Yearly Archives: 2017

Avoiding Homesickness this 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 au pair would welcome something familiar. 

It is common for au pairs’ emotions to be close to the surface during the holidays. Her highs are higher, her lows are lower. The enormity of what she has done–actually living in another country (which is an amazing thing when you think about it!)–hits her and throws her into a self-protective mode.

Host parents can help her through this unfamiliar territory by talking to her about what your specific family activities will be (gifts, meals, visitors, religious services, in-home traditions, or none of these, as the case may be.) In the spirit of cultural exchange, ask her if she has any favorite holiday traditions or foods that you might be able to incorporate into your family’s celebration of the season. Let her know what you will be doing, when you will be doing it, and what she can expect. Talk to her about what has to be accomplished and get her involved and interested. Don’t expect her to just “know” what needs to be done. Give her some clear, agreed upon assignments. Make her feel a part of things. And, let her know her contribution is needed and appreciated.

Photo: Sheila Sund (Flickr)

5 Thanksgiving Tips for Au Pairs & Host Parents

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.

“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany

Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.

 

Host Parents

1.  Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.

2.  If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.

Au Pairs

3.  If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.

4.  Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.

5.  If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.

Bonus Tip for the Kids

If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.

Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)

DC Region Scavenger Hunt at the National Zoo 2017

The weather could no be more perfect for the gathering of nearly 30 Clusters of Au Pair in America’s DC Region!

Over 300 Au Pairs from around the world met to participate in the 3rd Au Pair in America DC Region Scavenger Hunt at the National Zoo on Sunday, October 1st.

Au Pairs formed teams of 10-12 and given packets with instructions, each unique hunt map asked the team to identify 10 animals by color, region, texture etc.

Pinterest was a great resource for excellent scavenger hunt maps this year. These followed a Montessori model…

 

 

 

The Zoo was a buzz that Sunday with many young families enjoying a day out and they encountered little groups of Au Pairs in their Au Pair in America t-shirts happily saying hello and engaging children. After 2 hours the teams returned with photos of their finds and presented their results to their Counselor.

Each Au Pair received a stuffed panda toy as a souvenir of the day and their visit with the National Zoo’s own Giant Pandas…Mei Xiang (female), Tian Tian (male) and their baby Bei Bei.

 

All participants and their counselors gathered for a giant photo to commemorate the day!

 

Au Pairs and Host Families Support Race4Respect

Eight Au Pairs from Maryland and Virginia awoke at 530am to reach downtown DC by 7am to report for their volunteer positions at the Race4Respect. By 8am, Pennsylvania Avenue was abuzz with families and children all anxious to start the Race4Respect. Victoria Paton, Senior Community Counselor, was proud of her Au Pairs wanting to help out and they posed for some pre-Run photos.

As quite a few of our Au Pairs care for children with Down syndrome, Au Pair in America decided to become a sponsor of this fairly new, but important, event.

Two Au Pairs from Brazil ran with their Host Families.

Au Pairs from Victoria Paton’s Cluster came to volunteer and they had a blast! l-r Germany, Austria, Germany and Brazil were represented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race4Respect 5k, 1k and fun run was founded in 2014 and is the only event dedicated to Down Syndrome Awareness that stops traffic in the nation’s capital.

A run-loving Host Family participated in Race4Respect. Their Au Pair, Robyn, is from Australia and loves charity races.

These super-volunteering Au Pairs were joined by 4 DC Area Host Families who all walked and ran in the race as well.

It was a gorgeous day and everyone had fun with the Capitol as a backdrop!

The Race4Respect was created in the belief that negative stereotypes or judgements might be eliminated if persons with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities would participate together to share a day of friendship and fun.

The hope of Race organizers is that people might proceed in their lives more inclined to hire individuals with disabilities, help them at the bus stop, chat with them at a coffee shop, or simply believe in their ability before automatically dismissing them as unable.

 

This Host Family and their Au Pair, Cami, from Brazil, were involved in the organization of this awareness-building event.

Au Pairs pass water to thirsty runners and walkers along the route.

 

Wheels helped the littlest Host children complete the ENTIRE course!

Mariana, from Mexico, and her Host children walked the entire route proud to be part of Team Au Pair in America!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mariana and children walk toward the US Capital.

Team Au Pair in America!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hints for Success – Overcoming Homesickness

Almost everyone experiences homesickness and culture shock to some degree, when they come to live in a completely new environment. So much is different and it takes time to adjust.

It is normal to miss your own family, at home. Try to remember that they support you and want you to make the most of this experience. They will enjoy learning more about the U.S., through your eyes, as you share your adventures with them.

Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Homesickness

1. Make Friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There are other lots of new au pairs who are feeling the same way you are right now. Set a goal to reach out to a few of them each day. Some will respond and some will not. Don’t let that discourage you. No one will ever be mad at you for sending them a message to say hello or ask if they want to do something together. Make friends from various countries and you will also get a chance to practice your English skills together.

2. Stay in touch with your home country, but not too much. Skyping or talking on the phone every day with your family and/or friends back home normally makes homesickness worse. Try emailing instead and reduce the Skype and phone calls to once a week, until you feel stronger. It’s much harder seeing the faces and hearing the voices of those you miss.

3. Get out of the house (or your room specifically) – Go to cluster meetings, have coffee or movies with other au pairs, join a gym, go to the library, go for a walk, visit the mall, get a manicure, visit a museum. If someone invites you out, say “yes.” Also, don’t be afraid to do the inviting. If your host family invites you to do things with them, say “yes.” This will help you get to know each other and contribute to your overall happiness.

4. Realize that it definitely gets better – All au pairs experience homesickness and the vast majority of them get through it, stay and have a successful year (some even extend for a second year!) So, it must get better, right? Once you get past the initial homesickness, most au pairs report how quickly the year goes by.

5. Make Plans – Create your own Au Pair Bucket List (places you want to go, new foods to try, new things to experience during your year in the U.S.) and start doing them now. Post on our cluster Facebook group to find others who may want to join you on your adventures.

Photo by:  Shimelle Laine (Flickr)

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival will take place June 29-July 4 and July 6-9. 

The Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exhibition of living cultural heritage. This year will be the 50th anniversary of this popular event. Attracting more than one million visitors yearly, the two-week long celebration is the largest annual cultural event in the United States.

The Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 12th Streets and inside the Arts & Industries Building. There is no admission charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use public transportation. Smithsonian is the closest Metro station to the Festival site. L’Enfant Plaza, National Archives, and Federal Center stations are within a half-mile. For general Smithsonian visitor information, http://www.si.edu/Visit or call 202.633.1000 (voice).

Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special events taking place most evenings beginning at 5:30 or 7 p.m. View the schedule here.

I highly recommend that you visit their website to plan your visit http://www.festival.si.edu/

Preventing Dehydration in Hot Weather

Dehydration means that the body lacks the necessary amount of fluid. Infants and small children are more likely to become dehydrated than older children or adults, because they can lose relatively more fluid quickly.

Here are some steps to take to make sure children remain hydrated in the summer months:

  • Encourage your child to drink plenty of water. On hot days, children should drink significantly more water than usual, as they are losing more due to the heat.
  • Do not wait until your child is thirsty to give him water. By the time they feel thirsty, they are already becoming dehydrated.
  • If your child is resistant to drinking enough water, have other liquids on hand for your child to drink throughout the day.
  • Be alert to changes in behavior. A child may act confused or more irritable when they are becoming dehydrated/overheated. Get them into cooler temperatures and drinking more fluids.
  • Dress your child in lightweight clothing in the summer months, particularly if she’ll be playing outdoors in warm weather. You may also consider clothes that are well ventilated as they do not trap heat close to the body.
  • When there are heat and/or air quality advisories because the weather is dangerously hot, you should avoid taking the children outdoors. Check with your host parents for further guidance on this topic.

Remember to follow these tips for yourself too, so you stay well hydrated.

Photo: Darwin Bell (Flickr)

We LOVE Our Au Pairs Awards Dessert Party 2017

Momina from France

Over 50 Au Pairs came to the Kentlands Community Center in Gaithersburg, MD on Friday night May 5th to be “Guests of Honor” for an Awards Dessert Party to celebrate THEM.

Claudia from Spain

 

Victoria says: “This is, by far, one of THE best Cluster activities of the year. We all get so close. Other Au Pairs listen and applaud each other’s accomplishments. I’m so proud.”

After an hour of mingling, making friends and just relaxing together, the formalities began.

Andrea, from Costa Rica, is almost at the end of her year…and is going to miss her Host Family so much

Melisha from South Africa “Most Stylish Au Pair” laughs with Franzi from Germany and Elise from France.

Each Au Pair was called up one by one to receive her award, designated by her Host Family, specifying an area in which she excels.

The ceremony included presentation of a printed certificate as well as a lovely red rose and a quick, souvenir-pose with Senior Community Counselor, Victoria Paton.

Victoria has been the Counselor for Potomac, Bethesda, Cabin John and Glen Echo full-time for more than 17 (amazing!) years… Serving 65 Host Families and their Au Pairs annually.

Awards included “Best Lullaby Singer”, “Most Thoughtful”, “Best Listener and Cheerer”, “Most Willing to Help All the Time”, “Best Math Tutor”, even “Best Penguin Whisperer”…clearly an inside joke with Host Family and Au Pair!

Mariana from Mexico cares for 5 children…like a family member.

Cara from South Africa finishing her 2nd year.

Kerstin from Germany

Awards continued for each of over 50 Au Pairs: “Best Big Sister”, “Best Treasure Hunt Maker”, “Best Polish Pancake Maker”, “Most Stylish Au Pair”, “Best at Being Positive About Everything”, and “Best Baby Smile Maker.”

The award explanations were touching:

Nadine from Germany

 

 

“When I am home I can hear my little boy giggle and laugh with her…she treats my son as her own and loves him with an open-heart.”

or

“This has been a difficult year with a grandpa’s illness but our Au pair remembers every piece of baseball equipment and sits through karate practices and cheers on our kids. We love her!”

Some were most heart-felt and  brought tears to all…

Nam from Thailand

Robin is doing her 2nd round as an Au Pair having been an Au Pair 2 years ago and is now back with a new family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Every night at bedtime, our family sings an old, irish lullaby passed down from grandma. It’s always hard for Spanish speakers but our Au Pair has learned it well and sings it with gusto!”

“We, Host Parents, think our Au Pair is a great, calming presence in our home. She is great with the kids, engages them openly. She is reliable and unflappable.”

    

 

 

 

At the end of our evening, each Au Pair selected a red balloon and wrote on the paper attached her wish or dream for the coming year. Then we all went outdoors and let them fly into the evening sky. There was a light breeze so all but one made it past the trees and on to points beyond. For many Au Pairs, they had never done such a thing.

And finally, each Au Pair went home with a goodie bag of fun items…and a warm feeling in her heart.

And, least we forget, the GROUP PHOTO…what fun trying to get us all into the width of a lens!

Oh, what a night!

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 summer travel season. Here are some reminders about program rules regarding holidays and vacations.

Holidays

  • Host families are not required to give au pairs any specific holidays.
  • Each host family will make different arrangements on holidays, some au pairs will be off and others will be required to work.
  • Au pairs should not make plans for holidays without checking with your host family first.

Vacations

  • Au pairs earns 2 weeks of paid vacation during the course of her year.
  • Vacation time should be mutually agreed upon.
  • All vacation should be preplanned (at least 4 weeks in advance.)
  • All au pair’s friends and/or family visits/vacations should be pre-approved prior to purchasing tickets.
  • If an au pair travels with her host family, it should be discussed in advance whether this is the au pair’s vacation or if she is working.
  • If an au pair travels with the host family to work, the host family is required to pay for her transportation, lodging and meals.

Important: If an au pair is traveling outside of the U.S., she must have her DS2019 signed (travel validation) PRIOR to her departure from the US. More information about this may be found here on the Au Pair in America website.

Photo: torbakhopper (Flickr)

Helping Young Children Learn Language

Being an au pair is an important role in a child’s life. When you are caring for a young child up to 45 hours per week, there are lots of opportunities to help them learn language. Many host parents are eager for their children to be exposed to foreign language. If this is true of your host parents, you can try the suggestions below, in both English and your native language.

Below are a few tips to start with, for more ideas, check out Ready at Five.

  • Read – Read to them daily, point out pictures and ask questions. Even if they can’t answer the questions, this is still modeling conversation.
  • Talk – Point out objects around them, names of their body parts, explain what you are doing and places you are going. Long before babies can speak, they benefit greatly from being spoken to.
  • Sing – You can sing childhood classics or make up your own silly songs. If you are looking for song ideas, HERE is a great website with lists of songs, lyrics and links to YouTube videos* of the songs.  Children’s music is also available at the public library and even on iTunes.
  • Words – As children move from toddlers to preschoolers begin to point out written language.
  • Writing – Toddlers and preschoolers can begin to learn pre-writing skills by drawing with crayons or doing finger paints.

*The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for babies under 18 months of age. For children 18 months to 5 years they recommend no more than 1 hour of high quality content. You can play the songs on youtube for the audio and not necessarily show the screen to the child.

Photo: Quinn Dombrowski (Flickr)