Yearly Archives: 2020

Avoid Falling Victim to Scammers

There are always people out there who are looking for ways to trick people out of their money and personal information. There have been several new scams recently, so we are going to explain ways to identify scams and how to protect yourself.

SCAM #1 – A caller says they are a contact tracer and you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and asks you to pay for a test kit.

  • Contact tracers will not ask you for payment.

What to do? Do not give any payment information to someone who calls you on the phone.

SCAM #2 – Calls asking for your PIN, password, personal information or a payment.

  • Your bank will not call you and ask you for your PIN number or password.
  • IRS and Social Security Administration will not ask you for payment or personal info over the phone. Government agencies usually handle issues like this by sending a letter.
  • The number shown on caller ID can be manipulated, don’t take that as a sign that a call is legitimate.

What to do? Whenever you are in doubt, hang up and call the bank (or company) directly using a number you already have for them.

SCAM #3 – Email asking you to click a link to verify your personal information or share your password or PIN.

  • Be very suspicious of emails asking you to click links.
  • Scammers are very good at creating official looking emails and webpages.

What to do? Whenever you are in doubt, go directly to the website (not using the link in the email).

SCAM #4 – You see an offer online telling you to send them some money and they will double it or a pop-up ad says that you have won a great prize and just need to give them your information.

  • When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

What to do? Do not give your personal information or any money to people you don’t know.

SCAM #5 – You receive a call and you are told to stay on the phone while you go transfer or withdraw money from the bank and if you don’t you will be arrested or your bank account seized.

  • They are using the idea that this is an urgent situation to make you act quickly without thinking to avoid the consequence they have told you.

What to do? Do not follow their instructions.

Whenever you are in doubt, do not do as the caller or email asks. Check with your host parents or community counselor.

One other note: It is very important to keep your social security number private. There are very few situations where you will need to share this (bank, IRS, motor vehicles). Those are times you are taking an action and need to provide it. There is not a legitimate time where someone would be calling you on the phone or emailing you asking for that number.

Image: Canva.com

Family Emergency Preparedness

September is Emergency Preparedness Month and a great time to update your family’s emergency plan. Here are other good things you can do to prepare for the unexpected:

  1. Review my Emergency Preparedness presentation of natural disasters that can affect us here in Southern California
  2. Download Los Angeles County’s Emergency Survival Guide 
  3. Share your family’s emergency plan with your Au Pair and provide tips on how she can practice the plan with the children.

Connecting with the World Around You – Virtually

Connecting with the World Around You – Virtually!

Maybe this isn’t the year you thought it would be in the United States, but you can still explore areas of interest, new ideas and expand you mind from a safe location.  Below are some great ideas – many of them “tried and true” that can get your brain moving, provide opportunities to learn about U.S. culture, and maybe even inspire you!

Volunteer!

  • OnlineVolunteering.org – United Nations Volunteers; all online; opportunities include translation, art & design, writing & editing, teaching, research, advocacy, and more.
  • TranslatorsWithoutBorders.org – provide translations
  • Smithsonian Digital Volunteers – si.edu/volunteer/DigitalVolunteers – online volunteer opportunities include transcription and correcting / updating Wikipaedia entries
  • Zooniverse.org – some very cool research projects you can do online; check out the language projects!
  • ReadingPartners.org – once accepted to the program, serve as reading support for a child
  • VolunteerMatch.com – search for posted volunteer opportunities

Free Classes of Interest

  • VarsityTutors.com
  • EDx.org
  • Coursera.org
  • FutureLearn.com

 

View Online 

No free trials, just download the app and watch something new! All clips or short content in a wide variety of topics.  Totally FREE!

  • Smithsonian (app)
  • History Channel (app)
  • PBS SoCal: (public television for all https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/
  • FreeCableTV (app) – Full television shows, including news

Virtual Tourism

  • TripAdvisor.com United States Virtual Tour https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-c55689/United-States:Virtual.Tour.html
  • GlassTire.com – 5 minute tours of art museums in Texas
  • VirtualYosemite.org – interactive virtual tourism at one of our greatest National Parks
  • VirtualVisitTours.com – 360o views of Ireland’s vacation destinations
  • BBC.co.uk – aerial views of Scotland
  • GoogleArts&Culture (App) art and commentary at museums all over the world

Go for a Drive or a Hike – IRL

  • CaliforniaThroughMyLens.com
  • DiscoverTheForest.org

 

Social Distancing: Free Virtual Escape Rooms

Libraries may be closed due to COVID-19, but many librarians are coming up with creative ideas to keep people entertained and promote literacy. One of those creative ideas is free virtual escape rooms. With a variety of themes, some may be fun to do on your own, others as activities with the kids.

Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA created this Hogwarts Virtual Escape Room. She shared this tutorial on how to create your own virtual escape room, which seemed to spark the creativity of many other librarians.

Some amazing librarians all over the country have been busy creating virtual escape rooms with a variety of themes.

Special thanks to the Humboldt County Library in Winnemucca, Nevada for gathering info on many of these escape rooms. Follow them on Facebook for their storytimes and weekly Facebook Live Science Time on Fridays.

Image: Canva.com

How to engage children in play

Children need to have physical activity and brain-developing activities every day. 1 It helps them to grow into smart and socially acceptable adults.  The process of play is the important part, not the end result 3

Learning through Play involves an active, alert, but not-stressed framed of mind. 3 Children must have the opportunity to play and learn in a place where they feel secure and without the fear of failure.  This state of mind allows them to learn new skills. 3

Why engage them?

Meaningful activities build the child’s knowledge, help them learn to interact appropriately, and become more social. 1 Activities like reading and playing develop imagination and creativity and also help in developing brain function. 1 By engaging children, you can easily increase their ability to focus and concentrate. 1

Engaging children in play allows them to explore, identify a sense of self, and create meaning – it can help shape the brain, by creating pathways in the brain. Children who practice meaningful play are more likely to have good memory, strong language and to regulate their own behavior. 3

How can I engage them?

Listening to their developmental status and their interests is important.  When adults model behavior, children learn how to act (such as being polite and trying again). 1

Your interest in their activities, and your comments will help your children use toys productively and learn as they play 4  You can mimic their behavior and create new ways to play as you work alongside the children. 4 Asking questions helps children get started (such as: “Oh, that fell down, didn’t it? Can you put it back on top?”) 4  Ask open-ended questions to encourage the child to think more and express ideas (such as “Why do you think that happened?” Instead of “Did you think that would happen?”)2

Focus on your child’s particular strengths and find a way to use them in the play activities so they can feel successful.  3 Keep activities simple by using only a few rules, or break down the steps into smaller pieces of information, then model or show the child how to participate in the activity. 3 Use the type of play that the child enjoys to build confidence and self-esteem before trying something new. 3

Different Types of Play

In Constructive Play children experiment with objects in their environment (like blocks or sand) to create new things. This is important for children to become empowered and have a sense of control.  3

Movement Play, such as dance or climbing, teaches children to think in motion. 3

Social Play allows children to interact and learn social rules such as sharing, give and take, reasoning, and relationships with others. § You can model behavior for the child or tell him what to say.

Imaginative Play allows children to try out new roles and scenarios, so they can exercise problem solving, use new language, and express different emotions in a safe environment. 3 You don’t need to have many children together to do this, you can be the pirate while the child is the princess.  Imaginative pretend play encourages children to act out scenarios in their world, such as taking on the role of a doctor or patient, a restaurant waiter or customer, or a shopper in a grocery store. 4

With what activities can I engage them?

  • Play Pretend based on whatever they like (we are looking for dinosaur bones, or we are baking a cake)
  • Build with blocks and talk about what you are building
  • Race toy cars and pretend the cars are alive
  • See who can jump rope or swing a hula-hoop the longest
  • Wash and Sort Vegetables1
  • Paint or draw together (on the same page or side-by-side)
  • Go on a treasure hunt 1
  • Play a board game 1
  • After reading a story, talk about how the story is like their own life 4

References:

1. https://flintobox.com/blog/parenting/ways-engage-children-indoors

2. http://resourcesforearlylearning.org/educators/module/20/7/19/

3. https://www.ptonthenet.com/articles/how-to-engage-children-in-play-time-for-groups-and-individuals-4168

4. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/support-learning-with-play

For more, including videos about engaging children: http://resourcesforearlylearning.org/educators/module/20/7/20/

 

Social Distancing: 5 Apps to Plan Your Future Trips

Being spontaneous and just traveling to a place and deciding what to do as you go along can be fun. But, there are benefits to doing research and planning before your trips. These ideas are to help you make general plans. You shouldn’t book any tickets or make any financial commitments until you know when travel will safely resume.

Planning can help you:

  • Save money
  • Make the best use of your time
  • Fit in more adventures
  • Visit places you might not have heard of before

It also extends the joy of the travel time. Planning all the thing you will do, gives you something to look forward to. We can all use things to look forward to right now.

If you are looking for travel inspiration and ideas or a place to keep your travel ideas organized, Pinterest is a great place to start. You can browse other people’s travel and bucket list pinboards. You can create your own pinboards for places you want to go and ones you have already visited.

These three apps are all trip planners and offer the ability to research places and create your own itinerary. Each one has its own look and feel and slightly different features. Download them and see which one is the best fit for you.

Road trips can be the ultimate adventure. You set your own pace and stop to see what you want. The journey can be as much fun as your destination.

  • Road Trippers is an app that helps you plan the ultimate road trip. It helps you determine your route and find interesting stops along the way.

We won’t be stuck inside forever. Once travel resumes, be ready with your plans!

Photo: Natacha R. from France

Social Distancing: 5 Online Adventures for Kids

Reading, playing, and doing art projects are always great ways to entertain children and keep them physically active and learning. It’s a good idea to limit screen time. But, in this time of social distancing, technology can play an important role in allowing kids to see and connect with the world outside of their homes. Many online resources are popping up to create those opportunities.

Here are five to get you started:

And if kids have questions about the coronavirus, Live Science has created an ultimate kids’ guide to the new coronavirus that has lots of information and is appropriate for school-aged kids.

Social Distancing: 10 Things You CAN Do Right Now

Social distancing is important right now to help slow the spread of coronavirus. This means avoiding places where you come in contact with lots of people (schools, movies, restaurants, museums, concerts, parties, etc.)  I am sure you keep hearing a lot about the things you should not do.

It’s also important to have ideas of things you can do. There are plenty of activities you can do at home and away from crowds.

While we can’t control many things going on right now in the world, we can choose how we deal with it.

“She turned her can’ts into cans
and her dreams into plans.” – Kobi Yamada

 

Here are 10 things you CAN do right now:

  • Stay connected with your friends and family via social media, texting, and Skype.
  • Go for a walk or run on your own. As long as you don’t go to a populated place, it’s fine to go out for some exercise.
  • Enjoy nature. That could be sitting outside in your backyard on a nice day or walking on a nature trail.
  • Read a book or listen to an audiobook or podcast. Getting lost in a story is a great way to take your mind off of things. Or if you pick a non-fiction book or podcast you may learn something new. You could even create an online book club or podcast discussion group with friends.
  • Do yoga. Yoga can be a great way to relieve stress and maintain your fitness. There are many free yoga videos on Youtube. Sign up here to receive daily emails for 30 Days of Yoga.
  • Take virtual tours of museums online.*
  • Make memories in the kitchen.* Cooking recipes from your home country is a great way to share your culture with your host family and give yourself a taste of home. Cooking classic American recipes is a way to continue your cultural exchange. You can find lots of recipes online. Also, you will be able to share that taste of America with your own family by cooking some of these recipes after you return home at the end of your program.
  • Have an online watch party with friends. When you watch a movie alone do you miss talking to a friend about what’s happening? Pick a time and a movie and from your individual homes you each stream the movie on Netflix at the same time. You can text or do a group chat during the movie.
  • Make top 10 lists of your favorite things like movies, foods, songs and more. Share and compare lists with your friends. You may find out some things you didn’t know about each other and get some ideas for new things to try.
  • Research and plan trips to places you want to visit while in the U.S.* This time of social distancing won’t last forever. Use this time to do some research online and make plans. This will help you make the most of those trips when you get to take them a few months from now. It will also give you something to look forward to.

*Future blog posts in this series will have more detailed information on these topics.

 

Dealing with Social Distancing

The coronavirus has caused lots of temporary changes to our daily routines. Right now, we are being asked to practice “social distancing” to reduce the spread of the virus.

What is social distancing?
Social distancing is a way to keep people from interacting as closely or frequently enough to spread the virus. Schools, sporting events and concerts are being canceled. People are being asked to stay at home more to avoid being in contact with a large number of people.

What are some ways to take care of yourself?
Some people may feel anxious, lonely or frustrated and that is totally normal. It can be very helpful to talk with friends and family about those feelings. It helps to know that others are going through these same emotions. Reach out to your community counselor if you need support during this time.

It is very important to practice good self-care. Connect with people you love via Skype and text, maintain a healthy diet, stay active, make plans for things you want to do once things get back to normal. Staying out of crowds doesn’t have to mean just staying in the home. You can go for walks and enjoy nature. Both exercise and spending time in nature are beneficial for your mental health.

Where can you get practical tips for dealing with social distancing?
We recognize that some of these changes will require patience and resourcefulness. During this time, we will be doing a series of blog posts with resources to assist you with two specific aspects of this situation:

  • Ideas for keeping the kids occupied (while they are home from school)
  • Ways to continue your cultural exchange from home

Photo: Meg Willis