Monthly Archives: March 2014

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! I’ve been told that more people claim to be Irish in St. Paul than in Ireland, although I don’t know if that’s true. But it’s still a fun way to learn a little bit about Ireland and get out into some (hopefully) springtime weather. Here’s a link to a page with craft ideas and recipes: http://spoonful.com/st-patricks-day

Many Americans wear green on March 17th, and at some schools the other kids will pinch you if you don't. There will be parades and parties, where people eat corned beef and cabbage and soda bread. In Chicago they dye the river green.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations are much more American than Irish, so don't expect too much green food if you ever do spend it on the Emerald Isle. Just sayin'….

Women's History Month

Here’s a personal story. As the mother of three daughters, it has always been important to me that they see themselves as able to do whatever they want with their lives. One way I have done that is by choosing women professionals when reasonable. So naturally, they went to a female pediatrician. One day when my youngest was about 4, we came out of the pediatrician and she said, “I thought we were going to see the doctor.”

To which I responded, “We just did. What do you mean?”

And she said, “We saw a nurse. Doctors are men.”

I blame TV. But anyway, the point is that even when we are aware of sexist perceptions, they still creep in. So Women’s History Month is a great way to keep showing our kids that men and women both contribute to society.

I have been poking around and finding a few women that might interest kids. Kid Lit, http://kidlitwhm.blogspot.com/ has a list of books by female authors that can lead to a fun afternoon at the library or snuggling on the couch. National Geographic Kids, http://tinyurl.com/4kdml66 has a page highlighting three important woman pioneers which will interest kids with more of a scientific bent. And She Knows, http://tinyurl.com/lyneb7f has a page with profile of many women in American History who are some of my personal heroes.

Au pairs can share famous women from the history of their own country. Did you know the Presidents of Brazil and Germany are both women?

Boys and girls both can gain from a better understanding of women’s historical contributions!

Clearing up myths about au pairs

There are a bunch of misconceptions about au pairs, so I thought I would try to put together one document that clears up the ones I personally hear most often.

First, having an au pair is not only for rich people. An au pair costs about $365 per family per week (plus room and board.) The average cost of care for an infant at a center in the Twin Cities metro area, according to mnchildcare.org, is $321, and $179 at an in-home daycare. This is per CHILD, not per family. So for one child, it’s slightly more expensive but significantly more flexible. For more than one child, it’s actually less expensive!

Second, au pairs do not come here to get married. While some of them do end up falling in love and marrying, the vast majority stay for the duration of their visa and then go back home. The State Department is constantly reviewing all au pair programs to ensure this is the case.

Third, au pairs are here to do childcare, to share their culture with Americans, to learn about our culture, to take classes, and to meet new people. They do not come here to party – it’s a lot easier and cheaper to do that at home!

Fourth, au pairs can drive. They all come with either an International Drivers License, or their home country’s license if they aren’t able to get an IDL where they live. So they all have passed at least one driving test. It is true that some of them have difficulty transitioning to our roads. We offer a course at our orientation that helps with that transition.

Fifth, au pairs are experienced, caring child care providers who love children. We exhaustively check childcare and personal references and provide transcripts to prospective host families. We give them personality tests and we are careful to only select candidates we feel will be successful with our host families.

If you have questions about au pairs, please let me know! I’m happy to answer anything!

Safety tips on driving the kids to school from the MN Safety Council

DRIVING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional-injury death among children ages 14 and under. To help keep children safe, Safe Kids Minnesota offers these safety tips for driving to school or participating in car pools:

Always use child safety seats and/or safety belts correctly every time you ride. Remain belted until exiting the vehicle. Never carry more passengers than there are safety belts in the vehicle. In Minnesota a child who is both under age 8 and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches is required to be fastened in a child safety seat that meets federal safety standards. Under Minnesota law, a child cannot use a seat belt alone until they are age 8, or 4 feet 9 inches tall. It is recommended to keep a child in a booster based on their height rather than their age. Check the instruction book or label of the child safety seat to be sure it is the right seat for your child’s weight and height.

Don’t store loose or heavy objects in the passenger area of the car that could injure someone if you stop suddenly.

The driver should allow extra time in the schedule to avoid the pressure of driving too fast when late.

Drop off your children as close to school as possible so that they do not have to cross the street, and make sure they enter and leave the car on the curb side.

Arrange to pick up your child at a safe spot away from the congestion of cars around the school.

CHILDREN AND AIR BAGS

The back seat is the safest place for children of any age to ride.

Never place an infant (less than 1 year old) in a rearward-facing child safety seat in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with a front passenger air bag. The back of a rear-facing infant or convertible seat rests too close to the air bag cover. Because the air bag opens with a great deal of force, serious injuries or death could occur if the child seat is too close.

If it is absolutely necessary for a child age 12 or under to ride in the front seat of a car with a front passenger side air bag:
Secure the child in a restraint system that is correct for the size of the child: a front facing child safety seat, a booster seat or a lap/shoulder belt.
Move the front seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Following these important safety guidelines and reviewing them each year with your children can help keep the back-to-school season safe. Parents and caregivers can be the best teachers when it comes to childhood injury prevention.

Acknowledgments:
Safe Kids Worldwide
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration