Check out the link below to see which museums nearby are free this Saturday!
Monthly Archives: September 2013
Pirates get free donuts today!
It’s a Krispy Kreme grub giveaway on Talk Like A Pirate Day. Any buccaneer who dares enter a participating Krispy Kreme location and talk like a pirate gets one FREE Original Glazed® doughnut. To the lad or lass wearing full pirate attire goes a bounty of one FREE dozen Original Glazed® doughnuts. No purchase necessary. Offer Valid September 19, 2013 only. Shiver Me Timbers! How to Talk Like a Pirate:
– Ahoy Matey! – Blow Me Down! – Heave Ho! – Landlubber! – Sea Dog! – Thar She Blows! – Yo Ho Ho! Participating store list: http://bit.ly/KKTalkLikeAPirate Krispy Kreme shop hours may vary. Visit http://locations.krispykreme.com/ for more details. Offer valid September 19, 2013 at participating U.S. Krispy Kreme stores only and is subject to product availability (which may vary by market). No purchase necessary. No coupon required. No weapons allowed. Limit one offer per guest per visit. Not valid with any other offer. Not valid at grocery or convenience stores. Customers pay any sales tax. Void where prohibited. |
Free Friday night concerts
FAMCC Sounds of Summer Concert Series
Friday evenings from 7 to 9pm
Market Square in downtown Fredericksburg
Free concerts
Sept 6
Love Canon, Bluegrass 80s
Sept 13
M-Law & the Modern Prophets of Jazz, Jazz/R&B
Sept 20
St. George’s Jazz Ensemble
Sept 27
Don Brown’s Soul Experience, Classic Soul
FAMCC members reception
Children activities
Free Museum Admission from 5-9pm
Complete schedule at www.famcc.org
Cover image by: Rob Landeck
Money Questions
Miscellaneous Expenses
It’s important for the host family and the au pair to agree how to handle the little expenses that may 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 that.
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.
It’s Baby Safety Month
Baby Safety Month
There are safety tips throughout this site to keep the children safe. Here are some more tips for baby in honor of Baby Safety Month:
- Check condition and sturdiness of toys. Discard any that have sharp edges or are broken or falling apart.
- Check children’s clothing for loose buttons and remove strings.
- Is baby’s pacifier still in good condition? Be sure it isn’t coming apart. Never use strings to attach the pacifier to baby’s clothes or crib.
- Where do you set baby’s carrier when she’s in it? Not on the counter please, or any high surface. Babies can wiggle and tip themselves over.
- Are you using an old walker? It’s time to throw it out. Walkers can be dangerous (especially old ones that don’t meet today’s safety standards).
- Stroller check. If your stroller is collapsible, be sure latches are secure before putting baby in. Always check that your child’s arms are out of the way when reversing handle directions so they won’t get pinched. Be sure to use that safety strap. Don’t hang overloaded or heavy bags on the handle of the stroller; this may cause it to tip over.
- Can you name the 12 most common choking foods for kids under five? Popcorn, hot dogs, chunks of meat, raisins, ice cubes, chunky peanut butter, peanuts (nuts of any kind), hard candy, grapes, raw carrots, potato chips and corn chips.
- Don’t leave toddlers alone while eating; if they begin to choke you need to be nearby to assist.
- Get a piggy bank: this is a great place to put coins so they don’t end up on the floor, in the couch cushions and then baby’s mouth.
- Never leave your child unattended in the bathtub. If the phone rings, let the machine get it, or bring a cordless phone into the bathroom with you. Wait until baby can sit alone to give baths in the tub. It’s easier in the sink until then.
Enroll in an infant/child CPR and first aid class. This will be a valuable investment of your time, and Au Pair in America will pay for it if you have at least 3 months remaining on your visa.
September 3rd is Skyscraper day!
Take out the blocks and see how tall you can build a skyscraper.
Or try this…
Make your own large size blocks:
- Wash the inside of half-gallon size cardboard milk or juice containers
- Carefully cut off the folding top portion of each container
- Put one container completely inside the other with the two closed ends facing out. These are strong enough to stand on!
Photo by: Ella Novak (Flickr)
It’s Labor Day!
The first Monday of September is known as Labor Day in The United States of America.
It is a holiday very similar to May Day, as it honours the achievements of workers. But unlike May Day, which is a tribute to working class only, Labor Day is a tribute to the entire workforce.
Labor Day originated in Toronto in April 1872 with the first workingmen’s demonstration organized by the Toronto Trades Assembly. Ten years later, in July, a parade took place in Toronto and Peter J. McGuire of New York was invited to hold a speech. Upon his return to NY he proposed an official celebration to honor workers, and in September 1882 Central Labor Union held its first Labor Day celebration in New York City.
In 1884 first Monday of September officially became Labor Day and over the years it has been celebrated with parades, fireworks and festivals; slowly losing its political connotations and becoming an unofficial end of summer holiday.
Need some back to school hints?
How to get a Virginia drivers license
An au pair is legal to drive on an International Driver’s License for six months or an English translation of her National Driver’s License (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) until she has all of the pieces that are required to get a VA license.
How to get a Driver’s License:
- Practice the test at http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/dmvweb/kats/sne_intro.asp
- Open a Bank Account
Effective immediately, to apply for a driver’s license (holders of German, French, South Korean or Canadian driver’s licenses) or a learner’s permit (all other countries) your au pair must bring:
- Bank Statement
- Envelope with the au pair’s name and host family address on it
- Passport, DS-2019, I-94
At the DMV you will:
- Take the computer/multiple choice test.
- If you pass the written test – you will take the driving test.
- If you pass the driving test you will get your VA Driver’s License!
Au pairs that are not yet 19 will not be licensed in the state of Virginia without extensive driver’s education. Once, an au pair turns 19 – this is no longer required.
An au pair will receive a Virginia license that is valid only for the term of her visa. For her to renew her license after her visa has expired she will have to prove that she is in the U.S. legally with new visa documentation.