Aupairs can enjoy the following this weekend:

Labor Day Concert  on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building, Sunday, September  4 at 8pm, featuring The National Symphony Orchestra. Gates  open at  5pm. Nearest Metro stations are Capitol South or Union  Station.  If the weather is inclement, the concert  moves  into the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Call  202-416-8113 after 2:30pm for an update. 

Abbey Road on the River at  National Harbor- 5 day Beatles Tribute in conjunction with The American Red Cross. For tickets, see www.abbeyroadontheriver.com/redcross.php. Walk up tickets are  available.

Some of our aupairs have kids in school  right now; for others, school will be  opening  very soon.  Here is a Back to School list!

If your child/children take the school bus to and from school, make sure you  know how the bus system works

Be careful  of bus lines if you drop off/pick up the children.

Pack healthy lunches. Make sure you seek the advise of your host family as to what to pack each day.

Have a place  where  all notes, papers etc sent to and from the school go in the home. Make  sure your host family sees all paperwork.

Can you help with homework? Talk to your host family about your ability to supervise homework.

The dedication of this newest memorialwill take place on August 28. There will be a concert at 10am, a ceremony at 11am and another concert at 2pm. Public standing areas that do not require tickets are available. The memorial is located on the northwest corern of the Tidal Basin, just north of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and can be reached from the Smithsonia Metro Station.  See www.mlkmemorial.org

Schools already have, or are  about to open. Your host child or children  may have a backpack and it is up to you to manage  it.  Here are  some hints: Do this everyday!

Find the homework. Set it out in the homework area and gather any supplies needed. As homework  is completed it belongs  back in the  backpack. Organize your host child/children!

If there is a lunch box, empty it  and wipe it out. Let the host family know if anything was not eaten.

Find any notices sent home and put them aside  for the host parents. Note any activities and put those on the master calendar.  If there is material that must be signed and/or acted upon, make sure the host parents are aware and put them back, signed, etc, into the backpack  to be returned to school, if necessary.

Prepare the next day’s snack and/or lunch and make sure it is ready to go back  into the backpack the next morning. What else  does the child/children need  for the day? Clean gym clothes- a show and tell item. Make  sure all is in the backpack the night  before.

At the end of the week, make sure that the backpack and or lunchbox are  cleaned thoroughly.  These items are big  breeding grounds for germs.

Friendship FireHouse Festival- come celebrate the 237th birthday of this historic firehouse on Saturday, August 6 from 9am to 2pm.  See the antique equipment, crafts booths,  food vendors and free birthday cake. Kids will get free helmuts and balloons. Anyone can tour the firehouse, located at 100 block of S. Alfred St between Prince and King Streets in Old Town. For more information, see www.friendship-firehouse.net.