Tag Archives: live-in childcare

The School Bus Stop Safety

school-bus-stop-color

School Starts Now – Be Safe at the Bus Stop

  1. Be on time to the bus stop so that you and your host kids get there safely
  2. Walk and hold hands to the stop
  3. Stand on the sidewalk or the the grass, not in the street
  4. Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before the children walk to the door
  5. Let the bus driver open the door, do not push it, wait
  6. Remind the children to sit on the bus and not stand, if there are seat belts, tell them to put them on.
  7. Let the bus leave before you do, just in case there is a problem
  8. Be at the afternoon return bus stop in plenty of time, before it comes
  9. The driver is not allowed to let small children off the bus unless someone greets them, so if you are not there the children will be taken back to school.  BE THERE.
  10. The bus driver will not leave until you are safely on your side of the street, so if you need to cross the street, do it in front of the bus!! 

EduCare – Childcare for School Age Children

 

Weekly News June 9th 2011

       EduCare Works for Many Families!
The summer months bring many au pairs and the year’s highest concentration of EduCare arrivals.  While we all know that EduCare companions have a different work schedule and education benefits than  au pairs, what may not be so widely known is that they also participate in a unique orientation program while in Stamford.  Both the content and the delivery are tailored to the characteristics of the au pairs and their host families, specifically to working with older host children.  It is important that the EduCare au pairs attend these orientations. In general the EduCare orientation groups tend to be smaller than the standard groups and the participants almost always have a uniformly high level of English proficiency, both receptive and spoken.  These two factors contribute to more universal participation and to more nuanced and in depth group conversations.  There is often “give and take” between the participants around cultural and child care topics, rather than simply responding to the group leader.  In these groups, it is not unusual for the EduCares to question each other or to challenge the opinions of other group members.  The discourse is at a higher and more inclusive level and there are more opportunities for critical thinking and analysis. globe-book

stack-of-books-web

EduCare Host Family Profile

 Has school aged children and requires childcare before and after school hours

 Need no more than 30 hours of child care a week

 EduCares can be placed with families that have children in pre-school full time if alternative arrangements can be made for their supervision

2011 EduCare arrival dates:

Tuesday July 5th

Monday July 25th

Monday August 1st

Monday August 15th

Monday December 5th

 
 10tips_homework

Winter Fun For Au Pairs and Host Children

winter is fun

ABC’s of Winter Fun

A is for Art – try drawing, painting or gluing
B is for Baking – bake a dessert together for dinner
C is for Clay – Use non-hardening clay or play dough to shape and mold
D is for Dance – put on a lively tape
E is for Exercise – be sure to get some everyday
F is for Friends – invite some over
G is for Greenhouse – find a local greenhouse to visit to enjoy the sights and smells
H is for House – make a playhouse from a large appliance box
I is for Ice skating – take the children to a local rink
J is for Jigsaw puzzle – be sure to pick one that isn’t too difficult
K is for Kitchen science – try a safe experiment

tea partyL is for Library – borrow some new books
M is for Movie – make one with a video camera, or watch one
N is for Necklace – make one out of cereal or macaroni
O is for Origami – learn to make simple paper creations
P is for Puppets – socks make easy and fun puppets – put on a show!
Q is for Quiet Time – everyone needs some of this
R is for Reading aloud – choose a good book and a comfortable place to sit
S is for Seeds and Suet – put out food for the birds and watch them eat
T is for Tent – make one from old blankets and chairs
U is for Unplugged – do a day with no TV
V is for Variety – try something new everyday
W is for Walk – take one in any weather (be sure to dress appropriately)
winter playingX is for Xylophone – make your own with glasses, water and a metal spoon
Y is for Year – make a calendar or scrapbook to remember the year
Z is for Zoo – play zoo, pretend to be animals in the zoo, what noises do they make?

indoor playtime

What is an Au Pair?

“Au pair” means “on par” or equal. Au are international visitors who travel to the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.

IMG_0403[1]

Hosting an au pair provides a rewarding experience to both the au pair and the family.  You and your children will learn first hand from an international visitor and you will share our culture with your au pair.  Give your children childcare “with a cultural flair.”  It is very affordable.  Take a look at our website at www.aupairinamerica.com for current fees and promotions!

Au Pairs Had A Wonderful Year

Click on the link below for a video of 2010 Au Pairs

Suffolk County Au Pairs

The Au Pair in America Au Pairs in Suffolk County enjoyed 2010 in the USA. They got together every month for meetings and fun activities. Au Pairs went to NYC often, ice skating in Bryant Park, seeing a Broadway Show, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, and competing in a Scavenger Hunt with lots of other au pairs from Au Pair in America. Au Pairs enjoyed Long Island Beaches, a Long Island Ducks Baseball game, cluster meetings at Senior Community Counselor Cindy Garruba’s home, doing Global Awareness presentations in Suffolk County classrooms and libraries, decorating a holiday tree in Stony Brook Village, and decorating HELP Suffolk Homeless Shelter’s recreation room for the holidays.

Best of all, Au Pairs enjoyed the time they spent with their new friends and their host families. Happy New Year!! May we all learn from each other and have a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Au Pair in America Celebrates 25 Years

scan0001

Au Pair in America was established in 1986 as the first federally approved au pair program in the United States.  We have established high standards of excellence, partnering with the U.S. government, international partners, our U.S. field network, AIFS staff and orientation team to provide a quality cross-cultural experience for over 87,000 au pairs from around the world and thousands of American families.  Join us in celebration…………….  From Ruth Frizell Ferry, Sr Vice President and Director, Au Pair in America aupairinamerica.com 

Holidays Around the World

On Monday, December 20th au pairs from China, Brazil, Thailand, Guatemala and Brazil visited the HELP Suffolk Homeless Shelter’s daycare center.   They did a Global Awareness lesson called “Holidays Around the World” for the children.  The class of 3 – 5 year olds loved the passports and stickers.  There were stickers for each country with a greeting of Happy New Year or Merry Christmas in the language of the au pair.  The kids learned how to say the greetings.  Marie from Germany told the kids about the Christmas tree and how the tradition began in Germany.  Then the children decorated foam trees with colorful decorations.  We ended with a story about Santa Claus and a lively round of” O Tannebaum” (O Christmas Tree)!

HELP decorating 022HELP decorating 021HELP decorating 019HELP decorating 030

International Holiday Tree in Stony Brook Village

021The Suffolk County Au Pair in America Cluster decorated a tree for the Stony Brook Festival of Trees.  The theme of the tree is “We bring the World Together.”  Each ornament on the tree was decorated by an au pair.  Some created designs from their country, others made ornaments representing their time here in America, all are colorful and beautiful.  Our tree is right in front of Talbot’s in the Inner Court of the Village.  The inner court has many trees decorated by Girl and Boy Sout troops. 

Come see the tree until January 2, 2011!!015

Au Pair in America freezes Prices in 2011 to Celebrate 25 Years of Legal Au Pairs!!!

The nation’s largest au pair agency celebrates the 25th anniversary of America’s legal au pair program by freezing their prices in 2011.

AP Scavenger HUnt 2010 003

D-2010 –STAMFORD, CT – December 3, 2010 – To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the United States’ legal au pair program in 2011, Au Pair in America (www.aupairinamerica.com), the nation’s first au pair program, announced today that they will not increase their fees for a second straight year.

“We are delighted to offer families the high quality child care that has become synonymous with Au Pair in America at our affordable 2009 prices,” said Ruth Ferry, Sr. Vice President and Director of Au Pair in America. “We have been honored to work with the Department of State over the last quarter of a century to help the au pair program emerge as a child care solution for all types of American families.”

At just $347 per week (regardless of the number of children in the family), parents can utilize the flexible program at a cost that can be less expensive than day care arrangements.

Founded in 1986, the U.S. Department of State’s au pair program allows 18 to 26-year-old international visitors who travel to the U.S. on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.

“Au Pair in America gave this program its foundation to build to where it is today,” states Stanley S. Colvin, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. “Au Pair in America is one of the founding members that introduced the model, advocated for it and established it.”

The United States Information Agency (USIA) designated the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Scholarship Foundation as one of two sponsors of an au pair program for a two-year trial period beginning in 1986. AIFS then launched Au Pair in America which has served as the definitive au pair program in the U.S. for the last 25 years, helping set U.S. program regulations as well as placing more than 85,000 au pairs in the homes of American families.

Au Pair in America matches potential au pairs that meet the different criteria posed by host families. Both au pairs and families complete a thorough application and matching process to ensure the best situation for all parties.

To learn more about the program, contact Au Pair in America at (800) 928-7247 or visit them on the web at www.aupairinamerica.com.
 

 

The nation’s first and largest au pair program, Au Pair in America combines live-in child care and cultural exchange for a mutually rewarding and enriching experience for the entire family. Since 1986, they have placed more than 85,000 au pairs in 43 states. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Au Pair in America maintains offices in 5 countries and has a network of more than 600 employees worldwide.