Monthly Archives: August 2016

Back to School

Kids in our cluster are returning to school. This means changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties.  It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems.

I suggest you discuss the following (if applicable):

  • Au pair’s work schedule.
  • The children’s school and activity schedules.
  • Where the children get dropped off and picked up and who will be doing this.
  • What to do if a child is staying home sick, late to school, does not get off the bus (if they are supposed to).
  • How to tell if school has been canceled or delayed for bad weather
  • Add the au pair to your list of people allowed to pick up the kids from school.
  • What to pack for lunch (don’t forget the cold packs)
  • The routine after school (do they have free time before starting homework, what to give for snack, any chores, where do they put their backpacks & lunchboxes).
  • How to communicate about what’s going on at school.
  • Specific instructions for driving on and off school grounds, where to park, direction of travel. Do you get out or does staff open the doors, etc.

Here are some Printable Fill-in-the-Blank School Notes for parents. You may print these out and use them for times when the kids are absent, late, have early dismissal or you need to give permission for something.

If the au pair will be the one going through the children’s back pack and helping with homework, I suggest you designate an area for putting things that need to be read and/or signed by parents.

School Buses – Remember to discuss school bus safety and the rules about driving when school buses are near. Stopping when the lights flash and the stop sign comes out unless the road is divided, etc.

Reminder: It is illegal in the State of Maryland for a child under the age of 8 to be left alone in the home or car.  Please make sure that your drop off routine does not include leaving children under 8 at home or in the car while dropping off another child.  Even if a host parent gives permission to do this, it is not allowed, because it is against the law.

Photo by Jens Rost

Photo by Jens Rost

 

Cluster Fun – Bert’s 50’s Diner and Sending Smiles Community Service Project!

We spent a fun Sunday afternoon enjoying tasty treats at Bert’s 50’s Diner while continuing to work on our community service project for Sending Smiles.

Sending Smiles was created by local children to bring happiness to sick children and families. Postcards are decorated by Smile Makers (children and the young at heart) and sent across the USA.

This week we welcomed four of our newest arrivals – May from Thailand, Tania from Spain, Anna from Germany and Sophie from Austria!

Managing Homesickness

It is completely normal to feel homesick sometimes when we are far from home.  Homesickness comes from feeling disconnected from familiar people, places and routines.  It is an emotion you have to learn how to cope with while you are here. It is an emotion that passes with time.  Here are some tips to help you when you feel homesick:

  • Be a tourist, get to know where you live, visit the local sights and explore just as you would if on vacation.  Start a list of favorite places. Ask other au pairs and your host family for their favorites too!
  • Try new foods, even if they don’t look good, finding new favorite nibbles is a great way to  enjoy a new country. You might squirm at the thought of trying a Maryland crab, but you might find that you love it!
  • Take a break from skype.  If you are skyping for hours every day, it is not helping you.  Find a balance between ties at home and building new relationships here. Try keeping connected via email or whatsapp and skype just once or twice a week.
  • Focus on your new social media networking with other au pairs and American friends.  You don’t need to know what everyone is doing at home every minute. Be part of the experience here!
  • Plan a trip with a friend, a day trip or a weekend, get excited about doing something new with a new friend and before you know it you will be excited and chatting about the trip instead of talking about what you are missing at home.
  • Go to the cluster meetings, This will definitely help you. You’ll meet others au pairs, try new things, eat good food,
  • Send some small gifts back home.  Sending gifts gives you something to do, makes you go out, and is a way of sharing your experience, it makes you feel good. Don’t feel like you need to find those gifts right away! Sometimes the fun is in the searching!
  • Make a Bucket List.  This is  a list of what you hope to do and see during  your year as an au pair.  Places you want to visit, foods you’d like to try, things you’d like to do! Keep it on the wall and you will enjoying checking off each thing on the list as you do it.
  • Not everything has to change.  If you loved jogging at home, do it here.  There are some habits you love that you can keep. Ask your host family or me for ideas of places you can enjoy things you loved to do at home!
  • Create a routine.  Having a routine will help you feel at home and settle into life here. Get up in the morning, even on your days off! Set a regular bedtime, too. You need your rest also!
  • Do not stay home.  Have a plan to go out and about! Join a gym, go to the movies every Tuesday night, take a dance class.  Go to the gym, the park, a coffee shop, a walk, volunteer somewhere! Staying home alone will not help homesickness, it makes the isolation worse. I do not want you to be unhappy. Don’t have a buddy for the weekend yet? Post to the group, text another au pair. Reach out an invite someone!
  • Ask me for help in finding au pair friends who have been there! I can connect you with other au pairs who was also homesick, there’s nothing better than talking to someone who has been in your shoes.
  • Create a blog or album on Facebook of your adventures! It will give you something to work on when you have quiet time alone and as your year progresses you will be able to see what an amazing experience you are having.  You’ll have a collection of memories to review! Remember not to share personal info about the host family or any pictures of them (this includes those adorable kids). You can set the album and blog to private if you don’t want to share it with others.
  • Most importantly, talk to someone, if you feel sad or homesick, talk to your host family, call me, or a friend.  Sharing helps you. Being part of a cluster enables us to help and support each other.

A little inspiration from a former au pair… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3IBmRWGnwA

Have a great year, this is your dream, make the most of it!

2015-07-28 16.21.15

Camp Au Pair – Summer Olympics!

The Olympics are in full swing!! We have put together some great ideas to correlate with the Summer Games! How about creating your own Olympic Rings Ball Toss  or Olympic pictographs? Learn about the culture of Rio or do an Olympic word search! Make a pom pom soccer field, a laurel wreath or your own gold medal! When it’s snack time, learn how to make grapes in a canoe, ring cupcakes or an edible Olympic torch! You can also learn how to chart the medals won by your country and the US! Whatever activities you chose to do, there will be lots of fun going on! Check out all of these ideas and more here!

Vincent Angler - Flickr

Photo by Vincent Angler – Flickr

What Does an Au Pair Actually Do?

Spencer Means

This is NOT a comprehensive list.  If additional clarification is required, please contact Cynthia.  The best matches follow the Host Family / Au Pair Agreement.

DO NOT negotiate outside of the State Department Guidelines.

The Au Pair’s top priority is the care and safety of your children –

everything else will be a lower priority!

Within Au Pair Program Expectations Outside Au Pair Program Expectations
Child Care Activities

  •  Wake children
  • Dress children
  •  Feed children
  •  Play with children
  • Prepare meals for children
  • Bath children
  • Keep children clean and safe
  • Organize play groups
  • Supervise homework
  • Care for children during travel
  • Grocery shopping as needed (shouldn’t be the sole person)

Light Housekeeping

  • Make children’s bed
  • Change/wash children’s sheets
  • Pick up toys
  • Straighten children’s room
  • Clean up kitchen after children’s room (sweep, Swiffer mop)
  • Straighten/organize playroom
  • Wipe down children’s bathroom
  • Wash/put away children’s laundry
  • Tidy up after children
  • Help in preparation and clean up of family meals or other activities

Flexible Schedule

  • Flexible schedule (at least one week schedule in advance needed)
  • Available for sick days, snow days, and holidays

Au pair’s total hours worked per week revised to reflect unexpected changes in schedule.

Driving

  • Drive children to and from school
  • Drive children to and from appointments
  • Drive children to activities

Treat your Au Pair as a Family Member –

 this is a Cultural Exchange Program!

 

 Housework

  • Mop and vacuum entire house
  • Scrub children’s bathroom
  • Dust entire house
  • Clean windows
  • Wash/put away laundry for adult family members
  • Housework unrelated to children
  • Prepare dinner for entire family daily
  • Pick up dry cleaning for adult family members
  • Housecleaning on Monday – if toy pick up and kitchen were left untidy by family over weekend
  • Sole responsibility for family chores:  garbage, recycling, mail, empty/load dishwasher, grocery shopping.

Au Pair Schedule

  • Hours can’t be carried over week to week

Work >45 hours per week/  > 10 hours per day for additional pay

Other Children

  • Request au pair to care for children not listed on the  APIA contract (family or friends)
  • Request an au pair to organize play dates with children she is not comfortable supervising  Parent of the play date friend should be available to au pair if needed

Pet Care

  • Request au pair to care for pets on “free time”
  • Request an au pair to train a
  • Request an au pair to care for pets over family holiday while she stays at the house

Age Limit

  • Request and au pair to prepare meals, laundry or chore for children over the age of 18.

Driving

  • Request au pair to serve as a driving teacher or serve as a responsible adult for non licensed driver
  • Charge au pair maintenance of car (Federal Mileage Calculation not applicable.

Au Pair should NOT be considered a Maid, Cook, Landscaper,  Domestic Servant or Pet Sitter

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