At some point this winter your host child will probably develop a fever, i.e. a body temperature that is higher than the normal 98.6 F. It is very important to realize that fever itself is not an illness-only a symptom of one. When your host child has a fever, his/her heart rate and breathing will speed up slightly in addition to feeling slightly warm. She/he may appear flushed and perspiration may be present as well. Do not give medicine to your host child with out the permission of your host family. There are strict guidelines for dosages and they MUST be followed.
Tag Archives: tips
Hints for success
stay in touch with your community counselor, RSVP* and attend cluster meetings, or if you can not, call her back or reply to her email.
* *RSVP is an abbreviation for the French phrase “Répondez s’il vous plaît”. It translates to “please respond”. In the US, failure to reply to an RSVP request with a confirmation of one’s attendance or absence is considered rude.
Homework
Now that the school year is well under way, your host children may have more homework than before. Tips to help everyone get homework done can be found here http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/activities/homework_support.asp
Tips for the Holidays for Au Pairs and Host Families
From Christine Connally, Community Counselor in MD:
Childcare focus – Check with your host parents before you buy a child a toy that requires close supervision – electrically operated toys, shooting toys and games, chemistry sets, and the like. Remember, too, that younger children may have access to toys intended for older children once the toy has been brought into the home.
Driving – Traffic tends to be heavier around the Holidays. My best advice is to leave earlier than normal and take your time. Be the “bigger person” and allow that one last car to slip in ahead of you. It may avoid an accident. Remember au pairs can be asked to pay up to $500 of the deductible for an accident.
Healthy eating – is your house filled with treats, and goodies that are tempting you? It is the season, and you are here for a cultural exchange, so try some of the traditional sweets your host family is offering, but it is a good idea to downsize your portions – how much you eat is as important as what you eat.
Hints for success – If there is an alarm system for the house, be sure that the au pair is listed with the alarm company as a legitimate user of the alarm. Also, the au pair must know the appropriate security code in case of a false alarm.
Photo: Benjamin Chun
Happy Halloween!!!
Halloween can be a lot of fun but it is also a time when safety should come first. Here are some tips for tonight.
- Adult supervision is essential. Always accompany the children if they are going door to door to trick or treat
- Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure the children only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch.
- Stay outside. Make sure the children don’t go inside someone’s house. They can trick or treat on the porch.
- Remain visible. Dress the children in bright costumes or have them wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight.
- Quality-check treats. Check the candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.
- Say “no” to strangers. Remind the children to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.
Most of all…have fun!
Halloween Health and Safety Tips
From cdc.gov
Photo: Steven Depolo
For many people, autumn events like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats. These events are also opportunities to provide nutritious snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety.
Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.
Going trick-or-treating?
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Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible. | |||
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Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult. | |||
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Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you. | |||
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Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat. | |||
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Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house. | |||
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Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation. | |||
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Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible. | |||
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Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses. | |||
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Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe. | |||
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Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls. | |||
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Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers. | |||
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Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. | |||
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Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes. |
Childproofing
With shorter days and colder weather, you and the children are probably spending more time inside the house. Please be sure that the house is “childproof” with these simple tips:
- Children are curious; many small children put everything into their mouths. Be sure no small objects are within the child’s reach.
- Plastic bags, long cords and very soft pillows can be dangerous to children.
- If a toy gets broken and has sharp edges, keep it away from children!
- Be sure that laundry soap and other cleaners are out of reach of the children.
- Don’t leave any medicines in reach of children, not even vitamins.
- Keep scissors and knives out of reach.
- Store the toys that belong to older children out of reach of babies and toddlers.
- Many cosmetic items and toiletries, such as mouthwash, perfume, nail polish, and hair spray, are poisonous. Keep them out of children’s reach.
Photo: audi_insperation
Handling Expenses
Miscellaneous Expenses
There are different ways to handle the little day to day expenses that come up. Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon of milk. Some families keep a cookie jar fund, a little cash that they set aside weekly or monthly for this kind of expenses. Here are some suggestions for avoiding problems with expenses.
Host Families
- It’s important to be clear about how long this money should last and what types of expenses are approved.
- Let the au pair know whether or not you expect receipts.
Au Pairs
- Only spend the money on approved expenses.
- If it is something you are not sure about, ask first.
- Put your receipts in the cookie jar in place of the money to avoid any confusion.
Gas and Fare Cards
Host families are responsible for the au pair’s transportation costs:
- to and from classes and cluster meetings
- driving the kids
It is a good idea to figure out how much gas an au pair will use for these trips and either put gas in the car or give a gas allowance. If your au pair is riding to classes or cluster meetings with another au pair, you should offer to share the cost of gas.
Au pairs are responsible for their own transportation at all other times. You should replace the amount of gas used for personal use.
Photo: Andrea Travillian
Storm Encyclopedia
According to Weather.com:
Tornado watch — Conditions are conducive to the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area.
Tornado warning — A tornado has been sighted by spotters or indicated on radar and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.
Severe thunderstorm watch — Conditions are conducive to the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
Severe thunderstorm warning — A severe thunderstorm has been observed by spotters or indicated on radar, and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.
Severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes or cause damage from their strong wind gusts and/or hail.
Click on this link to find out more about what to do in case of a big storm/tornado
Emergency Information
Visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/ for tips from that will help you keep safe and able to respond to changing events. In the event of an emergency, their emergency blog will be updated with breaking news and information.
- To sign up for the The Community Emergency Alert Network (Fairfax County Alert) click here. The Community Emergency Alert Network (CEAN) delivers important emergency alerts, notifications and updates during a major crisis or emergency, in addition to day-to-day notices about weather and traffic.
- To sign up for the Loudoun County alert system click here
Photo: Jimmy Baikovicius
Fire Safety Week
Click here to read more Fire Safety Tips on PBS Kids
Here are some fire safety tips from PBSKids.org. Go over these fire safety tips with your children.
Be Smart
- Don’t touch matches. Stay away from lighters and candles, too.
- Don’t touch radiators or heaters. Ask a grown-up to turn a heater on or off for you. Don’t stand too close to a fireplace or wood stove, either.
- Don’t play with electrical cords. And don’t stick anything into an electrical socket.
- Don’t play around in the kitchen. If you want to cook something, be sure to check with a grown-up first.
- Don’t put anything over a lamp. Things thrown over a lamp (like blankets or clothing) could catch fire.
And Remember…
Stop, Drop, and Roll. If your clothing catches fire, remember to stop where you are and drop to the ground. Cover your face and mouth with your hands, and roll over and over until the flames are out.