Below is a gorgeous group of giving girls. This past weekend was beautiful outside and here in Seattle, we wait for those sunny, winter days. But this crew went inside and for their precious time off, helped pack thousands of pounds of oats for those hungry around WA state at NW Harvest. It is not the most popular of our cluster events, but it is a favorite for those who feel its true meaning and impact on the community this global village shares together for one or two years. In this picture are representatives from Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, Austria, Germany, China, South Africa and Colombia helping out the US – one person at a time.
Monthly Archives: March 2019
Big Kids Need Interaction Too
Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time. Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.
Problem:
But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.
Solution:
Instead of saying, “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)? The answer will often be, “No.”
Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do _____ or ______?” Make sure both the choices are good options.
Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun, if you pick a good activity.
Problem:
I don’t know what to do with school age kids.
Solution:
Look for ideas online. Google “activities school age kids” or “activities tweens”. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.
- Cooking
- Making things (check craft stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age appropriate)
- Going fun places (pottery painting, jewelry making, farms, museums, mini-golf, go-karts)
- Sports (soccer, tennis, swimming, bicycling, roller skating, ice skating)
- Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
- Get outdoors and visit local parks. You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade, water fountain?) They can write this up and keep, so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
- Let them help you search and plan some activities.
- Check on the APIA Pinterest page and here on our cluster blog for ideas.
- If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.
Note: Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places.
Photo: Killian77
Au Pairs Learn the Art of Giving Back – Gates Foundation – Feb 2019
Au pairs gathered from a few clusters to hear about some of the amazing things happening around the globe in the name of the Gates Foundation. From the innovative design of green toilets competing for attention in Europe, to the stoves made on Vashon Island, WA, inspiration abounds. Relying on data, the Gates family educates us about all the progress in the world with regard to disease and poverty. There really is so much to be excited about as a world citizen. We closed our time together talking about the APIA Explorer program and ways in which we might individually help our local community…enter the next cluster event stage right as we soon head to NW Harvest in March…
