Yearly Archives: 2014

May Cluster Meeting – RISD Museum

Estefania at RISDrisdm-40-195detail2

Our May cluster meeting was held at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, a prominent art museum in Providence which is affiliated with the well-known Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). We had the opportunity to view several collections, including Painting and Sculpture, Contemporary Art, and Andy Warhol’s photographs. We also had the opportunity to see an improv dance performance in the Grand Gallery. There is no admission fee to the RISD museum on Sundays and there is always a lot to see — so it’s a fun and interesting way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Dance
RISD group

April Cluster Meeting at Boston's Prudential Center

This month Rhode Island au pairs had the opportunity to join Boston area au pairs for a visit to the Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory. The skywalk is 50 floors above the City of Boston, and provides an astonishing view of the city and surrounding areas — Boston’s Hancock Tower, Fenway Park, the Boston Common and Public Garden, the Esplanade and Hatch Shell, the Charles River, MIT, Harvard University, and countless other Boston landmarks. Au pairs also had the chance to use interactive exhibits which provided them with a real flavor of the city’s distinctive culture and neighborhoods. Multimedia players were provided detailing the city’s historic past and current sites. The Prudential Center also features over 75 shops and restaurants, including Barnes & Noble, The Cheesecake Factory, Lacoste, Legal Sea Foods, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora.

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March Cluster Event – Flashdance…The Musical

Rhode Island Au Pairs, along with guests from some of our Massachusetts clusters, recently enjoyed a fabulous performance of Flashdance at Providence Performing Arts Center!

Flashdance

It was an inspiring story, and the music, singing and dancing were unforgettable — A memorable evening for all at “PPAC”!

St. Patrick's Day – March 17

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So what is it and who was St. Patrick? Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.Most of what is known about him comes from his two works; the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians. Many people ask the question ‘Why is the Shamrock the National Flower of Ireland ?’ According to folklore the reason is that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans. St. Patrick’s Day was first publicly celebrated in Boston in 1737 where a large population of Irish immigrants resided. Nearly 200 years later, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ireland was held in Dublin in 1931. During the mid 90’s, the Irish government also began a campaign to promote tourism in Ireland on March 17th.

While many Catholics still quietly celebrate this day of religious observance by going to mass, St. Patrick’s Day has slowly evolved to become a celebration of Irish heritage. Through the years, along with legendary shamrocks, many symbols were included in festivities that are reflective of Ireland’s folklore, culture, and national identity (think leprechauns, ethnic cuisine, and wearing green). Other places that join in on this celebration include Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, and Canada. New York City hosts the largest St. Patrick’s Day in the world with around 150,000 marchers. In Chicago they turn the river green and other cities and towns all over America celebrate the day. You’ll find many restaurants serving traditional Irish cuisine next week with corned beef and cabbage being the most popular,

You can find some fun games and activities including coloring pages, word puzzles and recipes for children here: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/

Though Rhode Island au pairs will most likely be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with friends and family, we will not be having a St. Patrick’s Day Cluster Meeting Celebration this year — we will instead be enjoying a performance of “Flashdance-The Musical” at Providence Performing Arts Center for our March gathering. Here are a few photos of last year’s celebration — a “traditional” Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner!

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February "Bingo Night" Cluster Meeting

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“Bingo Night” was such a hit last year, that we decided to do it again this year for our February cluster meeting — once again with snacks, prizes, plenty of laughter. Last year, Almen’s “magic” bingo card earned about five prizes for the evening; and though she was hoping for the same good fortune this time around, the magic card went to Lorely this year! 2014 Bingo Night 2014 BINGO 22014 Bingo

President's Day – February 17

President's Day
President’s Day is a Federal holiday created to commemorate the births of former Presidents George Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12). Throughout America, Presidents’ Day is observed by big sales in the stores, closed schools and no mail delivery.

Things to do with children: The United States has had more than 40 presidents. How many can the children name? Who has been president during their lifetime? Take a look at American coins and bills; who are the Presidents pictured on each coin and bill?

Valentine's Day Activity Ideas for Au Pairs and Their Children

Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, dates back to ancient Rome. Sending a valentine in the United States is not a serious declaration of love as in some other countries. Children usually send valentines to the other children in their class and to their teacher. Friends and relatives exchange valentines. For that we can thank Esther Howland, a young woman from Massachusetts, who in 1848 started the first mass production of valentines. Now valentine cards and candy are a fun way of keeping in touch with those we care about.
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Make your own valentines: Although many store-bought valentines are designed for children, come in large packs and are quite inexpensive, it is lots of fun to make your own. Pink, red and white paper, crayons or markers and a little bit of imagination are all you need. Dress up the cards with glitter, doilies, lace, stickers, or feathers if you wish.

Valentine Collage (ages 18 months and older): Prepare hearts of different colors and sizes, ribbon, feathers, etc. Older children can use glue on paper. For younger children tape a piece of contact paper sticky side up securely onto a table. Paper shapes will stick easily to the contact paper.

Picture Frame Card (ages 3 years and older): Take a picture of the child and cut a piece of construction paper to make a picture frame. Have the child decorate the frame. Use this as the front of a card, or to stand by itself.

Heart rubbings (ages 3 years and older): First cut hearts of different sizes from heavy paper. Place those hearts under a blank piece of paper and rub over the shapes using the side of a crayon. The hearts will magically appear.

Sewing Heart (ages 3 years and older): Cut a heart shape from light-weight cardboard about 8 inches across. Use a hole punch to make holes all around the edges about 1 inch apart. Give the child yarn or ribbon to lace through the holes. Tie the ends into a bow.

Heart caterpillars (ages 3 years and older): Cut many heart shapes out of colored paper and have the child glue them down on a sheet of paper to look like a caterpillar. Use tiny hearts for eyes and at the end of antennas.

Edible Valentines (ages 3 years and up): Graham crackers, cake frosting and conversation heart candies make the most delicious valentines!

Heart wreath (ages 4 years and up): Cut out the middle of a paper plate. Arrange colored heart shapes, flowers, ribbon, etc. around the edges.

Valentine Puzzles (ages 4 years and up): Cut different-sized hearts down the middle with a jagged line. Children can match the sides of the hearts.

Heart mosaic (ages 5 years and up): Cut small pieces of paper, or use crushed eggshell dyed with food coloring. Arrange in a heart shape.

Heart people (ages 5 years and up): Use a large heart for the body and smaller hearts for eyes, hands and feet. Take long strips of paper and fold them back and forth like an accordion for the arms and legs. Glue them to the sides and bottom of the body.

Valentine’s Day Post Office (ages 5 years and up): Set up your own post office at home. Decorate mailboxes for every member of the family. Use a rubber stamp to show that the valentines have been properly mailed. Deliver to the boxes.

January Cluster Meeting – Tax Information

Who said taxes aren’t much fun? Rhode Island au pairs attended our annual “Tax Information Cluster Meeting” on Sunday, January 19, and had a wonderful time!Jan 2014 - Tax Meeting

We had a chance to meet our new arrivals, and to review tax information and answer questions about the U.S. government’s requirement that taxes be paid by everyone who earns money in the U.S., even au pairs:-( We talked about the benefits of putting away a few dollars each week so that there is a “cash reserve” available for expenses like taxes, emergencies, or on a more positive note — vacations and travel.
All tax information and forms can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/pdf/tax_information_for_aupairs.pdf
taxes

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is Monday, January 20th!

Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King Jr. goes down in history as one of the principal leader of the civil rights movement in the United States and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King’s challenges to segregation and racial discrimination helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States.
King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and was ordained as a Baptist minister at age 18. He graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 and from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951. In 1955 he earned a doctoral degree in systematic theology from Boston University. While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, whom he married in 1953.
In 1954 King accepted his first pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery’s black community had long-standing grievances about the mistreatment of blacks on city buses. Heading the year-long bus-boycott against segregation in buses, King soon became a national figure.
In 1957 King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization of black churches and ministers that aimed to challenge racial segregation. King and other SCLC leaders encouraged the use of nonviolent marches, demonstrations, and boycotts to protest discrimination.
King and other black leaders organized the 1963 March on Washington, a massive protest in Washington, D.C., for jobs and civil rights. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to an audience of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters. The speech and the march created the political momentum that resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment. As a result of King’s effective leadership, he was awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize for peace.
Throughout 1966 and 1967 King increasingly turned the focus of his activism to the redistribution of the nation’s economic wealth to overcome entrenched black poverty. In the spring of 1968 he went to Memphis, Tennessee, to support striking black garbage workers. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968.

Information Sessions on Flexible, Affordable Child Care

The Rhode Island office of Au Pair in America offers free, no obligation information sessions to provide details and answer questions that parents may have about hosting an au pair for their child care needs. Program costs are discussed and compared with other child care options, with emphasis on the benefits and cost-effectiveness of the Au Pair Program. Information sessions are held in Smithfield on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m., just prior to our 4:00 p.m. prenatal yoga class (Moms-to-be are welcome to stay for both!) Reserve at 401-949-2427 or BarbaraFetta@gmail.
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Prenatal yoga classes are held on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the East Smithfield Neighborhood Center, 7 Esmond Street, Smithfield, Rhode Island

For moms-to-be, prenatal yoga classes are a wonderful way to put aside time for you and your baby, and to prepare for the birthing process. Each class begins with a brief check-in and discussion — an opportunity for mother-to-be to talk about how she is feeling and address any questions or concerns. The discussion is followed by meditation to quiet the mind and bring focus to the body and the woman’s growing baby. We then move on to breathwork, stretching, strength building and balancing postures that help prepare the body and mind for the process of giving birth. Each class is a unique experience tailored to all stages of pregnancy. We finish the yoga session with deep rest and relaxation. This class is suitable to those new to yoga. Pre-registration is required.

“A mother’s joy begins when new life is stirring inside….when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone”