Can this matched be saved? Some common issues au pairs complain about

Issue #1 “My host parents don’t treat me respectfully”

Au Pairs, like anyone, want to be treated with respect.  Remember that while an au pair does “work” for you she is also trying to share special experiences with your family .  It is important to phrase requests politely and not bark orders.  I find that writing instructions down is very helpful.  Always remember to keep your cool when you are correcting the au pair.  She is not making mistakes on purpose.

Issue #2 “The kids were hard to control and rude”

This is usually not all about the kids, but more about how much autonomy the au pair has to discipline them.  If your children challenge the Au Pair on a regular basis and  you do not give her back up  you are sending the message that treating  her poorly is acceptable. 

Issue #3 “I was always asked to work much more hours than we’d agreed on”

Make sure that you are very clear about the schedule.  An au pair should not have to work more than 10 hours a day and 45 hours a week.  If you are late coming home everyday it is time to rethink the schedule.  Remember that even when the au pair is with a sleeping child she is on duty!

Issue #4 “The host parents were always arguing with each other” 

Host Families need to have strong, healthy relationships to make the Au Pair idea work. If the au pair has to witness fights and bad behavior from the adults in the family on a regular basis, it makes it quite taxing on the au pair, frightening even. If there are issues in your family, take care of them before she arrives. 

Issue #5 “I lived in a rural area and I was completely bored”

This is a HUGE issue and one you must be very up front about.  Make sure you that your Au Pair knows exactly where your family lives beforehand. If you must take a train to get to the nearest metropolitan area make sure the au pairs you interview are aware of the actual travel time door to door.  Let your prospective au pairs know if they will have to drive or take a bus to get to all the “fun” stuff.

What other thoughts do you have about issues that might break up a match?

 

Sunscreen is the key to a safe summer!

Summer is upon us! And that means time to find the sunscreen.

For those of us in the Midwest summer is about taking advantage of the long sunny days.  

1. Infants between 0 and 6 months should not be exposed to the sun at all. They should always be covered from the strong rays of the sun, as their extra sensitive skin cannot yet handle most sunscreens and does not have sufficient melanin to provide protection to them naturally

2. Always wear sunscreen! A sunscreen of SPF 30 or above should always be applied at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun or into the water. When beach or poolside, sunscreen needs to be applied every 2 hours, even when the sunscreen is said to be waterproof. With water and sweat, some sunscreen will still be lost over time, and needs to be reapplied in order to provide effective protection. A sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium oxide is less likely to cause an allergic reaction, and can easily be found alongside other sunscreens in store.

3. Extra sensitive areas, and thus those more prone to sun burn, are the nose, cheeks, ears, shoulders and the tops of feet when out at the beach without footwear. These areas should have sunblock reapplied often and with a high SPF protection.

4. The top of little heads are often forgotten. The skin may be covered by some hair, but those harmful rays can skill cause sun burns to our scalps. It is important to remember to always wear a hat when outside playing or swimming in the sun. You can take extra precaution by selecting a wide brimmed hat and a hat made of a special fabric that is said to block a high percentage of UV rays.

5. Be aware of the UV index, which provides an indication of how strong the suns rays are. This information can easily be found for your location on the internet, using an app for a smart phone and by avoiding peak times outdoors. The UV index is highest around midday, between 11 am and 2 pm, take extra precaution be avoiding the direct sun between 10 am and 4 pm.

6. UVA and UVB radiation from the sun can both damage vision in the long run, and lead to headaches and be bothersome in the short run. It is important for everyone to wear the proper eyewear to protect our eyes by choosing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.

By following these simple tips, your family’s skin from the negative effects of UVA and UVB rays, and decrease the risk of burns and melanomas. Enjoy the sun safely!

Erth’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo at Millennium Park

FREE Dinosaur Petting Zoo at Millennium Park in Chicago. This looks like a cool free event for kids in Chicago!

This sound like such an amazing event.  Erth – one of Australia’s best-loved and most innovative theater companies – take you on an extraordinary prehistoric journey with Dinosaurs.  You and your kids can get up close and person with Dinosaurs. Yes!  Dinosuars! Creatures that roamed the world millions of years ago!

Erth’s group of ancient beasts is brought to life via various forms of
human powered puppetry from the heart-meltingly cute baby Dryosaurs to the toothy T-Rex to the awe-inspiring Giant Allosaur.Children of all ages can get hands-on access to the Dinosaurs and may even become an even bigger part of this exciting show if the T-Rex takes a takes a fancy to them!

What makes this show truly special is the interactive nature of the
production. The kids are gathered right around the stage and brought into the heart of the action where every effort is made to let them touch, feed and learn all about these wonderful creatures.

Erth’s dinosaur puppets stimulate the imagination about dinosaur life in a way that connects children to the real science of paleontology. In this show, children get to meet Erth’s awesome prehistoric creatures, from cute baby dinos to teeth-gnashing giants.  Ancient life-like dinosaurs are alive and mostly friendly (!) in this fun, educational and unique performance event that will delight children of all ages.

Get up close and personal with an amazing array of creatures from bygone eras.  Meet a menagerie of insects, mammals and dinosaurs that once roamed free around the southern hemisphere and are now in residence at Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo™. You can pet, feed and interact with them in a once in a lifetime imaginative experience. Children can watch wide-eyed from a safe distance or dare to get right up close  to the creatures.

Suitable for ages 5+.

http://www.kidwinks.com/KidsEvents/7/DinosaurPettingZooMillenniumPark/19522/

So, so cool!  I cannot wait to see this.

Do you know what to do in severe weather?

The devastating effects of the tornadoes in  Oklahoma are a grim reminder that spring and early summer in the Midwest can produce some very dangerous storms.

I am sure that many au pairs have never had to take shelter during a tornado warning and may not know how to handle those quick scary storms that pop up here at this time of year.

According to the National Weather Service, Illinois had 30 tornadoes in 2012, including an EF4 that hit Harrisburg on Feb. 29 and killed eight people. In all, Illinois’ 30 tornadoes caused 111 injuries and nine fatalities.

Here are some facts about severe weather from the National Weather Service and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency:

• In Illinois, most tornadoes occur from April through June.
• Tornadoes generally strike between the mid-afternoon and early evening hours.
• Illinois has an average of 550 reports of wind damage or large hail each year.
• Twenty-eight people have died due to lightning in Illinois since 1990.

Are You Prepared?

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommends that residents purchase a NOAA all-hazards weather radio.

Along with having a weather radio, the National Weather Service and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency have many tips on how to stay safe in severe weather.

• Monitor watches and warnings on TV, radio, Internet or through a NOAA all-hazards weather radio. Remember that a tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes, while a warning means a tornado either has been sighted by someone or has been indicated on the weather radar.
• If a tornado warning occurs while you are at home, seek shelter in the lowest level of your home or building—like a basement—or in an interior room away from windows. The Illinois Emergency Management Agencyadds that if you are in a basement, you should seek shelter under the stairs or under a piece of heavy furniture.
• If you are at a school, hospital, shopping center or other building when a tornado warning occurs, go to the designated storm shelter or a basement. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommends that people avoid areas like auditoriums, cafeterias and gymnasiums.
• If you are in your car when a tornado warning is issued, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommends exiting your vehicle and taking shelter in a nearby building. Seeking shelter in a ditch should be done only as a last resort if there is no other shelter available.
• During a severe thunderstorm, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommends staying away from windows and doors. You also should avoid showering or bathing during a severe thunderstorm due to lightning. If you are driving, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommends pulling over to the shoulder, away from trees and power lines. You also should avoid touching metal parts of the car if lightning is nearby.

For more severe weather tips, visit the National Weather Service or Illinois Emergency Management Agency sites.

Stay safe!

My au pair life in the USA

Such an awesome account of an au pair’s adventure

My au pair life in the USA.

Best Foot Forward

First impressions!  They can make or break a relationship with your au pair. After all the person you are meeting will be moving into your home AND looking after your children! You want to make sure that this new ‘host family-au pair relationship’ will be a happy one. You are probably excited to meet your new au pair and being honest, perhaps a little anxious. Remember your au pair is probably experiencing the same thing and even more so, because they are heading into a truly unknown situation; New house, new family, new life lifestyle, food and probably language. As a host parent, you need to bear this in mind, always.

When you first meet the au pair, if at the airport, train station, bus station or elsewhere, prepare a welcome sign or better yet have your children do it.

It might seem corny, but it will really help right from the start. It will make it easier for them to find you in a crowd and truly make them feel welcomed.

Make sure that you set the tone for a friend interaction with them right from the start.  You have, by now, spoken with this person over the phone and exchanged emails most likely, so shake the idea that this is a stranger. This is a new friend.

Play tour guide on the way home. Point out where you are, how the au pair can get to a fro, show her points of interest along the way.  This will help them get landmarks in their mind and start to make them feel more comfortable.

Once you get home give them some time to settle in. Think of what you may need or want following long travel. Ask them how the flight was, if they are hungry, if they need to rest, if there is anything they would like to do first. If they would like to call home, you may need to help them do this as country codes and calling systems can vary.

Make their room feel like home. Everything should be set up already before they walk through the door. It is also thoughtful to have clean towels waiting on their bed for them, perhaps a basket with toiletries they may need and empty photo frames so they can put a touch of their own to their new living space. Ask them if there is anything they need for their room. Once you have shown them their room and the rest of the house, run through other ‘housekeeping’ points, such as telephone usage, internet passwords and computer usage, alarm codes, etc. Don’t worry about this too much, as you don’t want to overwhelm the au pair and much will be naturally sorted out as time passes.

The first week will be an adaptation and learning curve for the au pair, but also for you. Be patient as everyone becomes better acquainted and the au pair ia able to familiarize herself with the surroundings, the routine and all the new people in her life. Continue showing her around and introducing her to new places, things and people in your life; such as neighbors, family, favorite restaurants, parks, and points of interest. Remember, genuine friendliness and smiles go a long way!

Spring is finally here!!! Things to do this weekend.

The long long winter in the Chicago ares is finally ending.  The temps last week were record breaking.  Now that everything is back to normal and 60s and 70s are on tap for the next few days, why not hit some of the great spots in Lake County.

 

The 14^th Annual Long Grove Chocolate Festival. Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Enjoy the sweet life at the 14^th Annual Long Grove Chocolate Fest where more than 60 distinctive shops and restaurants become a chocolate lover’s paradise. Sway to the live entertainment throughout the village all 3 days, and fall to the temptations of the many food items, specialty vendors and tasty restaurants. Downtown Long Grove.

Opening Weekend at Six Flags Great America. 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Sunday, Six Flags Great America opens for the season and offers something for the whole family, from 14 heart-pounding coasters, over 35 rides for the little ones to spectacular shows. Take flight on the newest coaster X-Flight and defy gravity on this wing coaster that has you suspended on either side of the track above or below you. Six Flags Great America, Gurnee.

7^th Annual Antioch Art Crawl. Saturday, May 4, Experience Antioch’s artistic crawl throughout the downtown. Artist talents on display featuring arts from Antioch School art students, Antioch Fine Arts Foundation and juried artists, plus musical interludes Downtown Antioch.

CLC Spring Choral Concert. Friday, May 3 at 8 p.m., A variety of choral music will be performed by singers from CLC’s four choral ensembles: the CLC singers, the Choir of Lake County, the Chamber Singers and the Gospel Choir. James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at CLC, 19351 Washington St., Grayslake.