On Sunday, November 22 Au Pair in America Au Pairs from Long Island and Westchester attended the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City. Everyone loved it! There are some changes to the show which made it even more fun this year. This year we had 200 au pairs attend the performance. Check out the show! 
Tag Archives: live in childcare Long Island
Good bye to Wonderful Au Pairs whose Year has Ended!
Au Pairs spend one or up to two years in the USA with host families. They experience our culture, care for American children, study in USA colleges, visit places in our country and share their culture with us. It is a rich, rewarding experience for all involved. Here are some pictures of wonderful young women who have completed their time her in the USA. Their Community Counselor, Cindy Garruba presents them with their education certificate and a good bye gift. Some have also earned a Global Awareness certificate for teaching a lesson in their host child’s class about their country.
Halloween Safety Tips
Ana carves pumpkin with her host kids!
- Kids must trick or treat with an adult, HAVE FUN AND TRICK OR TREAT WITH YOUR HOST KIDS! (even if you are going to a party later!)
- Stay in familiar neighborhoods
- Walk, don’t run
- Stay on sidewalks if possible
- Obey traffic signals, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic
- Don’t cut across yards or driveways
- Only go to homes that have lights on, never go inside a house of a stranger
- Carry a flashlight, wear reflective markings or tape
- Make sure costumes do not drag on the floor and wear shoes that fit, even if they don’t match the costume
- Good makeup job is better than a mask that might obstruct your vision
- Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props
- Stay away from pets you don’t know
- Check the candy before eating, better yet let the parents decide what the kids can eat
Other ways to have Halloween Fun
- Help the kids (and you) plan/make/buy your costumes
- Decorate the house for Halloween
- Read age appropriate Halloween stories with your host kids
- Watch an age appropriate Halloween DVD with your host kids
- Have a costume contest
- Help hand out candy to the Trick or Treaters
- Trick or Treat for a good cause, like UNICEF
- Carve or paint pumpkins with your host family
- Go to the kid’s school if they have a Halloween activity like a costume parade or party that family can attend
- Go to a farm, pick pumpkins, walk through a corn maze, go to a haunted house (again that might be just fun with your au pair friends – sometimes too scary for kids
- Enjoy Halloween with your host family and your friends!
Annual Au Pair in America NYC Scavenger Hunt
A wonderful day was spent in NYC with over 200 au pairs from Au Pair in America. All of these au pairs live on Long Island, NYC, Westchester or Connecticut. 20 Community Counselors from APIA organized the event and met the au pairs on the steps of the main NYC library. They had a list of 30 items to find! 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th prize certificates and prizes were awarded. 6 au pairs won raffles prizes for wearing their APIA t-shirt. 
This activity is a lot of fun for everyone involved. The au pairs learn a lot about NYC and many return to take a closer look at the items on the list in future visits to NYC. APIA Community Counselors arrange monthly meetings for their cluster of au pairs. Some are educational meetings and some are cultural activities. All these meetings foster friendships between au pairs and give them opportunities to learn more about the communities within in which they reside with host families. 
Au Pairs Canoe on the Nissequoque River
A group of Long Island Au Pair in America au pairs and two Community Counselors spent this Sunday afternoon canoeing for 2 hours on the Nissequoque River. It was a beautiful day. We passed ducks, swans, egrets and lots of other people enjoying the river.
The au pairs each teamed up with 3 to a canoe. They took turns paddling and navigating their way down the lazy river. It was fun to see the other people on the river.
When we got to the end, Community Counselor Cindy Garruba presented Maria Tarnopolskaia from Germany with her Education Completion Certificate and a good bye gift. This was Maria’s last cluster meeting before returning home to Germany!
Happy Father’s Day Host Dads!
Suffolk County Au Pair in America Au Pairs really have great Host Dads. Some au pairs wanted to let us know how much they admire their host fathers with the comments below:
My host dad is a good host dad because he makes me feel at home and as a part of his family.
My host dad is a good host dad because he always teaches children to play sports and how telling the truth is important!
My host dad is great because he has mean banter and the same sense of humor as me.
What I have learned from my Host dad is that children need love and boundaries to turn into great people one day.
My host dad is a good host dad because he is so patient and always take time with kids.
My host dad is a good host dad cause especially when I am sad he makes fun to make me laugh and smile.
My host dad knows how to make my wishes true. We are going to the US Open 2015 together ;).
My hostdad is an amazing dad. He cares for his children and wants to spent as much time as possible with them. With me he is the same way. It feels like I am really important to him and he wants me to be happy. I am glad to have a host dad like him. He is just great.
My host dad is a good host dad because he is always ready to help with anything I need, and answer any of my questions. He is smart and funny and he is a great father. His children are lucky to have him.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO AU PAIR IN AMERICA HOST DADS!
Au Pairs Walk the High Line
On Sunday, May 17th some Long Island Au Pairs from Au Pair in America walked with their Community Counselors on the NYC High Line. It was a nice afternoon for everyone. You can learn more about the NYC High Line by clicking on this link.
Au Pairs Graduate from SCCC ESL Program!
Suffolk County Community College has an excellent ESL program for adult students. Many Au Pair in America au pairs choose SCCC for their required college classes. Since there are 5 levels of English classes to graduate from the ESL program, often au pairs will extend for a second year because they want to complete the 5 levels.
SCCC held ESL graduation on Friday, May 15th at 7:30 PM at the Van Nostrand Auditorium on the Grant or Western Campus of the college. The ceremony was very moving with several graduates telling stories about their journey to the USA and why they came. The au pairs all dressed up, friends, host families, and even a family from Germany came to watch their au pairs graduate.
This Spring 6 Au Pair in America Au Pairs graduated from the ESL program. Congratulations to Maria Tarnopolskaia, Judith Berthold, Carolin Maier, Min Wu, Nathalie Wurfel and Manuela Nascimento. As their Community Counselor, Cindy Garruba was happy to attend the ceremony and congratulated each individually with roses.
2 au pairs writings were featured in the program tonight. 
The State Department requires each au pair attend an accredited College or University for 6 credits or 72 hours of post secondary education for each year in the USA. Host families contribute $500 towards this education requirement. One semester of ESL satisfies the requirement, but many au pairs attend for several semesters. Au Pairs can stay for 2 years in America.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Sunday, May 10th is Mother’s Day! I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Host Moms for all they do for their Au Pairs. I hope the day is extra special and that you each have time to enjoy the day with your families!
“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” Zora Neale Hurston
MOTHER’S DAY AROUND THE WORLD
A special day in the honor of mothers, Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries around the world though on different dates. In a large number of countries including US, Mothers Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May, but in many other countries Mothers Day is celebrated in an entirely different time of the year. But what ever may be the date of Mother’s Day around the world, the spirit is the same everywhere. Everywhere in the world mothers are respected for their extreme devotion towards their kids. And on Mother’s Day children pay their humblest tribute to their mothers and thank them for giving them birth and providing them with the best of care and upbringing.
A special day in the honor of mothers, Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries around the world though on different dates. In a large number of countries including US, Mothers Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May, but in many other countries Mothers Day is celebrated in an entirely different time of the year. But what ever may be the date of Mother’s Day around the world, the spirit is the same everywhere. Everywhere in the world mothers are respected for their extreme devotion towards their kids. And on Mother’s Day children pay their humblest tribute to their mothers and thank them for giving them birth and providing them with the best of care and upbringing.
Baby Animal Day at Suffolk County Farm
Host Family & Au Pair Day 2015
Suffolk County Au Pair in America Cluster visit Suffolk County Farm for Baby Animal Day!
Saturday, May 2nd the Suffolk County Au Pair in America au pairs and their host families enjoyed Baby Animal Day at Suffolk County Farm.
The highlights included:
- Playing with the baby animals in the nursery
- Chicks hatching and petting them
- Wagon rides
- Petting a caterpillar and crafts in the butterfly house
- Sand art
- Long Island Antique Power Association equipment demo
- Music in the Gazebo
- Sheep shearing demo
- Watching the calves being fed
- Pony rides
- Picnic lunch and playing in the playground
- Coloring, stickers and temporary tattoos with Au Pair in America
There were llamas, sheep, pigs, rabbits, cows and other farm animals. Suffolk County Farm is a working farm owned by the county. It is a wonderful place to visit with your family. http://ccesuffolk.org/suffolk-county-farm