Host Families

Winter Sports & Sports Insurance

Updated 01/14/2025 Trying out winter sports like skiing and snowboarding can be very exciting, especially if this is your first time experiencing winter weather. However, you should also know the risks and be prepared. Is it risky to do winter sports without sports insurance? Yes. If you have to pay your own hospital bills for Read More

Avoiding Homesickness in the Holiday Season

Homesickness can be a problem during the holidays, even if it hasn’t been at any other time of the year. Au pairs often miss their friends and family, familiar places, and their own traditions and customs. The holiday activities in the United States seem, and may actually be, different just at a time when an Read More

Making Thanksgiving Memories Together

Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year in the United States. It started as a harvest festival and has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789.  The most important part of Thanksgiving for American families is to spend family time together. Martin Cathrae “My favorite holiday Read More

Surviving & Thriving in the Holiday Season

The fall/winter holiday season is most often a time of joy and excitement. However, it can also be a time of stress and disappointment for both host families and au pairs. Here are some ideas and insights that will hopefully help you avoid stress and disappointment and share more of the joy and excitement! Holiday Read More

5 Tips for Safe Trick or Treating

TRICK OR TREAT TOGETHER – Children should trick or treat in groups and younger children should have adult supervision. DRESS UP SAFELY – Avoid masks that block children’s vision and make sure costumes don’t pose a tripping hazard. Avoid sharp or heavy props that could cause injury. BE VISIBLE – Children should be visible to drivers. Read More

Going Unplugged During Work Hours

Phones, tablets, and laptops are wonderful tools to stay connected and informed, but we need to be careful not to let them become distractions from real-life interactions and most importantly our responsibilities. Au Pairs – Imagine for a moment that you went to the hospital and you were in the care of doctors and nurses. How would Read More

Local Fairs & Maryland Renaissance Festival

MD fair

What is a Fair? According to Wikipedia:A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely. Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, Read More

Host Family Hints to Help Your Au Pair Match Flourish

Host parents have many responsibilities and are often very busy. Maintaining a good relationship with your au pair is essential and can prevent many potential issues. Below are a few simple things you can do to help your au pair match flourish. Communication – Make time every couple of weeks for a check-in conversation. This Read More

Holiday & Vacation Reminders

“Rest and be thankful.” – William Wordsworth Holidays and vacations are a great opportunity to rest, recharge and explore the U.S. Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of the summer travel season. Here are some reminders about program rules regarding holidays, vacations, and international travel. Holidays Host families are not required to give au pairs off on any Read More

Travel Outside of the U.S.

7 Things to Know Before You Go There is always some risk with traveling outside of the U.S., as re-entry is at the discretion of the port of entry agent. APIA recommends that au pairs and host families discuss the risks and decide whether they are comfortable. Please review the appropriate checklist(s) from APIA, as you Read More

Hints for Success – Handling Expenses

Host parents often ask for suggestions on how best to handle common expenses that occur as au pairs are caring for the children. Miscellaneous Expenses There are different ways to handle the little day-to-day expenses that come up.  Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon Read More

Making Thanksgiving Memories Together

Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year in the United States. It started as a harvest festival and has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789.  The most important part of Thanksgiving for American families is to spend family time together.   “My favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. Read More