Yearly Archives: 2014

A Jewish Holiday Celebration:Hanukkah

Hanukkah , also known as the Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BC. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

This year Hanukkah begins in the evening of December 16th and ends in the evening of December 24th.

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The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched menorah or hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical menorah consists of eight branches with an additional visually distinct branch. The extra light is called a shamash  and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for practical use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves for purposes other than publicizing and meditating upon Hanukkah is forbidden.

Other Hanukkah festivities include playing dreidel and eating oil based foods such as doughnuts and latkes.

Hanukkah became more widely celebrated beginning from the 1970s, when Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson called for public awareness of the festival and encouraged the lighting of public menorahs.

Every year on the White House Ellipse in Washington DC,there is a Lighting Ceremony.It is a free event but tickets are required.This year it will be held on December 16th at 4:00pm (http://nationalmenorah.org/)

 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Advent Calendar

What a great way to count down til Christmas! Many of you are familiar with the Advent calendar but for those of you who are not,here is the Wikipedia definition:
An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count or celebrate the days in anticipation of Christmas. The days usually overlap with the Christian season of Advent, which can be as early as November 27 and as late as December 3. Many take the form of a large rectangular card with “windows” of which there are usually 24: one for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. The doors are opened starting with the first one. Consecutive doors are opened every day leading up to Christmas. The calendar windows open to reveal an image, poem, a portion of a story (such as the story of the Nativity of Jesus) or a small gift, such as a toy or a chocolate item. Some calendars are strictly religious, whereas others are secular in content.

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Why not make your own Advent Calendar with your kids and fill each window or pocket with an activity your host child/children would enjoy.You can find some ideas under Resources for Current Au Pairs

Explaining Thanksgiving to our Au Pairs!

Thanksgiving is next 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.

-1The 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. -2It 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. -3

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/

 

How to Talk to Children about Health News

With stories about infectious diseases like the flu, Ebola, and Enterovirus D68 in conversations and on the news, your children may be worried about becoming sick. Here are some tips about how to talk about these illnesses:

Be informed:
Get accurate information about the illness from reliable sources, including:
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov)
World Health Organization (who.int)
Arlington County Public Health Division (http://health.arlingtonva.us/public-health/)
Ensure that you are ready to answer children’s questions. Print information to readily answer questions.

Consider your child’s age, maturity level, and coping style:
Generally, younger children need more reassurance and want to be told that they are safe. Older children are more ready for information and may ask questions.
Like adults, children handle information differently: some children need more information to deal with issues, while others worry more if they have a lot of information.
Adjust the information you share to your child’s personality and needs, using words they understand.

Use these guidelines to help have a conversation (or two) about the topic:
Ask your children what they have already heard and understand about the disease. Ask them what other information they would like, correct any misinformation.
Be factual and honest. Help children understand the differences between common illnesses, like colds, that they may catch and the rare diseases that may be talked about in the news.
If you are unsure of an answer, explain to your child that you don’t know. If it is still of interest, offer to look up the answer for them, or, if they are old enough and interested, help them look it up themselves.
Use the conversation as a chance to teach caring for others who may be having a hard time. You might also use this as an opportunity to talk about bullying and ways to prevent it.

Use our conversation starters to help you initiate a conversation with your child:

Consider simply asking your children about the illness or disease you want to discuss. Use what your children tell you to clear up misunderstandings and answer any questions they have. Possible questions include:
“Can you tell me what you’ve heard about _______?”
“Has ______ been mentioned at school?”
“You’ve probably noticed that ________has been mentioned a lot lately. Do you want to talk about it?”
Use books, movies, or television to help start a conversation:
Read a book with your child where a character becomes ill, like “Katie Woo Has the Flu”, “Germs Are Not for Sharing”, or “A Germ’s Journey” to help start a conversation about illness.
Bring up the topic if a news show or movie mentions an illness when your children are in the room. You could even plan a movie night a way to initiate a discussion. For example, watch PBS’s “Frontline: Ebola Outbreak” with your older teenager and discuss infectious diseases afterwards.
Use websites like http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/talking_with_kids/ and http://kidshealth.org/parent to help you plan more conversation starters.

Remain calm and confident:
Your children notice your attitude. If you act nervous or fearful, your children will copy this behavior. Don’t just tell children they “shouldn’t worry.” Rather, support them as they learn to overcome their fears.
Rehearse the conversation with a friend or spouse to help you remain calm and focused when you talk to your children.

Remind your children they can take simple steps to protect themselves from both common and rare diseases:
Wash hands with soap and warm water (scrub for 20 seconds) to get germs off hands. Do this several times every day. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cover coughs and sneezes with elbows or a tissue to prevent spreading germs to others.
Stay home from school and activities when sick to prevent spreading germs to others, and to recover more quickly.
Source:ArlingtonVa.us

A FUN DAY HELPING OUT AT AFAC

A group of 30 + au pairs from Au Pair In America joined the volunteers at AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center) to sort out and carry crates of non perishable food items collected today by the boy scouts all around Arlington.IMG_0204IMG_0203

Many of them expressed an interest in coming back during their free time to help serve their community and give back.IMG_0205

Want to know more about au pairs?

“Au pair” means “on par” or equal. Au pairs and EduCare companions are international visitors who travel to the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children. View our au pairs available now.

Au pairs and companions become full-fledged family members, sharing a cultural exchange experience that often leads to a lasting relationship with the host family.

Au pairs on our Au Pair or Extraordinaire programs care for children of all ages – infants from three months of age, pre-school and school age. EduCare companions are au pairs who care exclusively for older children who are in school for a full five days a week.

All au pairs and companions make a commitment to participate in the program for 12 months. Those in good standing at the end of 12 months have an option to apply for an extension of duration of stay to continue their participation an additional 6, 9 or 12 months.

If you are eager to learn about another culture by hosting a young woman who, in turn, provides child care, then one of our program options can meet your expectations.

– See more at: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/aupairs/#sthash.Yro1tawm.dpuf

HEALTHY HABITS

Now that cooler weather is upon us and the flu season is here, we wanted to offer some general suggestions and reminders to help you and the children under your care to stay healthy throughout the year.

Keeping a healthy body, mind and spirit= Balance

Get enough sleep

Eat healthily

Exercise regularly

Take some time each day to relax

Rest or slow down when you feel tired

Maintain a balance between work, rest, relaxation and your social life

Go outdoors! Even when it’s cold.  Cold air doesn’t cause illness, staying cooped up inside with the germs usually does it. Plus the sunshine (Vitamin D) is good for you.

Protect yourself and others

Please remember that preventing illness and the spread of disease protects not just you and your family, but also children who may have serious conditions affecting their ability to fight off infections. Kids who may have asthma, diabetes, heart disease, severe allergies, cystic fibrosis, cancer or other conditions are more vulnerable.

Avoid spreading germs, wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if sick

Cover coughs or sneeze with the crook  of your elbow or a tissue-not your hand

Frequent hand washing with soap and warm water will help prevent the spread of influenza, strep throat, stomach viruses, and many other diseases.  Please keep children home from school if they have a respiratory illness, fever, diarrhea or vomiting.

Shower regularly

Avoid contact with people who have cold or flu symptoms

Keep a clean and healthy home environment

Keep frequently touched surface clean(kitchen counters, computer keyboards and computer areas, telephones, doorknobs)

Keep the children’s play area and toys clean

Keep your bedroom dust free as possible.Vacuum regularly and empty your waste basket daily.

Prevent the flu

Did you know the flu virus can knock you out for a week or more? Symptoms include high fever and severe head and muscle aches. Infection can lead to complications like ear and sinus infections, dehydration, and bacterial pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older should receive a flu vaccine each year.

Where can you get the flu vaccine?

Flu vaccines are available NOW in medical offices, pharmacies and at your County Public Health Division.  Go to http://health.arlingtonva.us/flu/  to find out about a place near you.

You don’t need to have a regular doctor or nurse to get the flu vaccine.

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Have a safe and healthy Fall Season!

Applying for a library card and getting the kids excited about reading

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Arlington county (www. library.arlingtonva.us)and Falls Church (www.fallschurchva.gov/424/Library) libraries offer story time on a weekly basis.Don’t miss out on them and locate a branch that is close to you.

They also host additional events such as Nanny club,Paws to read and the American Girl program.

Visit your local branch or check the website to find one that offers a program best suited to your child.

You can also check out other options at Barnes and Noble in Clarendon (store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2068),Bartons Child’s Play on Lee Highway(www.bartonschildsplay.com) or Kinder Haus Toys on North Fillmore Street(www.kinderhaus.com)

Au pairs, don’t forget to apply for a free library card-both Arlington and Falls Church cards can be used at any libraries in our cluster.

To apply ,go to any local library,fill out an application and provide a valid proof of address.

Valid proof of address includes (but is not limited to) a driver’s license, bill or delivered mail.

HAPPY READING!

FUN IN THE SUN

banner_kalinova_gayYoung babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.

Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.

Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside.

Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.

PLAYGROUND SAFETY

The basic rule of playground safety: watch the children at all times, particularly near swings.
Some playgrounds are on school grounds and should be avoided if the school children are outside playing.
Whenever you go out in warm weather, remember to bring along drinks.
It is important to apply sunscreen, even if it is hazy.
Safety around water is particularly important. A child can drown in just a few inches of water. Whenever you are near water you must never leave a child alone – if the phone rings, take them with you or let it ring! Always stay within arm’s reach when the children are in water.