Category Archives: Au Pair Tips

Snow Days are Here!

Looking for ideas to keep the kids busy on a snow day (when they are home from school for winter weather?)

Here is a simple snow day game plan…

  1. Play in the snow. Do you wanna build a snowman? Here’s a great how-to video.
  2. Come inside and warm up with hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows.)
  3. Make your own play dough.
  4. Play board games or legos together.
  5. Try some Winter Science experiments.
  6. Look for more fun things to do on the APIA Pinterest Boards:
  7. Bake cookies together or make some other fun recipe.
  8. Play in the snow again.
  9. Warm up inside taking turns on the Make a Snowflake Website.
  10. Make a blanket fort.

Stay warm & have fun!

Photo: Yuli Salinas

9 Winter Driving Tips to Stay Safe in the Ice & Snow

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it. Don’t go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions. It’s a good idea to always keep at least a half tank of gas in your car, especially in winter months where you could get stranded. It’s helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you’re familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner’s manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving Safely on Icy Roads

  1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
  2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
  3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
  4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
  5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
  6. Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
  7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
  8. Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
  9. Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

Photo: Steve Pisano (Flickr)

Winter Sports & Sports Insurance

Trying out winter sports like ice skating, 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 a broken bone, you might be shocked at how much that would cost. I checked this website for some cost estimates.

Here are a couple examples:

  • Without medical coverage, treating a broken arm or leg (that does not require surgery) could cost up to $2,500.
  • Without medical coverage, treating a broken arm or leg (requiring surgery) could cost $16,000 or more.

You must understand how your medical coverage works for sports-related injuries. There is a list of “high-risk sports/activities” that are not covered by basic or upgrade medical insurance plans. Those activities are only covered by the Sports Insurance Package. (Snowtubing is the only snow sport that you already have coverage for without the sports insurance package.)

The Sports Insurance was available pre-departure and may also be purchased at any time during your year. It takes effect within 48 hours of your enrollment and is good for 12 months. The cost will be the same ($110 as of this posting) whether you have a month left or your whole year ahead of you. I recommend you pay for it early on if you haven’t already purchased it. You never know when an opportunity might present itself and you don’t want to miss out on an adventure. You also don’t want to risk getting injured and being responsible for the bill on your own.

Below is a partial list of sports that are only covered by the sports insurance package:
Football, Rugby, Scuba diving, Ski-doo,  Wakeboarding, Skydiving, Parachuting, Rock climbing, Zipline, Skateboarding, Rollerblading, Roller skating,  Ice Skating, Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowmobiles and Snowshoeing.  View the full list on your insurance brochure.

Note: Injuries sustained while partaking in these sports are ONLY covered with the purchase of Sports Insurance.

How to register for the Sports Insurance

To enroll in sports insurance, use the link found in the email sent to you with the subject “Au Pair in America Sports Insurance Upgrade Option”. Ask your community counselor if you are having trouble finding the email with the sports insurance enrollment link.

If you think you will be doing any of these sports, you should get it now.

Urgent Care: Medical Care

In a true emergency, seek medical attention as soon as possible at the hospital emergency room.

If you have a medical problem that you would like to be seen by a doctor the same day for, but you do not feel that it is an emergency, the best place to go would be an urgent care clinic. If you go to the emergency room for something that is not an emergency (like for a sore throat or pink eye), they will see you and treat you, but will not admit you to the hospital. In a case like that, there is an additional $500 deductible by the insurance company. The emergency room is not to be used as your regular doctor.

Here is the link to the medical insurance information and claim forms: APIA Medical
You may go to any doctor or clinic you choose, but if you go to an in-network doctor you are less likely to be asked to pay upfront. If you do have to pay upfront, you can be reimbursed by submitting a claim form to the insurance (providing you have met your deductible, if applicable.)

Here’s how to find the Urgent Care Centers near you who accept our insurance (Aetna)

  1. To find the one nearest to you, go HERE.
  2. Type in your zip code.
  3. Select a Plan. Choose “Passport to Healthcare Primary PPO Network”.
  4. Under “Find what you need by category”, select “Urgent Care” or “Walk-in Clinic”.

You will receive results like the examples below –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if you know of another Urgent Care Center near you and it doesn’t appear on the insurance search results? You may call the facility and ask if they accept Aetna. If they say yes, you may go there also. Urgent Care Centers are popping up everywhere and they don’t always get added to the insurance listing immediately.

Bring your Insurance Card – You will need to show your insurance card. You should have received an email from CISI when you arrived. You can search for that email and print your card. Another option is to register at the myCISI portal and print a card from there.

Going Unplugged

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.

jason-howie-flickrAu Pairs – Imagine for a moment that you went to the hospital and you were in the care of doctors and nurses.  How would you feel if those doctors and nurses who were there to care for you were more interested in texting or using their personal computer than caring for you?  How would that make you feel, about yourself and about them?  Would you think that you were getting good treatment Would you feel like paying the bill?

Life as an au pair, it is a fine balance between employee and family member. You live with your host family and participate with them as a member of the family, but you also have clear responsibilities as a childcare provider. Being a childcare provider is truly one of the most important jobs I can think of, because you are helping to shape our next generation.  What message are you sending them when you would rather interact with a cellphone than with them? How will they feel about themselves and about you? Children feel as though everything is about them. They will see this as a rejection of them and they will be more likely to act out.

It also poses a safety concern when you are not paying enough attention to the children in your care.  Accidents happen, but when an adult care giver is close by and appropriately supervising the chances of a major injury dramatically reduce.

During work hours, communicating with friends and family in the following would not be considered acceptable (limited use should be discussed with your host family). If you have a break or nap time, this would be a suitable time and of course communicating with the family, APIA staff or directly regarding the children to set up play dates or the like:
-Texting
-Talking to friends on the phone
-Chatting with friends online
-Using Skype or FaceTime
-IMing
-Emailing
-Updating your status on Facebook
-Using Snapchat, WhatsApp or any other app or social media site
-Watching videos on YouTube, Netflix, etc.
-Tweeting on Twitter
-Uploading photos on Instagram
-Anything else online unless it is going to approved child sites such as Nickjr.com together with your host children

Think about this — even if you work 45 hours a week, that leaves you 123 hours per week for all of that other stuff, or about 70 hours (if you are getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night). Your host parents will give you guidelines for your use during work hours, please follow them.

Host Parents – You need to be clear about what you consider acceptable during work hours to avoid misunderstandings.  Taking a short phone call while still being attentive to the children, checking email during nap time, researching activities to do with the kids, etc. Set clear expectations and be specific to your au pairs. Also, please understand that you are dealing with a new generation of people who are very accustomed to being plugged in at all times.  Their intention is not to be rude, they don’t necessarily realize how their actions will be perceived.  Please use this information as an opportunity to begin a dialogue on the issue.

Know that there will be times that your au pair needs to make calls or emails to communicate with you, APIA staff, school or personal appointments, etc. Time differences may make communicating with their family at home challenging. Communication between you and your au pair is crucial.

Halloween Safety Tips

  1. TRICK OR TREAT TOGETHER – Children should trick or treat in groups and younger children should have adult supervision.
  2. 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.
  3. BE VISIBLE – Children should be visible to drivers. Consider reflective material on their costumes and/or carrying a flashlight or glow stick.
  4. CROSS SAFELY – Children should walk on the sidewalk and cross at corners.
  5. CHECK TREATS – Children should not eat candy until an adult has a chance to check it.

Flu Shots

Many au pairs and host families are looking for places to get flu shots this time of year. Au Pair  insurance does not cover immunizations, but there are lots of places to get flu shots for about $35, but there are free clinics through the health departments as well.

If the host family is asking that an au pair get a seasonal flu shot and she agrees to get it, the host family would be responsible for the expense.

If you are planning to get the seasonal flu vaccine, it is recommended that you get it as early as possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extensive info available online – Key Factors About Seasonal Flu Vaccine.

Calvert County Health Department – Free. The Calvert County Health Department is offering a FREE Community Flu Clinic on Saturday, October 15, 2022 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Fox Run location.

Flu Shot Clinics. Advanced registration is encouraged.

Charles County –  Charles County Flu and Covid Vaccine Clinics are offered by appointment. Cost varies. Call 301-609-6900. Please select NO insurance as your travel insurance does not cover preventative immunizations.

St. Mary’s County Health Department – Drive thru clinics will be held in November.

Flu shots are also available for a fee at pharmacies such as Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Safeway, Costco, etc. Click the individual store for a link to each website.Several offer the option to schedule an appointment and download and print forms to complete ahead of time.

REMEMBER:

Your health insurance DOES NOT cover preventative care. If you choose a place like Target that advertises “free” or even a $5 coupon, they will bill your insurance and it will be denied, leaving you with the financial responsibility.

ALWAYS discuss the out of pocket cost. Tell them you DO NOT have medical insurance coverage for preventative care. The cost will vary between $20-50 typically. ***The advertisements for FREE will not apply to you because your medical insurance does not cover immunizations. ***

Big Kids Need Interaction Too!!

Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time.  Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.

Problem:
But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.

Solution:
Instead of saying,  “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)?  The answer will often be, “No.”

Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do  _____ or ______?”  Make sure both the choices are good options.
Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun, if you pick a good activity.

Problem:
I don’t know what to do with school age kids.

Solution:
Look for ideas online. Google “activities school age kids” or “activities ‘tweens”. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.

  • Cooking
  • Making things (check craft stores or online stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age appropriate)
  • Going outside for fun activities
  • Sports (kick around a soccer ball, play tennis, bicycling, roller skating, shoot hoops)
  • Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
  • Get outdoors and visit local parks.  You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade?)  They can write this up and keep, so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
  • Let them help you search and plan some activities.
  • Check on the APIA Pinterest page and here on our cluster blog for ideas.
  • If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.

Note: Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places.

Photo: Killian77

Places to Go For Urgent Medical Care

In a true emergency, seek medical attention as soon as possible at the hospital emergency room.

If you have a medical problem that you would like to be seen by a doctor the same day for, but you do not feel that it is an emergency, the best place to go would be an urgent care clinic. If you go to the emergency room for something that is not an emergency (like for a sore throat or pink eye), they will see you and treat you, but will not admit you to the hospital. In a case like that, there is an additional $500 deductible by the insurance company. The emergency room is not to be used as your regular doctor.

Here is the link to the medical insurance information and claim forms: APIA Medical
You may go to any doctor or clinic you choose, but if you go to an in-network doctor you are less likely to be asked to pay upfront. If you do have to pay upfront, you can be reimbursed by submitting a claim form to the insurance (providing you have met your deductible, if applicable.)

Here’s how to find the Urgent Care Centers near you who accept our insurance (Aetna)

  1. To find the one nearest to you, go HERE.
  2. Type in your zip code.
  3. Select a Plan. Choose “Passport to Healthcare Primary PPO Network”.
  4. Under “Find what you need by category”, select “Urgent Care” or “Walk-in Clinic”.

You will receive results like the examples below –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if you know of another Urgent Care Center near you and it doesn’t appear on the insurance search results? You may call the facility and ask if they accept Aetna. If they say yes, you may go there also. Urgent Care Centers are popping up everywhere and they don’t always get added to the insurance listing immediately.

As of 1/9/2020, Medstar Health, Patient Express, Righttime, Patriot Urgent Care are among the Aetna participating providers.  

For fairly simple medical issues the CVS Minute Clinic is a great option. 

CVS Minute Clinic – www.minuteclinic.com
Open daily – Hours vary by location. No appointment is necessary.
Locations including: Annapolis, Dunkirk, Edgewater & Leonardtown
For less complicated illnesses including: Allergies, Bladder Infections, Colds, Ear Infections, Pink Eye & Styes, Sinus Infections, Strep Throat, Swimmer’s Ear, Athlete’s Foot, Cold Sores, and Vaccinations.
Visit their website for a complete list of locations, conditions they will treat and the costs.

Bring your Insurance Card – You will need to show your insurance card. You should have received an email from CISI when you arrived. You can search for that email and print your card. Another option is to register at the myCISI portal and print a card from there.

Scam Alert: Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

SCAM #1 – A caller says they are a contact tracer and you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and asks you to pay for a test kit.

  • Contact tracers will not ask you for payment.

What to do? Do not give any payment information to someone who calls you on the phone.

SCAM #2 – Calls asking for your PIN, password, personal information or a payment.

  • Your bank will not call you and ask you for your PIN number or password.
  • IRS and Social Security Administration will not ask you for payment or personal info over the phone. Government agencies usually handle issues like this by sending a letter.
  • The number shown on caller ID can be manipulated, don’t take that as a sign that a call is legitimate.

What to do? Whenever you are in doubt, hang up and call the bank (or company) directly using a number you already have for them.

SCAM #3 – Email asking you to click a link to verify your personal information or share your password or PIN.

  • Be very suspicious of emails asking you to click links.
  • Scammers are very good at creating official looking emails and webpages.

What to do? Whenever you are in doubt, go directly to the website (not using the link in the email).

SCAM #4 – You see an offer online telling you to send them some money and they will double it or a pop-up ad says that you have won a great prize and just need to give them your information.

  • When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

What to do? Do not give your personal information or any money to people you don’t know.

SCAM #5 – You receive a call and you are told to stay on the phone while you go transfer or withdraw money from the bank and if you don’t you will be arrested or your bank account seized.

  • They are using the idea that this is an urgent situation to make you act quickly without thinking to avoid the consequence they have told you.

What to do? Do not follow their instructions.

Whenever you are in doubt, do not do as the caller or email asks. Check with your host parents or community counselor.

One other note: It is very important to keep your social security number private. There are very few situations where you will need to share this (bank, IRS, motor vehicle agency). Those are times you are taking an action and need to provide it. There is not a legitimate time where someone would be calling you on the phone or emailing you asking for that number.

Image: Canva.com