Yearly Archives: 2015

Coats Off in Car Seats BEFORE Buckling

December 30, 2015 – 4:59 pm

As cold weather may be coming our way (at last), new safety studies are indicating that it is unsafe to buckle a child into a car seat with his/her coat on. Please v iew this video from the TODAY show illustrating what can happen...the car seat is loosened by the extra fabric of a coat and in a crash situation, the child flies up and out of car seat.

If weather is cold, put the child’s coat ON TOP of the car seat buckle/belt for warmth.

Victoria Paton, Senior Community Counselor of Au Pair in America, has advised her Au Pairs to make note of this and for added safety to take the car with car seat to the next Safe Kids Worldwide “Car Seat Check-up Event:

Check Up Event – Safe Kids Montgomery County – 1/12/2016 – 8:00AM-6:00PM

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 – 8:00am to 6:00pm

Council Office Building
100 Maryland Avenue, Room 225
Rockville, MD 20850

or make an appointment at one of Montgomery County’s Car Seat Inspections Stations…click here.

Au Pair in America Au Pairs Celebrate Christmas at Krispy Kreme

December 29, 2015 – 4:29 pm

To celebrate Christmas away from home, Au Pair in America Au Pairs in Victoria Paton’s cluster in Maryland (Potomac, Bethesda, Cabin John and Glen Echo) donned Santa hats and enjoyed a dessert party at Krispy Kreme in Rockville.

Au Pairs brought a gift to exchange, and in the spirit of the holidays, they also generously donated personal items for Streetlights USA (a charity that supports young women saved in America from trafficking).

Four lighted trees were decorated by the Au Pairs and then raffled-off to four happy winners.

Many Au Pairs would be spending the holidays with their Host Families while others were looking forward to learning more about America with travel to Florida, Las Vegas, San Diego etc.

College Fair for Au Pairs a Great Success!

December 21, 2015 – 9:33 pm

Representatives from ten area colleges/institutes at which Au Pairs can study enthusiastically participated in the First Ever Au Pair in America College Fair at Potomac Community Center.

Au Pairs take 72 hours/year (Standard Au Pair) or 144 hours/year (Educare Au Pair) of education in the topics of their choice as required by the State Department.

Colleges represented: Montgomery College, Borough of Manhattan, Virginia International Univ., LADO, International Language Institute, Stratford University, L’Academie de Cuisine, Georgetown University, American University and UCLA.

“Rather than Au Pairs seeking info on educational opportunities independently around the DC area, I thought it would be better to bring the educators to the Au Pairs so they could walk around and shop opportunities, gather information, understand the registration process for each location.

College representatives thought it was a great idea, too, and we will hold another Au Pair College Fair in Fall 2016.” said Victoria Paton, Senior Community Counselor for Potomac, Bethesda, Glen Echo andCabin John, who organized the event.

Au Pair in America AU PAIR COLLEGE FAIR in Maryland

November 30, 2015 – 9:40 pm

FIRST EVER – Maryland Regional Au Pair in America

AU PAIR COLLEGE FAIR!

Au Pairs from around the region are invited to find out the options for fulfilling their Au Pair in America education requirement…

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at 1230-230pm
Potomac Community Center
11315 Falls Road, Potomac, Maryland

Plenty of parking and is on the T2 bus stop in front (Friendship Heights/Rockville Metros)

Representatives from many Au Pair educational options will be there to help you:

Montgomery College Continuing Ed. and Credit Departments

LADO (English and TOEFL prep)

English House/International Language Institute (ESL and TOEFL prep)

Stratford University (event management)

Georgetown University (English related courses)

L’Academie de Cuisine (culinary)

Virginia International University (museum classes)

UCLA online program for Au Pairs

BMCC Travel courses

Come and find out what is available for Spring 2016!

Crepes A Go Go Gathering for Au Pairs

July 30, 2015 – 4:36 am

Victoria presents year-end certificates to Natasha (UK) and Frances (South Africa), both are extending another year so will complete two years with their Host Family.

Approximately 50 Au Pair in America Au Pairs gathered in Gaithersburg, (Kentlands Town Center) to sit outdoors and enjoy crepes as they connected with friends and their Senior Community Counselors: Imelda Farrell and Victoria Paton.

End of the Year completion certificates were presented to our July departures and each Au Pair was asked to impart some words of wisdom to those she is leaving behind: “Travel as much as you can”, “Communication with your Host Family is key to the success of your match – if you don’t understand – ask”, “Don’t go to Starbucks too often so you can save money for travel or take extra courses at college”, “Enjoy every moment – the time flies by!”

50+ Au Pairs at Crepes A Go Go in Kentlands

Meetings at Montgomery College: Au Pairs and Educares Plan Their Academic Studies with Counselor

July 29, 2015 – 4:35 am

Au Pair in America’s Au Pairs and Educares arrive Thursday nights to their new Host Families in the Potomac, Bethesda, Cabin John and Glen Echo Cluster. To facilitate signing-up for Fall courses, they are invited to meet their Senior Community Counselor, Victoria Paton, Fridays at Montgomery College. There she will assist each young woman to register at MC, or chat with the new arrival to determine if there might be another local institute of education that would better suit her academic goals.

Au Pairs work 45 hours/week and Educare Companions 30 hours/week and in their free time it is mandated by the State Department that they study at an accredited, secondary institute of education for 72 hours (Au Pairs) or 144 hours (Educares).

Au Pairs in Montreal with BMCC Travel Course

“It is great fun to help Au Pairs and Educares think about how they might like to fulfill their State Department education requirement: Years ago an Au Pair from Sweden had wanted to try acting, but was afraid to do it back home, fearing her friends would laugh. So she signed up for Intro to Acting at MC and enjoyed it so much she decided to apply to the New York Academy of Music and Dramatic Art – and was accepted after she completed her Au Pair year! An Au Pair from Poland came to my cluster as a non-swimmer. She took swimming at MC and finished her Au Pair year as an accomplished swimmer. An Au Pair from South Africa was taking accounting courses but decided to get in shape with MC’s Intro to Personal Training class. She had such great results and she enjoyed the supportive nature of the group, that she chose to pursue further classes in the subject and went home to become a Certified Personal Trainer.

Lives can be enhanced and career directions changed, when a young woman, as an Au Pair/Educare, has a chance to explore the educational options in the DC area with her Counselor or Host Family.” Victoria Paton

Au Pairs participate in Culinary Program at Stratford University.

We are very fortunate to have MANY affordable options for the Au Pairs/Educares in the DC area:

Montgomery College (Credit and Workforce Development)

LADO, International Language Institute and Inlingua

BMCC Study/Travel Courses (Nashville, Boston, Chicago, Niagara Falls, NYC etc.)

Stratford University in Tysons and Alexandria has created Au Pair survey courses in Event Management and Culinary Arts.

L’Academie de Cuisine has a series of Au Pair courses,

Georgetown University Continuing Education offers English language – related classes.

Virginia International University offers Saturday courses at museums in Washington, DC.

Au Pair in America has a joint program with UCLA for an online course with volunteer hours

Lifeguard Speaks to Au Pairs

July 21, 2015 – 2:49 am

Pool Safety was the topic that Aileen Farrell, Lifeguard at King Farm, stressed at our June Cluster meeting. Topics covered: Being alert around and in the pool, changing room policies, what to do if a child falls in, how to assist pool life guards by supervising the children in Au Pair’s care and more.

There are a few great websites with information but most recently the Today show offered:

“We Love Our Au Pairs” Award Dessert Party

July 21, 2015 – 1:38 am

Forty Au Pairs joined their Community Counselor, Victoria Paton, at the Kentlands Clubhouse for an Awards Dessert Party where they were the guests of honor.

Each attending Au Pair was presented with a certificate and a rose to thank her for her contribution to her Host Family. The Host Families nominated each Au Pair for awards such as “Best Au Pair EVER”, “Best Lego Maker”, Best German Pancake Maker” etc.