Au Pair in America Au Pairs from all over Fairfield County Connecticut came together August 22, 2018 to play miniature golf, say farewell to summer, and hello to some new friends. 
Category Archives: Fun Things We Do
10 Tips for Summer Safety
- Remember to bring along drinks, especially water. Try to get children to drink water every 20 minutes, when they are outside in hot weather.
- Pay attention to surfaces that can be hot against children’s skin, such as metal slides and other playground equipment in the sun.
- 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.
- Young babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.
- Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.
- Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, even if it appears overcast (cloudy).
- Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.
- 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.”
- Use insect repellent spray to keep away mosquitos and ticks. Ask your host parents before applying.
- 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)
Coffee at Compo Beach Cluster Meeting
The weather did not cooperate but Westport Au Pairs had fun anyway getting together for Coffee and Donuts at Compo Beach brick pavilion Friday June 1. 
Trampoline Jumping Fun
Westport, Weston and Wilton clusters enjoyed a fun evening at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Norwalk, where they jumped, played dodgeball, climbed rock walls and jousted. 
Westport Au Pairs Volunteer
Westport Au Pairs volunteered to face paint again at this year’s Westport-Weston Cooperative Nursery School fundraiser Touch a Truck Saturday April 28, They made the children’s day!
Government Cluster Meeting
Just in time for Presidents’ weekend and holiday, Au Pairs from Westport, Wilton and Weston gathered at the Weston Library to learn about our American government, while at the same time making some new friends. Au Pairs teamed up to do a Democracy in the USA word search, then listened to a power point presentation about our 3 branches of government. They learned what each branch does, how many terms Senators, Representatives and the President can serve and what happens if a President dies or has to leave office early. In teams of 4/5, Au Pairs then worked together to complete a fun quiz on the information. Refreshments were provided. Prizes were awarded and everyone got a chance to meet some new friends.
Ice Skating at Longshore
Brave Westport, Wilton and Weston Au Pairs who did not mind the cold met at Westport’s Longshore Pal Rink to socialize and ice skate Monday January 8th. Most of us stayed in the warming hut and ate, but Patt and Wichida took to the ice. They had the entire rink to themselves and had a lot of fun!
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Holiday Party
Westport Au Pairs had a lot of laughs and good food at our annual International Holiday Party. Au Pairs from around the world brought their favorite holiday dishes for everyone to share. They worked in pairs trying to unscramble some holiday words and in teams created beautiful New Year’s Eve dresses from plastic tablecloths, ribbons and wrapping paper. Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2018! 
Avoiding Homesickness this Holiday Season
Homesickness can be a problem during the holidays, even if it hasn’t been at any other time of the year. Au pairs often miss their friends and family, familiar places and their own traditions and customs. The holiday activities in the United States seem, and may actually be, different just at a time when an au pair would welcome something familiar.
It is common for au pairs’ emotions to be close to the surface during the holidays. Her highs are higher, her lows are lower. The enormity of what she has done–actually living in another country (which is an amazing thing when you think about it!)–hits her and throws her into a self-protective mode.
Host parents can help her through this unfamiliar territory by talking to her about what your specific family activities will be (gifts, meals, visitors, religious services, in-home traditions, or none of these, as the case may be.) In the spirit of cultural exchange, ask her if she has any favorite holiday traditions or foods that you might be able to incorporate into your family’s celebration of the season. Let her know what you will be doing, when you will be doing it, and what she can expect. Talk to her about what has to be accomplished and get her involved and interested. Don’t expect her to just “know” what needs to be done. Give her some clear, agreed upon assignments. Make her feel a part of things. And, let her know her contribution is needed and appreciated.
Photo: Sheila Sund (Flickr)
5 Thanksgiving Tips for Au Pairs & Host Parents
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.
“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany
Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.
Host Parents
1. Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.
2. If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.
Au Pairs
3. If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.
4. Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.
5. If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.
Bonus Tip for the Kids
If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.
Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)