Several dozen au pairs living in New Canaan, Darien and Norwalk gathered at Bayley Beach in Rowayton to participate in the very American tradition of carving pumpkins for Halloween! The girls are all with Au Pair in America, representing countries around the world.
Despite the pandemic and travel restrictions from many countries, Au Pair in America has been bringing new girls into the US weekly. In New Canaan we welcomed FIVE new arrivals at our most recent cluster meeting!
Despite the pandemic, Au Pair in America au pairs in New Canaan found ways to help those less fortunate among us and give back to the community that has welcomed them so warmly.
In September, Staying Put in New Canaan asked for help decorating face masks to be included in food baskets being delivered as part of it’s Celebration of Generations virtual luncheon. Au pairs in New Canaan volunteered to decorate 60 of the white cotton masks. An international group from Brazil, the Czech Republic, Peru, New Zealand, Germany, Colombia, Latvia, South Africa and Poland participated.
During the month of November, the group participated in an individual Turkey Trot 5K and raised $310 which was donated to the CT Food Bank. We celebrated doing good for others while promoting healthy habits.
To add cheer to the holidays for New Canaan’s elderly residents, au pairs decorated dozens of hand made cards that were distributed along with poinsettias and cookies to Staying Put in New Canaan clients. During virtual meetings in December, the girls shared holiday traditions and recipes from their home countries, promoting the cultural exchange which is the heart of the au pair program.
It is very important to review each child’s backpack 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):
When Staying Put in New Canaan asked for help decorating face masks to be included in food baskets being delivered as part of it’s Celebration of Generations virtual luncheon, Au Pair in America au pairs in New Canaan volunteered to decorate 60 of the white cotton masks. An international group from Brazil, the Czech Republic, Peru, New Zealand, Germany, Colombia, Latvia, South Africa and Poland enjoyed doing something good for the community that has welcomed them so warmly.
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:
Independence Day, or July 4th, commemorates the day the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. It is a day of celebration, relaxation and hopefully safe times with family and friends. Often, this day is focused on BBQs and fireworks. To learn more about the historical context, read on.
Abraham Lincoln: https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/declaration.htm
Now, my countrymen, if you have been taught doctrines conflicting with the great landmarks of the Declaration of Independence; if you have listened to suggestions which would take away from its grandeur, and mutilate the fair symmetry of its proportions; if you have been inclined to believe that all men are not created equal in those inalienable rights enumerated by our chart of liberty, let me entreat you to come back. Return to the fountain whose waters spring close by the blood of the Revolution. Think nothing of me – take no thought for the political fate of any man whomsoever – but come back to the truths that are in the Declaration of Independence. You may do anything with me you choose, if you will but heed these sacred principles. You may not only defeat me for the Senate, but you may take me and put me to death. While pretending no indifference to earthly honors, I do claim to be actuated in this contest by something higher than an anxiety for office. I charge you to drop every paltry and insignificant thought for any man’s success. It is nothing; I am nothing; Judge Douglas is nothing. But do not destroy that immortal emblem of Humanity – the Declaration of American Independence.
Frederick Douglass –Frederick Douglass was a fiery orator and his speeches were often published in various abolitionist (anti-slavery) newspapers. His well-known speech presented in Rochester, New York, on July 5, 1852, is often studied in literature classes today. Douglass moved to Rochester in 1847, when he became the publisher of The North Star, an abolitionist weekly. There were approximately 500 attendees who heard him speak, each paying twelve and a half cents.
The links below include transcripts of the speech, a live version read by James Earl Jones and a virtual free class on it being offered over the next few days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0baE_CtU08
https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/what-to-the-slave-is-the-fourth-of-july/
https://stbarts.org/event/1829422-2020-07-01-frederick-douglass-fourth-of-july-oration/
President Harry S. Truman , July 4 1951:
The principles of the Declaration of Independence are the right principles. They are sound enough to guide us through this crisis as they have guided us through other crises of the past. Freedom can overcome tyranny in the 20th century as surely as it overcame the tyrants of the 18th century. There is a text inscribed on the Liberty Bell, the bell that rang out a hundred and seventy-five years ago to announce the signing of the Declaration of Independence. When the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly ordered that bell for the statehouse in Philadelphia, they directed that it should bear certain words, “well-shaped in large letters.” You remember what those words were: “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” We should write these words again today. We should write them in everything we do in this country—”well-shaped in large letters”—by every deed and act, so that the whole world can read them.
Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus” (1883) – Written to raise funds for the base of the Statue of Liberty, this famous poem is engraved on it for all to see. The lines “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” speak volumes to the nation of immigrants. Emma Lazarus was an American author of poetry, prose, and translations, as well as an activist for Jewish causes. She wrote the sonnet “The New Colossus” in 1883. Its lines appear inscribed on a bronze plaque, installed in 1903, on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. https://poets.org/poem/new-colossus?gclid=CjwKCAjwi_b3BRAGEiwAemPNU5p8KNMlkalKwZA7Dl3rY8BZMLinfQVoU6N1Tv_6_mV62I7P7IAaVhoCIbYQAvD_BwE
Claude McKay, “America” (1921) – A love sonnet written by a leader of the Harlem Rennaissance, “America” portrays the poet’s adoration for the country while, at the same time, confronting the troubles he has seen in his community. https://shenandoahliterary.org/blog/2014/03/america-by-claude-mckay-1921/
With freedom comes responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt
These are au pairs who embrace all aspects of the au pair program (volunteering, attending monthly cluster activities, attending webinars, discovering new places) and for those going above and beyond, sharing their culture through Global Awareness. For complete details: https://www.aupairinamerica.com/pdf/apia-explorer.pdf
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 usually exchange cards at school.
Are you looking for Valentine’s Day activity, recipe and craft ideas? Look no further… Au Pair in America has a Pinterest pinboard devoted to Valentine’s Day.
Photo: Clever Cupcakes (Flickr)
Sore throat and runny nose are usually the first signs of a cold, followed by coughing and sneezing. Most people recover in about 7-10 days. You can help reduce your risk of getting a cold: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with sick people, and don’t touch your face with unwashed hands.
Common colds are the main reason that children miss school and adults miss work. Each year in the United States, there are millions of cases of the common cold. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more.
Most people get colds in the winter and spring, but it is possible to get a cold any time of the year. Symptoms usually include:
Most people recover within about 7-10 days. However, people with weakened immune systems, asthma, or respiratory conditions may develop serious illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Help reduce your risk of getting a cold by washing hands often with soap and water.
Viruses that cause colds can spread from infected people to others through the air and close personal contact. You can also get infected through contact with stool (poop) or respiratory secretions from an infected person. This can happen when you shake hands with someone who has a cold, or touch a surface, like a doorknob, that has respiratory viruses on it, then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose.
You can help reduce your risk of getting a cold:
Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette: always cough and sneeze into a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, completely covering your mouth and nose.
If you have a cold, you should follow these tips to help prevent spreading it to other people:
There is no vaccine to protect you against the common cold.
There is no cure for a cold. To feel better, you should get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Over-the-counter medicines may help ease symptoms but will not make your cold go away any faster. Always read the label and use medications as directed. Talk to your doctor before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines, since some medicines contain ingredients that are not recommended for children. Learn more about symptom relief of upper respiratory infections, including colds.
Antibiotics will not help you recover from a cold caused by a respiratory virus. They do not work against viruses, and they may make it harder for your body to fight future bacterial infections if you take them unnecessarily. Learn more about when antibiotics work.
You should call your doctor if you or your child has one or more of these conditions:
You should also call your doctor right away if you are at high risk for serious flu complications and get flu symptoms such as fever, chills, and muscle or body aches. People at high risk for flu complications include young children (younger than 5 years old), adults 65 years and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
Your doctor can determine if you or your child has a cold or the flu and can recommend treatment to help with symptoms.
Many different respiratory viruses can cause the common cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common. Rhinoviruses can also trigger asthma attacks and have been linked to sinus and ear infections. Other viruses that can cause colds include respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza viruses, adenovirus, human coronaviruses, and human metapneumovirus.
The flu, which is caused by influenza viruses, also spreads and causes illness around the same time as the common cold. Because these two illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, flu symptoms are worse than the common cold and can include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue (tiredness). Flu can also have very serious complications. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and best way to prevent the flu. If you get the flu, antiviral drugs may be a treatment option.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
