Yearly Archives: 2012

Happy New Year 2013!

January 1~New Year’s Day

January 1~New Year’s Day – The first day of the New Year is a federal holiday.  For many people, January first also means making a New Year’s resolution.  The most common being to lose weight/get in shape, stop smoking and get organized.

What is yours and how do you plan to achieve it?

Some  families may get together and visit each other for New Year’s Day – many watch the football “bowl” games.  There are five popular “bowl” games, including the The Rose Bowl in Pasadena California  and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.  To learn about football visit http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp

Learn to say Happy New year in these languages heard in our cluster

* Chinese (Cantonese) – Sun nien fai lok
* Chinese (Mandarin) – Xin nian yu kuai
* Dutch – Gelukkig nieuwjaar
* French – Bonne année
* German – Gutes Neues Jahr
* Hebrew – Shanah tovah
* Portuguese – Feliz ano novo
* Spanish – Feliz Año Nuevo

New Year's Eve can be fun, even if you are staying home!

December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Those of you who may have to work on New Years Eve,  you can plan a special evening with the children.

Before the kids go to bed (some stay up pretty late)  you can have fun by making some simple “New Year Resolutions.” together.   You can ask the children what they think they could do to make 2013 better.   They may have some great thoughts.

Another idea is to  create a keepsake of 2012 by making a time capsule or a scrapbook of memories.  Include popular activities or games the children enjoyed playing,  names of popular songs (for children who are a little older) or a picture of the hottest toy.   Making a time capsule is especially fun – you put a date on it and the children decide when they will open it – in a year, 5 or even 10 years.    Don’t forget to include a photo of you and the children!

After the kids go to bed watch Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve and think about 2013 and what YOU can do to make 2013 a great year for you.

Time to build a snowman!

Many of you  were anxiously awaiting our first Michigan snowfall.  Now is the perfect time to go outside and build a snowman or make angels in the snow.       snowman

Making snowflakes out of paper

snowflake

Cutting paper snowflakes is a fun and  simple indoor winter activity.  Here is a great video showing you how to cut some of your own (these are very fancy snowflakes in the video so you might want to practice on your own first)

For younger kids it is best to keep the designs very simple to avoid frustration.  If they cut away too much, it will tear.

Especially with younger children, be careful with the scissors.

Winter sports – ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing

ice-skate

QUESTION:  Is it risky to do winter sports without the sports insurance?

ANSWER: Yes!!

If you have to pay your own hospital bills for a broken bone, you might be shocked at how much that would cost. I checked this website for some cost estimates.

Here are a couple examples:

  • Without medical coverage, to treat a broken arm or leg (that does not require surgery) it could cost up to $2500.
  • Without medical coverage, to treat a broken arm or leg (requiring surgery) it could cost $16,000 or more.I wanted to make sure everyone understands how the medical coverage works for sports related injuries. There is a list of “high-risk sports/activities” that are not covered with the basic or upgrade medical insurance plans. Those activities are only covered with the Sports Insurance Package (also known as Option A.)The Sports Insurance Package was available pre-departure and may also be purchased at any time during your year. It takes effect within 48 hours of your enrollment and it is good for the remainder of the year. The cost will be the same ($60) whether you have a month left or your whole year ahead of you. I recommend you pay for it early on, if you didn’t already purchase it. You never know when an opportunity might present itself and you don’t want to miss out on an adventure. You also don’t want to take a risk on getting injured and being responsible for the bill on your own.Below is a partial list of sports that are only covered with the sports insurance package:
    Football, Rugby, Scuba diving, Ski-doo, Wakeboarding, Skydiving, Parachuting, Rock climbing, Zip line, Skate boarding, Rollerblading, Roller skating, Ice Skating, Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowmobiles & Snowshoeing. View the full list on page 3 of the insurance brochure HERE.
    Note: Injuries sustained while partaking in these sports are covered with purchase of the Sports Insurance ONLY.

    How to register for the Sports Insurance
    Download the form HERE and follow the instructions. It takes a few days for your coverage to begin. If you think you will be doing any of these sports, you should get it now.

    • Global Awareness presentation for International Education Week

    Franzi Eberle from Germany shared her culture with four second grade classes as part of our Global Awareness program. Her presentation on Nov. 15 was outstanding and the children were very interested in learning all about Germany.

    Timing was perfect since the week of Nov. 12-16, 2012 was International Education Week.  IMG_0752 (475x225) (2)IMG_0750 (508x640) (377x475) (298x375)IMG_0754 (375x253)IMG_0763 (400x276)