Tag Archives: safety

Staying Safe Out and About – Tips for Au Pairs

These tips are not intended to scare you, but to make you aware of some simple things you can do to prevent being the victim of a crime.

  • When you get into an Uber or Lyft, make sure the vehicle matches the description and the driver shown on your App.
  • Keep your mobile phone charged, so you can use it if you need it.
  • When riding on Metro, try to wait in well-lit areas where there are other people and try to get into a train car with other people, rather than being alone.
  • Be very careful using outside ATMs at night or in unfamiliar surroundings.
  • Tell someone where you’ll be and what time you’re supposed to return, or if you will be with someone you don’t know well.
  • If you are meeting someone new for the first time, meet in a public place with lots of other people.
  • Never give your home address to someone without your host family’s permission.
  • Don’t overload yourself with packages or shopping bags.
  • Don’t wear earbuds or headphones while walking or jogging.
  • Don’t read or get distracted by your cell phone while walking or standing on the street.
  • Pay attention to what is going on around you and be aware of people near you.
  • Be a good friend! If you think another au pair is not making smart decisions when you are out at night, be sure she gets home safely. 

Privacy & Personal Information Online

We live in a time of constant sharing through social media. We often share pictures, plans of somewhere we are going or rants about problems, without thinking much about who will see it and what could be the consequences.

Before clicking “post”, stop to think:

  • Am I violating someone’s privacy?
  • Am I sharing personal info. that could put me in danger?
  • Would I want my current or a future employer to see this?

This will help protect your privacy and safety as well as that of your host family. It is important to respect your host family’s privacy and not share personal details and information.  This applies to all kinds of situations, including: personal conversations, email and social websites.

For your own safety, it is a good idea to be careful what personal information you share about yourself as well. You should not give out information like your telephone number and address to people you don’t know. Safer to meet a new friend in a public place, than to give them your address before knowing them.

Once you post something on the internet (even if you later delete it), it can show up elsewhere.  Unless you have specific permission from your host family, you should never post pictures of them, their children or their home on the internet.

If you have a blog or website where you post in your native language, remember there is translation software. So, even if you say it in your native language, be sure it is not something that might be misinterpreted in translation or something you will regret saying.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Adapted from an earlier post by Christine Connally

This time of year, it’s easy to get distracted, and when you’re distracted you’re at a greater risk for holiday crime.

Here are some important tips that are always a good idea, but especially during the holiday shopping season.

  • Always pay attention to your surroundings.  Avoid distractions like using cell phone or listening to music when you are coming and going from stores.
  • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.  Take just the amount you need or use debit or credit cards.
  • Keep your money in your front pocket.  Pay close attention to your wallet when you are in crowded places like buses, metro, and elevators.
  • Be careful not to lay your purse or bags down on the floor or out of your sight at the mall.
  • Save your most expensive purchases for the end of your shopping trip, so you aren’t carrying them with you for long periods of time.
  • Whenever possible, shop during daylight hours and if you must shop after dark, go with a friend.
  • If you’re not driving yourself to go shopping, use the Metro Trip Planner before going out to minimize time waiting at the bus stop or metro station.  Never accept a ride from a stranger.
  • Be aware of strangers approaching you for any reason. Criminals will use different methods to distract you and steal your belongings.
  • Look around the parking area when you are leaving.
  • Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.  Return to the store and ask security to walk out with you or wait for a family or other group of people to walk out at the same time with you.
  • Trust your instincts, If something seems suspicious or unsafe, you are probably right.
  • Remember the saying, “Better Safe Than Sorry.”

Celebrate Halloween!

JWI_HalloweenOwlHalloween (or Hallow e’en) is a celebration observed in a number of countries including the United States on October 31st.  Halloween has a special significance for children, who dress in funny or ghostly costumes and knock on neighborhood doors shouting “Trick or Treat!” Pirates and princesses, ghosts and witches all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in.

Since the 800’s, November 1st is a religious holiday known as All Saints’ Day. The Mass that was said on this day was called Allhallowmas. The evening before became known as All Hallow e’en, or Halloween. Like some other American celebrations, its origins lie in both pre-Christian and Christian customs.

The most popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating attending Halloween costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

For more information and a “how-to” video on carving a pumpkin, click here.  Find more pumpkin carving ideas, scary snacks, and other fun Halloween activities on the APIA Halloween Fun Pinterest board.

Halloween can be a lot of fun but it is also a time when safety should come first. Here are some tips for Monday:

Adult supervision is essential. Always accompany the children if they are going door to door to trick or treat

Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure the children only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch.

Stay outside. Make sure the children don’t go inside someone’s house. They can trick or treat on the porch.

Remain visible. Dress the children in bright costumes or have them wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight.

Quality-check treats. Check the candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.

Say “no” to strangers. Remind the children to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.  

Click here for more Halloween safety tips and a fun word game to help teach these tips to your host kids. 

Halloween Safety Tips

Going trick or treating? Check out these tips from the CDC to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters.

 Swords, knives, and other costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

 Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

 Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

 Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

 Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. WALK and don’t run from house to house.

 Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

 Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks wherever possible.

 Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

 Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

 Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

 Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

 Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

 Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

screen-shot-2016-10-25-at-1-51-57-pm

Download the CDC’s Halloween Safety Scramble to review these safety tips with your kids.

10 Tips for Summer Safety

  1. Remember to bring along drinks, especially water. Try to get children to drink water every 20 minutes, when they are outside in hot weather.
  2. Pay attention to surfaces that can be hot against children’s skin, such as metal slides and other playground equipment in the sun.
  3. Safety around water is particularly important. A child can drown in just a few inches of water. Whenever you are near water you must never leave a child alone – if the phone rings, take them with you or let it ring! Always stay within arm’s reach when the children are in or near water.
  4. Young babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.
  5. Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.
  6. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, even if it appears overcast (cloudy).
  7. Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.
  8. Learn what poison ivy looks like and keep children out of it. A good rule to teach the children is “leaves of three, let it be.”
  9. Use insect repellent spray to keep away mosquitos and ticks. Ask your host parents before applying.
  10. Check for ticks when you bring children in from playing outside, especially if you’ve been in tall grass or the woods.

Photo: Scott97006 (Flickr)

SaveSave

Outdoor Safety Tips

As the days get longer, it’s finally time to head outside and enjoy the sunshine. Before dashing off to the playground, review these important tips to help you do your job safely and carefully. Remember, if you are on duty, the safety and well-being of the children is your job.

Supervision 

  • Whether you are at the park, in the backyard, or in the playroom, stay with the children at all times!   
  • If you have a middle-schooler, who is able to walk to and from school or play outside with friends, you still need to know where he/she is and whether an adult is present. Make plans for when he/she will call you, where you can find him/her, and what time you expect him/her home.
  • Children should never talk to strangers or go near a stranger’s car. They should not accept money, candy or gifts from strangers and never take a ride from a stranger.

Street Safety

  • Look both ways before crossing the street.
  • Discuss traffic lights – Green means go, Yellow means wait, Red means stop.
  • Never chase a ball into the street.
  • Streets are for cars – children should play in a yard, not the street.
  • Learn street signs and what they mean (STOP sign, CROSSWALK, etc.).
  • Never play behind cars that are parked in the driveway.
  • Watch carefully when walking behind parked cars.

Click here for more safety tips.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Adapted from an earlier post by Christine Connally

This time of year, it’s easy to get distracted, and when you’re distracted you’re at a greater risk for holiday crime.

Here are some important tips that are always a good idea, but especially during the holiday shopping season.

  • Always pay attention to your surroundings.  Avoid distractions like using cell phone or listening to music when you are coming and going from stores.
  • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.  Take just the amount you need or use debit or credit cards.
  • Keep your money in your front pocket.  Pay close attention to your wallet when you are in crowded places like buses, metro, and elevators.
  • Be careful not to lay your purse or bags down on the floor or out of your sight at the mall.
  • Save your most expensive purchases for the end of your shopping trip, so you aren’t carrying them with you for long periods of time.
  • Whenever possible, shop during daylight hours and if you must shop after dark, go with a friend.
  • If you’re not driving yourself to go shopping, use the Metro Trip Planner before going out to minimize time waiting at the bus stop or metro station.  Never accept a ride from a stranger.
  • Be aware of strangers approaching you for any reason. Criminals will use different methods to distract you and steal your belongings.
  • Look around the parking area when you are leaving.
  • Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.  Return to the store and ask security to walk out with you or wait for a family or other group of people to walk out at the same time with you.
  • Trust your instincts, If something seems suspicious or unsafe, you are probably right.
  • Remember the saying, “Better Safe Than Sorry.”

Celebrate Halloween 2017!

JWI_HalloweenOwlHalloween (or Hallow e’en) is a celebration observed in a number of countries including the United States on October 31st.  Halloween has a special significance for children, who dress in funny or ghostly costumes and knock on neighborhood doors shouting “Trick or Treat!” Pirates and princesses, ghosts and witches all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in.

Since the 800’s, November 1st is a religious holiday known as All Saints’ Day. The Mass that was said on this day was called Allhallowmas. The evening before became known as All Hallow e’en, or Halloween. Like some other American celebrations, its origins lie in both pre-Christian and Christian customs.

The most popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating attending Halloween costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

For more information and a “how-to” video on carving a pumpkin, click here.  Find more pumpkin carving ideas, scary snacks, and other fun Halloween activities on the APIA Halloween Fun Pinterest board.

Halloween can be a lot of fun but it is also a time when safety should come first. Here are some tips for Monday:

Adult supervision is essential. Always accompany the children if they are going door to door to trick or treat

Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure the children only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch.

Stay outside. Make sure the children don’t go inside someone’s house. They can trick or treat on the porch.

Remain visible. Dress the children in bright costumes or have them wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight.

Quality-check treats. Check the candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.

Say “no” to strangers. Remind the children to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.  

Click here for more Halloween safety tips and a fun word game to help teach these tips to your host kids. 

2017 Halloween Safety Tips

Going trick or treating? Check out these tips from the CDC to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters.

Swords, knives, and other costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. WALK and don’t run from house to house.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

screen-shot-2016-10-25-at-1-51-57-pm

Download the CDC’s Halloween Safety Scramble to review these safety tips with your kids.