If this is your first holiday season in the US, you are sure to be surprised at how we celebrate. It’s a good idea for host families and au pairs to take a minute to talk about expectations – for example, what kind of gifts an au pair might receive, or might give. Some families have price limits, others just exchange names and give to only a few people. Ask how you can help, as a member of the family, of course! You should expect to meet lots of extended family members, and your host family will probably expect you to spend at least some ‘family’ time with them.
Monthly Archives: December 2009
Fun in the snow!
Winter is a great time to be a kid in Minnesota, but you need to take precautions. Kids should be dressed for the weather, which includes some or all of the following: mittens or gloves, scarves, hats, warm boots, and snowpants. For older kids in particular, it is a good idea to put layers on if you’re going sledding or skating, so that if they start to get warm, they can take some of it off without losing all their protection.
Little kids can have a blast just playing with snow, maybe learning how to make snowballs or even snow forts. You can put them on a sled with you to go down the local hills. Keep an eye on them to be sure they aren’t getting cold – sometimes they don’t know themselves!
Older kids can do all the same things, plus skating or hockey on local rinks or ponds, riding big tubes down ski hills at places like Buck Hill, Afton Alps, or Theodore Wirth Park, and skiing.
The Twin Cities au pairs went skating in November to prepare for all of this. I was amazed at how quickly they caught on! I’ll be posting photos soon.
Remember, after an afternoon playing outdoors this time of year, a lovely cup of hot cocoa can warm anyone up!
Au Pair in America – Twin Cities
I am excited to start writing the blog for the Minneapolis and St. Paul cluster of Au Pair in America! Au pairs are young women who come to the US for a year to learn about our culture by living with a family and caring for their children. They also take college classes to get to know young Americans. They come from all over the world, more than 60 countries. They arrive with a J-1 visa.
Au pair programs are standardized by the federal government. The rules are:
– au pairs can work up to 45 hours per week, up to 10 hours per day, and up to 5 1/2 days per week. They get one weekend off every month and 2 weeks of paid vacation.
– au pairs take the equivalent of 6 semester credits at an accredited institution of higher learning
– au pairs cannot have any other employment besides caring for their host family’s children
It’s a great option for many families who like the idea of cultural exchange being part of their children’s upbringing.
I have been a Community Counselor since 2004. I have lived in the area almost my whole life, except for when I was in college in Wisconsin. I live with my husband and our three daughters in South Minneapolis.
Hopefully this blog will be a useful way to spread information about our cluster and about Au Pair in America!
Winter Tips for Host Families and Au Pairs
Now that winter is actually here, it’s a really good idea for host families and au pairs to take the earliest opportunity to talk about winter driving. Many au pairs have never driven in snow before, and everyone can use a refresher. Points to talk about can include: what to do if the car starts to slide; how much earlier you need to begin braking; how to start moving forward safely; in-car emergency kit; keeping your windshield washer fluid full; and allowing extra time to reach your destination.
You probably should also discuss proper clothing, especially for the kids – don’t forget to talk about layers when doing something like ice skating.
Finally, remind your au pair that she will become acclimated to the cold, and she won’t feel so cold all winter – it will get better!
And don’t forget that there are lots of holidays coming up. This is a great time for cultural exchange – you can include some of each of your holiday traditions. Also remember that it’s common for au pairs to get a little homesick now, and it’s nothing to worry about.
Happy snowman building!