Yearly Archives: 2016

Fall Craft and Activity Ideas

Image: Kathryn Connell (Flickr)

Se Image: Kathryn Connell (Flickr)

September 22, 2016 is the first official day of Fall! Looking for fun Autumn craft ideas? APIA’s Fall Holidays and Halloween Fun Pinterest boards have lots of creative ways to celebrate the return of cooler weather and many of the Fall holidays.

Summer Cluster Meetings

This summer, our cluster gathered for three fun and informative meetings.

Photo credit: Catherine McEaddy Holmes

Photo credit: Catherine McEaddy Holmes

In June, we went to the Adams Morgan Movie Night. Before settling down to watch “School of Rock,” we reviewed important water safety tips to remember while we interact with your host kids at the pool, beach, and even in the sprinkler.

 

What will you remember from your year in America?

What will you remember from your year in America?

 

 

In July, we met for a fun evening learning easy ways to document the many American memories and experience in a notebook, scrapbook, photo album, or journal.

 

 

 

 

Making new friends at the International Potluck Dinner

Making new friends at the International Potluck Dinner

In August, we joined the Georgetown/Woodley Park Cluster for an International Potluck Dinner. Our au pairs made delicious food from all over the world including Chinese and Polish dumplings, South African milk tarts, Brazilian brigadeiro, Jamaican ackee and salt fish and festivals, Spanish huevos rellenos, Brazilian pão de queijo, and Colombian rice pudding.

img_2456

 

We discussed ideas for serving host children healthy afterschool snacks and learned more about Georgetown University’s English Language Program from guest speaker Regan Carver.

 

Celebrate Labor Day 2016!

This year, we will celebrate Labor Day on Monday, September 5th. Labor Day Weekend is a new holiday for many au pairs. Here is a brief history of this American holiday (from Holiday Insights), ideas of ways to celebrate with your host children, and DC-area events.

Continue reading →

Back-to-School Tips for Au Pairs

It may still feel like summer outside, but back-to-school season has arrived. Here are a few things to think about as we turn our attention to September.

  1. Weekly meetings:  These are a perfect time for you to sit down with your host parents and review the weekly schedule, the children’s behavior, and other issues. APIA strongly encourages these meetings. If they’re not happening at your house, let me know and I’ll speak with your host parents.
  2.  Schedule:  September is almost here. What does that mean for you? Now is the perfect time to review your work schedule and family agreements and think about how life might change this autumn. Bring up questions you have about these changes in your weekly meetings.
  3. School: Can you answer all of these questions? If not, ask your host parents, so you will know what to do.
    • What are the children’s school and activity schedules  (including school holidays, teacher work days)
    • How does school drop-off and pick-up work?  Have you been added to the list of people allowed to pick up the kids from school>
    • What do you do if a child is staying home sick, is late to school, or is dismissed early?
    • How do you know if school has been cancelled or delayed for bad weather?
    • What should you pack for the children’s lunches?
    • What is the after-school routine (do they have free time before starting homework, what to give for snack, any chores, where do they put their backpacks & lunchboxes)?
    • How should you communicate with your host parents about what’s going on at school?
    • Are there any other changes in routines, bedtimes, and meals?
  4. Technology:  Smart phones are great tools for staying in touch with your host family, finding directions, scheduling playdates, keeping track of your schedule, and taking pictures of your host kids to share with their parents. However, remember that you should never use your phone for anything else during work hours. Don’t do it. For more technology tips, read this blog post. 

 

Back-to-School Tips for Host Parents

While it still feels like summer outside, store shelves are stocked with notebooks and pens, school crossing guards are directing traffic, and Facebook feeds are full of grinning kids happily headed off to school. Yes, Back-to-School Season has arrived!

Along with the scramble to find missing backpacks, use this time of year to review your family routines, tweaking them for your children’s new schedules. Also, consider how your children have matured since last year, and how they can show their increased maturity with new responsibilities.

It’s very important to communicate with your au pair any changes to her routine schedule and duties. Consider the following discussion topics for your weekly meeting:

  • Au pair’s work schedule
  • The children’s school and activity schedules  (school holidays, teacher work days)
  • School drop-off and pick-up (how does this work and who does it). Be sure to add your au pair to your list of people allowed to pick up the kids from school
  • What to do if a child is staying home sick, late to school, dismissed early
  • How to tell if school has been cancelled or delayed for bad weather
  • What to pack for lunch
  • After school routine (do they have free time before starting homework, what to give for snack, any chores, where do they put their backpacks & lunchboxes)
  • How to communicate about what’s going on at school (Kids in Care Log Books are available upon request from APIA)
  • Any other changes in routines, bedtimes, meals, and job duties.

You may find the following articles helpful in considering your plan for the school year: