Category Archives: Childcare

Top 5 Tips for Overcoming Homesickness

Almost everyone experiences culture shock when they come to a completely new environment. Everything is different: the language, the food, and the people.

When everything feels so unfamiliar, it is natural to long for the security of home. However, you don’t want to let that feeling of longing for home, make you too sad or prevent you from finding happiness in your new home.

Here are my Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Homesickness

1. Make Friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There are other lots of new au pairs who are feeling the same way you are right now. Set a goal to reach out to a few of them each day. Some will respond and some will not. Don’t let that discourage you. No one will ever be mad at you for sending them a message to say hello or ask if they want to do something together. Make friends from various countries and you will also get a chance to practice your English skills together.

2. Stay in touch with your home country, but not too much. Skyping or talking on the phone every day with your family and/or friends back home often makes homesickness worse. Try texting instead and reduce the Skype and phone calls to once a week, until you feel stronger. It’s much harder seeing the faces and hearing the voices of those you miss.

3. Get out of the house (or your room specifically) – Go to cluster meetings, have coffee or go to movies with other au pairs, join a gym, go to the library, go for a walk, visit the mall, get a manicure, visit a museum. If someone invites you out, say “yes.” Also, don’t be afraid to do the inviting. If your host family invites you to do things with them, say “yes.” This will help you get to know each other and contribute to your overall happiness.

4. Realize that it definitely gets better – All au pairs experience homesickness and nearly all of them stay and have a successful year (some stay for two years). So, it must get better, right? Once you get past the initial homesickness, most au pairs report how quickly the year goes by.

5. Make Plans – Create your own Au Pair Bucket List (places you want to go, new foods to try, new things to experience during your year in the U.S.) and start doing them now. Post on our cluster group to find others who may want to join you on your adventures.

Photo by: Hernán Piñera (Flickr)

MINIMIZING MORNING MADNESS

It’s important to have effective morning routines so children get off to school without stress. Older children can help plan their routines.

Here are some specific ideas for minimizing morning madness on school days:

  • Prepare the night before. Make lunch, pack backpacks, and set out clothes.
  • Set up a launching pad—a place near the door for children’s backpacks, coats, shoes, hats and gloves so no time is wasted looking for these items.
  • Wake up at least half an hour before the kids. Shower, get dressed, have your coffee/breakfast, and be ready!
  • Have a reliable wake up system for the kids. An alarm clock or clock radio is good.
  • Stagger wake up times for the kids. Pre-teen and teenagers usually need more time to shower and groom.
  • Younger kids should bathe the night before to reduce bathroom congestion.
  • Have kids choose what they are wearing the night before. Limit choices and make sure everything is neat and clean.
  • Don’t rush the children! Make sure there is enough time to wash, dress, eat breakfast, comb hair and brush teeth. Start earlier if you need to.
  • Avoid turning on the TV. Kids can waste a lot of time watching TV or playing. These activities should be permitted only if they are completely ready for school.
  • Don’t skip breakfast! Hungry kids can’t concentrate in school.
  • Remind kids to use the bathroom just before leaving for school. Lots of kids don’t like to use the school bathroom.
  • Wish the kids a great day. Give them each a hug!

Back to School Planning

Back to school time is here. This can mean changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties.  It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems.

Here is a list of topics to consider discussing:

  • Au pair’s work schedule
  • The children’s school and activity schedules
  • Where the children get dropped off and picked up and who will be doing this
  • What to do if a child is staying home sick, late to school, does not get off the bus (if they are supposed to)
  • Driving laws regarding stopping for school buses
  • How to tell if school has been canceled or delayed for bad weather
  • Add the au pair to your list of people allowed to pick up the kids from school and explain the process
  • What to pack for lunch
  • The routine after school (do they have free time before starting homework, what to give for a snack, any chores, where do they put their backpacks & lunchboxes)
  • How to communicate about what’s going on at school. Your Kids in Care logbook from Au Pair in America can be a great two-way communication tool for keeping track of schedules, afterschool activities and day to day info that needs to be transferred between host parents and au pair.
  • If your au pair will be the one going through the children’s backpack and helping with homework, consider designating an area for putting things that need to be read and/or signed by parents.

Here are some Printable Fill-in-the-Blank School Notes for parents. You can print these out and have them ready for times when the kids are absent, late, have an early dismissal or you need to give permission for something.

Check out Au Pair in America’s Pinterest School Tips and Ideas pinboard for things like organization ideas, back to school traditions, printable lunch box notes, and fun lunch recipes.

 

SUMMER SAFETY INFORMATION

Summer is coming, so it is an important time to talk about the specific safety issues of the season:

SUNSCREEN 

  • Apply early and repeat. For kids six months and older (as well as adults), sunscreens with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or greater reduce the intensity of UVRs that cause sunburns. Apply liberally 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, so it can absorb into the skin and decrease the likelihood that it will be washed off. Reapply every two hours and after kids swim, sweat or dry off with a towel. .
  • Cover up. Dress kids in protective clothing and hats. Clothing can be an excellent barrier of ultraviolet rays. Many light-weight sun-protective styles cover the neck, elbows and knees.
  • Keep infants out of the sun. Keep babies younger than six months out of direct sunlight, dressed in cool, comfortable clothing and wearing hats with brims. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says sunscreen may be used on infants younger than six months on small areas of skin if adequate clothing and shade are not available. Ask your host family if they want you to use sunscreen on an infant.
  • Plan early morning play. Avoid over exposure to sun by avoiding peak-sun hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) as much as possible. Make sure you all can get a break from the sun when needed.
  • Beware of shade. Shade does provide relief from the heat, but it offers a false sense of security about UVR protection. You can still sunburn in shade, because light is scattered and reflected. A fair-skinned person sitting under a tree can burn in less than an hour.
  • Check the weather. Look for the ultra-violet (UV) index (on a site like Weather.com) when planning outdoor activities; it predicts the intensity of UV light based on the sun’s position, cloud movements, altitude, ozone data and other factors. Higher UV index numbers predict more intense UV light.

POOL/BEACH RULES

Here are tips to prevent accidents around the water. Also read this article: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

  • EYES ON THE KIDS AT ALL TIMES:   Even if your kids are swimmers, they MUST be watched.   Anything can happen in the water – do not rely on lifeguards.   YOU are in charge!
  • Stay within arms reach of young children in the water.
  • Never allow young children near the water without an adult.
  • Inexperienced and non-swimmers should wear a life jacket in the water.
  • Stay off cell phones. Do NOT allow yourself to get distracted when your kids are around water.
  • Only swim when a lifeguard is on duty at a public pool or beach, and never swim alone.
  • Kiddie pools in backyards should be drained after use.
  • For houses that have swimming pools, BRING EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO THE POOL WHEN THE KIDS GO IN!! Don’t run back inside because you forgot a towel and leave the kids unattended!
  • Never prop the gate to a pool open!

 INSECTS

  • Check for allergic reactions. Some kids react to insect bites more than others. If your child gets bitten and seems to have an allergic reaction to the bite, ask your host parents if you should seek medical attention or give your child an oral antihistamine or other medication.
  • Beware of serious bug-borne illnesses. West Nile is a virus you may hear about when the heat strikes. If you hear of instances in our area, and your child has bites and flu-symptoms (including muscle-stiffness), talk to your host parents about seeing a doctor. It’s better to be safe.
  • Check for ticks. Ticks thrive in warm, moist, woodsy areas, so ideally kids should wear long clothing to cover their skin when walking in the woods or tall grass. Clothes are a culprit, too; ticks can come in on a t-shirt! If the clothes aren’t dirty enough to need washing, do it anyway. Placing clothes in the dryer on high heat for at least an hour will kill any ticks.
    Kids six and older can check themselves, with adult guidance, but they must check their entire body, not just forearms and legs:  under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, around the waist, etc. If a child develops any rash or fever after a tick bite, talk to your host parents about seeing the doctor.

DEHYDRATION
You may be surprised how much — and when — kids should drink liquids. To prevent dehydration, kids should drink 12 ounces of fluid 30 minutes before an activity begins and take mandatory fluid breaks (like many day camps require), with kids under 90 pounds drinking five ounces every 20 minutes during activities, and kids over 90 pounds drinking nine ounces every 20 minutes. Tip: A child’s gulp equals a half-ounce of fluid, so your child should drink about 10 gulps for every 20 minutes of play.  The Safe Kids Coalition urges parents and caregivers to watch for warning signs of dehydration, such as thirst, dry or sticky mouth, headache, muscle cramping, irritability, extreme fatigue, weakness, dizziness or decreased performance.

HELMET DURING BIKE RIDING, SKATE BOARDING, ETC.

Make a family rule: no helmet, no wheels.   ALWAY’S REMEMBER TO BUCKLE THE CHIN STRAP!!

NEVER LEAVE KIDS ALONE IN A CAR – EVER!!!!  
Never leave a child alone in a car, even for a minute.  Fatalities can occur at temperatures as low as the mid-50s because a vehicle heats up so quickly. Children are at a great risk for heat stroke because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s does.  This rule always applies in all weather.

Summer Gear to keep in your vehicle/in your possession:

  • Cell phone
  • Water
  • Medications for chronic conditions, an epi-pen for a child with known allergies
  • Antibiotic cream for cuts and scrapes, bandaids
  • Crushable icepack for bruises
  • Sun protection
  • Hats and sunglasses
  • Insect repellent
  • Tweezers for ticks

Big Kids Need Interaction Too

Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time.  Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.

 

Problem:
But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.

Solution:
Instead of saying,  “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)?  The answer will often be, “No.”

Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do  _____ or ______?”  Make sure both the choices are good options.
Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun, if you pick a good activity.

Problem:
I don’t know what to do with school age kids.

Solution:
Look for ideas online. Google “activities school age kids” or “activities tweens”. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.

  • Cooking
  • Making things (check craft stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age appropriate)
  • Going fun places (pottery painting, jewelry making, farms, museums, mini-golf, go-karts)
  • Sports (soccer, tennis, swimming, bicycling, roller skating, ice skating)
  • Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
  • Get outdoors and visit local parks.  You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade, water fountain?)  They can write this up and keep, so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
  • Let them help you search and plan some activities.
  • Check on the APIA Pinterest page and here on our cluster blog for ideas.
  • If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.

Note: Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places.

Photo: Killian77

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.

Looking for Fun Valentine’s Day Activities?

Valentine’s Day (February 14) is a time of love, friendship, giving and caring. Americans use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tell friends and family how much they care. Children often exchange cards at school.

Are you looking for Valentine’s Day activity and craft ideas? Look no further…. Au Pair in America has a Pinterest pinboard devoted to Valentine’s Day, with great suggestions:      APIA Valentine’s Day Pinboard

Caring for a Sick Child at Home

The purpose of this article is to provide information and offer suggestions to au pairs with regard to caring for children who are ill. It is intended that au pairs discuss this information with their host parents as they might want to modify or expand on what is presented here.
When a child has less energy than usual, is unusually cranky, has less of an appetite, or just doesn’t seem him/herself, chances are the child is sick. Fever is a sign a child is fighting an illness or infection. Fevers are usually not serious and can be cared for at home. It is typical for younger children to run higher fevers than older children. Fevers are also often higher in the evening than in the morning. Be alert for rash, earache, stomachache or sore throat, as these may indicate more serious problems.
A child’s temperature can be taken orally, under the armpit, or with special thermometers only in the ear. Au pairs and host families should discuss the preferred method for that family. A child has a fever if the temperature is 99.4’F (37.4’C) or higher when taken by mouth or under the arm. Be sure the thermometer is shaken down first, and left in place for 3 minutes in the mouth or 6-8 minutes in the armpit. Talk or read to the child while you are taking his/her temperature. Never leave a child alone with a thermometer.
When a child has a fever, he or she needs more rest than usual and should not be awakened. Quiet play is fine, but too much activity can aggravate a fever. Children should be dressed in light layered clothing. Liquids are very important – offer water, juice, fruit drinks, tea, popsicles, Jello or soup. Some children might enjoy stirring their tea with a lollipop, or having soda as a special treat. Host families and au pairs should discuss appropriate medication and desired dosage. Do not offer children aspirin; consider instead acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but only with the approval of a host parent. If a child’s fever is over 103’F, a lukewarm bath might be comforting. If a child vomits, offer small amounts of liquids, but no dairy products. Within the first 24 hours the diet should be limited to clear liquids, bananas, plain white rice, applesauce and plain toast.
When children are sick they will need an extra dose of patience, attention, affection and comfort even more than they need medicine or special diets. Although basic rules and discipline should not change, a child may be more dependent on adults when he or she is ill. Extra imagination and creativity is needed to keep a sick child entertained with quiet pastimes. Children will welcome novelties – use a baking sheet as a tray to assemble a puzzle in bed or to keep crayons from rolling away; create a story with stuffed animals and a flashlight under a blanket.
Warning signs – It is time to ask for more help if a child :
• has a fever higher than 104’F (40’C)
• is very cranky, sluggish or doesn’t awaken easily
• has trouble breathing
• is confused, or vomits repeatedly
• is unable to swallow or is drooling
• has a convulsion or seizure
• has dry lips, sunken eyes, little or no urine or dark yellow urine

Thanks to Etta Rosen for this article.

A Love of Language and Learning

One of the most valuable features of the cultural exchange experience that hosting an au pair provides for our host families is the love of language and learning that it brings to the host children. If you want your children to grow up learning another language (or several!), au pairs are a great way to give kids regular exposure and daily practice with foreign language and vocabulary, during their most formative years.

One of our host parents shared about her experience hosting au pairs from three different language backgrounds who have imparted their young children with an education in and love for German, Spanish and Chinese:

“After four years of German au pairs, we felt the German language was well grounded in our twins, as I am able to continue this bilingual upbringing non-stop after work and on the weekends. The German au pairs brought my girls the ‘fun’ aspects of the German language by making it come alive with creative craft activities and all the fun outing activities, whereas I was able to reinforce all their German learning through reading and more traditional teaching.  So in our most recent au pair cycle renewal, we decided to expand the twins’ learning with two additional languages.

We have a native Spanish-speaking au pair and a Mandarin-speaking au pair who split the longer workdays that I have. The twins know very well that Spanish is spoken only with Jenny, and Mandarin is spoken only with Yu Jue.

Very recently, my husband remarked that the girls don’t stop speaking Spanish! Mandarin is their fourth language, and they love singing and engaging in our au pair’s very funny children’s stories from China. Yu Jue makes everything very amusing in Mandarin, and the girls really like being challenged by her. It’s a big puzzle and game to them!

At 4½ years, learning languages is just pure fun!  In short, the cultural enrichments stemming from understanding the language itself are an excellent foundation for all the years of global awareness and travel yet to enter into our twins’ lives.  Our au pairs are giving our girls a gift of a life time, and we are so humbly grateful for these opportunities!”

Are you interested in an intercultural child care experience that will immerse your child(ren) in another language and culture? Learn more about the educational benefits of hosting an au pair!

THE BACKPACK– Keeping It Organized

The back pack is very important to review every day. It is one of the important links between school and home. Backpacks quickly become disorganized and notices missed if not emptied every day. Here is a suggested daily routine that you can follow, or supervise your host children as they do it, depending on their age(s):

  1. After the student arrives home, empty the backpack on a table.
    2. Find the homework. Set it out in the homework area with all the supplies needed to complete the homework.
    3. Put the lunch box in the kitchen. Empty it, discard the garbage, and see if the child actually ate the lunch that was packed. Wipe out the lunch box. Let host parents know what was not eaten.
    4. Find all notices sent home with the child. Find anything that needs to be filled out by the parents. If it is your responsibility to keep track of activities, put them on the calendar now. If not, make sure the parents see them.
    5. Make sure permission slips, fundraiser notices, book orders, photo notices and anything else that must be signed is done on time. Make sure these items get back in the backpack and the child turns them in on time. If a signed form and money is still in the back pack when the child comes home, the child forgot to give it to the teacher. Remind the child, tell the parent.
    6. All completed homework should be put in the homework folder in the backpack as soon as the homework is completed. Make sure there is a sturdy folder to put the homework in; this way the child knows where it is when he or she arrives at school, and the homework will stay neater 🙂
    7. In the morning, recheck for homework. Is it in the folder? Are all permission slips and notices requiring money in the backpack?
    8. Make lunch and put the lunch box in the backpack. If the lunch box is in the backpack there is less chance it will be left on the bus.
    9. Does the child need to bring anything else to school that day? Maybe he or she needs gym clothes, or something for show and tell. Put it in the backpack!
    10. At the end of the week, make sure all work sent home is placed out for the parents to see. Any dirty gym clothes are taken out of the backpack and put in the laundry. The back pack and the lunch box should be wiped out and kept clean.