May 9th is Europe Day

What is Europe Day?

“Europe Day (9 May) celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historical ‘Schuman declaration‘. At a speech in Paris in 1950, the French foreign minister, Robert Schuman, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable.

His vision was to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production. A treaty creating such a body was signed just under a year later. Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.” Source Europa.eu

The original founding nations were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany.  Now the EU has 27 members: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Teach kids more about Europe day and the European Union:

Play an online matching game with all the flags of the EU.

Learn more about the European Union with this fun quiz.

Collect Euros in the fun online game.

In honor of Europe Day we are highlighting some of our Au Pairs from the countries that make up the EU.

Andreja from Slovenia

After a successful first year with a family of four children, Andreja is looking forward to spending more time in the USA. She is confident driving on US roads and has a 7 year driving record in Slovenia. Before becoming an au pair, She has excellent English, is knowledgeable in First Aid, CPR, and Water Safety. She also holds a degree as a swimming instructor.

 

 

Soraya from Spain:

Soraya is 26 years of age with 5300 childcare hours.  She has 3100 hours from caring for children under the age of 2.  Soraya gained her childcare abilities from babysitting several children over the years.  In addition, she has experience teaching dance to children after school.  Soraya is an excellent swimmer and certified in CPR and First Aid.  Check out her video.

Interested in a Spanish au pair?  See the others we have available.

 

Carolin from Germany:

Carolin has 2000 hours of childcare experience and has been driving for a period of 3.5 years.  She gained her childcare knowledge from working in a daycare center caring for children ages 2-6. Carolin has experience with children that have minor physical and learning disabilities and is currently studying to become a nursery nurse.  She describes herself to be a responsible, warm and creative caregiver.

See our other German candidates.

 

Ieva from Latvia:

Ieva is 23 years old with 5300 childcare hours, 1600 of which are from caring for children under the age of 2.  She gained her childcare experience from being a nanny, volunteering in daycare centers, and working as an au pair in Greece. Ieva is fluent in three languages and has excellent English.

 

 

Jessica from Italy:

Jessica is 25 years of age with 1600 hours of childcare experience from babysitting and being an au pair.  Jessica has very good English and has been driving for 5 years.  She describes herself to be a patient and responsible caregiver who is knowledgeable in First Aid.  Jessica is willing to care for children with both physical and learning disabilities.

 

Stephanie from the Netherlands:

Stephanie is a Professional Au Pair with over 8000 childcare hours, 4000 of which is from working with children under the age of 2.   Stephanie has excellent English and Swimming abilities and is knowledgeable in First Aid.  She loves to plan activities for children and get them excited to be involved!

Check out our other Dutch au pairs.

 

Lemonia from Greece:

Lemonia (Leni) gained her experience in childcare from working in a daycare center, babysitting, and caring for younger family members. She is 25 years old with very good English skills and a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry/Biotechnology.  Leni describes herself to be a patient and trustworthy multi-tasker.

Interested in Greek candidates?  Here are some others.

 

Julia from France:

Julia has good English and speaks a total of 4 languages.  In addition, she is an excellent swimmer and has been driving for 2 years.  Her references describe her to be a patient and responsible caregiver that has many ideas to keep children occupied.  In addition, they say she has experience helping with homework and preparing meals for their children.

 

Rodica from Romania:

Rodica is 23 years of age and has been driving for a period of 5 years. Rodica has very good English and enjoys playing interactive games with the children she cares for.  She feels that the au pair program is a chance to combine two of her passions: travelling and childcare.

Check out our other Romanian candidates.

 

Jennifer from Sweden:

Jennifer has over 1000 hours of childcare experience from babysitting and interning in a primary school.  She describes herself to be a caring, sensitive, and creative caregiver that has a high capacity to manage stressful situations.  Jennifer is 23 years old with excellent English.

Mother’s Day Crafts

Mother’s Day is on Sunday and many Au Pairs like help their host kids make gifts for their moms.  Here are some great ideas for gifts for Mom.  The first two go along with our Theme of the Week about Rainbows.

Rainbow Roses

Rainbow Stacked Hearts

Buttony Spring Bouquet

DYI Personalized Candles

Family String Puppets

Hand and Footprint Photo Card

Garden Stepping Stone

Handprint Flower Apron

Photo Flowers

Photo-to-Wood Transfer

Want to learn more about getting an Au Pair?  Check out Au Pair Internationals’s website.

Theme of the Week – Rainbows

“April showers bring May flowers…”

Spring is in the air and with that comes rain and hopefully rainbows.  Rainbows are caused when sunlight hits water droplets in the air.  The water droplets act like tiny prisms and reflect the light back into the sky.

Interesting facts:  Did you know that the sun must be behind you in order to see a rainbow? And every person sees their own personal rainbow since the angle which you are viewing it is unique and each person sees color a little differently.  Learn more interesting facts here.

Learn more about Rainbows at these sites The National Center for Atmospheric Research, How Stuff Works, Weather Wiz Kids,

Or take a trip to you local library and check out these and other titles:

Au Pair Adventures – Paramore Concert

Guest Post from Dewald Botha, an au pair from South Africa who is matched with a family in Arizona.

400 E Washington St in Down Town Phoenix AZ is where it all went down Monday night April 29th. Walking up to the Comerica theatre you were greeted with city street lights shining bright and underneath them Paromore fans were starting to all come together. The lines were starting to pile up and the merchandise line was already jam packed and remained that way through out the night. Inside the theatre the atmosphere was filled with excited and nervous energy from die hard fans of all ages waiting for Miss Williams to hit her first note for Taylor York (guitarist) to play his first riff and for Jeremy Davis (bassist) to drop some bass into the mix.
The lights went out and all attention were on the members of KITTEN walking onto the stage. The band consist out of Chloe Chaidez,
Lukas Frank, Bryan DeLeon, Waylon Rector, Zach Bilson. From their first song they had everyone’s attention with mind blowing vocals by their front lady Chloe!

When it was time for Paramore the venue have filled up nicely. There was a buzz around the

theatre and everyone were ready to be blown away. Hayley opened the show with a new song from their new album “NOW” called “Moving On” and followed it up with the all time favorite “Misery Business”. Right about now everyone was on their feet and the up beat sounds of Paramore kept it that way through out the show. I remember looking up at the sky and just seeing it rain confetti, I closed my eyes and it felt even better than a dream. As the band was waving goodbye to the crowed, Taylor (Guitarist) came up to the center of the stage and flicked his guitar pick straight at me. I remember seeing it hit the girl in front of me right between the eyes in slow motion. It was quite funny… At that very same moment I dropped down to the ground and with a huge amount of luck I found the guitar pick underneath all the confetti. I haven’t felt that lucky in a very long time and for the first time in my life I was at the right place at the right time.
This was my first Paramore live concert experience and for many years back home in South Africa I could only dream of seeing one of my favorite bands live! I can honestly say the real deal is way better than all the You Tube videos I have seen. Haha. Seeing these – Rock and Roll Role models – people who have inspired so many young kids to make music in person was just mind blowing to me.

It was a night to remember and I can only hope that I’ll get the chance to give Miss Williams a High 5 someday in the near future.

Dewald Botha Jnr.
Proudly South African

See some of our profiles of other South African au pairs:

Crystal D., Armand B., Ntombifuthi B., Thandeka M.

Thinking about getting a male au pair?  Here are some reason why it might work for your family.

Star Wars Day – Crafts and Activities

In conjunction with our Theme of the Week on the Solar System, we are celebrating Star Wars day on May 4^th, as in “May the 4^th be with you.”  Here are some fun crafts and snacks to make Star Wars Day a blast!

Star Wars Masks from Star Wars Blog

Pool Noodle Lightsabers from Kids Activities Blog

Yoda Ears Headband from Nerd Craft Librarian

Tie Fighter Snack from Food.com

Double-sided Lightsaber Hot Dogs from Just Jenn Recipes

Yoda Apple from Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons

Pretzel Lightsabers from A Little Loveliness 

Au Pairs:  Send us your pictures celebrating Star Wars Day!

Performing a Balancing Act: What it Means to Live Like a Member of the Family

Living like a member of the family… that’s easy, right?  It means spending time with them, but how much time, and when?  Is there a certain amount of time that is expected?  What if the family has plans?  Should the au pair go to?  What if the au pair doesn’t want to go?  Au pair’s aren’t supposed to do heavy housework, but wouldn’t a member of the family pitch in and help clean?

Obviously there isn’t an easy definition for the cultural exchange component of the au pair program where the au pair lives with the family like a member of the family.  Each family is unique and each match is unique so there is going to be a transitional period where host families and au pairs are feeling the situation out.  Here are some hints that might help that adjustment.

Personal Time vs. Family Time: Au pairs and host families are going to want to spend time together, but also time apart.   It is important for families to still have time together without their au pair, just like it is important for the au pair to have time to relax as well as explore the U.S.  No one can say for sure what the perfect balance is, but if the au pair is spending all of her/his time in their bedroom or out with friends, then that is not meeting the intent of the program.  On the other hand, if the au pair is spending all their free time with the family, then he/she is not getting out and experiencing all the opportunities that are around.

Housework:  Au pairs are not supposed to be doing housework that isn’t child-related (they are not maids) but they are also suppose to be pitching and helping out like a member of the family.  This is a hard balance to find, but it is important.  A good way to look at it is if the family is working, the au pair should be helping, too.  So if the host parents are making dinner, then the au pair should offer to help or entertain the kids.  She/he should also offer to make dinner sometime or clean-up after dinner.  Working together is a great way to feel closer to each other and learn about each other.

Vacations: One of the wonderful aspects of the au pair program is au pairs can travel with their host families and help them out.  It can also cause some confusion because schedules are off and roles are less defined.  If a family needs their au pair to travel with them, then they still have to provide them with room and board and a schedule for their on-duty and off-duty time.  It is a good idea to discuss the different needs that the family will have ahead of time so everyone understands what the expectations are.  If the family doesn’t need the au pair to come, then they need to provide provisions for him/her while they are gone.

Dining and Activities:  A great way to spend time together is for host families to invite their au pair to the different activities they have planned, whether it be a simple dinner out to something that is more of a special occasion (say a sporting event).  If they are inviting the au pair along, then they should be prepared to pay for her/him, like he/she is a member of their family.  If the family doesn’t want to bring the au pair, that is fine, but they need to make sure she has the resources to make her own meal at home.  On the other side of the coin, host families need to be sensitive to the fact that au pairs will sometime decline an invitation.  They might have plans or just want some time alone.  Like was mentioned before, the important thing is to find the right balance for each match.

Just like most relationships in life, communication is the key!  When host families and au pairs can be open and honest with each other, then they can find the right balance.

Want to learn more about the Au Pair Program?  Contact Au Pair International or view some profiles on our website.

Theme of the Week – The Solar System

In honor of Star Wars day on 5/4 (“May the 4^th be with you”) we have decided to feature the Solar System as our first Theme of the Week.

What is the Solar System?  The Solar System is everything that orbits the sun.  This includes planets, moons, asteroids, comets and more.  There are 8 planets and 5 dwarf planets that orbit the sun.  Before 2006 scientist classified Pluto as a planet, but it was downgraded to a dwarf planet at that time.

Want to learn more?  Visit these great sites:

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/solarsystem.html

http://www.makemegenius.com/cool_facts.php?mId=43

OR

Check out these and other great books at your local library.

 

 

 

Fun Solar System Activities:

Make a Solar System Online.

Learn about the distances of different planets from the sun.

Make asteroids out of aluminum foil and toss them into a black hole.

Or create your own constellation with black paper.

 

 

 

Teach your kids this fun song about the planets from Hooplakidz.

Color and cut out the planets.

 

You can also make these great paper mache planets.

 

Finally, you can all make this healthy Solar System snack together.

 

Theme of the Week: We wanted to help our au pairs with different topics they could explore each week with their host kids.  Each Monday we will introduce a new topic and give ideas for games, activities, crafts and resources to learn more.  Let us know what topics you might be interested in.  Want to learn more about getting an au pair or being an au pair in other countries?  Visit our website.

Top 5 Fun and Educational Activities for Kids in Los Angeles

Photo by Thomas Pintaric

 Whether you’re a local Angeleno with kids or have recently moved into town with your family, you’ll likely be surprised at just how many fun and educational activities there are available throughout Los Angeles.

Next time you’re looking for educational family activities, be sure to consider one of these top five attractions:

Make Meaning

Arts and crafts doesn’t have to be only enjoyed in school thanks to arts and craft centers such as Make Meaning in Sherman Oaks where kids can enjoy jewelry making, cake decorating, pottery painting – and much more. This is a fantastic place to take the kids on a weekend or after school for a couple of hours as its both fun and encourages creativity. Just bear in mind that you may need to book your session in advance as it’s an extremely popular destination.

 

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

 You don’t have to go all the way down to San Diego to enjoy a day at the zoo. The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located conveniently in Griffith Park and is small enough to be enjoyed by kids of all ages, but large enough to keep them entertained for hours. Particular highlights include the Indian rhino, the giraffes and gorilla reserve. Ideally aim to go on a weekday, as it’s tremendously busy at weekends virtually all year round.

 

Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Boulevard definitely isn’t somewhere to take the kids at night, but it is a fun and even educational family destination by day. Kids can learn the rich history behind Hollywood and the film industry by looking at the stars outside Grauman’s Chinese Theater, have fun taking pictures with the various celebrity waxworks at Madame Tussaud’s and look at movie memorabilia at The Hollywood Museum.

 

The Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory is one of the most beloved attractions in Los Angeles, and it’s a genuine cultural icon. Here you’ll be able to enjoy stunning architecture, gorgeous views of the city and the chance to observe the stars and learn a thing or two about astronomy. Children have adored coming here since it first opened in 1935, and is an educational attraction really not to be missed out on.

 

The California Science Center

The California Science Center is billed as the West Coast’s largest interactive science center and is both educational and a lot of fun for kids of all ages. And the best part? Permanent exhibitions are always free to visit! Kids will learn a bunch about science, aerospace and aircraft as they tour the various exhibitions and take in the numerous onsite aerospace and aircraft vehicles. Just make sure you bring your camera, as there’ll be plenty of great photo opportunities.

 

There’s certainly no shortage of educational attractions for families in LA, and above are some of the very best. Instead of hitting the mall this weekend, take the kids to one of the above attractions – you won’t regret it!

Where do you like to take your kids in LA?

Happy Koninginnedag – April 30th

Koninginnedag, also know as Queen’s Day, is celebrated in the Netherlands on April 30th.  It pays tribute to their Queen Beatrix who has been serving as Queen since April 30, 1980, when her mother abdicated the throne to her.  She is carrying on that tradition and plans to abdicate her throne to her son Willem-Alexander.  Once he is king, the Dutch will celebrate Koningsdag, or King’s day, on April 27th (which is his birthday).  Willem-Alexander will be the first male monarch since 1890.

Want to send well-wishes the Royal Couple? You can do that here.

Photo from Holland.com

People celebrating Queen’s Day often wear orange or dye their hair orange to “represent the House of Orange-Nassau, which rules over the Netherlands.”

Celebrate Queen’s Day with these fun activities:

Learn to speak in Dutch at Digital Dialects.

Learn to play the traditional children’s game of Hul Gul.

Learn about a Kid’s Life in the Netherlands.

Make a windmill craft.

Color a map, flag or tulip at DLTK.

Want a Dutch au pair?  Check out a few of our great candidates from the Netherlands.

Stephanie M.

Maya H. 

Are you interested in being an au pair and traveling to The Netherlands? Au Pair International place au pairs all over the world, including The Netherlands.  Find out more!

Drumroll please… Winner of the Mystery Kid Picture Contest

We would like to thank all our au pairs who submitted pictures for our contest.  We received many wonderful entries.  The votes are in,

 

And the winner is…..

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Bubbles, by Luisa!

 

Congratulations Luisa!  Your prize will be sent out soon.  

The next picture contest is Fabulous Vacations.  Send us your most fun, unique, or artistic vacation photos you have taken since coming to the U. S.

Please include a little write up about the experience, who you were with and your favorite parts.  Contest deadline is May 12th.