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Welcome to Camp Au Pair in America!

When kids are out of school for the summer, it doesn’t take long for them to become bored and sometimes that leads to sibling squabbles and mischief. Even though they don’t realize it, they are usually missing routine and predictability in their daily schedule. One solution is to make fun plans to keep them busy! 

Each week this summer we will share a different Camp Au Pair theme. These weekly themes are designed to give you ideas to keep your host kids occupied and engaged all summer long. They will also be learning. (But shhhh, don’t tell them that part.) Check back each Friday, for the next week’s theme. This gives you a chance to make plans and gather materials for the next week. For each theme there will be crafts, games, snacks and activities. You can just use these ideas or add your own and customize the themes to fit the ages and interests of your host children.

Here are the themes you can look forward to:

  • Nature Exploration
  • Art Experiences
  • Under the Sea
  • Science (STEM)
  • Bugs & Butterflies
  • Cars and Trucks
  • Backyard Safari
  • Dinosaurs
  • Explore the World
  • Outer Space
  • Pirate Adventures
  • Princesses & Knights

Check out Summer Fun & Summer Holidays pin boards for even more ideas.

If you get some great pictures doing these activities with your host kids, please send those to your community counselor. We love to share your accomplishments and inspire other au pairs!

Let’s make this an amazing summer!

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year in the United States. It started as a harvest festival and has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789.  The most important part of Thanksgiving for American families is to spend family time together.  Here are some fun facts about this special holiday:

·         The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621 and included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians and lasted three days.

·         The first Thanksgiving was eaten with spoons and knives — but no forks! Forks weren’t even introduced to the Pilgrims until 10 years later and weren’t a popular utensil until the 18th century

·         Thanksgiving is the reason for TV dinners! In 1953, Swanson had so much extra turkey (260 tons) that a salesman told them they should package it onto aluminum trays with other sides like sweet potatoes — and the first TV dinner was invented

·         Presidential pardon of a turkey: Each year, the president pardons a turkey and spares it from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. The first turkey pardon ceremony started with President Truman in 1947. President Obama pardoned a 45-pound turkey named Courage, who has flown to Disneyland and served as Grand Marshal of the park’s Thanksgiving Day parade!

·         Why is Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November? President Abe Lincoln said Thanksgiving would be the fourth Thursday in November, but in 1939 President Roosevelt moved it up a week hoping it would help the shopping season during the Depression era. It never caught on and it was changed back two years later

·         How did the tradition of watching football on Thanksgiving start? The NFL started the Thanksgiving Classic games in 1920 and since then the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted games on Turkey Day. In 2006, a third game was added with different teams hosting

·         About 90 % of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day

·         The ‘wishbone’ of the turkey is used in a good luck ritual on Thanksgiving Day.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 Image result for happy thanksgiving clip art

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS -Turn clocks BACK one hour

Nov 6

Back 1 hour

Nov 6, 2016 – Daylight Saving Time Ends

When local daylight time is about to reach
Sunday, November 6, 2016, 2:00:00 AM clocks are turned backward 1 hour to
Sunday, November 6, 2016, 1:00:00 AM local standard time instead

Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour earlier on Nov 6, 2016 than the day before. There will be more light in the morning.

Also called Fall Back and Winter Time.

More info:
USA & Canada: DST Ends on Nov 6, 2016

BACK TO SCHOOL

With a well-rounded summer vacation ending, parents spend a lot of time getting their kids ready for school. New school supplies, haircuts, and special end-of-summer outings all play into the back-to-school routine. There are some other things that parents can do for themselves and their kids to ensure a smooth transition into the school year, too. Take a look below at few ways to get this year off to a great start in your house.

Set up a bedtime and wake-up routine in advance. If possible, it’s best to establish bedtimes and wake-up times two weeks in advance of the start of school. By the time the first school bell rings, kids will already be on the right sleeping schedule and it will be one less worry for your family.

Get to know new teachers. There will be open houses, orientations, and other meet-and-greet options at the beginning of the school year, but none will give you the chance to spend some quality time getting to know your kids’ teachers. Try to find a few minutes before or after school to connect one-on-one with the teachers. At the very least, send an introductory email that includes how you can help during the school year, however big or small.

Plan healthy lunches and snacks. The better you plan out the meals in your home, the healthier choices you will make for your kids. When you pack protein-rich snacks and lunches, balanced with fruits, vegetables, and other wholesome items, you ensure that your children will have the energy and brainpower to make it through their school days.

Organize clothing. Of course you will need to donate or otherwise get rid of the clothing that your kids have outgrown, but you should also take the time to carefully organize what is left. From there, decide what items you may need more of before school begins.

Set up a staging area. Find a central spot to store everything related to school, including backpacks, upcoming outfits, and a dry erase calendar with family schedules. Try to keep this area free of clutter and other non-school items so that you can find what you need, when you need it—and quickly. Have the kids help you stock it with school-related items and keep it clean and functional. Find some inspiration here.

Update medical records. Most schools will let you know if your shot records are out of date, but why not go beyond that? Make sure teachers and administrators have a complete list of any medical concerns regarding your kids, including allergies. You will also want to be sure that all emergency contacts are up to date.

Talk to your kids about bullying. Research shows that one in three kids experience bullying at some point in their school career—and in the increasingly digital world, the consequences can be extreme. Make sure your kids understand the right way to treat their peers, and when to speak up if they see someone else being bullied. Also make sure they know when to come to you if they feel they are being bullied.

Ask your kids about their concerns. The start of school is exciting, but can also bring some anxiety—especially when it comes to the unknown. Take a few minutes to ask your kids what they are most looking forward to during the school year, and what things may be worrying them. By giving them a forum to express their concerns, you can help them work through any worries in advance of school starting and clear up any issues that could lead to a bumpy start to the year.

 

JULY 4 in PHILADELPHIA 2016

Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert

Date: July 4, 2016; 5-10 p.m.
Location: 20th Street to Eakins Oval

The Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert goes retro with a family-friendly, only-in-Philadelphia lineup of talent. Among the performers during the free five-hour concert: two homegrown celebs — Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton star, and Yazz (Bryshere Gray) from TV’s smash hit Empire. The O’Jays, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and other hit makers will lead a tribute to the musical team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, creators of The Sound of Philadelphia. The Philly POPS will round out the evening

More on the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert
Wawa Welcome America July 4th Grand Finale Fireworks

Date: July 4, 2016; 10 p.m.
Location: Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval

Showcasing patriotism and important moments in our nation’s history, the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Fireworks will take revelers on a 240-year journey from July 4, 1776 to July 4, 2016. Accompanied by a powerful soundtrack that combines rousing musical works and powerful quotes, this fireworks display will light up the skies over the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art for the grandest of grand finales.

More on the July 4th Grand Finale Fireworks

Read more: http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/fourth-of-july-in-philadelphia-wawa-welcome-america/#sm.0001pl3x3g9vpep4qji2714mk737m
Follow us: http://facebook.com/visitphilly | http://twitter.com/visitphilly.

EXTENDING FOR SECOND YEAR

Sticking Around?

 

You’ve been here for a while now, – you know your way around town, you’ve gone to school, made friends, and are having a great American experience. And then . . . the question:

Would you like to extend?

If you have time for it in your life, and you meet the requirements, the extension program might be the right option for you.

The basics: You can choose to extend for 6, 9, or 12 months, and you may choose to extend with your current host family (if they are interested, of course), or with a new family – some au pairs dream of seeing another part of the country, finding different education options, or just experiencing another American family.

 Some Frequent Questions

MEDICAL INSURANCE:

Your medical policy expires for the first year, and you start your new policy during the year you extend.

For example:

-If your first year began February 2013, your insurance policy is the 2013 policy until Feb 2014.

-If you start your extension in February 2014, you start the 2014 policy in February. (be aware of the changes in the policy look on the blog for the brochure).

Your insurance card expires after one year, so you should receive a printable card when you start your extension year. If you do not receive it call the agency for a new card.

If you purchased the upgrade insurance in your first year, you must purchase it again in the second year.

If you purchased the sports insurance in your first year, it lasts only 12 months from the time you bought it. Depending on when you bought it, you will probably need to purchase it again.

EDUCATION

If you extend for 9 or 12 months you must earn  6 credits again or 72 hours of education to complete the program requirements.

If you extend for 6 months you only need 3 credits or 36 hours of education.

 

DRIVERS LICENSE

Check on the expiration of your driver’s license, you must renew it before it expires (DO NOT LET YOUR LICENSE EXPIRE). Most likely you will need to renew it before you start your extension year. Check with your new host family for laws in your new destination state.

VACATION

Vacation for a 6 month extension is 6 days.

Vacation for a 9 and 12 month is 2 weeks.

TRAVEL

Check on the expiration date of your visa. If it expires before your second year starts then you should not travel outside of the USA – there is a risk of not being able to return (Canada, and Mexico and contiguous islands are okay to travel to). With the exception that if you return home during your first year after your approval for extension, you can get your visa renewed for another year. You must ask the agency (contact Evelyn Blum) for the paperwork required for this renewal.

 

HOW TO MAKE PLAY DOUGH

Here’s a fun activity and safe too

Make your own playdough

Instructions:
  1. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add oil and colored water and stir until ingredients are well blended.
  3. Place pot on the stove over low/medium heat. …
  4. Allow the dough to cool a little and then knead for a minute or so.
  5. Store in an airtight container.

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR HOST KIDS!!

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME IN PHILADELPHIA
We  lose an hour of daylight in the morning – but gain an hour of daylight in the afternoon.
Next change:
Mar
13
1 hour Forward

Mar 13, 2016, 2:00 AM

Start DST: Sunday, March 13, 2016
1 hour forward

End DST: Sunday, November 6, 2016
1 hour backward

Location of PhiladelphiaLocation