Monthly Archives: December 2013

New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve is celebrated in most parts of the world with parties and noise-makers, and Minnesota is no different. Remember that if you are under 21, it is illegal to drink alcohol at all in the US, and if you are driving, don’t drink. There are enough nuts out there on New Year’s Eve to make it dangerous for even sober people to get home. Take it easy and have fun, but responsibly.

This year in particular you need to be aware of the weather. It will be well below zero fahrenheit when it’s time to go out, so don’t forget a hat, mittens, scarf…. and beware of something called black ice, which is when the exhaust of cars freezes into an almost invisible sheet of ice on the roads.

Have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve and a terrific 2014!

Winter solstice

A fun way to introduce kids to the idea of diverse holidays is to teach them about the solstice. The days have been getting shorter and shorter, and we all should celebrate having a little more sunshine soon.

There is a great website for kids and crafts, www.craftycrow.net, that has a bunch of great ideas for solstice crafts for all ages. Even the littlest kids can make a finger-painted sun, and bigger kids can make some spectacular snowflakes.

Even if you are just looking for something to do when it’s too cold out to go sledding, these are fun ways to enjoy the season indoors. Have fun crafting!

Au pairs and Minnesota winters

Almost all the families I interview express concerns about how au pairs will adapt to our lovely winters. I can honestly say that not one of the hundreds of au pairs I have worked with has left Minnesota because of the winter. In fact, I would say that the highest percentage of au pairs who choose to extend with their same family in my cluster is girls from warm places like Brazil and Thailand.

However, if your au pair will be sleeping in the basement, you might want to look at space heaters. The modern ones are extremely safe, and as long as you are very clear about safety with it (don’t drape your towel over it to dry it, for example) it might make your au pair feel more appreciated.

It is important to make our environment very clear when you are interviewing candidates. Just like everything else, early communication can really prevent issues later on. You don’t need to scare her – don’t mention the snow emergency we had last May, for example – but she should know that it will be cold and snowy for half the year.

Winter driving can also be a big challenge for anyone – even people who have grown up here can forget how to slow down early enough after it snows. The Minnesota Safety Council has a course entitled “Alive at 25” that au pairs can take to brush up on their skills. They also have fact sheets about winter driving that talk to specific issues they might need to know. The links are at the right.

We can all get through this together. We do it every year!

Why get an au pair?

Why do families choose to use the services of an au pair? There are lots of reasons.

First of all, au pairs provide experienced, loving, live-in childcare. Every au pair has hours and hours of experience caring for children. Families can look at their applications and see exactly what ages and what kind of care and match that experience with their needs.

Second, au pairs bring cultural awareness and diversity to American families. Many families enjoy learning about different cultures and traditions. It is also common for people to want their children to be comfortable with people of different backgrounds, particularly in today’s international business world.

Third, au pairs can be much more economical than traditional childcare, particularly for families with multiple children. Au pairs currently cost about $350 per week, plus room and board. This includes the au pair’s stipend and educational allowance, her flight to and from the US, and the agency fees for things like insurance. This is per family, NOT per child.

Au pairs coming through Au Pair in America are carefully vetted, go through a state-of-the-art orientation upon their arrival in the US, and have ongoing, local support in the person of a local Community Counselor. The CC also provides ongoing support to the host families from their initial contact with the agency, through the selection process, and during the year. Our counselors have an average of about 12 years experience and are very familiar with the visa requirements, the educational opportunities in the area, and how to deal with possible issues, such as homesickness. The agency provides health insurance and liability insurance, and 24 hour emergency support.

Having live-in childcare is definitely not the right option for every family, but if your family is considering it, look into having an au pair. It could be the answer you’re looking for!