Hard Rock Cafe cluster meeting 2010
Hard Rock Cafe Philly 2010
Yearly Archives: 2010
Handling Expenses
Miscellaneous Expenses
There are different ways to handle the little expenses that may come up. Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon of milk. Some families keep a cookie jar fund, a little cash that they set aside weekly or monthly for this kind of expenses. Here are some suggestions for avoiding problems with that.
Host Families
- It’s important to be clear about how long this money should last and what types of expenses are approved.
- Let the au pair know whether or not you expect receipts.
Au Pairs
- Only spend the money on approved expenses.
- If it is something you are not sure about, ask first.
- Put your receipts in the cookie jar in place of the money to avoid any confusion.
Gas and Fare Cards
Host families are responsible for the au pair’s transportation costs:
- to and from classes and cluster meetings
- driving the kids
It is a good idea to figure out how much gas an au pair will use for these trips and either put gas in the car or give a gas allowance. If your au pair is riding to classes or cluster meetings with another au pair, you should offer to share the cost of gas.
Au pairs are responsible for their own transportation at all other times. You should replace the amount of gas used for personal use.
BASEBALL – America’s National Pastime.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series in 2008. In 2009 they went to the World Series again; but lost to the NY Giants. We’ll win that Series this year — I’m betting on it!
Major League Baseball
Baseball is called the “National Pastime” of the United States because it is so popular. There are thirty teams spread across the country, and many people have their own favorite “home team.”
The game is played by two teams. When one team is in the field, the other team takes turns at bat. A baseball player first bats at the ball and then runs around the bases in an effort to score. Points, called “runs,” are scored when a player on the batting team touches all the bases (including home plate) without being tagged or put “out” by a player on the fielding team. The team scoring the greater number of runs in nine “innings” wins the game. Each inning is divided into two halves: top and bottom. Both teams are allowed three outs per half inning.
Each team is part of a league. There are two leagues, the American League and the National League. Each team tries to win the most games in their league. The teams that win each league championship will play each other in the “World Series.”
Autumn craft-Foliage Friends!
Use your imagination (and some paper, glue, and a pen or pencil) to turn ordinary backyard leaves into a whimsical menagerie.
- Materials
-
- Autumn leaves from your yard
- Paper
- Glue
- Pencils, pens, or crayons
Instructions
-
- Go outside and see what kinds of animals are hiding in your leaf piles. Below are some possibilities. When you’ve found leaves in your yard whose shapes you like, glue them to pieces of paper and use pencil, pen or crayon to make your creatures complete. To preserve your creations, press them between two books.
MAPLE:These leaves have three main points and lots of smaller ones; count them as they flutter by.
ROSE:The rounded shape of this bush’s leaves makes them look a lot like little shields.
BIRCH: As big and tall as this white-bark tree can get, its leaves are as small and as light as feathers.
GERANIUM: You might flip your wig if you find one of these wild-looking leaves in your yard.
BARBERRY:While this plant doesn’t live underwater, its leaves resemble raindrops
Who’s incharge?
Au pairs and host parents are most often together with the children at the most stressful times of the day – the morning and at the end of the day. Getting through the stressful times of the day is best done with a consistent approach. Planning ahead about division of labor and delegation of responsibility, as well as developing routines that both the au pair and the parents will adhere to, is essential.
Another particularly challenging time of day is when the transition is made from parent to au pair or from au pair to parent. Focusing the transition on a particular activity and consistently following that procedure may ease the confusion for the children. for example, Mommy will help you get dressed; then you will go downstairs and the au pair will give you breakfast while Mommy gets ready for her day; or the au pair will give you a bath, and when you are done, she will say goodnight and Daddy will read you a story.
The children will benefit when the au pair and the parents remember to work cooperativley, keep communication open and exercise authority when necessary.
October News!!
October 11- Columbus Day The day commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the “New World.” October 15 -National Pizza Month Pizza is easy and fun to make and can be a nutritious meal for the children and is easy to make at home. You will need a ready-made pizza dough or a ready-made crust, shredded mozzarella cheese and a jar of pizza sauce. Add your favorite toppings – i.e. mushrooms, chicken, onions, or brocoli . First the dough or crust goes on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Then spread the sauce, add the other toppings, and last of all, sprinkle the cheese. Bake as directed for the crust. Be careful, and keep the children away from the oven as the oven must be very hot to make a nice crusty pizza. October 17– National Stamp Collecting Month –Collecting stamps is a fun and easy introduction to geography, history, art and nature. Help your children start a stamp collection by sharing stamps from your letters from home. Ask your au pair friends for stamps from their countries. October 24 – United Nations Day – This is the anniversary of the creation of the United Nations in 1947, which is committed to peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all people. Teach your children something about your country today – a song, a story, game, a new food or a national tradition. October 31-Halloween This is the day children dress up in costumes and, in many communities, go door-to-door to ask for candy. Safety on Halloween is extremely important – don’t take our eyes off the children and don’t let them eat unwrapped candy.
Major League Baseball
Baseball is called the “National Pastime” of the United States because it is so popular. There are thirty teams spread across the country, and many people have their own favorite “home team.” The game is played by two teams. When one team is in the field, the other team takes turns at bat. A baseball player first bats at the ball and then runs around the bases in an effort to score. Points, called “runs,” are scored when a player on the batting team touches all the bases (including home plate) without being tagged or put “out” by a player on the fielding team. The team scoring the greater number of runs in nine “innings” wins the game. Each inning is divided into two halves: top and bottom. Both teams are allowed three outs per half inning. Each team is part of a league. There are two leagues, the American League and the National League. Each team tries to win the most games in their league. The teams that win each league championship will play each other in the “World Series.” * note* date may change October 27 – Baseball World Series – In baseball, the World Series is the championship games of Major League Baseball in North America, played in October after the end of the regular season between the pennant winners of the American and National Leagues. The Series winner is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, meaning that the first team to win four games wins the series. The World Series has been an annual event since 1903. It is played at the baseball stadiums of the two teams in the series. Baseball is so popular that it is sometimes called the “national pastime.” The word “ballgame” in the United States almost always refers to a game of baseball, and “ballpark” to a baseball field. The rules of baseball can be found here http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/baseball.asp
Step by step guide to getting a PA license
DRIVING IN THE USA
According to the Geneva Convention, visitors are permitted to drive in the USA for up to 1 year with the following 4 documents: an international driver’s license, a home country license, a J1 visa and a DS2019 form.
All au pairs should be sure to have the following documents with them when they are driving:
1. International Driver’s License
2. Home Country Driver’s License
3. Vehicle Registration
4. Vehicle Insurance Certificate
5. Copy of J1 visa
6. Copy of DS2019 form
How to get a PA drivers license
Follow these steps to obtain your Driver’s License in the state of PA. After reviewing these steps, please click on the PA DMV attachment below. This will give you the most up to date information directly from the DMV.
1. You need to apply for your Social Security number in order to get your driver’s license. Visit this link: http://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp.
2. Next, you need to get a medical physical done. Print out this form and see a doctor to confirm that you are in good health. http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/dl_forms/dl-180.pdf.
3. After you get your physical, begin studying for the learner’s permit. This is a written test that you can take on the computer at a Driver’s License Center. You can click on this link to practice for the test. http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/young_drivers/crossroads.shtml
4. Visit a Driver License Center with: * the completed DL-180 * your visa, your passport, and 1-94 * Two acceptable proofs of residency, listed on reverse side of DL-180, if you are 18 years of age or older. * Your Social Security card. * A check or money order payable to PennDOT for the appropriate fee. (Cash is not accepted.) Fact sheet for foreign applicants: http://www.dot3.state.pa.us/pdotforms/fact_sheets/pub195nc.pdf
5. After you get your permit, you can schedule your driver’s license exam. This test will be in an actual driving test in a car. Call 1-800-423-5542. Scheduling is usually done several weeks in advance so it is important to start the process early.
Back to School Safety Tips
It won’t be long and school will be starting again. It is time to go over a few, simple rules. Practice with your host children how to safely wait for and board the school bus. Go over safe bicycling procedures if they’ll be riding. And don’t forget children who are in your car. They are at particular risk and need your guidance.
Riding the Bus
- Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
- Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.
- When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.
- Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
- Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it’s okay to approach.
- Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses, however, not all do.
Walking and biking to school
Even if you don’t ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a wide variety of decisions making situations and dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:
- Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard — never cross the street against a light, even if you don’t see any traffic coming.
- Walk your bike through intersections.
- Walk with a buddy.
Wear reflective material…it makes you more visible to street traffic.
Riding in a car
Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45%. You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.
Remember: One Person – One Belt
- Everybody needs a child safety seat, booster seat, or safety belt!
- There must be one safety belt for each person. Buckling two people, even children, into one belt could injure both.
- Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.
- The back seat is the safest place in a crash. Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back. Infants riding rear-facing must NEVER be placed in front of an airbag.
- People who are not buckled up can be thrown from the car or around inside the car, and seriously hurt themselves or others.
- Never hold a child on your lap! You could crush him/her in a crash, or the child may be torn from your arms.
- Never ride in the cargo area of a station wagon, van, or pickup! Anyone riding in the cargo area could be thrown out and severely injured or killed.
- No one seat is ‘best’, The ‘best’ child safety seat is the one that fits your child and can be installed correctly.
CHOOSING AND USING THE CORRECT SEAT
| AGE: | Birth to 1 year |
| WEIGHT: | Up to 35 pounds |
| TYPE OF SEAT: | Infant-only or Rear-facing Convertible |
| DIRECTION TO FACE: | Infants should ride rear-facing to at least 1 year of age AND at least 20 pounds, longer if possible. The seat should be at a 30-45 degree angle to keep the child’s head from falling forward. Do not tip it too far back or the child could come out of the seat in a crash. |
| NOTE: | Infants who outgrow a smaller infant-only seat before 1 year of age should ride rear-facing in a child safety seat with a higher rear-facing weight limit (over 22 pounds). |
| AGE: | Over 1 year to 4 years old |
| WEIGHT: | Over 20 pounds, up to 40 pounds |
| TYPE OF SEAT: | Convertible or Forward-Facing Only seat |
| DIRECTION TO FACE: | A child over 1 year of age AND over 20 pounds may ride facing forward. Use the upright position or the position recommended by the manufacturer. |
| NOTE: | Keep the child in a child safety seat with a full harness as long as possible, preferably until 4 years old. For children 40 pounds or more who are too young or too active to sit still in a booster seat, or if a vehicle has only lap belts, look for child restraints with harnesses labeled for use over 40 pounds. |
| AGE: | 4 to 8 years old |
| WEIGHT: | Over 40 pounds |
| TYPE OF SEAT: | Belt-positioning Booster Seat, backless or high-back |
| DIRECTION TO FACE: | Forward-Facing |
| NOTE: | All children who have outgrown child safety seats should be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least 8 years old, unless they are 4′ 9″ tall. |
Share on: Facebook, Digg
Fun in the Sun
Posted by Silga Vasilevsky on Jun 30, 2010 No Comments
Summer Safety Tips
1. Never leave a child unattended in a car, even with the windows
rolled down.
2. Always lock the car when not in use so kids can’t play in it.
3. Make sure to check the temperature of the car seat and seat belt
before buckling a child in the car.
4. Don’t keep a baby in the infant carrier for long periods of time
on hot days. It can feel much hotter in the seat than outside.
5. Dress children in light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
6. Have children drink a lot of water (this is good advice for everyone).
7. Reduce or eliminate strenuous activities during the hottest parts
of the day.
Swimming Pool Safety Tips
An adult should be at arm’s length of any child under the age of 5
in a swimming pool
Never leave any child alone in or near the water
Keep a phone by the pool at all times
Always check the gate is closed properly when leaving the pool
area
Host families should review their own home and pool safety rules
with the au pair.
DON’T FORGET THE SUN SCREEN!
- Activities outside. Try to keep children out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest. If you take care of a baby, make sure it is never under the direct sun. Please make sure you put on a sunscreen on your kids and yourself 30 minutes BEFORE going outside. Make sure your kids are wearing hats, and you have plenty of drink with you.
- Car safety. I don’t need to repeat that you never ever leave kids alone in the car. However, I want to add that temperatures during summer can reach extremely high in the car. Before putting kids in the car, I advise you to turn it on for a few minutes with the air-conditioning running. This way, the car will be cool when you get inside with your kids.
- Personal Americans shower and use deodorants every day, and you all are expected to do the same. As the weather most likely is hotter and more humid here than in your country – you don’t want to have a body odor problem. Also, be careful with the choice of your clothes – overexposure will make your family and kids feel uncomfortable.
- Pool safety. No running near the pool – the area is wet and slippery, and your kid might slip and fall on the hard concrete floor. No glass containers (bottles, drinking cups) in the pool area. Make sure you watch your kids ALL the time – never take your eyes away from them even with the life guard on duty. Don’t let your kids to be in the pool too long. Once in a while take them in the shade to have a drink and some calming activity – read a book, etc. Don’t let your kids to jump in the pool from the side – have them walk down the steps.
- Plan activities. Many of you work more hours during summer because kids don’t have school then. Maximum hours you are allowed to work per week is 45. Make sure you plan your activities so they are fun not only for your kids, but also for you! Make playdates, take them to the park, to the zoo, museums, movies, etc. Discuss with the host parents what are you planning to do with the kids. Make sure you pack the bag you will take with you early enough so that you don’t run around looking for things in the last minute.
- Sunburn. How to treat it: apply a cool compress (an easy one: a small carton of milk or juice) for fast relief, or have a bath in a tepid water with ¼ cup each of baking soda and cornstarch. Aloe-vera plant gel is a good relief, too. Call the doctor if you have blisters from the sunburn
Hello world!
Welcome to Au Pair in America Blogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!