Tag Archives: Suffolk county Au pairs

Holiday Boat Parade in Patchogue

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Sunday, November 24th at 6 PM

The 20th annual boat parade will be taking place this weekend along Patchogue Village’s riverfront. A preview night Saturday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. will allow residents to view the boats and vote for awards. Boats can be viewed from The Oar, 264 West Avenue in Patchogue, Harbor Crab, 116 Division St. in Patchogue, and Off Key Tikki, 31 Baker Place in Patchogue. The parade itself will take place Sunday around 6 p.m. and can be viewed from Sandspit Park: Davis Park Ferry Terminal on Brightwood St. or Fire Island National Seashore: Watch Hill Ferry Terminal on West Ave. More information is available at www.patchogueboatparade.com.

Au Pair Enjoy Radio City Christmas Spectacular!

The Suffolk County Cluster of Au Pair in America!

The Suffolk County Cluster of Au Pair in America!

DSCN0270On Sunday, November 17th, 200 au pairs from Au Pair in America enjoyed a truly NY holiday tradition at Radio City Musical Hall.  The au pairs loved the Rockettes and the whole Christmas Spectacular!  The show was truly spectacular!DSCN0272DSCF2655

Veteran’s Day is Monday, November 11th!

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Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Do you know the difference?

Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those who died serving our country.

On a Veterans Day we thank and honor those who served in the military.

Veterans Day is observed on November 11th of each year. This day used to be called Armistice Day.

What can children do for  Veterans Day?


* Draw a picture about Veterans Day.  Click here for some Veteran’s Day coloring pages


* Make a card to thank veterans. You can send your card to a    local VA Medical Center.


Click here for Veteran’s Nursing Home

Click here for Veteran’s Hospital

Welcoming home her Daddy!

Suffolk County, Long Island is home to the largest population of veterans in New York State, and has one of the largest veterans’ populations of any county in the United States.

Au Pair Orientation

Au Pair in America provides a comprehensive Orientation for all our au pairs before they go out to their host families.  When each au pair arrives at the NY airport, she is welcomed and transported to the the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, NY.  There she is met by an Au Pair in America Orientation staff member, given some valuable information, room assignment and a chance to check into her room for rest. Three full days follow started each day with early wake up calls.   The importance of being on time is emphasized so the meeting run smoothly and au pairs learn to understand the importance of time in America.

998798_10152025733573792_1279016968_n[1]Noelle from Germany was welcomed to America by their Community Counselor, Cindy Garruba.  She is going to a family in Pt. Jefferson, LI, NY and will be joining a cluster of about 30 au pairs.

At Orientation the agenda includes:

  • An Introduction the United States and Au Pair in America
  • “The Three No’s” – No drugs, no alcohol under 18 and never while driving or caring for children, no child abuse (Au Pairs are sent home if they abuse drugs, alcohol or children!!)
  • The Role of the Community Counselor
  • Living in America – Cultural adaptation and communication with their American families
  • Childcare safety and media
  • American Red Cross Child Safety Workshop
  • The American Family
  • Child Care in America – managing American Children – Communication and discipline
  • Living in America – auto insurance and health insurance

    Au Pairs during Red Cross training at Orientaion

    Au Pairs during Red Cross training at Orientaion

3 meals a day, time to socialize with the other au pairs and the Orientation Staff.  There is even an evening tour of NYC!  Au Pairs submit questions anonymously all week and every question is answered by the staff to the group before they go home.

Au Pairs leave Orientation on Day 4 at 3 PM and head out to 35 states and hundreds of host families.  Everyone is excited to depart and begin a year as an Au Pair in America!

Halloween in Stony Brook Village!

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Jenny and her host kids check out the APIA Scarecrow

Jenny and her host kids check out the APIA Scarecrow

Stony Brook Village hosted a fun filled Halloween for families this year!  Au Pair in America Senior Community Counselor Cindy Garruba invited host families and au pairs to join her at the festivities.  Cindy handed out Halloween coloring books to the children who stopped to see the Au Pair in America Scarecrow.  DSCN0224

There were crafts and games for the children and a really big crowd.  Everyone loved the scarecrows and the entertainment from the local dance school.  Even Walkie Bear from radio station 97.5 was there with the DJs from the station.  It was a great place to spend a safe and happy Halloween!DSCN0226

Au Pair in America Halloween in Stony Brook

Meet Cindy Garruba

Suffolk County Senior Community Counselor

for Au Pair in America

Halloween in Stony Brook Village

3:30- 4:30 PM

Check out the APIA Scarecrow near the Post Office

Costume Parade for the Kids


October 31, 2013-October 31, 2013
Stony Brook Village Event(02:00 PM-05:00 PM)

23rd Annual Halloween Festival

Join us in the Stony Brook Village Center for our 23rd Annual Halloween Festival! Trick or treat in the shops, meet Walkie Bear from WALK-FM Radio, enjoy a performance from Spotlight Dance Academy, receive a free mini pumpkin, participate in a Halloween costume parade with Monster Merlin, and play games in Inner Court. This event is free!

Location: Stony Brook Village Center

631-751-2244

More Info



October Cluster Meeting with a Spooky Maze!

DSCN0149The Suffolk County Au Pair in America au pairs spent Sunday meeting together at their counselor’s beach house.  Cindy Garruba, Senior Community Counselor. talked about the upcoming American holiday season including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & Hanakkuh, and New Year’s Eve.  We discussed childcare, gift giving, and how the holidays are celebrated in the USA.

DSCN0151After our discussion we had a some pizza and then visited the local Spooky Maze at Harbe’s Farm.  The au pairs enjoyed the Halloween spooky fun for the 45 minutes they worked their way through the maze.  Click here to learn more about the maze!

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The Backpack Links Home & School

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The back pack is very important to review every day.  This is one of the links between school and home for the student.  Backpacks quickly become disorganized and notices missed if you do not empty it every day!

Here is what I suggest you do every day:

  1. After the student arrives home, empty the backpack on a table.
  2. Find the homework. Set it out in the homework area with all the supplies needed to complete the homework.
  3. Put the lunch box in the kitchen.  Empty it, discard the garbage, and see if the child actually ate the lunch that was packed.  Wipe out the lunch box. Let the parents know what was not eaten!
  4. Find all notices sent home with the child. Find anything that needs to be filled out by the parents. If it is your responsibility to keep track of activities, put them on the calendar now. If not, make sure the parents see them.
  5. Make sure permission slips, fundraisers, book orders, photo notices and anything else that must be signed is done on time.  Make sure these items get back in the backpack and the child turns them in on time. If the signed form and money is in the back pack at the end of the day, the child forgot to give it to the teacher.  Remind the child, tell the parent!!
  6. All completed homework must be put in the homework folder in the backpack as soon as the homework is completed. Make sure there is a sturdy folder to put the homework in; the child knows where it is when he or she arrives at school.  The homework will stay neater this way!!
  7. In the morning, recheck for homework. Is it in the folder?  Are all permission slips and notices requiring money in the folder in the backpack?
  8. Make lunch and put the lunch box in the backpack. If the lunch box is in the backpack there is less chance it will be left on the bus!!
  9. Does the child need to bring anything else to school that day? Maybe he or she needs gym clothes, or something for show and tell.  Put it in the backpack!
  10. At the end of the week, make sure all work sent home is placed out for the parents to see.  Any dirty gym clothes are taken out of the backpack and put in the laundry.  The back pack and the lunch box should be wiped out and kept clean!!

September Cluster Meeting Prepares Au Pairs for their Year Ahead

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On Sunday, September 15th the Suffolk County Cluster of Au Pair in America gathered at their Community Counselor’s home for a very important meeting.  September is the month Americans start their school and work year, au pairs get back to routine schedules with their host children.    The largest arrival months for Au Pairs are the summer months, so the September meeting is the first cluster meeting for many of them.

As the au pairs arrived, they heading out to the patio for an art project.  Each au pair decorated a peace ornament that will be displayed in December on a holiday tree in Stony Brook Village’s Promenade of trees.  It was a fun, bonding, creative activity the au pairs enjoyed.

DSCN0073Cindy Garruba, Suffolk County APIA Community Counselor, then led the au pairs in a discussion of important “Back to School & Routine” information.   The discussion then moved on to distracted driving and safe driving tips for the au pairs, most of whom drive their host children to activities.

DSCN0074DSCN0076Every au pair shared where they are from, where they live now, how long they have been in the USA, the ages of their host children and something special about themselves. We said hello to newly arrived au pairs and bid farewell to those leaving the cluster.  It is a important that each young woman in the cluster has a peer group to share the year with in America.  Cluster meetings introduces the young women to each other and builds the bond between them.

DSCN0065DSCN0071Cluster meetings are an important part of the Au Pair in America experience.  Every quarter a meeting features childcare and safety information.  They give the au pairs an opportunity to form friendships and spend time together. Every month there is a cluster meeting or activity.   In October the Au Pairs will meet for pizza and discussion of upcoming American holiday season and then go to a local farm for a Spooky Maze experience, in November they will be going to the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City!  December the Suffolk County Cluster will decorate a holiday tree in Stony Brook Village’s Promenade of Trees and also have an International Holiday Party.

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