Category Archives: Au Pair Tips

Multi Cluster Tax Meeting

Au Pairs from Westport, Weston and Wilton gathered at the Weston Field Club Wednesday March 11th to get help filing their taxes and to meet, greet and socialize with each other.  IMG_1587 IMG_1588 IMG_1589 IMG_1590 IMG_1591

Valentine’s Day Idioms

Here is a Valentine’s Day mini language lesson of American  heart idioms.  Which ones exist/don’t exist in your native language?.

List of “heart” idioms with definitions:

to have a heart of gold – to care about other people
to have a big heart – to be giving, caring
to be cold-hearted -lacking in sympathy
to wear your heart on your sleeve- to let everyone know how you feel about someone
to cross your heart and hope to die -to promise
to cry your heart out – to cry a lot and feel really bad about something
to eat your heart out – to be jealous of someone
from the bottom of your heart – to really mean something
to have a change of heart -to change your mind
to have a heart – to be compassionate, to care about other people
to have your heart in your mouth- to be scared or nervous
to have your heart set on something – to really want something
to set your heart at rest – stop worrying about something
to be soft hearted – to be sympathetic
to take something to heart- to have your feelings hurt by something someone else says or does

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  Have fun making cards for friends and family!

Halloween Safety

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

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

Try trick-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.

 

Westport Au Pairs Meet Each Other

Westport Au Pairs from Germany, South Africa, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, Colombia, and Brazil got to know each other a little better at a bagel breakfast at my house this past Sunday.  Afterwards some went sailing, shopping, or to the beach.  IMG_1474IMG_1475IMG_1476IMG_1477IMG_1478IMG_1479IMG_1481It was a glorious last day before the beginning of school!

January 2014 Calendar

School Information:  Monday January 13th Fairfield University Registration for the Spring term will be held in the Kelley Center from 9:30 a.m-1 p.m.

Norwalk Community College: Spring term will begin Friday Jan. 24th.  Register now for your classes

Join Weston and Wilton au pairs for some hot chocolate and perhaps some ice skating, too, at the Longshore PAL Ice Arena Friday January 17th at 11 a.m.  If you are watching your host children then, bring them with you!  Let’s meet in the skate rental pavilion.

Our weather has been really unusual – very cold temperatures, fog, snow and ice, all in one week!  Be safe and do not drive when it is icy, snowing or bad weather conditions.  If you must drive, give yourself lots of time and go very slowly!

Holiday Cluster Brunch

Even though I forgot to take photos and distribute all of my holiday gifts while everyone was at my house, we had a good time and some great food, thanks to all of the au pairs who shared their native dishes.  Delicious guacamole,  mushroom pie, tuna fish,  2 different kinds of potato salad, a chocolate cake, wonderful German cookies (what are they called again?),  and, of course, bagels, French Toast and Bacon, egg and cheese.  What a feast!  Thank you all for sharing a little of your holiday traditions with us.IMG_1317IMG_1319IMG_1320IMG_1322

December 2013 Calendar

December 21 – First day of winter Animals handle cold winter weather in a variety of ways. Some travel to a warmer climate. Others grow thicker fur coats so they can stay warm and active during the winter. Many animals hibernate during the coldest weather – they spend the warmer months eating and storing as much body fat as they can and then live off this extra weight as they sleep.

Visit Earthplace, Westport’s own Nature Center, which has hiking trails suitable for young children, a great playground (open to the public after nursery school hours) and a wonderful place to learn about our local animals.

Or visit our Westport LIbrary, which has wonderful programs, books, films, art and toys for all to enjoy.

December 25 – Christmas Every family and culture has their own Christmas traditions. Embrace those of your host family and share some of your own.

December 26 – Kwanzaa –This festive, non-religious African-American celebration was started in 1966. It lasts for seven days. On each day a candle is lit and the day focuses on one of seven principles.

December 31 – New Year’s Eve. Westport celebrates the New Year with First Night, an evening of family fun activities throughout downtown Westport from 4-10 p.m..  Jugglers, musicians, face painters, dancers, comedians and all sorts of other artists will be performing.  One button purchased admits you to all of the performances.  Visit http://www.firstnightww.com/ for the schedule of events, information and where to purchase your button.

Chances are you will have to work tonight, so after the kids go to bed, sit down and watch Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve and think about how to make 2014 better. Before they go to bed, you and the children can choose simple “New Year Resolutions.” Or create a keepsake of the year that is ending by making a time capsule or a scrapbook of memories. Include what are cool, slang words, popular activities, clothes, games, names of popular songs or games, and a picture of the hottest toy. If you are making a time capsule, put a date on it and decide when they will open it – in a year, 5 or even 10. Don’t forget to include a photo of you and the children! Tomorrow, the first day of the New Year, is a federal holiday.

November Calendar

November 3 – Daylight Savings Time Ends-In most parts of the country you’ll get an extra hour of sleep – set your clock back one hour.

November 5 – Election Day – Schools are closed in Westport. Looking for something to do with your host children?  Take them on a hike at Lake Mohegan in Fairfield or Earthplace, the Westport Nature Center.  If it is raining, try the Westport Library or YMCA.  Ever been to My Three Sons in Norwalk?  It is a video arcade, with bounce house and laser tag. Do you have older children?  Take them to the Museum of Natural History in NYC or the Yale Art Museum in New Haven.  Chanukah comes early this year. It is the same day as Thanksgiving so today might be a good day to get the kids to decorate the house for Chanukah or make Chanukah cards for their relatives and friends.

November 11 – Veteran’s Day
A day to honor American veterans of all wars, Veterans Day is a federal holiday

November 28 Thanksgiving – Thanksgiving dates back to the first European settlers in North America. After hardship, illness and hard work the Pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest that they shared with their Native American friends. This national holiday is a day to feast and give thanks.

November 29– Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving and is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many people have the day off, which increases the number of potential shoppers. Merchants and the media use the term Black Friday to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers are in the black i.e., turning a profit for the year. Sales are everywhere–set your alarm and hit the stores before the sun comes up to get an authentic experience this unique day!