Tag Archives: live-in child care San Antonio

Tips to Feeling Happy

1. Get Dressed Up! “When you look good, you feel good,” is actually true. If you wake up feeling kind of down for no particular reason, putting on your favorite outfit can help you walk out the door feeling a lot more confident. You will get lots of compliments, too!

2. Stretch and Breathe! Anytime you want to calm your nerves and get a boost of endorphins, all you have to do is take a moment to stretch and breathe deeply for at least 5 minutes. You will feel calmer, centered, and ready to take on the world. It definitely works!

3. Make a Gratitude List! When you start feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and overcome with the feeling that your life is completely unfair, an easy way to regain perspective is to make a list of everything you’re grateful for now! The list can include basic freedoms, small luxuries, and of course, the people who matter most to you.

4. Call Someone You Love! Chose the most supportive person you can think of. It could be your mom or a close friend. Know in advance who you can turn to in a crisis.

5. Get Some Sun! When sunlight hits your skin, it triggers the production of Vitamin D. Scientific studies have shown that a deficient amount of Vitamin D is directly related to a dip in mood for certain people. Put on some sunscreen and go outside, even on a winter day!

6. Exercise! Take a walk, ride a bike, go to the gym. You’ve probably heard of “runner’s high,” caused by the mood-boosting endorphins (aka “feel good hormones”) your brain naturally releases when you exert yourself.

7. Listen to Your Favorite Song! Have a go-to song that you listen to when you need a quick burst of energy is a great asset to your happy vault. Putting on your favorite song can trigger the brain to release large amounts of dopamine, a chemical that sends “feel good” signals to the rest of the body and plays a role in both motivation and addiction.

8. Do Something for Someone Else! When you give yourself to others you will feel the reward. Studies have reported more people participated in meaningful activities, the happier they were and the more purposeful their lives felt.

Sometimes the best way to BE HAPPY is to SMILE and go for it!

Win a Trek America tour for free!!

Learn how a lucky Au Pair can win a free trip with Trek America!! 

Global Awareness is developing a new section on its site: Learning about the U.S. This will highlight different areas and cultures in our country.  You (Au Pairs) will be asked to write about your travels for the site.

For a fantastic kick-off, Trek America has designed a scavenger hunt on their website and the winner will receive a free trip!!

Please visit the Global Awareness website (http://www.globalawareness.com/ ) to learn more about this opportunity and to participate in the scavenger hunt!

 

Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 27th.  So what’s it all about?  Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1863 when Lincoln became the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been a fixture of late November ever since. The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church. They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America.

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The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. They lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast – including 91 native Americans who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the native Americans. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival and lasted three days.

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It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving today. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies’ Magazine, and later, in Godey’s Lady’s Book. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale’s obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

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In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.  

To Learn more about the history and traditions of this holiday go to:
http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/videos#history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday

Find fun activities to do with the children here:
http://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/fall-halloween-thanksgiving/

 

School Bus Stop Laws

With some schools getting back in session and new au pairs who have recently arrived, I wanted to remind everyone about what to do in different situations with school buses. If you have questions, please ask your counselor or your host parents.

The rules regarding stopping for school buses are:

  • It is against the law to pass a stopped school bus while its lights are flashing and its stop signal arm is extended.
  • On undivided roadways, with no physical barrier or median, vehicles must stop on both sides of the roadway.
  • Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
  • Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and children are getting on or off. Motorists approaching from either direction must wait until the red lights stop flashing before proceeding.

NB: It isn’t necessary to stop when passing a school bus on a different road or when on a controlled-access highway where the bus is stopped in a loading zone and pedestrians aren’t permitted to cross.

Fiesta de la Familia

This month’s cluster meeting took place at Fiesta de la Familia on Sunday April 27th.

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The event was put on by St. Gregory Catholic Church and School (and was an official Fiesta Texas event). The au pairs and their host families enjoyed a variety of foods for all taste palates, lots of games and rides for kids of all ages, as well as live and silent auctions (both were held in the school gym and we had the opportunity to bid on some magnificent items (i.e. various sports memorabilia, Waterford crystal, antiques, homemade Afghans, fine jewelry, class projects, assorted gift baskets, dinners for 10, and much more).

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Thanks for coming out, guys!!


Au Pair Picnic

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Yesterday was a beautiful day and the crew met up at the wonderful O. P. Schnabel Park near Bandera. We relaxed, munched on some great food and treats (some had their first S’more), and simply got to know each other – yet another successful cluster meeting! 🙂


Thinking about getting an au pair? Feel free to check out our website for more information:


http://www.aupairinamerica.com/what_sets_us_apart.asp

Facts about the Education Requirement

Au pairs can fulfill the educational component in different ways. The choice you make will depend largely on the educational opportunities in your community and your work schedule. To meet the requirement, it is possible you will need to supplement the education allowance with your own money, so plan carefully.

The education requirement

The au pair requirement is 6 semester hours of academic credit or the equivalent. EduCare Companions must complete twice the requirement of au pairs, and year2 au pairs are expected to take an additional 3 credits for a 6-month extension and 6 credits for a 9- or 12-month extension.

Generally, a 3-credit college course is 45 hours, and a 4-CEU (continuing education units) course is 40 hours. Non-credit and audit courses are counted by the number of hours spent in the classroom.

6 credits = approx. 80 hours in the classroom = approx. 8 CEUs

You can use any combination of hours, credits, or CEUs as long as they add up to the required number of hours. Your counselor will be able to advise you on what is possible in your area. You can also review your options by reviewing the educational listings for your state. Click here to view those options.

Auditing classes: Auditing allows students to attend a class with limited in-class participation, non-graded assignments, and no final grade. If auditing is available to the au pair, the cost may be less than for a credit course. Each individual college or university has its own audit policy.

CEU: Continuing Education Units is a nationally recognized method of quantifying the time spent in the classroom during professional development and training activities. Ten hours of instruction = 1.0 CEU.

Choosing classes: Be flexible. Remember that your childcare responsibilities come first. Class schedules need to be arranged with your host family and around your childcare duties. Your favorite class may not be available when you are. Schools vary in what they offer, but most offer a wide range of choices and offer day, evening, and Saturday classes.

Completion of the education requirement: Education is an important part of your year in America. Take advantage of the opportunity and don’t forfeit your eligibility to extend and/or return to the US as a return au pair.

Continuing Education courses: These classes are usually non-credit and are offered at some colleges and universities. These courses are designed for a purpose other than working toward a degree, usually for personal enrichment or career-specific skills.

Extending: In order to extend, you must show proof that you have completed the education requirement at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution. To extend, your education must be complete no later than 30 days before the end of your year. One or more of the following documents can be used to verify that you have completed your education:

Letter from the school on letterhead
Completion certificate from the school
School transcript

All proof of education must state your name, school attended, course title, and number of credits/hours earned. Completed verification should be given to your community counselor. Your extension request will not be processed without this proof.

*If you are still in the process of completing your education, you must obtain proof from the school stating that the course(s) you are taking will conclude at least 30 days before the end of your year and the number of credits/hours/CEUs that you will earn. If you are registered for a course that has not yet begun, you must submit proof of registration indicating that the course will conclude at least 30 days before your first year ends and the number of credits/hours/CEUs that you will earn. All proof of education must be given to your counselor before your deadline to extend.

Non-credit classes: Non-credit classes are offered at some colleges and universities. These courses are designed for a purpose other than working toward a degree, usually for personal enrichment or career specific skills.

Online Courses: Online courses do not meet the educational requirement for au pairs.

Placement Tests: Many English as a Second Language (ESL) classes have placement exams. Some schools may require the TOEFL or other placement tests at the time of registration for other courses as well.

Post-secondary accredited institution: A post-secondary institution offers at least a one-year program of college-level studies. An accredited institution is an institution officially recognized by a regional or national accrediting commission of schools and colleges. To verify the acceptability of a school, you should either ask your community counselor or contact the Education and Program Services coordinator at 1-800-928-7247 ext. 5028 or email education@aifs.com.

Proof of Education Completed: You may submit any of the following to your community counselor as proof of your education.

Letter from the school on letterhead
Completion certificate from the school
School transcript

All proof of education must state your name, school attended, course title, start and end date of the course, and number of credits/hours earned. If your community counselor does not have proof that your education requirement has been completed, you will not receive a completion certificate upon your return to your home country and you forfeit the opportunity to extend.

Recognition: If you are taking a course for academic credit, you will receive a grade and an official transcript. If you are auditing or taking a non-credit course, recognition is at the discretion of the instructor.

TOEFL: For information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language, click here.

Transfer of credits: If you are taking a course for academic credit and want to transfer credits home, it is up to the university in your home country to determine if they will accept that credit or not. It is the responsibility of the au pair to contact her home university if she is interested in transferring credit.

Transportation: Your host family is required to provide transportation, including gasoline, parking, or public transportation costs (if applicable) to and from classes in your community. The cost of transportation is in addition to the $500/$1000 allocated to tuition and related fees. It is your host family’s responsibility to provide transportation or cover the transportation costs until you complete your educational requirement, even if the $500 education allowance has already been spent.

Tuition: Host families reimburse tuition costs and costs of related materials (books and supplies) up to $500 for the first year. EduCare companions are reimbursed up to $1000 for the first year. If it will cost you more than $500 (or $1000 for EduCare) to meet the requirement, you must pay the additional expense, so plan carefully.

UCLA APIA Advantage Course APIA has partnered with UCLA to create a 19-week interdisciplinary online course for 6 credits. This course has been specially-approved by the US Department of State to fulfill the educational requirement for au pairs. Unlike a typical online course, the blended online format of the APIA Advantage course allows au pairs to have face-to-face contact with their local communities. As a requirement of the course, au pairs are required to do a Global Awareness presentation, volunteer at a local organization, and participate in historical and cultural activities. To find out more about the course, please visit UCLA Extension at https://www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs, or ask your local community counselor.

Contact me if you have any questions about this topic 🙂

Helping au pairs feel right at home in US

Such a great article, Melinda Brooks! About peace, love, understanding, and child care (The Boston Globe). This is why we do what we do!

Helping au pairs feel right at home in US

As a counselor, Melinda Brooks helps au pairs from around the world adapt to life in America.

As a counselor, Melinda Brooks helps au pairs from around the world adapt to life in America.


The first few weeks can be difficult for au pairs who have never been to the United States. But thanks to Melinda Brooks and other Au Pair in America counselors, the newly arrived guest workers often quickly feel at home with host families

“For many families, the live-in component is the best part of having an au pair — it’s truly a global experience and everyone involved learns about new cultures and customs,” said Brooks, who heads up a New England team of Au Pair in America community counselors.

Au pairs go through a four-day orientation, including safety and child development training. What’s one of the unusual aspects of the training?

It’s the little things, like not knowing how to fold a stroller or operate a microwave, that can be very bewildering. For example, a typical American family has a lot more stuff, not just toys, but infant equipment, like strollers, bouncy seats, and more. So we have all this equipment in a big room to introduce them to the gear.

Which countries do most of the au pairs come from?

We have about 500 host families in New England and recruit from over 50 countries. The families in our area tend to gravitate toward Germany, France, UK, South Africa, Thailand, Brazil, and Sweden.

What stereotypes do au pairs have about Americans?

Americans only eat junk food. All Americans are workaholics. All Americans are overweight. Of course, they quickly realize these are oversimplified images and often far from the truth.

If an au pair will do a lot of driving, are there assumptions you can make about their driving based on their home countries?

Typically Western Europeans tend to be good drivers, because they’re behind the wheel a lot. But in places like Peru, Bolivia, China, Slovenia, Croatia, most people don’t drive frequently. Massachusetts requires them to take driving lessons and get their licenses here.

What’s a typical conflict between au pair and host family?

Often it’s personality or lifestyle issues. They might want the kids out every day to kick the soccer ball, but the au pair might be sleeping in or staying up late. That’s where I come in, to help explain expectations and work through misunderstandings.

What’s your “happily ever after” au pair story?

I have a family in Lexington. The kids are older, so they just said good-bye to their last au pair. When their youngest son made his bar mitzvah recently, 12 au pairs came back to the States to be there. They flew in from all over the world — Germany, Lithuania, South Africa. It’s a testament to cultural harmony that we don’t often see today.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/01/26/peace-love-understanding-and-child-care/RJSI55wXk83Im1UJ3CRAXJ/story.html

UT Basketball Game

Great pic from our January cluster meeting!
We met up with the Austin cluster and had a really good time at the Texas Longhorns (vs. Iowa State) basketball game!! We saw some great cheer and dance routines, made some new friends, AND the Longhorns came out on top!!
All in all, it was a FUN day! 🙂


UT Basketball Game