Tag Archives: long island au pair

Earth Day on Long Island

earth-day-events-and-activities-on-long-island-2014While Earth Day is officially on April 22 this year, celebrations are being held throughout the month. Everyone from kids to adults can get into an Earth friendly mindset. Maybe children can even learn ecological values and practices that will last a lifetime. We’ve rounded up several events and activities across Long Island.

 

Earthstock Festival
Stony Brook University
Monday, April 20-Friday, April 24
Stony Brook University’s Earthstock is a week-long event starting on Monday. Events range from a lecture on Ecological Restoration to an exploratory adventure on Science at Sea. On Friday  there is an outdoor festival, which features more than 100 educational exhibitors, live music performances by Andean flutists and Aztec dancers, a drumming circle with audience participation and street performers. Don’t miss out on the rubber duck races at 2pm, 2:30pm ice cream social and the 3pm Drum Line and Color Guard Showcase.

Eco Carnival
Suffolk County Environmental Center
Saturday, April 25
Seatuck Environmental Association and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone present the Eco Carnival. A full day of family fun featuring nature programs, live animals, music, art, games and food to celebrate Earth Day 2015. Carnival Booths for henna, wild animal face painting, flying squirrel slingshot, native plant potting, biking skills and safety.

Earth Day Celebration
The Common Ground, Sayville
Saturday, April 25
Vendors, crafts, information and more about Earth Day. This is an annual event.

Celebrate Earth Day
Downs Farm Preserve, Cutchogue
Saturday, April 25
Games, hikes, learning, live music and more.

It’s Not Easy Being Green Yard & Craft Sale
Sweetbriar Nature Center
Saturday, April 25-Sunday, April 26
Buy your mother a gift for Mother’s Day, get ready for next year’s holidays a bit early, or simply treat yourself to a gift. To top it off,help the Earth by buying reused and recycled products to reduce your impact on the planet.

 

 

Many local libraries are having Earth Day events, check your local library!

Au Pair Orientation

Some Au Pair in America Au Pairs at Orientation

Some Au Pair in America Au Pairs at Orientation

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Au Pair Orientation is an important part of the Au Pair in America program.  Every one of our au pairs goes directly to Orientation when she arrives to the USA before she travels to her host family.

We have trainers who have developed the leading au pair training program in the USA.  The program includes an Intro to the United States for the Au Pair, Cultural Adaptation, Child Care Training, American Red Cross Safety Workshop, Communication Techniques, Discipline and Management of Children.

Au Pairs stay in a beautiful hotel and can take an optional NYC Bus tour.  The trainer, the logistics coordinator and a Community Counselor are all present throughout the Orientation to assist each au pair so she makes a smooth transition to her host family.

New Au Pair Nathalia from Brazil and her Community Counselor Cindy Garruba

New Au Pair Nathalia from Brazil and her Community Counselor Cindy Garruba

The final day is one of nervous excitement as the au pairs prepare to leave the comfort of the hotel and go out all over the USA to join their host families!  Au Pair in America is dedicated to preparing these wonderful young women for their important responsibilities and for cultural exchange.  Orientation is a wonderful experience for the au pairs, but the best experience is their year with their host families.

Pot Holes and Other Spring Driving Issues

pot holesWe had a long hard winter and the roads have suffered.  Please be very careful.  There are lots of pot holes which can cause damage to tires and the car as a whole!  Flooding from the melting snow is a big issue and can even hide the pot holes.  The NIGHTS still get below freezing and then the melted snow becomes ice.  The big snow piles in all the parking lots and on the sides of the road are also hazards.  They are hard to see around and also cause major flooding.  BE CAREFUL OUT THERE EVERYONE!

As the winter snow and ice begin to melt, unpleasant potholes can begin to appear and become a threat to vehicles
When winter’s snow and ice finally melt away, they invariably leave behind an unpleasant reminder of this winter’s severe storm season—potholes.
“Major winter storms have affected much of the country this season. While many motorists’ cars have made it through the winter storm season unscathed, they could still fall victim to a pothole left in its aftermath,” said John Nielsen, director, AAA Auto Repair and Buying Programs.
Potholes form when moisture collects in small holes and cracks in the road surface. As temperatures rise and fall, the moisture expands and contracts due to freezing and thawing. This breaks up the pavement and, combined with the weight of passing cars, eventually results in a pothole.

To aid motorists in protecting their vehicles from pothole damage, AAA recommends the following:

Inspect Tires – The tire is the most important cushion between a car and a pothole. Make sure tires have enough tread and are properly inflated. To check the tread depth, insert a quarter into the tread groove with Washington’s head upside down. The tread should cover part of Washington’s head. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to start shopping for new tires. When checking tire pressures, ensure they are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended levels, which can be found in the owner’s manual or on a sticker on the driver’s door jamb. Do not use the pressure levels stamped on the sidewall of the tire.
Inspect Suspension – Make certain struts and shock absorbers are in good condition. Changes in vehicle handling, excessive vibration or uneven tire wear can indicate bad shocks or struts. Have the suspension inspected by a certified technician if you suspect problems.
Look Ahead – Make a point of checking the road ahead for potholes. An alert driver may have time to avoid potholes, so it’s important to stay focused on the road and not any distractions inside or outside the vehicle. Before swerving to avoid a pothole, check surrounding traffic to ensure this will not cause a collision or endanger nearby pedestrians or cyclists.
Slow Down – If a pothole cannot be avoided, reduce speed safely being sure to check the rearview mirror before any abrupt braking. Hitting a pothole at higher speeds greatly increases the chance of damage to tires, wheels and suspension components.
Beware of Puddles – A puddle of water can disguise a deep pothole. Use care when driving through puddles and treat them as though they may be hiding potholes.
Check Alignment – Hitting a pothole can knock a car’s wheels out of alignment and affect the steering. If a vehicle pulls to the left of right, have the wheel alignment checked by a qualified technician.
Recognize Noises/Vibrations – A hard pothole impact can dislodge wheel weights, damage a tire or wheel, and bend or even break suspension components. Any new or unusual noises or vibrations that appear after hitting a pothole should be inspected immediately by a certified technician.
To help consumers identify quality auto repair shops that can maintain and repair their vehicles, AAA established the Approved Auto Repair program as a free public service. Approved Auto Repair shops are inspected by AAA automotive specialists and must meet and maintain high professional standards for technical training, equipment, cleanliness and customer service. Customers of approved shops are continually surveyed, and every approved facility must maintain a 90 percent or higher customer satisfaction score in all areas. Consumers can locate nearby AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities online at AAA.com/Repair.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

Host Families and Au Pairs form Lasting Bonds

One of the wonderful benefits of the Au Pair in America programs is the relationships formed by host families and their au pairs.  Au Pairs truly become part of the family.  Often they return for visits with their former families.  Some families even go and visit their former au pairs in their countries.  Recently the Diana Melick, a host mom from Setauket, Long Island, New York traveled to Germany with her twin daughters.  While there they visited with their former au pair, Helena Gottschalk.

helena and melick kids

Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day is February 14th!

Au Pairs give loving care to their host families every day.  Au Pair in America has provided 27 years as the world’s most experienced intercultural  childcare program.

Au pairs become full-fledged family members, sharing a cultural exchange experience that often leads to a lasting relationship with the host family.

Au Pairs come to the USA for cultural exchange and to provide childcare to busy families.  They stay for one year and then have the option to extend for a second year.  Au Pairs are 18 to 26 years old when they arrive in the USA.  Please check out www.aupairinamerica.com for more information!

 

Au Pairs will be making Valentine cards with their host children.  Here’s how:

What you’ll need:

  • 8.5 x 11 construction paper or card stock in various colors and/or patterns easy-homemade-valentines-kaboose-craft-photo-350-fs-IMG_9049_rdax_65
  • Valentine and/or heart stickers
  • Scissors
  • Pinking shears (optional)
  • Glue stick or white craft or school glue
  • Glitter (pink, red, white)

How to make it:

  1. Begin by cutting a piece of construction paper or card stock into four equal pieces.
  2. Fold quartered paper in half to make a card.
  3. For the easiest version, appropriate for preschoolers, use stickers to decorate or cut out hearts from a different color of construction paper or card stock to glue onto your cards. Experiment with different patterns, florals look great contrasted with stripes on a solid background.
  4. Younger children love glitter! Use a bottle of glue to “draw” on a heart or phrase (such as “Be Mine”). Sprinkle glue generously with pink, red or white glitter and let dry over night. Tap off excess glitter when completely dry.
  5. For the older set, let them use pinking sheers to cut out heart shapes and glue onto cards. Again, use contrasting patterns and colors to create a charming design.
  6. Once glue is dry, cards may curl up a little. Place cards between the pages of a heavy cookbook or phone book and leave over night.

Valentine's Day

 

 

 

ABC’s of Winter Fun!

abcfun_logo 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

L 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)

X 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 – visit the animals https://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/cha/files/2012/07/snowman.jpg

Things to do INSIDE on a COLD Day!

WIN_20141214_155042You have your day off, it is too cold to do anything outside, even NYC is too cold to visit.

Here are 10 things you can do alone or with your friends:

  1. Play a card or board game with your au pair friends this weekend (not just for kids)
  2. Read a book – If you do not have a library card yet, go get one!
  3. Movie marathon – find your favorite movie through Net Flix, your HF DVD collection, or from the library.
  4. Have a clothing swap with your au pair friends!
  5. Find a new look by playing around with your makeup and hair!
  6. Make a wall collage of your pictures from home and one of your time here in USA!
  7. Cook, bake, make a dish from home and share it with your host family and/or au pair friends!
  8. Exercise at the gym or at home.
  9. Meet your au pair friends at the mall or for coffee.
  10. Skype with friends and family back home!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is Monday, January 19th!

 

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“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
– Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream Speech 1963

Here is a great link to history of this special day including a biography of Dr. King, a quiz for kids and a junior crossword.  Maybe you can do something special with the kids to acknowledge the day:  http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkjrday1.html

SELMA – is a movie about the march on Washington now playing in the movie theaters.  You might want to see it this weekend to learn more about this important movement and Dr. King.

Martin Luther King Jr. goes down in history as one of the principal leader of the civil rights movement in the United States and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King’s challenges to segregation and racial discrimination helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States.

King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and was ordained as a Baptist minister at age 18. He graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 and from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951. In 1955 he earned a doctoral degree in systematic theology from Boston University. While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, whom he married in 1953.

In 1954 King accepted his first pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery’s black community had long-standing grievances about the mistreatment of blacks on city buses. Heading the year-long bus-boycott against segregation in buses, King soon became a national figure.

In 1957 King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization of black churches and ministers that aimed to challenge racial segregation. King and other SCLC leaders encouraged the use of nonviolent marches, demonstrations, and boycotts to protest discrimination.

King and other black leaders organized the 1963 March on Washington, a massive protest in Washington, D.C., for jobs and civil rights. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to an audience of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters. The speech and the march created the political momentum that resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment. As a result of King’s effective leadership, he was awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize for peace.

Throughout 1966 and 1967 King increasingly turned the focus of his activism to the redistribution of the nation’s economic wealth to overcome entrenched black poverty. In the spring of 1968 he went to Memphis, Tennessee, to support striking black garbage workers. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968.

Hanukkah Begins Sundown on December 16th 2014

ChanukahMenorah200

The first candle of the menorah is lit at nightfall of December 16th and each night until December 24th.

Hanukkah is the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication.The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication. Hanukkah is also written Hannuka or Chanukah. The holiday begins on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew Month of Kislev and lasts eight days. Hanukkah usually falls in the month of December, but occasionally can start in November.

The books of the Maccabees tell the story of Hanukkah which occurred in 165 B.C. After three years of struggle, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus. The Jewish people held festivities in the Temple of Jerusalem, and rededicated it to God. After removing all Syrian idols from the Temple, the Jews found only one small cruse of oil which to light their holy lamps. Miraculously, the cruse provided oil for eight days. Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish leader, then proclaimed a festival to be observed by Jews.

During Hanukkah, gifts are exchanged and contributions are made to the poor. Each evening, one additional candle is lit on the Hanukkah menorah (candelabra). By the last evening, eight lighted candles stand together.

Thankful Au Pairs & Host Families 2014

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Host Family says: We are extremely thankful for our wonderful au pair. We feel truly blessed to have gotten someone as wonderful as her for this important year as we are welcoming our 4th child in the spring.  Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Au Pair says: What I’m thankful for is that I got a second chance, that I can spend my year in a family where I feel comfortable and home in, that my host family respects me and helps me to feel home and I’m thankful that I get the chance to live a different life.

Au Pair says: I am thankful for being able to fulfill my dream of living abroad in a country that is as crazy as wonderful with all its characteristics. I also am thankful for meeting so many new and different people from all around the world, who are all in the same situation and who are all feeling the same feelings. Moreover I am thankful for feeling home and welcome by my host family and my Community Counselor, Cindy, so that I don’t even think about feeling homesick.

Host Family says: We are thankful for our au pair because she is so good with our girls. She is sweet, considerate, patient, understanding and helpful.  She has excellent communication skills and really enjoy sharing our lives with her.

Au Pair says: I am thankful for my au pair life in New York that made me had a good experience and a good time with everyone I saw. Thank you very much for my host family who I am stay with and made me good memories with them. Happy thanksgiving to you, too Cindy!

Host Family says: I am very thankful for our au pair because she is so determined (and not giving up) to make my wild children into polite, thoughtful, neat, respectful little human beings.  And also for being so supportive to her host mom.Au Pair says: I’m thankful for being part of a beautiful American Family, that supports me and include me as I am part of them. I’m thankful for the kids that I have, because they color my gray days

Host Family says: We are excited that our au pair will be able to spend Thanksgiving with us, and we are so thankful that she’s part of our family and that she loves our son so much. I know she had a great time at the Rockettes this weekend. Thank you so much for organizing that!

Au Pair says: I am thankful for this awesome experience and how much I’ve grown in the past 6 months. I’m very thankful to my host family for making me very comfortable and I’m thankful that I get to hang out with 2 awesome little boys all the time! Happy thanksgiving to you, too Cindy!!

Au Pair says: I can tell you that I am thankful for the au pair program, my host family, and you. Without all of this I wouldn’t be able to realize how much I am thankful for my family, friends and my culture. I appreciate you card and letter, and I’m excited for our December meeting.

Host Family says: We love our au pair and we are thankful to have such a hardworking Au pair that blends right into our family! I’m praying she stays for 2 years!!  To be completely at ease while my husband and I work and to know everything is taken care of and my children are loved, is such a blessing!  I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Au Pair says: Being an au pair has made me thankful for my great host family, that shows me that it’s possible to feel at home away from home” 🙂 I am grateful for this new experience and that all my loved ones are healthy. I think our health is one of the most important things in the world, just as Family and friends. I’m thankful that I am part of this host family and I am thankful for all the support from my family and friends at home in Germany and of course for all the new friends I met here on long Island:) and that I am in such a great cluster like this 🙂

Host Family says: This year we are thankful for everything we have including a home (with heat and food on the table), jobs (to pay for it all), our health (in spite of the aching backs) , our family (they are all healthy and reasonably happy), and an Au pair to share in the chaos that makes up what we are thankful for.

Au Pair says: I am thankful for being an au pair in such a great family. I’m so glad that I can have the experience being an au pair in this family. They are so kind and nice, they treat me like a family member and I can talk about everything with them and we laugh so much together and I am very thankful for that. Of course I’m very thankful for my family in Germany and I appreciate them so much more since I’m here. Long story short, I’m thankful for everything in my life!

Au Pair says:  I´m very, very thankful that my friends and family supported me and my plans to travel to the USA. I´m also very thankful that I found such a nice family, who offers me that much and that they give me the opportunity to stay here and let me be a part of their family for a year! This is such a great family!

Host Family says: All is well with us. I am thankful for our au pair because she is a part of our family and she loves our children. I already know that it will be incredibly difficult when she leaves to go home but my children will have a collection forever.

Au Pair says: This year I am thankful for so many things!!!!! I’m very thankful that I found such a great host family, I came to such a nice area and met so many nice and awesome people!! I’m thankful for everything I have, thankful for all the happiness and progress in my life 🙂

Host family says: We are thankful for our au pair’s good care of our daughter. Thank you

Au Pair says: I’m thankful for my host family because she gave me the feeling that I’m at home! My host parents help me and I can ask all the question I have. I’m also thankful for my family and my friends at home. They stand behind me and give me a lot of motivation and power!

Au Pair says: This year I am thankful for my kind and generous host family who shares their home with me and gives their best to be my new family and welcome me in their culture. I am also thankful for having such a nice community counselor who welcomed me when I didn’t know anybody and luckily was sympathetic from the very beginning so that I know that somebody “has my back” if I have a problem 🙂 I’m thankful for my family at home who misses me and thinks of me and, of course, for my friends at home who try to keep in touch as often as possible although it sometimes takes some time until I can answer. They make me feel like I never left home and I don’t miss anything while being here. But also, I am thankful for the new friends I found here who helped me exploring my new home and are a part of helping me feel not to be alone 🙂 I am very, very thankful that all my loved ones (and I) are healthy and happy and that my grandmother deals well with the death of my grandfather this summer. I am thankful that I could attend his funeral and see him a last time when he was very conscious and himself.

Au Pair say:  I am thankful that I could graduate this year with a satisfying result hand the support of my friends and family. I am so thankful that so many people believe in me, not only my friends and family but also the parents of the children I babysat for or tutored who always encouraged me to follow my dreams, as also my parents’ friends or people I actually barely know.  At last but not least I would like to express my thanks for my long gone great grandmother who made this year possible by inheriting me money for my future and always inspired me when I was little. And of course thank you APIA for helping me find a welcoming host family 🙂  Thank you Cindy for making me write this I would have never done it on my own but it was really nice to think about all the good thinks that are happening and to reconsider the developments in my life 🙂

Host Family says: We are so thankful we found our first au pair who so perfectly fits in with our family! We find the help from her wonderful and her contributions to our house are great. We are thankful for the memories she’s giving the children with our au pair experience!

Au Pair says: This year I am thankful for the opportunity to live the experience of being an Au Pair. I am thankful for sharing with a wonderful host family. I am Thankful for what I learn from them and from my hosts little girls. It has been the best experience of my life. Thanks therefore. Only once in life!!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Au Pair says: In this year I am so grateful with my new host family because they care about me, they trust in me and they love me as a part of their family and no just like an Au Pair. I am so grateful because I could visit so many places through this experience like Washington D.C, Miami, Los Angeles, Vancouver Canada, San Francisco, Seattle and NY. Being and Au pair is one of the best experience in my life because I enjoy taking care of kids and meeting new people around the world. I am so grateful to have 2 great women as a Counselor who always care about me in this experience out of my country because it was not easy at the beginning.

Au Pair says: This year I am thankful for my wonderful host family and their support and understanding in every situation. I am really happy to be part of this family. And I am glad that I already made lots of friends who I can talk about everything and have a very good time together. Also I want to say thank you to you Cindy. I really enjoy the APIA meetings and activities. It’s always fun. You are doing a great job. Happy Thanksgiving

Host Family says: We are thankful for our Au Pair from Germany who takes such good care of our daughter and dog too! We are happy to have her as our Au Pair!

Host Family says: I’m thankful for the health of my family and that our au pair cares so deeply for the children.

Au Pair says:  I AM THANKFUL FOR… the great Lord for giving me this fantastic opportunity to be an Au pair. My parents for being the awesome parents that they are, for being supportive, open minded and understanding me. My amazing host family. For au pair in America and all they have done for me. For my good health. My Family and friends that love and care for me. I’m thankful for all I have and everything I’m yet to receive and I am thankful and grateful for this wonderful life I have.

Host Family says: This year I am thankful for our au pair joining our family so seamlessly, so respectfully, and above all so lovingly. I am also thankful to be part of such an incredible family – inside and out.  There is so much to be said about being a mom, and for that, too, I am grateful!

Host Family says: This year we are thankful for the health of our family and the love and support we have around us.  We are grateful for our au pair’s calm approach to handling the kids and the love she has for them and them for her.

Host Family says: We are thankful for our au pair being so kind and patient in teaching the girls both Mandarin and emphasizing good social skills too. She’s a terrific addition to our family and greets every day with great humor and joyfulness!! Simply a delight to have our au pair be part of our household.