Our crew gathered in West Seattle this month for some pie tasting and craft making. Johanna from Germany led us in a Blidergebnis fur Laternen craft. The story goes that St Martin, being a kind man, cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm. On Nov 11, this day celebrates altruism and modesty. Since APIA is all about sharing, we thought it relevant this season. Thank you to our host families who sharing their Thanksgiving tables with young women from around the world!
Brazil in the house! Celebrating birthdays and eating cheese bread. D. Lish.
Bainbridge Island was hit by a mob of frantic au pairs. We played some get-to-know-you games, ran around an island completing clues in a photo scavenger hunt and ended our time…eating ice cream. Good times and tasty treats with friends from around the globe. Doesn’t get much better.
Being knowledgeable in basic first aid and CPR is important for au pairs (and anyone else caring for children). Au Pair in America’s commitment to infant/child safety begins before au pairs arrive to the U.S., with pre-arrival training and continue throughout the au pair year.
#1 Training At Orientation
Our orientation includes seminars by American Red Cross instructors who provide hands-on demonstrations in infant/child CPR and safety. Printed materials are provided that reinforce the safety information and can be used to review from time to time.
#2 Enroll in a Red Cross Certification Class
After settling into their host community, all au pairs are encouraged to complete an Infant/Child CPR and First Aid certification program. Au Pair in America will pay for this training through the American Red Cross.
Classes are available through the Red Cross. Au Pair in America will pay for the cost of a class providing an au pair has at least six months left on her visa and is taking one of several approved childcare/child safety-related classes, such as Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. Au pairs should check with their community counselor and host family before signing up. Au Pair in America will register the au pair directly.
To locate a class, visit www.redcross.org/takeaclass. For step-by-step instructions on how to locate a class and have Au Pair in America complete enrollment, click here.
#3 Stay Current on Safety Information
The Official American Red Cross First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. Available for iPhone and Android devices, this app gives you instant access to the information you need to know to handle the most common first aid emergencies. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice, it’s never been easier to know first aid. Download the app for free from the American Red Cross website or in your app store.
Photos: Robin Leon
90+ APIA fans headed up into the clouds of Mt Rainier at Paradise. We didn’t have clear skies, but we didn’t have rain either. And while the beauty of the mountain might have alluded us in the bigger picture, we did enjoy the wild flowers, wild beasts (some even caught a glimpse of a bear) and one another in the wild. A bit of speed dating on the way up on the bus and we are off to another beautiful fall season as a community of interculturalists, set to support one another on this cross-cultural journey.
Au Pair In America has the best cross cultural child care community out there. Yep, I said it. (and I used alliteration for bonus points…). This WA community gathered to celebrate our connections – people who are globally minded, adventurously spirited and just good ole’ kid fans. And boy did those kids party. We were 165 people and 12 nations strong in Redmond with our multi-cluster day: sharing culture in a culture fair put on by hard working and proud au pairs, throwing water balloons, scavenger hunting, tattooing, face painting and crown making.
Our cluster gathers more intimately monthly for coffee meetings around town and this month, we hit the pool and left the coffee behind. Au pairs gathered for sandwiches and ice cream at the Arbor Heights pool in West Seattle. Delightful to soak with this crew and just unwind. #welovesummer
Back to school time is here. This can mean changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties. It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems.
Here is a list of topics to consider discussing:
Here are some Printable Fill-in-the-Blank School Notes for parents. You can print these out and have them ready for times when the kids are absent, late, have an early dismissal or you need to give permission for something.
Check out Au Pair in America’s Pinterest School Tips and Ideas pinboard for things like organization ideas, back to school traditions, printable lunch box notes, and fun lunch recipes.
Au pairs gathered for our annual Mariner’s baseball game this past weekend. It was a beautiful sunny day spent watching a very American past time in a city that the world is also enjoying. Play ball!
Absolutely deserved. Daniela has been a leader in our Eastside WA cluster for her entire time on program. She has shared her multicultural views in Global Awareness presentations in schools, worked hard as an au pair with her host family and host son and volunteered her free time teaching others to have the courage to use their voices using their English abilities. Read Daniela’s own words in her winning letter about ELLA to APIA here:
https://www.aupairinamerica.com/communityservice/winners.asp
