Monthly Archives: April 2020

Protecting Privacy & Personal Information Online

We live in a time of constant sharing through social media. We often share pictures, plans of somewhere we are going or rants about problems, without thinking much about who will see it and what could be the consequences.

Before clicking “post”, stop to think:

  • Am I violating someone’s privacy?
  • Am I sharing personal information that could put me in danger?
  • Would I want my current or a future employer to see this?

This will help protect your privacy and safety as well as that of your host family. It is important to respect your host family’s privacy and not share personal details and information.  This applies to all kinds of situations, including personal conversations, email, and social websites.

For your own safety, it is a good idea to be careful what personal information you share about yourself as well. You should not give out information like your telephone number and address to people you don’t know. Safer to meet a new friend in a public place, than to give them your address before knowing them.

Once you post something on the Internet (even if you later delete it), it can show up elsewhere.  Unless you have specific permission from your host family, you should never post pictures of them, their children or their home on the Internet.

If you have a blog or website where you post in your native language, remember there is translation software. So, even if you say it in your native language, be sure it is not something that might be misinterpreted in translation or something you will regret saying.

Social Distancing: Free Virtual Escape Rooms

Libraries may be closed due to COVID-19, but many librarians are coming up with creative ideas to keep people entertained and promote literacy. One of those creative ideas is free virtual escape rooms. With a variety of themes, some may be fun to do on your own, others as activities with the kids.

Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA created this Hogwarts Virtual Escape Room. She shared this tutorial on how to create your own virtual escape room, which seemed to spark the creativity of many other librarians.

Some amazing librarians all over the country have been busy creating virtual escape rooms with a variety of themes.

Special thanks to the Humboldt County Library in Winnemucca, Nevada for gathering info on many of these escape rooms. Follow them on Facebook for their storytimes and weekly Facebook Live Science Time on Fridays.

Image: Canva.com

Social Distancing: Make a Family Time Capsule

When you are stuck at home, everyone tends to have their own ways to occupy that time individually. It’s also fun to have some activities you can do all together. Board games, puzzles and movie nights are always great options.

But, if you want to create something together that will be a keepsake to enjoy in the future, consider making a family time capsule. You can use materials you already have on hand at home. Working on this project together can also remind us that there is more going on in our lives than just the coronavirus, the things we enjoyed before this and what we have to look forward to when this time is over.

How to Make a Family Time Capsule 

Creating a family time capsule is a fun way to preserve what life is like today, to look back on it in the future.  Just 5 or 10 years is plenty of time for things to change. When you open the time capsule you can look back and see how things are different and whether some things remain the same. Making a time capsule with an au pair adds another layer to this idea. You can include traditions or recipes she has shared with your family.

There are many online articles about what to include in a time capsule and how to make one. Here are a few basic ideas to get you started:

Pick a container –  A large canister, plastic jar or any container with a lid that fits on tightly. Decide where you will store the time capsule to make sure you pick a container that is appropriate. Packing it away in the attic or basement is probably safer than burying it.

Decorate the container – You can decorate the container if you will be packing it away somewhere indoors.

Fill it up – The possibilities are limited only by your imagination (and the size of your container). Here are some things you may want to include:

Family photos – children’s artwork – letter to future self – newspaper, magazine pages showing popular hairstyles and fashion trends – postcards from most recent family vacation – list of prices of common items (gallon of gas, loaf of bread, etc) – tickets from movies or events, family recipe – a list of favorite things – pop culture list (movies, TV shows & music that are popular) – tracing of the children’s hands – something in each child’s handwriting – list of the technology devices you use now

Decide when you will open it – This could be in a certain number of years or on a special occasion in the future (child’s high school graduation, au pair returning to visit, family reunion).

Photo: Woodleywonderworks