Au Pairs
Back to School Tips
Kids in our cluster will be returning to school soon. This will mean changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties. It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems.
I suggest you discuss the following (if applicable):
- Au pair’s work schedule
- The children’s school and activity schedules
- Where the children get dropped off and picked up and who will be doing this
- What to do if a child is staying home sick, late to school, does not get off the bus (if they are supposed to)
- How to tell if school has been cancelled or delayed for bad weather
- Add the au pair to your list of people allowed to pick up the kids from school
- What to pack for lunch
- The routine after school (do they have free time before starting homework, what to give for snack, any chores, where do they put their backpacks & lunchboxes)
- How to communicate about what’s going on at school. (Kids in Care Log Books are available upon request from APIA)
Here are some Printable Fill-in-the-Blank School Notes for parents. You may print these out and use them for times when the kids are absent, late, have early dismissal or you need to give permission for something.
If the au pair will be the one going through the children’s back pack and helping with homework, I suggest you designate an area for putting things that need to be read and/or signed by parents.
Car Seat Safety is a Shared Responsibility
Child Car Seat Laws in PA
Use of proper child car seats is important for your child’s safety. Pennsylvania law requires you to have your child in an appropriate car seat, or you risk a $75 fine.
Follow these guidelines when buying a car seat for your child:
- Children under 4 years old: Use a federally approved child car seat, appropriate for the height and weight of your child.
- 4 to 8 years old: Use a booster seat until your child reaches the height and weight maximum.
Car seats and booster seats save lives, there is no doubt about it. But, just having the car seat in the car is not enough. Car seats and booster seats can only save lives if they are properly installed and used.
Host Parents
- It is your responsibility to show the au pair how to properly use your car seats and/or booster seats.
- If you expect her to change seats to different vehicles, show her how to install them properly.
- If you do not want her to remove and re-install car seats, make that expectation clear.
- Even if the au pair has a separate car that she is the only one driving the kids in, please check the installation of the seats periodically.
Au Pairs
- You are responsible for making sure that you understand how to buckle the children safely in their seats and be sure that they are safely buckled in every time you take them in the car with you.
- The car should not move unless everyone is buckled.
- Make it a habit to check the seats each time you put the children in to see that the seat is secure and not too loose.
- If the seat is not working properly or you cannot figure out how to get it tight, ask your host parents as soon as possible.
- If your host parents have asked you not to remove the car seat(s), please follow that rule.
- If you need to remove the seat for some reason, ask them for help putting the seat bac