Tag Archives: safety

Flu Shot Reminder

With the weather turning cold and winter fast approaching,  many host parents will ask you to get a Flu Shot to protect you from becoming ill with influenza. The news is reporting that this winter is expected to be a very bad flu season.
While I agree that taking more medicine than is necessary is not a good idea, I am also a strong believer in Flu shots.  My family and I got our Flu shots for the year in September, as we have every year for the past 10 years.
Having the shot will help keep you healthy, but mainly it’s about not exposing the children you care for.  Unfortunately thousands of people in the U.S. still die from the flu every year – usually small children and the elderly. So lets make sure we don’t accidentally infect our little ones!
Unfortunately, your medical insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a flu shot, but most Host Parents are willing to pay the $40 or so that it costs at the local drug store ($20 at Costco if your host family has a membership).  The LA County Public Library offers free flu shots at different locations each week from now through the fall.  And the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website has lots of information about Flu Shots, including low-cost Flu Clinics.

Three Ways for Au Pairs to Stay Red Cross Ready

Being knowledgeable in basic first aid and CPR is important for au pairs (and anyone else caring for children). Au Pair in America’s commitment to infant/child safety begins before au pairs arrive to the U.S., with pre-arrival training and continue throughout the au pair year.

#1 Training At Orientation

Our orientation includes seminars by American Red Cross instructors who provide hands-on demonstrations in infant/child CPR and safety. Printed materials are provided that reinforce the safety information and can be used to review from time to time.

#2 Enroll in a Red Cross Certification Class

After settling into their host community, all au pairs are encouraged to complete an Infant/Child CPR and First Aid certification program. Au Pair in America will pay for this training through the American Red Cross.

Classes are available through the Red Cross. Au Pair in America will pay for the cost of a class providing an au pair has at least six months left on her visa and is taking one of several approved childcare/child safety-related classes, such as Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. Au pairs should check with their community counselor and host family before signing up. Au Pair in America will register the au pair directly.

To locate a class, visit www.redcross.org/takeaclass. For step-by-step instructions on how to locate a class and have Au Pair in America complete enrollment, click here.

#3 Stay Current on Safety Information

The Official American Red Cross First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. Available for iPhone and Android devices, this app gives you instant access to the information you need to know to handle the most common first aid emergencies. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice, it’s never been easier to know first aid. Download the app for free from the American Red Cross website or in your app store.

Photos: Robin Leon

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.

10 Tips for Summer Safety

  1. Remember to bring along drinks, especially water. Try to get children to drink water every 20 minutes, when they are outside in hot weather.
  2. Pay attention to surfaces that can be hot against children’s skin, such as metal slides and other playground equipment in the sun.
  3. 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.
  4. Young babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.
  5. Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.
  6. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, even if it appears overcast (cloudy).
  7. Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.
  8. 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.”
  9. Use insect repellent spray to keep away mosquitos and ticks. Ask your host parents before applying.
  10. 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)

SaveSave

May is National Water Safety Month

 

With summer right around the corner, now is a good time to remind yourself of important water safety guidelines.  It is important for all adults in the children’s lives to be on the same page about swimming pool rules, and an even better idea to use a Water Watcher Card for each child you take to the beach or pool.

According to Stop Drowning Now, a national water-safety organization, a Water Watcher Card is an important lifesaving tool.  “The Water Watcher Card is to be worn by a responsible adult whose only job is to actively supervise the children in the water for a specific amount of time ([such as] 15-minute shifts).  Water watcher tags are critical during parties or large gatherings. In 94% of the instances when a child drowns, adults thought another adult was watching the child. Water watcher tags are helpful in taking the guesswork out of “who is watching the children.“*[ http://www.stopdrowningnow.org]

A Water Watcher Card is a laminated reminder card attached to an elastic bracelet or lanyard.

Several different versions are available as free downloads:

or you can order them already made:

Brush up on important swimming safety tips:

“8 Life-Saving Water Safety Rules Every Parent Needs to Know” (Parents Magazine)

“Water Safety” (Kids Health)

“The Ultimate Guide to Swimming Safety For Kids” (Mom Loves Best)

“13 Water Safety Tips Every Parent Should Know” (via Buzzfeed)

“Water Safety: Tips for Parents of Young Children” “Healthy Children.org)