Author Archive
APIA ongoing au pair training
August 11th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on APIA ongoing au pair training
Au Pair in America is committed to providing the best possible childcare to your family. Au pairs get ongoing training in childcare and related topics throughout their year, both at their monthly cluster meetings and in online webinars. Webinars are scheduled roughly every week throughout the year. Recent topics have included things like: Toilet Training […]
Summer Fun
July 21st, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Summer Fun
It’s getting to be that time, isn’t it, when kids start to whine about being bored. Personally, I haven’t been bored in about 25 years, but kids, you know… If you’re looking for ideas on things to interest kids, Au Pair in America has a Pinterest board with great ideas for themed ‘Camp Au Pair’ weeks. […]
Swimming Safety
July 13th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Swimming Safety
It is absolutely important to keep kids safe by the water. That means NO using cell phones, NO running inside “just for a moment,” and NO getting so caught up in conversation that you aren’t watching them 100% of the time. If you are swimming with little kids, you need to be within arms reach […]
Minneapolis Aquatennial 2016
July 11th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Minneapolis Aquatennial 2016
The Aquatennial is coming! Minneapolis celebration of summer is a little shorter this year so make sure it’s on your calendar so you don’t miss it! There are all kinds of fun family-friendly events including the Torchlight Parade through downtown Minneapolis on 7/20 (with a Family Fun Night beforehand at Loring Park,) the Twin Cities […]
Au pair extension program
April 18th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Au pair extension program
Au pairs come on a 12 month, J-1 visa. If they complete the requirements for their first year, they can extend with the program for up to a second year. This can be great for families who want to have the continuity of two full years with the same person. No learning curve! Au pairs […]
Severe Weather Awareness Month
April 11th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Severe Weather Awareness Month
April is Sever Weather Awareness Month and it’s important to be ready. Late spring is when we see a large number of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, so here’s how to handle that. A severe thunderstorm is one which may include any or all of the following: frequent lightning strikes, which can be extremely dangerous, high […]
Why should I get an au pair?
April 2nd, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Why should I get an au pair?
Well, not everyone should, to be honest. Families that need someone to care for their kids while they are out of town on business, for example, may not find an au pair the best solution. Families that live in smaller homes that don’t have an extra bedroom would not be suitable. But for many families, […]
St. Patrick’s Day in the US
March 15th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on St. Patrick’s Day in the US
St. Patrick’s Day is a pretty popular holiday here in the US. It’s not much like St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, which I understand is a pretty typical religious minor holiday. Here, it’s mainly an excuse to have fun. Many Americans wear green on March 17th, and at some schools the other kids will pinch […]
St. Valentine’s Day
February 7th, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on St. Valentine’s Day
Hey – Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Are you ready? In the United States, kids almost always celebrate some form of Valentine’s Day. At my school, we are calling it Friendship Day, but it will be otherwise the same as it was waaaaay back when I was in elementary school: kids will bring […]
February is Black History Month
February 1st, 2016by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on February is Black History Month
February has been known as Black History Month in the US since 1976, when it was recognized nationally for the first time as part of the US Bicentennial. The contributions of African-Americans are often left out of history books, and this is one way to focus more attention on them. Children can learn about Black […]
