Category Archives: Host Family Tips

September Au Pair Cluster Meeting

AP's Sept 2011 023 webThe Suffolk County cluster of Au Pair in America meeting in September was filled with au pairs and with important information.  Cindy Garruba, Senior Community Counselor advised all host families to make sure their au pair attended this important meeting.

All summer long Au Pairs were arriving in Suffolk County.  Some of them came to families whose former au pair had completed her time as an au pair and was heading home to her own country.  Some were coming to new host families!  Along with au pairs who have been in the country several months, the new au pairs gathered at Cindy Garruba’s home.  They had lessons on safe driving led by Cindy, always a high priority for all au pairs.  Cindy also taught the au pairs about managing the needs of their host children going back to school; things like handling the stressful morning on school days, safe trips to the bus stop, communicating with school through the back pack, and advice from teachers.

AP's Sept 2011 027 webAlong with the valuable lessons learned, the au pairs also had a chance to talk about themselves.  They each told the group their name, their country, when they arrived in the USA, where their host family lives in Suffolk County, how many and the ages of their host children.  The group includes au pairs from Europe, Asia and South America.  Everyone made new friends!

Au Pair in America Partners with AAA

AAA

The most trusted choice for live-in childcare, Au Pair in America has partnered with AAA, the nation’s most trusted name in driver safety and instruction, to offer a custom course specifically designed for au pairs. This course differs from those offered in your community, in that AAA has taken the best of several of their courses, adapted them to be the most accessible to the au pair population, with special focus on driver and child passenger safety.  Key components of the course include:

  • Driver Safety
  • Child passenger safety (car seats, communication, expectations)
  • Communication and traffic devices
  • Vehicle Awareness (understanding what your vehicle is “telling you.”)
  • Reducing Risks while Driving (includes defensive driving techniques, phone/texting issues, and drinking and driving awareness)

kids-car-safety-toddler

This  AAA course designed exclusively for Au Pair In America.  Course includes a combination of lecture, group exercises, video/other media to ensure the maximum understanding to speakers of other languages or newly arrived to the US participants.

 

  young-woman-driving

 

All Host Families with au pairs arriving into the USA in 2011 will receive more information about this new course and how their au pair can be enrolled!