Author Archive
Halloween
October 16th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Halloween
American children often dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating around their neighborhoods, demanding candy at every house. But how much do you really know about this tradition? Did you know it began in Ireland? People still go out into the countryside and light bonfires, and the children go trick-or-treating. They used to carve turnips […]
Au Pairs and Early Childhood Education
October 8th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Au Pairs and Early Childhood Education
One reason people consider an au pair for their childcare needs is the opportunity for their kids to be exposed to a foreign language, and this is a great idea. Research has shown that children who are exposed to a second language early in life (before age 9) develop into adults who use even their […]
Drowning signs – what to look for
June 9th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Drowning signs – what to look for
This link is something I shared a year ago, but it’s so important I want to share it at least once a year. We think we know what it looks like when someone is drowning and we are WRONG. Please take the time to read this. It only takes a minute for a child to […]
Father's Day!
June 9th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Father's Day!
Father’s Day is this coming Sunday. It is unfortunate that it falls after school gets out, because most schools help kids (at least little kids) come up with a nice gift for Mother’s Day but Father’s Day is pretty much left for the kids to do on their own. Father’s Day is important, though, and […]
Raising Children with Values
June 9th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Raising Children with Values
Having an au pair is one way families put their values into practice, teaching their children about the value of diversity and acceptance, about how to relate to different cultures in their futures, and about how the meaning of the word ‘family’ can include people who live far away. There is an organization in the […]
Apply in April to save $600!
April 22nd, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on Apply in April to save $600!
Apply between April 15 and 30 and save $250, plus no application fee, for a total savings of $600! With no application fee, you can search through our database of excellent candidates and see who is available, without committing to anything. As soon as your application is received, you’ll be able to run different searches […]
March 10th, 2014
by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on
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 […]
Women's History Month
March 5th, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on 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 […]
Clearing up myths about au pairs
March 3rd, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on 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.) […]
Safety tips on driving the kids to school from the MN Safety Council
March 1st, 2014by Jennifer Harriss | Comments Off on 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. […]
