Category Archives: Blog

Create a Spring Break Game Plan

A “Game Plan” means a strategy for how you are going to accomplish something.  In the case of keeping kids from getting bored and/or into trouble, the best way to prevent it is to keep them busy with safe, fun activities.

When there are days home from school, letting kids sit around watching TV or playing video games is not the best use of their time.  Providing fun alternatives will make it much easier to pull them away from the screen.

You need to make a plan of what you will do with them each day and prepare for that. Planning is very important.  You don’t want to tell them you are going someplace fun, only to arrive there and see they are not open that day or you need to bring something and you don’t have it.

If your plan includes a craft or cooking project, make sure you have:

  • All the ingredients/supplies
  • Recipe/directions

If your plan includes an outing to someplace fun, figure out:

  • How will you get there?
  • When you should leave?
  • How much it will cost?
  • What will you do for lunch?

This local kids website also highlights many different child friendly activities around town. Have fun!!

Making Plans for Future Travel

Sometimes in the first few months after arrival, au pairs are still getting settled and making friends and not yet traveling very much. Believe it or not a year flies by faster than you think! These early months can be a great time to set goals, research places to go and make plans.

What can you do right now? Research and figure out where you want to go and what things you want to see and do there. Being a spontaneous traveler can be fun, but without planning you will often waste some of your precious vacation or weekend time figuring out things you could have looked into before you started your trip.

These ideas are to help you make general plans. You shouldn’t book any tickets or make any financial commitments until you discuss your vacation time with your host parents.

Planning can help you:

  • Save money
  • Make the best use of your time
  • Fit in more adventures
  • Visit places you might not have heard of before

It also extends the joy of the travel time. Making plans like this can help reduce homesickness by giving you things to look forward to and reminding you of why you came to the U.S. in the first place. You have many adventures ahead of you!

If you are looking for travel inspiration and ideas or a place to keep your travel ideas organized, Pinterest is a great place to start. You can browse other people’s travel and bucket list pinboards. You can create your own pinboards for places you want to go and ones you have already visited.

These three apps are all trip planners and offer the ability to research places and create your own itinerary. Each one has its own look and feel and slightly different features. Download them and see which one is the best fit for you.

Road trips can be the ultimate adventure. You set your own pace and stop to see what you want. The journey can be as much fun as your destination.

  • Road Trippers is an app that helps you plan the ultimate road trip. It helps you determine your route and find interesting stops along the way.
  • Atlas Obscura has lots of unusual places to visit all over the world.

Make plans to get the most out of your au pair year!

Photo: Natacha R. from France

Clothing & Accessories to Keep You Warm in the Winter

We created a blog post in October called Preparing for Cold Weather, with some general tips on layering and the kind of things you can wear to stay warm. I encourage you to check that out and then come back here for specific suggestions for clothing items.

Even though I have lived through very cold winters my entire life, I still get cold very easily. So, I can understand how difficult it is for many of you from warmer climates to get motivated to go outside when the temperatures drop below 10°C. But winter is just beginning and staying at home too much can lead to homesickness and depression. There are a few warm pieces of clothing you can get that can make all the difference.

Thermal Underwear Sets

Thermal Underwear sets are long-sleeve shirts and pants that are meant to be worn under other clothes to add warmth. This is a simple place to start.  You can search “thermal underwear set”. Here are examples for men and women.

Under Skirts and Dresses

Do you wish to wear a dress or skirt during the winter months? The secret is fleece-lined tights. They are actually warmer than a pair of jeans or any other typical pants.

You can find these on Amazon and many other online retailers. Here are the search terms to use: “fleece lined tights” or “thermal tights”. They come in solid black and some other colors, as well as some styles that look like sheer tights or bare legs, depending on your skin tone.

Here is one example that comes in a variety of skin tones and colors. When searching be aware that not all fleece-lined tights are as thick and warm. Look for pairs with lining like these below.

Under Jeans and Pants

You can also buy less expensive pairs of nylon leggings and tights to wear under other pairs of pants (especially distressed-style jeans with rips!). They are not as warm as the fleece-lined tights but they are snug enough to fit easily under other pants and combined with jeans or pants they keep you pretty warm. The more tightly woven the fabric the warmer it will normally keep you. Cotton is not as warm as nylon and polyester fabrics.

You probably already have some of these you were wearing by themselves. Try them under a pair of jeans and see how much warmer you feel. Here is one example, but you can find these at many clothing retailers.

Under Shirts & Sweaters

Just adding a simple long-sleeved T-shirt under another shirt will add warmth. You can get long-sleeved T-shirts inexpensively at places like Walmart. But there are also warmer long-sleeve shirts that are made to provide additional warmth under shirts and sweaters. Here are the search terms to use: “Long sleeve thermal top” or “Long sleeve fleece lined top”.

Here is one example that comes in several basic colors. But, remember you’ll be covering this up with other shirts, so you can probably get away with just buying a simple black, gray, or white shirt that will go with everything.

Hats, Gloves, & Scarves 

Even if you have the rest of your body dressed warmly, if you leave your head, neck, or hands uncovered or minimally covered you will still feel cold. You can get all of these items at local stores and online. Again look for tightly woven fabrics as they keep you warmer and let in less chill from the wind. Here is a basic set on Amazon.

Thermal Socks & Boots

You can find thermal socks that will keep your feet very warm. Here is one example. Winter boots can provide warmth and many styles are waterproof. These can be purchased online, at local stores, and at thrift stores (resell used items for a discounted cost). If you are wearing warm boots, you may only need to buy a fluffy/thick pair of socks that you can get inexpensively at lots of local retailers and online.

 Jackets, Coats, Snow Pants

It goes without saying that you will need to wear a warm jacket or coat over your clothes throughout the winter. These can be purchased online, at local stores, and at thrift stores (resell used items for a discounted cost).

If you will be outside in snow or very cold temperatures for an extended time, you can also purchase snow pants or snow bib overalls. They go over other pants and are both insulated and waterproof. Here are some examples for men and women.

Note: We are including links to help you see examples and not recommending any one retailer or brand over another and this is not a sponsored post.

 

Preparing for Cold Weather

We’re in that time of year when DC temperatures start dipping a little lower. It can be 70°F (21°C) one day and 40°F (4°C) the next. But, that doesn’t mean you need to hide indoors. There are lots of ways to stay warm and enjoy the outdoors through fall and winter.

There is a Scandinavian saying…

If you come from a warmer climate this may sound impossible to you. Over the years I have noticed that the temperature difference is much easier on those who have a gradual adjustment. It allows your body time to adjust to the lower temperatures. So, that’s the good news for all of you who are already here. Your body is already getting adjusted, give your mind a chance to stay open to enjoying the outdoors.

The next thing to do is get yourself the proper clothing and accessories. Start shopping for cold weather clothing: sweater, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, long underwear & boots. Ask your host family if they have some you can use and/or if there are items they are planning to provide for you before you start to make purchases. Then start looking out for sales and checking thrift shops. Take a look at what you already have and think of ways to layer it. A long sleeve t-shirt under a sweatshirt may be as warm as a jacket. A pair of leggings or tights under a pair of jeans adds a lot of warmth. Search on YouTube and TikTok for videos giving more layering suggestions.

It may also help to remind yourself that people in other parts of the U.S. and other countries experience much colder temperatures than we do and are still able to enjoy the outdoors.

Pick your activities carefully. If you are sitting next to a fire pit or doing physical activity you will feel warmer. When you take the kids to the playground or out in the snow, don’t sit on the bench and watch. You will feel warmer and have more fun if you are actively involved and have fun with them.

If you have tips on enjoying the cold weather, please share them!

Visiting Baltimore by Train

If you want to visit Baltimore but are worried about driving, the MARC train is a great option. Here is some information on how you can enjoy visiting Baltimore via public transportation. Prices and info are accurate as of January 16, 2023. Please check the links to verify prices and schedules before you go.

Getting from DC to Baltimore
The MARC Train Penn Line runs from Union Station (DC) to Baltimore Penn Station. Cost for a one-way ticket ($7-9). Considering the cost of gas and parking in the city, if you drive, makes the train a pretty good deal. Fares & How to Purchase Ticket

View the schedules here –> Weekend Penn Line & Weekday Penn Line

On Saturdays, there are currently running 9 trains from about 8:55 am (1st train northbound from DC) to about 9:15 pm (last train southbound from Baltimore.)  On Sundays, there are currently running 6 trains from about 10:25 am (1st train northbound from DC) to about 6:00 pm (last train southbound from Baltimore.) It is very important to be sure of the time of the final train back from Baltimore to DC. 

On Weekdays, the MARC Penn Line runs from about 5:40 am (1st train northbound from DC) to about 9:35 pm (last train southbound from Baltimore.) All you need to do is to take the Metro Red Line to Union Station and get on the MARC Penn Line there.

Free Way to Get Around Baltimore 

Baltimore offers a FREE Charm City Circulator service that features 4 shuttle bus lines and 1 water taxi line. The shuttle buses run about every 10-20 minutes, (depending on the line). The hours are Monday-Thursday: 7 am-8 pm, Friday: 7 am-12 midnight, Saturday: 9 am-12 midnight, Sunday: 9 am-8 pm.  Visit the website here to view the maps and schedules: Charm City Circulator 

To visit the Inner Harbor take the Purple Line from Baltimore Penn Station to stop #302 – S. Calvert St. & W. Pratt St.

Card Games for Kids of All Ages

I have wonderful memories of playing cards as a young child.  I was captivated as a 4-year-old when I first learned to play Fish. The way my older cousin shuffled the deck seemed like magic.  And then there was the overwhelming anticipation followed by horror if I unknowingly selected the Old Maid from the person next to me.  I couldn’t get rid of her fast enough.  Whether you have preschoolers or teens at home, here are 6 simple card games that everybody loves .

OLD MAID

Prep a standard deck of cards by removing one queen card and shuffling the deck. Deal out all the cards to all the players until there are none left. Players remove the pairs in their hands. The dealer fans out his cards in his hands and offers his hand to the player on his left. That player selects one and adds it to her own hand. Any matches are removed. The process continues around and around the circle until everything is paired up except the queen. Whoever is left with it at the end of the game is the Old Maid!

GO FISH

The goal here is to get four of a kind. Deal out seven cards to each player. If you have seven or more players, use five cards a piece. Put the remaining cards in a deck in the center. Player 1 picks any other player to ask if he has the card she’s looking for – e.g., “Do you have any threes?” Hand over the cards if you’ve got them or tell the person to “Go Fish” for a card in the pile. As soon as you find four of a kind, put them face up on the table. Whoever runs out of cards first is the winner.

WAR

This game of luck can be totally addictive for kids. Divide the deck evenly among the two players. Each player turns over the top card on her deck at the same time. Whoever has the higher card takes both cards and puts them at the bottom of her stack. If the cards are the same, then it’s war! Each player counts out three cards (face down) and the next card is shown. Whoever has the higher card wins all the cards.

UNO /CRAZY EIGHTS

This game, played with UNO cards or a standard pack of playing cards, has one goofy twist: eights rule! Deal seven cards out to each person in a two-player game, or five cards for games with three or four players. The remaining cards go in a draw pile, and one card is turned over to start the play pile. The player to the dealer’s left must match the card’s number or suit from the face-up pile. A player who does not have a match may play an eight and change the suit to anything they wish. A player who has neither a match nor an eight must draw until he gets a card that can be played. The first to discard all their cards wins.

CONCENTRATION

Turn a standard deck of cards into a game of concentration. Shuffle the deck, laying the cards out in rows, and hunting for “matches” of the red kings, black threes, and so forth. For little ones, use just the two red suits for a more manageable set.

FOREHEAD POKER

This is a fun, super simple two-player game for the small fries. Place the deck between you and your child. Each of you grabs a card without peaking at it and places it on your forehead so that your opponent can see it, but you can’t. Have your little one guess if their own card is higher or lower than yours. If they’re right, they take the pair. If they’re wrong, it’s yours. Take turns and work your way through the deck. The person with the most cards at the end is the winner.

Preparing for Cold Weather

We’re at that time of year when temperatures in the District start dropping a bit. It can be 70°F (21°C) one day and 40°F (4°C) the next. With this fickle weather, many people begin to opt for indoor activities instead of outdoor ones. But there may be times when COVID case numbers are high and you just might want to be outdoors to minimize your risk of getting sick.

A wise Scandinavian once said…

If you come from a warmer climate this may sound impossible. Over the years I have noticed that the temperature difference is much easier on those who have a gradual adjustment. It allows your body time to adapt to the lower temperatures.  So, that’s the great news for all of you who are already here! Your body is already getting adjusted, so give your mind a chance to stay open to enjoying the outdoors too.

The next thing to do is get yourself the proper clothing and accessories. Start shopping for cold weather clothing: sweater, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, long underwear & boots. Ask your host family if they have some you can use and then start looking out for sales and checking thrift shops for the rest. Take a look at what you already have and think of ways to layer it. A long sleeve t-shirt under a sweatshirt may be as warm as a jacket. A pair of leggings or tights under a pair of jeans adds a lot of warmth.

It may also help to remind yourself that people in other parts of the U.S. and other countries experience much colder temperatures than we do here and still embrace the outdoors.

Pick your activities carefully. If you are sitting next to a fire pit or doing physical activity you will feel warmer. When you take the kids to the playground or out in the snow, don’t just sit on the bench and watch. You will feel warmer and have more fun if you are actively involved and enjoying a brisk day outside.

Poison Prevention and Treatment

When we think of dangerous poisons, items like rat poisoning or insecticides often come to mind.  But according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), the vast majority of poisoning cases involve common medications or household products – items that we use every day.

Managing an incident of potential poisoning greatly depends on the amount of exposure and the type of substance that has been ingested. If you ever suspect any kind of poisoning, US Poison Control is here to help. Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Support is available online or by phone at 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, expert, and confidential.

The top 5 toxicity queries made to US Poison Control each year are:

  1. Analgesics – pain relievers like acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (found in Advil and other products).
  2. Household Cleaning Products – including dish and laundry detergents (keep those colorful pods out of reach).
  3. Cosmetic and Personal Care Products – lipsticks, lotions, and other cosmetics, along with products containing fluoride, hand sanitizers and mouthwashes containing alcohol.
  4. Sedatives, Hypnotics and Antidepressants – of particular concern are benzodiazepines, which are sedatives like Valium and Xanax.
  5. Foreign Objects – think toys, silica gel packets, pen caps, glow sticks, button batteries (they can leak chemicals), sharp objects like a pin or nail, and magnets (which can damage tissue when they adhere to each other inside the body).

If you ever suspect a poisoning, remember these general guidelines:

  • Swallowed poisons: Don’t eat or drink anything before calling the Poison Control Center. Do not try to make the person throw up or give them syrup of ipecac.
  • Inhaled poisons: Get to fresh air right away. Open doors and windows to ventilate the area.
  • Poisons on the skin: Remove contaminated clothing and rinse the skin with water for 10 minutes.
  • Poison in the eye: Flush the eye for 15 minutes using a large cup filled with lukewarm water held 2-4 inches from the eye.
  • AND be sure to call 911 immediately: if a person stops breathing, collapses, or has a seizure.

Educational Apps that will Excite Everyone

Looking for some new ways to take in the great outdoors?  Here are 3 free phone apps that will make a walk in the park no less than exciting. Merlin Bird Call will help you to identify every bird you hear or see. PictureThis – Plant Identifier does an awesome job at identifying each flower, tree or plant along the trail. And SkyView Lite teaches stargazing to everyone. Simply point your phone at the sky to identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more. All 3 are available on the app store.  Before long, your family will think you have super powers.

Host Family Hints to Help Your Au Pair Match Flourish

Host parents have many responsibilities and are often very busy. Hosting an au pair can provide help with a large part of the childcare related responsibilities. Below are a few simple things you can do to help your au pair match flourish.

Treat Your Au Pair Like a Family Member – Au pairs who feel appreciated and included as a member of their host family tend to see their host children as family members and feel very invested in their happiness and success.

Stay on Top of Payments –  Au pairs can feel very uncomfortable if they need to ask for their weekly stipend payment. This can also make them feel like their work is not appreciated or you are unconcerned about their needs. Add a recurring weekly event on your calendar, use payment apps or automatic bank transfer to schedule your au pair’s stipend payment and give yourself one less thing to remember.

The same is true for their transportation costs to cluster meetings and classes. Au pairs let their host family know about the costs but some host parents don’t always follow through and reimburse them. Here’s a blog post with information and tips on how to handle transportation costs.

Communication – Make time every couple of weeks for a check-in conversation. This provides your au pair a time to bring up questions or concerns which she may be hesitant to bring up when she see’s how busy you are day to day. It’s also a good time for discussing any concerns you have as well as planning for upcoming events or schedule changes. 

Photo: Shared by an APIA Host Family