativity and enthusiasm of our great au pairs!! These are runway items, for sure!

Summer on the Shoreline

Summer is probably the best time to take advantage of all the Shoreline of CT has to offer!  The beaches are beautiful and there’s so much to do.  Visit Hammonasset  Beach State Park.  In addition to the beach, there are great paths to explore, campgrounds, hiking and a nature center.http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325210

Living here gives the opportunity to try many different water sports:  sailing, kayaking, just to name a couple. 

One of our cluster meetings is a cruise around the Thimble Islands.  We’ve always had a great time with Captain Bob!  http://www.thimbleislands.com/

Dinner at Som Siam

Nicky and Teye, two au pairs from Thailand, arranged for us to have dinner at the most wonderful Thai restaurant in Old Saybrook, CT.  Som Siam serves excellent dishes that Nicky and Teye assured us were authentic Thai cuisine. We shared one dish after another, from very spicy to mild (for the faint palate).  There were no left-overs!!

Five different nationalities enjoyed a great Thai dinner!

Five different nationalities enjoyed a great Thai dinner!

Global Awareness Visits Local Libraries

Au Pairs from many different countries have been participating in “Little Linguist” programs at local libraries. They present mini-language lessons to the children in addition to reading stories, singing songs, and playing games from their home countries.

The pre-school children attend the presentations for ½ hour weekly.  They enjoy learning about other cultures on a level they can appreciate. Parents as well as the children have fun engaging with the au pairs. They know only too well the importance of meeting your global neighbor in today’s world.

 Meet Your Global Neighbor is a Global Awareness Program sponsored by the American Institute for Foreign Study.

Welcoming Spring!

Holi, the Indian festival of colors, marks the onset of Spring in India.  It is a unique celebration of high spirits, when the new season is courted with an onset of rich colors. It is like a grand kaleidoscope that glorifies all the hues that tinge and renew the lives on earth.

Observed since ancient times, Holi is one of the most popular Hindu festivals.  With increasing migration of Indians into other nations, Holi is now observed with as much fanfare in India as in places abroad wherever there is the presence of a Hindu community.

 The celebration of Holi has different aspects. It is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, a carnival of colors, a community festival,  and a tradition of ancient spring rites.  The main event of Holi is indeed a carnival of colors. On this day, children, friends and neighbors come out on the streets and the excitement to color-anyone-you-see in shades or red, orange, blue, green, and purple takes over.

It falls on the full moon day of March, the month when the nippy north wind bows out to the refreshing and rejuvenating breeze from the south, heralding the onset of the ensuing summer in this part of the world. The time when the seasonal cycle is caught on a transition. This is when nature starts donning new color. The air is filled with promises of warmth and new lives, as the earth discards the wintry glum to greet the bright sun of summer.

 To mark the renewal and rebirth of life, Holi is a time to remind us to celebrate life, through the simple pleasures and joy of being alive.  Happy Holi!!

 

Dental Health

It’s always important for children to brush their teeth, but here is a special reminder!

 Brushing should last 2-3 minutes!  Use a timer to see how long the children actually brush. I bet you’ll be surprised! Use the timer on yourself as well-brush for 2-3 minutes each time you brush!

Visit www.healthyteeth.org for lots of good information on dental hygiene!

Jan. 31-Introduction of Scotch tape

 On this day in 1928, Scotch tape was sold for the first time!  Think about how often we use scotch tape.  Most of us have at least one roll in our home.  I have at least three roles at any one time!

Here’s a rainy-day project to do with the kids using scotch tape:

You can use double-sided tape to make an easy and attractive vase or pencil holder.

You need a small container (a clean, smooth-sided glass jar or bottle, or a small can for younger children), double-sided tape, a ball of heavy string, yarn, or cord, and glue. First, wrap the container in double-sided tape to cover the whole outside. It may be easiest to do this with short strips of tape that touch or overlap slightly. Then, secure the end of the cord where it will be covered and wind it around and around in tight rows to completely cover the container. Secure the very end of the cord with a few drops of glue. A wide mouth container is a good holder for pens and pencils. A smaller opening is good for flowers.

A Day at the Rink!

It was cold but lots of fun!

It was cold but lots of fun!

Sunday found us at the CT Sports Center for skating with the New Haven, Westport, and Fairfield clusters.  Thank goodness there was a hot chocolate stand!