Tag Archives: suffolk county babysitters

Make a Daffodil Pinwheel

Spring is tomorrow (even if it doesn’t feel like it!) Here is an easy craft to celebrate the start of Spring!

Daffodil Pinwheel Craft

This cute daffodil craft uses the basic pinwheel with a cup on the front to form a daffodil.  pinwheel-daffodil

You can use the templates I’ve provided or design your own using:

  • construction paper and stickers
  • fun foam, or
  • thin pieces of plastic (like one would use for overhead projectors)

Fun foam ones are nice and sturdy, but you’ll need to use straight pins instead of push pins to make them.

Materials:

  • paper
  • printer
  • something to color with
  • pencil with eraser at the end (unsharpened is best, I think)
  • push pin or straight pin
  • optional:  a small bead (like a pony bead)
  • optional:  green paint

Instructions:

  • Optional:  paint your pencil green so it looks like the stem of a flower.
  • Optional:  you can print the B&W template on yellow paper.
  • Take the circle and crimp it along the lines to make an orange cup shape.
  • Fold the rectangular template piece on the dashed line to make a square decorated on both sides.
  • Glue the square together so you have a square decorated on both sides.
  • Cut on the diagonal dotted lines (don’t cut all the way into the middle).
  • Bend each corner to the center dot, but don’t crease your folds.
  • Place the cup in the middle of the pinwheel.
  • Push a pin through the center into the eraser of a pencil (don’t push it super tight)
  • Optional:  put a bead in between the eraser and the paper … some people find it spins a bit better this way… I’ve never noticed the difference (maybe it’s the type of pencil eraser?  I use fresh, unsharpened school pencils)
  • Place it in a vase or pot and decorate your springtime table.

Template:

templates

St. Patrick’s Day Parades!

Irish BrunaSt. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17. This day marks the accepted date in 493 CE of St. Patrick’s death.  Here is a picture of Bruna, a Brazilian former Au Pair celebrating St. Patrick’s Day here in Suffolk County.

As St. Patrick is the figure most prominently associated with bringing Christianity to Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland as a solemnity and holy day of obligation.  The day is marked with special liturgical programs and a breaking of Lenten fasts.

Few historical details are known about St. Patrick’s mission to Ireland, although innumerable popular legends are associated with his work and play a major role in Irish culture. The shamrock’s association with St. Patrick’s Day comes from the popular myth that says St. Patrick used the three leaves of the plant to explain Catholicism’s holy trinity to the Irish.

The holiday is also widely celebrated as a secular celebration of Irish culture. Cities around the world hold St. Patrick’s Day parades and festivals to mark the occasion, with many people participating in the “wearing of the green.” Popularized by Irish immigrant communities, festivities usually include traditional Irish food and drink such as corned beef and Guinness beer.

St. Patrick’s Day Parades 2013

TOWN

DATE & TIME

INFO

WEBSITE & CONTACTS
Patchogue March 17 @ 12:30 PM Main Street – starts at Rte. 112 Patchogue.com

631-475-2431
Rocky Point March 17 @ 1 PM

But be there early!!

Police close 25A at noon!!!  Get to your viewing spot early

 Begins at 25A & Harrison Ave, Miller Place and continues East through Rocky Point on Broadway! http://www.friendsofsaintpatrick.com/
Hampton Bays March 23 @ 11 AM Starts at Hampton Bays Elementary School and west to Hampton Atrium parking lot. info@aohdivision11.org
St. James March 16 @ 1 PM Lake Avenue from Woodlawn to Railroad Avenue Contact parade chairperson Kerry Maher at the St. James Funeral Home at 631-584-5200.

http://www.stjameschamber.org/asp/chamber_event_calendar.asp
Montauk March 17 @ 11:30 AM Edgemere Rd. then onto Main Street www.montaukfriendsoferin.org/contact
NYC March 16 @ 11 AM The Parade starts at 44th Street at 11:00 am. The parade marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 50th Street to 79th Street, where the parade finishes at around 4:30 – 5:00 pm http://nycstpatricksparade.org


March is Red Cross Month

Did you know that Au Pair in America will pay for the cost of a Red Cross class providing you have at least six months left on your visa and you are taking one of several approved childcare/child safety related classes, such as infant/child CPR or Community First Aid and Safety.  Check with your counselor for details!

February Cluster Meeting

DSCN0384Last weekend’s snow storm pushed our celebration of Chinese New Year a week later, but we enjoyed learning all about it and how to make Chinese Dumplings from Yujue, an au pair from China!  She taught us about the Chinese Zodiac, how the new year is celebrated in China.  Then she taught us how to make Chinese dumplings, which were delicious.DSCN0399DSCN0395

DSCN0410Cindy Garruba and Nancy Picart combined their clusters at Cindy’s house for the meeting.  Cindy led the group in filling out their tax forms, reviewing some school information for classes au pairs can take, safe driving tips from the DMV, childcare activities for fun on days when you have to stay inside, and then we learned some heart idioms in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Nancy Picart made a Valentine dessert for everyone, we handed out candy kisses to all the au pairs. DSCN0402

DSCN0407It was the last cluster meeting for Juliana from Brazil! She will be traveling around the USA for her bonus travel month, then returning to Brazil.  Cindy presented her with a certificate, a good bye gift and all the au pairs cheered her accomplishments.  Juliana has been an au pair for 2 years!  We look forward to hearing more about her trip and her success in years to come!DSCN0383

DSCN0411


Big Snow Storm Coming!

Snow storm starting Friday, 2/8 and continuing through Saturday afternoon!

Snow storm starting Friday, 2/8 and continuing through Saturday afternoon!

Please be careful, do not drive in a snow storm.  Stay home and be safe!   Cluster Meeting on Sunday is still happening, everyone will be OK by then, so make sure that you are coming!

Host Mom from Suffolk APIA

From Diana, a Host Mom in Setauket, NY

YU_JUE__with_Bella_and_Delia__at_Preschool_Holiday_Play_2012 resized

“After 4 years of German au pairs, we felt the German language was well grounded in our twins as I am able to continue this bilingual upbringing non-stop after work and on the weekends. The German au pairs brought my girls the “fun” aspects of the German language by making it come alive with creative craft activities and all the fun outing activities, whereas I was able to reinforce all their German  learnings through reading and more traditional teaching.  So in our most recent au pair cycle renewal, we decided to expand the twins learning with two additional languages which had been privately tutored up to this past summer.

Since August 2012,  we have a native Spanish  speaking au pair and a Mandarin speaking au pair who split the longer work days that I have. The twins know very well that Spanish is spoken only with Jenny Quintana and Mandarin is spoken only with Yu Jue Wang. Very recently, my husband remarked that the girls don’t stop speaking Spanish!!!  Basically, chatterboxes!! Mandarin is their fourth language, and they love singing and engaging in the very funny children’s stories from China. Yu Jue makes everything very amusing in Mandarin and the girls really like being challenged by her. It’s a big puzzle  and game to them!!
At 4 and half years, learning languages is just pure fun!  In short, the cultural enrichments stemming from understanding the language itself are an excellent foundation for all the years of global awareness and travel yet to enter into our twins lives.  Our au pairs have and will be giving our girls a gift of a life time and we are so humbly grateful for these opportunities!”

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day and the Inauguration of President Obama

“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 Quote

Photo credit: Spin Cycle

Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He was a leader in the movement to end racial segregation in the United States. His most famous address was the “I Have A Dream” speech. He was an advocate of non-violent protest and became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was assassinated in 1968.  Shortly after he died, a campaign was started for his birthday to become a holiday to honor him. Following support from the musician Stevie Wonder with his single “Happy Birthday” and a petition with six million signatures, the bill became law in 1983. Martin Luther King Day was first observed in 1986, although it was not observed in all states until the year 2000.

president-barack-obama-fulfilling-the-dream1Martin Luther King Day is seen as a day to promote equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their background. Some educational establishments mark the day by teaching their pupils or students about the work of Martin Luther King and the struggle against racial segregation and racism. In recent years, federal legislation has encouraged Americans to give some of their time on this day as volunteers in citizen action groups.

Today we celebrate the inauguration of President Obama, the first African American President of the USA, for his second term as President.  This is the 57th inauguration of for President of the USA and President Obama is the 44th President.  Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for President Obama and for all Americans.

Here are some fun activities to do with children on this holiday:

http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/mlk/games.htm

The Flu Season

fluYou can’t turn on the television news lately without hearing about the flu epidemic.  The seasonal flu has started early this year and is spreading quickly throughout the state.  Here’s some useful information from the Center for Disease Control about how you can protect yourself from the flu and how to treat yourself and your host children should you get sick.

An Ounce of Prevention

There are steps you can take in your daily life to help protect you from getting the flu.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.  Germs spread this way.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people
  • Practice good health habits.  Get plenty of sleep and exercise, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy food
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it
  • If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medicine.

Symptoms of the Flu

The flu and the common cold have similar symptoms.  It can be difficult to tell the difference between them.  Your healthcare provider can give you a test within the first few days of your illness to determine whether or not you have the flu.

In general, the flu is worse than the common cold.  Symptoms such as fever, body aches, tiredness, and cough are more common and intense with the flu.

Flu symptoms include:

  • A 100oF or higher fever or feeling feverish (not everyone with the flu has a fever)
  • A cough and/or sore throat
  • A runny or stuffy nose
  • Headaches and/or body aches
  • Chills
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea (most common in children)

Treating the Flu

You can treat flu symptoms without medication by:

  • Getting plenty of rest
  • Drinking clear fluids like water, broth, sports drinks, or electrolyte beverages to prevent becoming dehydrated
  • Placing a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead, arms, and legs to reduce discomfort associated with a fever
  • Putting a humidifier in your room to make breathing easier
  • Gargling salt water (1:1 ratio warm water to salt) to soothe a sore throat
  • Covering up with a warm blanket to calm chills

Children are at higher risk for getting the flu because their immune systems are not fully developed.  If your host child gets sick, always ask your host parents before giving any medications to the children.  There are strict guidelines for dosages and they MUST be followed.  Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have the flu.  Giving aspirin to children with the flu can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s Syndrome.  Read ingredient labels on over-the-counter medications carefully to ensure they do not contain aspirin.

Au Pair in America Presentation – January 16 – Sachem Public Library 7 – 8:30 PM

Come and meet Cindy Garruba, Suffolk County Senior Community Counselor for Au Pair in America on Wednesday, January 16th.  Cindy will be available to talk with families at the FREE Childcare and Pre-School Showcase at the Sachem Public Library.

Families will learn about Au Pair in America and how the program can be the answer their childcare needs!  Au Pair in America is flexible, dependable, affordable childcare with an enriching cultural experience for families!

Cindy provides experienced support for her host families and au pairs having over 13 years of service as Senior Community Counselor in Suffolk County.

One lucky local family will win a  raffle for $1200 off the cost of an au pair for a year!Sachem Library event 003