Take a moment and smell the roses

We could all take some time out and get away from our phones, computers, social media and the virtual world. I feel like a broken record saying this over and over but it is important to know the boundaries of your phone usage. This goes for families as well as aupairs, whether your nose is stuck on the computer for work or for social reasons the end result is the same for all those around you. Look up and talk to one another. You may learn something, feel something, smell something. Human relations uses all the senses, it is multi dimensional...phones and social media are one dimensional.

What is an Aupair?

An au pair is a young adult from another country who lives with your family and provides in-home childcare services. Au pairs work up to 45 hours per week, in exchange for the opportunity to live with an American family. Because au pairs provide live-in childcare, they offer more flexibility and can care for your child at times that accommodate your family's schedule.

All AuPairCare au pairs:

Have extensive childcare experience
Speak conversational English
Have completed a secondary education
Are between 18 to 26 years old

Families can select au pairs based on nationality, language, age, driving skills, gender and special abilities such as swimming, cooking, sports and music. AuPairCare is committed to finding the right au pair match for your family.

An au pair is much more than a babysitter. Here are some things that differentiate AuPairCare au pairs from other childcare options:

Au Pair Responsibilities - In addition to childcare services, an au pair provides busy parents with a much needed, extra set of hands. An au pair's duties include childcare and light housekeeping related to childcare.

Nannies vs. Au Pairs - An au pair is much more than a nanny. An au pair lives in your home and becomes a part of your extended family while acting as a loving caregiver for younger children and a big sister to older children. You can also learn about the value and benefits of an au pair vs. other childcare services.

AuPairCare offers several great au pair program options, including the popular year-long au pair program and the Infant Specialized au pair program, for families with infants (0-12 months) or are expecting. Select the childcare option that best fits your needs!

Many Au Pair Choices - Search actual AuPairCare Au Pair Profiles. We recruit high-quality au pairs from more than 40 countries, offering a wide array of candidates to choose from.
http://www.aupaircare.com/

APPY NOW! GET AN AUPAIR

Promotion: Apply for free and save $400 off program fees, for a total saving of $450!

Promo Code: SAVE$450

Start Date: Friday, October 24

End Date: Monday, November 10

This is a great time to get an aupair. An extra set of hands at home to help with the kids. Aupairs are live in child care from a foreign country and they provide flexible affordable childcare and a great cultural experience for your family. APPLY NOW

APPLY NOW 

Kansas City - The best kept Secret in America

 Kansas City is the best kept secret. Families if you are looking for selling points to your aupairs look no further and aupairs if you were unsure about coming to Kansas City read this article and you will be sold! Anyone can go to San Fransisco or New York but the true dreamers and believers come to Kansas City! Go ROYALS!


Kansas City here we come

This article makes having an aupair seem almost free and so much better!

 (CNN Money)
It seems like a parental dream: A college-educated babysitter shows up, leads your kids through homework, dinnertime and a masterpiece art project, cleans the house and then gives you a report card of how the evening went.
This dream can be a reality thanks to high-end babysitting services in New York City, but it comes at a price -- up to $33 an hour.

That's more than twice the rate NYC parents typically shell out for sitters. And it's a far cry from the paid-in-pizza, put-the-kids-in-front-of-a-TV approach many suburban families are used to.
Sitters Studio, a network of more than 100 caretakers in New York and Chicago, charges about $25 for one child, and the rate goes up depending on how many kids are at home. There's also a $20 booking fee each time a parent reserves a sitter and a four-hour minimum.
That means for one night out, a one-child family would pay $120.
Kristina Wilson, Sitters Studio's CEO, said that while the cost is high, parents are getting a lot for their money. All their sitters are required to show up ten minutes early with a tote bag filled with "artistic toys," abide by a no-TV policy, and they are required to make sure all homework and household tasks are complete.
Plus, because the company doesn't pay sitters in cash, the service is able to provide families with full documentation of what they paid. This means they can apply for Child and Dependent Care credit on federal tax returns.
Related: 'The most surprising cost of raising my kid'
"On top of the picking children up from school and mealtime, the kids will get a unique artistic experience every time," she said. "If our sitter works with a child to come up with a ballet or a piece of art made out of recycled materials, at the end of the night, they will fill out a report card to let the parent know what they created and how it helped with self-esteem and general creative thinking."
A number of babysitting services have cropped up to capitalize on the high price parents are willing to pay.
Hamptons Babysitters, established to cater to vacationing families in the famed, ritzy beach towns on New York's Long Island, sets parents up with CPR-certified sitters who are 18 and over, have passed background checks, and are guaranteed to show up on time.
"We usually get families who maybe don't have their nannies or usual sitters out at the beach, but want to be able to go out and leave their children with a sitter they can trust," said Chloe Laundrie, a 22-year-old Hamptons Babysitter who just graduated college with a degree in elementary education. She is now running the service's business end as well.
There's a three-hour minimum, and the service charges $25 an hour for one child, and $33 for three. On top of this, there's a $25 booking fee.
Related: Kumbay-OMG! A $16,000 price tag for summer camp
These rates are shockingly high, even given the fact that babysitters in New York are ranked the most expensive in the country.
The average hourly rate for one child in New York is $15.34, according to a survey of 7,500 families conducted by UrbanSitter. That's $1.21 more per hour than the national average, and even beats out babysitter rates in other big cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles. D.C. and Boston.
By comparison, the national average hourly pay for preschool teachers is $15.11, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics -- and that's for teaching a whole class. And of course, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Related: How much will it cost to raise your child?
Laundrie said that parents don't seem to mind the cost.
"I hear moms say they can't put a price on childcare," she said. "Even though the [rates] are a little bit higher, they understand most of the time."

Past aupairs share your story!

http://www.aupaircare.com/alumni
If you are a past Aupair Care aupair please share your story on the link!

FAITH IN CHILDCARE

An au pair brings friendship and comfort to a mother with two special needs boys.
There is a daily routine at Diane Sherwood’s home: get the boys up, dressed, fed and prepared for the day.
While this appears to be a normal routine for most families, Diane wouldn’t be able to work and provide for
her special needs boys without the help of her au pair, Gaby Itzel. Diane has had five wonderful cultural
exchange au pairs from AuPairCare and has experienced how these au pairs can really become part of the
family But Gaby was the first to stay beyond her initial year. Knowing the special challenges involved, she
chose to stay with Diane and her boys.
A single mom who works from home as a
Director of Finance and Human Resources for the
Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association,
Diane has always attempted to find the elusive
balance between family and work. Over five years
ago, a career move to North Carolina and then to
the Kansas City region took her away from her
family in Pennsylvania, which also meant she lost
the childcare that was provided by her close knit
relatives. Unable to work without childcare, she
began seeking live in
childcare options that would
allow her to continue to be present yet work from
home. She determined that au pairs were the
answer as live in
care was critical. Both her
young boys are special and high needs, requiring
reliable and special needs experienced childcare.
After much research, Diane decided to use
AuPairCare’s services because she felt the au
pairs from AuPairCare met her specific needs.
“All of our au pairs have been amazing,” reflects
Diane. “The au pairs were always sweet and
friendly, and while they all took great care of my
boys I was fortunate to have the added benefit of
forming deep personal friendships with some of
them.”

Gaby has been no exception. Early in the interview process during their Skype sessions, Diane was drawn
to Gaby’s positive personality, also noting her excellent English which she learned in El Salvador at her high
school. She discovered that despite this being Gaby’s first experience as an au pair, she brought with her a
wealth of special needs childcare experience and skills from having spent time working with special needs
children at her church. This piqued Diane’s interest. She went on to learn that faith was an important
cornerstone to Gaby’s life. This was the final piece to selecting Gaby as Diane’s own religious beliefs are
important to her daily life. After many Skype calls with Diane and her boys, Gaby arrived in March of 2013.
Gaby does what other AuPairCare au pairs do –
she engages and provides exceptional childcare.
In conjunction with their special education in the
public school system, she creates fun and
inspiring activities adapted especially for these
boys that often involve the whole family. The boys’
unique medical problems create special
challenges, and Gaby has learned to provide the
treatments when Diane is working. But it isn’t just
the medical care that is a challenge. Anyone that
has a child with any form of disability knows the
physical, mental and emotional toll it can take and
sharing these challenges with another person is
critical.
“Gaby has become one of my favorite au pairs,” said Tajana Alvegard, AuPairCare’s Area Director for
Kansas City. “Despite Gaby’s young age, she is a very mature, patient and is able to be there for the host
mom as well as be there for the kids. The host mom and au pair have a great relationship and it has turned
into a real friendship. She has a heart of gold.”
Their friendship extends past their mutual bond of the boys. They both worship together at Life Church in the
Kansas City area. This dynamic, outreach oriented
church offers foundational values, some of which include
genuine community, local outreach and world missions. Gaby spends much of her time here, involved with
the college ministry on Tuesdays and the children’s faith programs, as she is deeply rooted in any form of
volunteerism.
“We can all learn something from her,”
added Tatjana. “Gaby always reaches out
to the new au pairs when they arrive to
make them feel welcome. She’s also
always the first to help or pickup
au pairs
for meetings if they need a ride.
Throughout their relationship, Diane and
Gaby have acknowledged that their
relationship is stronger and deeper. Only
a few weeks ago, Gaby had the day off
and texted Diane in the evening and
asked her to have dinner. Diane was very
touched by this because Gaby had chosen to spend her free time with her having dinner out together as
friends.
“God wants me to help others,” shares Gaby. “Diane and the boys are changing my life and I’m being taught
about faith in an entirely different way. When I went to visit my family in El Salvador, I didn’t realize how
much I was going to miss my [American] family. My love for Diane and the boys grew even more when I was
gone and I found myself homesick for them.”
Diane couldn’t agree more.
“She has become my right hand, sister, daughter and best friend all in one,” said Diane. “She’s a package
deal! I can’t imagine my life without her. God is certainly blessing my family.”
 

End of Summer water safety

Only a few more weeks of summer left. Don't let down your guard while at the pool, lake or ocean when you are watching children. A child can drown in only a few inches of water so be careful. Stay off your phones and the virtual world. Be Present in this world and enjoy the last weeks of summer and sun!

Child Friendly Activities for Au Pairs and Host Families in Kansas City

Au Pairs will find that Kansas City offers a wide variety of exciting things to do and places to visit. There are many historical museums, art displays, scenic touring, and physical activities. Families can help Au Pairs find activities they are most interested in.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art National WWI Museum Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia The City of Fountains Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art The Midland  Kansas City Public Library Kansas City Zoo Kansas City Sea Life Aquarium Worlds of Fun Amusement Park Legoland Discovery Center

AuPairCare Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Continuing commitment to develop cultural exchange program that connects families and au pairs worldwide.

"We are wholly dedicated to providing safe, affordable and flexible live-in childcare..."

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 29, 2014

AuPairCare, an au pair agency that matches American families with international au pairs, is celebrating 25 years as a leader in the live-in childcare industry.
“My work with AuPairCare has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience,” said Theresa Edwards, AuPairCare Regional Manager. ‘I’ve been with this company for 20 years and the joy and satisfaction that we all feel when we bring together people from diverse cultures to create bonds that last a lifetime, is truly thrilling!”
Since 1989, AuPairCare has established itself as a live-in childcare and cultural exchange industry leader and has placed over 50,000 au pairs from more than 40 countries. AuPairCare became one of the first au pair agencies designated by the United States Department of State to legally sponsor au pairs to come to the US. In addition to this designation, AuPairCare has longstanding relationships with the International Au Pair Association and the Alliance for International Education.
“The past 25 years have not just been about providing a quality program,” stated Vice President, Sarah McNamara, “but always enhancing it to ensure the best experiences for both our au pairs and our host families.”
The quality of the AuPairCare program has only increased with age, including their Infant Specialized Au Pair Program – an offering that they alone provide. AuPairCare has a unique EasyMatch™ system that searches their au pair database and matches candidates based on 15 different criteria. They have also developed the Safety Care™ Training Program, a mandatory au pair training program through AuPairCare’s Au Pair Academy to ensure that all au pairs are familiar with American ways of caring for children.
With dedicated staff members nationwide, AuPairCare provides local and personal support to all host families and au pairs throughout the duration of their placements. AuPairCare’s local and regional staffing is comprised primarily of women with very diverse backgrounds with many hosting or having been host parents in the program themselves.
“We are wholly dedicated to providing safe, affordable and flexible live-in childcare to American families while also empowering young people to come and experience life in the United States.” McNamara emphasized. “That’s been our goal for 25 years and it will continue to be our goal for years to come.”
About AuPairCare
AuPairCare is a leading au pair agency providing affordable live-in childcare services to American families since 1989. Designated by the U.S. Department of State, AuPairCare offers superior childcare to fit families’ unique needs. AuPairCare has matched more than 50,000 au pairs with American families across the U.S. AuPairCare is a division of Intrax, a family of organizations that provide a lifetime of high quality educational, work and volunteer programs that connect people and cultures. Intrax is headquartered in San Francisco with offices on four continents. To find an au pair to fit your family’s needs call 1(800) 428-7247 or visit http://www.aupaircare.com.

50 Ways to Fully Experience Kansas City

by Kristina Light

1. Eat delicious barbecue on a quest to find the very best.
2. Run barefoot through the grass at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
3. Take a photo from the top of the National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial.
4. Tailgate at Kauffman Stadium.
5. Ride all seven roller coasters at Worlds of Fun.
6. Sip a Skyscraper at Winstead’s.
7. Visit the Truman Home.
8. Draw under the black light at Kaleidoscope.
9. Listen to amazing live jazz.
10. Build a giant LEGO tower at LEGOLand Discovery Center.
11. Bottle feed baby goats at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead.
12. Sit under the stars and enjoy a Broadway show at Starlight.
13. Ride a stagecoach at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop.
14. Stop and smell the roses at Loose Park.
15. Touch a sea star at Sea Life Kansas City.
16. Cheer for MLS Cup Champions Sporting KC.
17. Delight in delectable gourmet chocolates at Andre’s or Christopher Elbow’s.
18. Buy fresh fruits and veggies at City Market.
19. Spend a First Friday in the Crossroads.
20. Shop in the West Bottoms.
21. Savor your favorite brew at The Roasterie.
22. Ride the world’s tallest waterslide at Schlitterbahn.
23. Play at Penguin Park.
24. Sample chocolate a Chip’s Chocolate Factory at Crown Center.
25. Rent a paddleboat at Lake Jacomo.
26. Camp out at Watkin’s Woolen Mill.
27. Photograph friends in front of a fountain.
28. Explore the river bank at Fort Osage.
29. Pick fresh berries at a local berry patch.
30. Meet friends for lunch in Westport.
31. Window shop in Historic Overland Park.
32. Get free money at the Money Museum.
33. Taste test every flavor of Glace Ice Cream till you find your favorite.
34. Explore the Central Branch of the Kansas City Library because any library with a parking garage painted with classic books has to be cool.
35. Ride the African Sky Safari at the Kansas City Zoo.
36. Pet oxen at Missouri Town 1855.
37. Find fairies at Firefly Forest.
38. Dine on the sidewalk at the Country Club Plaza.
39. Ride a bicycle across a high wire at Science City.
40. Watch a NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway.
41. Applaud the Kansas City Ballet at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
42. Find faces in the woodwork at Vaile Mansion.
43. Buy spices at Planter’s.
44. Learn how to make a motorcycle at the Harley-Davidson Factory tour.
45. Challenge your friends to Laser Tag at Paradise Park.
46. Bike Trolley Trail.
47. Shop in Brookside.
48. Catch a show at the Sprint Center.
49. Munch on Topsy’s popcorn.
50. Find something new because Kansas City is always full of surprises

9 Tips for Culturally Aware Children

Here are 9 activities that parents, host children and au pairs can do together to learn about new cultures:

1. Read Bedtime stories that take place in another country and include some foreign words, so you can practice pronunciation.
2. Try a cultural dance or martial arts class, such as Bollywood, Flamenco or Capoeira.
3. Enroll your child in foreign language classes for kids.
4. Choose art activities based on different cultures such as Japanese calligraphy, Chinese paper cut outs and Puerto Rican Ponce Carnival Masks.
5. Prepare food from a different country dinner once a week.
6. Plan a heritage party for your children and their friends, and encourage each child to bring food and games from their family’s heritage.
7. Watch family-friendly movies that take place in another country.
8. Listen to popular music from different cultures while in the car, or teach your kids a simple song in a foreign language.
9. Attend local festivals and parades that celebrate different cultures such as Cinco de Mayo, Carnival, Chinese New Year, and Bastille Day.

Children are little sponges, taking in the world around them with wide eyes and curious minds. This curiosity is a great thing and should be cultivated through as many avenues as possible, in an effort to raise a globally and culturally aware next generation.

Apply NOW! Secure your summer child care needs

The addiction to social media

The addiction to our  phones, tablets and computers needs to have boundaries. Why when the phone dings we need to look at it immediately,during dinner, during a face to face conversation...If a person were to interrupt you like that mid sentence you would ask them to wait. What is so important that we need to check our smart phones at all times?
We need to set limits and control ourselves. Aupairs , when you are watching the children all your focus is on them. No texting, face booking,tweeting, NO smart phones. A child can get hurt in a split second. Do not be that aupair where your story of being in the virtual world and not the present world goes viral!
As for host parents please set a good example, no smart phones at the dinner table , playground, bedtime...be present for your children and aupair. Watch and hear what they do in real time not in cyber space.

Dream

7 Things to look for in a childcare provider

1. Reliability. Everyone wants a childcare provider they can count on, and when it comes to the interview process there are plenty of cues you can look for. Are they on time for your appointments? Do prospective nannies or au pairs get back to you when you contact them? These are just a few clues that you’ll be able to count on them to begin work on time or remember to pack a toy for show-and-tell each Thursday.
2. Loves children, especially yours! In our experience, you can tell just by asking someone why they like children if they truly do. Similarly engaging your children in the interview will give you great insight into the possible relationship they might have. One mom we talked to recounted two interviews via Skype with similarly qualified candidates. One focused on impressing mom and dad, the other focused on the kids. You can guess which one they hired!
3. Positivity. It might seem silly, but for some this one is the most important.  Why? Well, let’s be honest: spending a day with little people can be difficult! Having an upbeat, can-do attitude and a will to succeed comes in pretty handy when the four year old paints the two year old with ketchup while you are cleaning up the six month old after a diaper blowout. Trust us, we know from experience!
4. Type of Experience. This one is sometimes overlooked in favor of hours/years of experience, but our host moms argue that less can be more. Two years of occasional babysitting does not equal spending a summer as a nanny to three kids. Ask the nanny or au pair candidate in-depth questions on what types of duties they performed to be sure their experience lines up with what you need.
5. Creative Juices. Whether it is a cool talent like a language or guitar skills or a love of crafts, having fun with little ones is crucial. Ask them what they have done (or will do) to keep kids engaged on a rainy day. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone who loves to bake and deep clean your kitchen for fun… but don’t count on it!
6. Miss Manners. Eye contact, handshakes and pleasantries are just some of the things you’ll want your nanny or au pair to have. Not only so that your interactions with them are pleasant, but also because they’ll be spending all day with your kids. The best way to teach great manners is by example, so the example will be key to their education.
7. Butterflies. Huh? You heard us right! Time and again, the moms we asked cited that feeling they got, the one that told them that this girl or guy was just right for their family. While it may sound strange, most moms said they just knew that they were speaking to The One and were glad they trusted that feeling. Who says fairy tales can’t come true?

Having an Aupair from a child's perspective

How did you like having an aupair? I asked this question of my daughter that is now twelve and for the first ten years of her life we had aupairs.

" Having an aupair has been great, I do not really remember the first ones we had since I was only a baby but we have many pictures of them and we have seen them again which helps me remember them. To me it was like having big sisters. People that would play with me and help me when my parents were at work. I loved that I could be home during the day when I was little. The Aupair and I did many fun things together. Playing at the park, going to playgroups, spending hours at the library it was like own personal grown up. I also love getting phone calls from around the world on my birthday. Maybe one day I will be an aupair for one of my aupairs."

Did you know.....???

Did you know that au pairs who wants to tour the White House
will need to obtain permission from their embassy?
Recently, a host family was planning to visit the White House during an upcoming
trip to Washington D.C. When scheduling their tour, they were informed that their
au pair could not go with them unless she got permission. The host family contacted
AuPairCare’s San Francisco office, thinking that it was AuPairCare’s permission
that was required. With a little research, Client Services Coordinator Scott Robinson
discovered that in order for foreign nationals to tour the White House, they
need to schedule it through their home country’s embassy in Washington D.C.
Once permission has been obtained,
the au pair will need to
present his or her passport in order
to be admitted to the White
House for a tour. No other form of
identification will be accepted

Infant Specialized Au Pair Program

The first year of a child's life is a critical time for growth and the building block for future stages of development. AuPairCare's unique Infant Specialized Program provides families with infants with a trained au pair who specializes in infant caregiving and development. Infant Specialized au pairs have considerable interest and experience caring for infants and have at least 200 documented hours of childcare experience with infants and children under two.

AuPairCare's proprietary Infant Specialized Training utilizes a hands-on approach to train au pairs in infant safety, care giving, infant stimulation and development. Infant Specialized Au Pairs are specifically trained in the "American Way" of infant care giving in this focused, hands-on environment and are given tools to ensure clear communication with parents about baby care through the use of the AuPairCare Daily Diary.

Benefits of an Infant Specialized Au Pair:

• Your au pair will have experience and training in infant-specific child development and will be trained in the “American Way” of infant caregiving
• Your au pair will attend an intensive American Heart Association CPR and first aid certification training course
• Your au pair will learn unique skills such as infant sign language and baby massage, designed to promote physical and mental stimulation of your infant

Training highlights include:

• Certification in infant CPR and first aid by the American Heart Association
• Hands on instruction in infant massage benefits and practice through nationally certified and skilled trainers.
• Training and practice in infant sign language using the Baby Fingers™ method, a leading infant sign language learning organization

 

Program Details:

• Similar to our popular year long program, Infant Specialized au pairs provide up to 45 hours of infant care per week, not to exceed 10 hours per day
• AuPairCare's Infant Specialized au pairs have at least 200 documented hours of care experience with infants and children under the age of two
• Infant Specialized au pairs attend a separate Infant Specialized Au Pair Training program, devoted to baby care and infant development

 

Infant Specialized Au Pair Duties:

• Providing daily care including feeding, bathing, changing and other baby care basics
• Keeping baby safe and comfortable
• Engaging baby in learning activities
• Teaching baby sign language
• Helping develop a routine for baby
• Tidying baby's room and doing baby's laundry
• Communicating with parents about baby’s care and development

 

Happiness

Did you know....?

Did you know that when an au pair loses her/his
passport with the J-1 visa in it, he or she will need
to return to home in order to get a new visa?
In December 2013, an au pair lost her passport. To replace the
passport, she went to her country’s embassy here in the U.S. She
then tried to get a number of U.S. agencies to help her replace her
J-1 visa while here in the U.S. When she finally called AuPairCare’s office we informed
her that she would need to make an appointment and appear in person at
the U.S. Embassy in her home country where the original visa was issued. Applying
for a new visa cannot be done while here in the U.S.
If an au pair doesn’t plan to leave the U.S. and return during the program year or
extension year, s/he does not need to go home and replace the visa. The DS2019
issued by AuPairCare is sufficient to verify that the au pair is here in the U.S. legally.
However, an au pair who leaves the country will not be allowed to re-enter
- even from Canada, Mexico, or U.S. adjacent islands – without a J1 visa. Therefore,
an au pair who is planning to travel abroad during the program will need to
return home to replace the J1 visa if it is lost or stolen.

Great Valentine offer for Childcare

 Apply for $14 and enjoy $350 off Program Fees when you apply by February 21st and match with an overseas au pair by April 17, 2014!

Promo Code: LOVEAPC

How did being an Au pair shape your life?

I posted this question to some of my past aupairs. I was curious what they thought about the aupair program in retrospect. Bela was our aupair eight years ago. She is now an adult and she has accomplished great things. Following are her thoughts:

"If I had to pick one life changing experience, my year as an au pair would be it! When I decided to move to the US as an au pair for a year, I never thought that so many surprises, great moments and learning would be waiting for me. I had an amazing family who made me feel loved and who somehow made me believe more in myself. I also learned to appreciate small things that I would take for granted from my home country. I made friends for life and I finally got to understand myself better too. Being an Au pair opened the doors to a new world for me. I realized I was capable of so much and that my journey living in a different country was just starting! I have been living abroad for over 7 years now. I work for a global tech company, I have visited 27 countries, and I have friends spread all over the globe! All of this, thanks to my year as an au pair, the first step to discover a world of new possibilities!"

Please share your stories about how the aupair year has changed or not changed, your life.

Best way to beat homesickness

Experienced Host Parents know that when your au pair arrives, you get him or her in action right away.

Even though it’s tempting to let him/her sleep in, or to show her around your wonderful town, or to wait until his English is better before you start giving instructions on ‘how to do things’, your best strategy is always to get them working.

We don’t want to get them to work right away so that we can maximize the amount of work we ‘get’ out of an au pair.

We put au pairs to work right away because:

• People learn better when they are trying.
• People are less homesick when they are busy. People get more connected to kids when they interact. And,
• People feel happier when they have something meaningful to do.

The sooner you get your au pair doing things you need her to do, even as she’s still learning, the better off you will be.

Thoughts from an Aupair and how it has shaped her life

Following are the thoughts of one of our aupairs. She was our aupair three years ago. I wanted to know how the aupair program has shaped the future of past aupairs so I posed the question to my past aupairs. Here are the thoughts from Sabrina from Germany:

"When I think back to the time I`ve been an Aupair, a lot of precious memories come to my mind. I remember meeting and living with the greatest and kindest host family I could have ever wished for and being with the two cutest and funniest two girls who soon would become like little sisters to me.

Together we`ve been creative, silly, explored places, shared new experiences and discovered interesting cultural differences. We`ve been to playgrounds, made up games, did handicrafts together and set up playdates.
Although time is running and it`s been three years since I´ve completed the Aupair Program, my host family and I are still in touch. We share photos and news and even visit one another once in a while. That`s how I get the opportunity to watch my two girls growing bigger and bigger.

I`ve also made friends all over the world: France, Brasil, Australia, Great Britian, the Netherlands and many more. With some of them I´m still in touch.

My american host family and my friends made it possible to live the american lifestyle. That`s for instance how I`ve got the chance to find out Thanksgiving and Halloween are the most exciting holidays I`ve ever experienced.

I got to travel all around the United States to see the most impressing sceneries and cities.
Without noticing, my English improved to its best and I´ve even had the opportunity to sneak into college life on my own.

I`d do it all over again and still think about my host family almost every day."

Tips on driving on snowy and icy roads

 Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.  
10.  
11.  If your rear wheels skid...
    
    1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
    2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
    3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
    4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
    5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.
       
    If your front wheels skid...
    
12. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
13. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
    

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
   

Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle moves.

Be patient the cold will end and Spring will come

This time of year is difficult for all of us, especially if you live in the Northern States where the cold seems to never end and I am sure in Atlanta and the Southern States that never see the white stuff! This has been a long and cold Winter and for some of our Warm weather Aupairs this is particularly difficult. So we as host parents need to be aware of our aupairs moods and understand that the weather may play a big role in their sadness, homesickness or otherwise moodiness. Often aupairs are not allowed to drive when it is snowing or icy outside (we should not be out either) so they may be feeling trapped in the house not being able to see their friends, or maybe the kids have had snow days that never seem to end. Be understanding of your aupair and talk with her/him about how they are feeling is very important. It will be warm again and then in Mid August when it is 100 F outside you will long for these cool days.

Au Pair Care Support

Au Pair Care wants to ensure that you and your au pair have the best experience possible during your program. That’s why you’ll receive support and advice from your local Area Director, who lives in your community and is a local resource to you.
Your Area Director will support you in the following ways:

• Meet with you during the in-home interview to provide you with helpful information about hosting an au pair
• Answer your questions before, during and after your au pair’s arrival
• Contact you within 48 hours of your au pair’s arrival to your home
• Conduct an arrival orientation with you and your au pair to ensure a smooth start to your program
• Maintain monthly contact with you and your au pair
• Provide your au pair with local information about educational and social opportunities
• Organize regular au pair activities and outings
• Host an annual event for host families in your community

 

When is it time to rematch? and is it necessary...

Even when we don’t have enough information about the ‘real’ problem with your au pair, the action steps are the same:

1. Check your expectations,
2. Talk candidly with each other, and
3. Give each other a chance to change.

1. Check your expectations.

Look back at the information you have about your au pair when you matched. Were you clear about what you needed? Did she mention she preferred older kids? Is there some information that you understand differently, now that she’s in your home? There may be some clues there.

Then, I’d suggest you contact your AreaDirector (That would be me, that is what I am here for!).  Describe the problem and ask for your area director’s advice and help. S/he may have intell and tactics that will help you craft your path.

2. Talk candidly with each other.

Do have a talk with your Au Pair about what kind of interaction you want her to have with your child. Ask her what her ideas are about what to do, and really talk to her.  You have to do this kind of difficult conversation anyway if you go into rematch, since it’s only fair to make a good faith effort… and in this case, you and she could really learn how to talk with each other, parent to au pair, and build skills for the long term.

3. Give each other a chance to change.

It’s important not to dive into a rematch without making a good faith effort to change, yourself, and without giving your au pair time to adjust her behavior. Do not throw in the towel too soon. Often times it is a communication issue and you need to give it time.

Only after you take these 3 steps should you move — emotionally and behaviorally– into rematch.

You’re unlikely to find a better au pair unless you analyze what you really want and what else and different you should look for.