Karen Place

Why families love au pair childcare…

Cultural Care Au Pair helps families welcome au pairs into their homes to provide childcare…and lots of fun!

 When we encouraged our host families to tell us about their au pairs through video, they created some pretty amazing “movies.”  Learn about all kinds of families- those with multiples, dual-working parents, single parents, special needs children and more-who find that hosting an au pair is the best childcare solution for their needs.

http://www.ilovemyaupair.com/

We will continue to add new videos to our playlists so please come back and visit us again and leave me a comment to tell me which one is your favorite video!

TrekAmerica’s distinctive style of travel offers something different to your ordinary guided tour or package holiday. Now in our fourth decade of discovery, we have the knowledge and experience to share with you the old favorites and a few of our secret spots you won’t find on a map.

5 great reasons for au pair to travel with Trek…

• Single Traveler? 
  Travelling alone, no problem! Most people travelling with us are single travellers and it’s a great way to make new friends from all over the world.
• Traveling on a budget?
  When you add up all the costs compared to other forms of travel (transportation, accommodation, meals, entrance fees, local transfers, etc.) TrekAmerica is the “Best Deal on Wheels”.
• Book Early! Tours can sell out!
  Due to tremendous popularity, our tours departing at the end of August fill quickly! We do add additional vehicles to each departure date but with only 13 seats per vehicle, space is limited. We recommend you book your trip before you leave home to ensure you can join the tour you want on the date you want!
• Exclusive discount!
  Don’t forget you receive an exclusive discount for you and any friends or family travelling with you!
• Booking flexibility!
  If you think you may need to change your dates after booking, that’s not a problem. We allow one change to a different Trek or departure date free of charge.

USA Highlights

• Grand Canyon
  No pictures or description can capture the magnitude and grandeur of the Grand Canyon rightly acclaimed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It took more than two billion years to reach its present state and today, although millions of people come to see it, the natural setting remains hardly changed. You can explore the Grand Canyon by helicopter for a very special bird’s eye view, raft the mighty rapids of the Colorado River or just walk along the rim trail to admire the canyon’s awesome beauty.
• Yellowstone National Park
  America’s first national park, established in 1872, is the largest in continental USA, with 2.2 million acres inside its boundaries - three times the size of Rhode Island! Inside the park are about 10 000 thermal features, including geysers (’Old Faithful’ is the best-known), waterfalls, bubbling mudholes, steam vents, hot springs and brilliantly coloured thermal pools. Wildlife are protected; grizzly and black bear, moose, elk, bald eagle, bighorn sheep, coyote, buffalo and mountain lion live in this wilderness without fear of the hunter’s rifle.
• Las Vegas
  Imagine a city built just for fun and games. A city that goes full steam night and day without regard for the hands of the clock. An amusement park for adults on a grand scale: legalised gambling, top-line entertainment and fine dining. Got a mental picture? That city is Las Vegas. Yet not so far back in history, Las Vegas was a simple desert oasis: two natural springs and a few meadows. It was then a stopping place for wagon trains heading for the Californian goldfields. Now home to pirates and pyramids, this is Vegas BABY!!
• San Francisco
  People who live in San Fran refer to it as ‘The City’ as if there were only one! A poll found that more Americans wanted to live here than in any other city in the country. And is it any wonder? San Fran is home to the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the ‘world’s most crooked street’. Test your skills with chopsticks in famous Chinatown, shop in some of America’s most exclusive department stores or sip a few drinks on a sunset sail boat cruise. And no matter what you do, be sure to take a ride on the famous cable cars.

Check out the different trips for au pairs…. http://www.trekamerica.com/aupair

On the 16th of August 1978, 4,500 men and women paraded through old Archbold Stadium on the campus of Syracuse University and ignited the torch for the first Empire State Games and, along with it, a new spirit and the beginning of a new and exciting grassroots amateur sports movement in the United States.

Today, more than 40 states around the country have instituted State Games programs attracting nearly a half-million participants each year. New York’s Empire State Games, patterned after the Olympics, is not only the first its kind in the nation, but is often considered to be among the most successful - setting the standard for multi-sport amateur athletic programs. Today’s Empire State Games are really four distinct programs offering opportunities to all of New York’s athletes: The Empire State Winter Games, Games for the Physically Challenged, Senior Games and Summer Games all contribute greatly to the fabric of this state’s great athletic legacy.

The Empire State Games is a program of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, is a member of the National Congress of State Games, and is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee.
New York’s Empire State Games was the first of its kind in the nation and has set the standard for multi-sport amateur athletic programs across the country. All athletes are residents of New York State and compete in regional trials before qualifying for the Summer Games. There are six regions in New York State and approximately 6,000 athletes compete at the Empire State Games.

The games take place on July 22-July 25, 2010. The website is The Empire State Games.

Opening Ceremonies Tickets may only be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the UB Stadium Box Office.  Visit http://esgbuffalo.com/opening.php for details. 2010 Opening Ceremony, Wednesday, July 21, 7:00pm, University at Buffalo Stadium.  DAYS OF COMPETITION & VENUE LOCATIONS can be found on the schedule.

Sport Event Passes can be purchased online by visiting www.sportnation-housing.us or by calling (716) 507-8480. 

TICKET PRICES (some events have a “no charge”, please check the schedule, link above)
OPENING CEREMONY TICKET
Adult: $20.00  *Child (5-9): $10.00

SPORT PASS - WEEK (valid for admission to all sport events for the week except Opening Ceremonies)

Adult: $20.00 *Child (5-9): $10.00

SPORT PASS - DAY (valid for admission to all sport events for the day purchased)

Adult: $10.00 *Child (5-9): $5.00 *Children under the age of 5 will be admitted free with a paying adult

 Some venues may charge a parking fee.

This is a great way to spend time with your host families and au pairs. Have fun!

CNNMoney.com ranked Amherst, NY as #42 in the top 100 best places to live (and ranked #1 in NY)! Check out the complete list…100 Best Places to Live in the US.

BUFFALO, NY - The 4th of July is this weekend, and if you are looking for a location to watch fireworks below is a list of times and places around Western New York.

Enjoy the holiday and be safe!

July 1st

• - Ft. Erie, Friendship Festival at Mather Arch, 10:00
• - Queen Victoria Park (NF, ONT) at dusk, part of Canada Day Celebration (can be seen by US side of the falls)

 July 2nd

• - Akron, Main St., Dusk 
• - Albion, Bullard Park, Dusk
• - Allegany State Park, Quaker Beach Lake, Dusk
• - Batavia, Dwyer Stadium, following Batavia Muckdogs’ baseball game 
• - Ellicottville, following the Ellicottville Championship Rodeo
• - Lancaster (village) Festival begins today
• - Newstead, Newstead Park, 10pm
• - Salamanca, Seneca Allegany Casino 9:30pm

July 3rd

• -Batavia, Dwyer Stadium, following Batavia Muckdogs baseball game
• -Buffalo, Coca-Cola Field, following Bisons game
• -Buffalo(Friendship Festival), Riverside Park, 10pm
• -Buffalo, Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf, 10:15pm 
• -Clarence, Day in the Park begins at 2pm at Town Park, Fireworks at Dusk
• -Concord, Celebration & Picnic held at Community Park starting at 5pm, Fireworks at Dusk 
• -East Aurora, Hamlin Park, 9:30
• -Ellicottville, Holiday Valley Ski Resort, After Survivor concert 
• -Evans / Angola, Point Breeze, Dusk
• -Lakewood, Hartley Park, 10pm
• -Mayville, Lakeside Park, 10pm
• -Newfane/Olcott, Krull Park, Dusk
• -Niagara Falls, Seneca Niagara Casino, 9:40pm (rain date 7/4)
• -Silver Creek, Jackson Street, Dusk 
• - Springville, Festivities start at 3pm at Springville Community Park, Fireworks at Dusk  
• -Varysburg, Buffalo Hill Village (part of Jam in the Valley)

  July 4th

• - Amherst, Concerts begin at 7pm at UB North Campus.  Fireworks at 9:45pm 
• - Buffalo (Friendship Festival), Riverside Park, 10pm
• - Cattaraugus County, Fairgrounds Grandstand, After Freedom Daze Demolition Derby 
• - Cheektowaga, Cheektowaga Town Park, Dusk
• - Darien Lake, Dusk
• - Dunkirk, Memorial Park, Dusk
• - Elma, Boys and Girls Club, Girdle Rd., 10pm 
• - Fantasy Island (Grand Island), Dusk
• - Lancaster (village), Parade begins at 2pm on Central Avenue.  Fireworks by the watertower, 10:00
• - Lewiston, Academy Park, Dusk 
• - Little Valley, Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds After Freedom Daze Demolition Derby
• - Lockport,Concert begins at 4pm at Outwater Park, Fireworks at dusk.
• - Niagara Falls, - Queen Victoria Park (NF, ONT) at dusk, part of Independence Day Celebration (can be seen by US side of the falls)
• - North Tonawanda/ Tonawanda, Tonawanda Island and Niawanda Park, Dusk
• - Olean, Bradner’s Stadium, Dusk 
• - Orchard Park, OP Middle School, 9:45p
• - Pendleton, Town Park, Dusk 
• - Royalton/Middleport, Park opens at 2p, parade at 4pm Royalton Ravine, Fireworks at 10pm 
• - Sardinia, Carnival begins July 2 at Veteran’s Memorial Park, Fire works July 4 at 10pm

While we are all aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, there are new statistics every day which show an alarming number of accidents and even deaths caused by texting and driving.  While everyone struggles to take care of all they need to attend to in a given day, it’s important that safety remain the top priority.  I personally took an important step in this direction today by completing my pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone through Oprah Winfrey’s campaign.  In fact, April 30^th has been designated as National No Phone Zone Day.  Encourage your au pairs and host families to make their commitment to making our roads safer as well and join this important campaign today!

Take the pledge now!

Cultural Care Au Pair is unique in that it offers a one week training program to in-coming au pairs.  Located on Long Island in New York,  the facilities are on the beautiful campus of St. Johns University.  You can get a glimpse into what life is like at the training school and how au pairs will be prepared to embark upon their year here in America at our showcase site:  www.aupairtrainingschool.com

The Summer Summit

As the kids celebrate the end of the school year, host families and au pairs switch into their summer schedule which may include a number of important changes. Having a successful summer starts with clear communication about schedule and rule changes as well as making expectations very clear. I encourage host families and au pairs to have a “summer summit” where they discuss how things will be different for the next few months. Some of the things which may be helpful to review in preparation for the summer months can be the following:

• Activity schedules for the kids
• Bedtime for the kids
• Curfew for the au pair
• Start/end times for the au pair’s work day
• Rules regarding play time and friends for the kids
• Summer reading list/homework for the kids
• Vacation schedule and expectations
• Review of pool/lake/ocean rules and safety expectations

Summertime can often be the best time for host families and au pairs and a little preparation will go a long way to helping it to be the very best it can be!

Attention all New York Host Families-
 
As a valued member of the Cultural Care Au Pair program, we wish to keep you informed of important and timely information that may affect our host families. Please read carefully the following information regarding workers’ compensation coverage mandated by the state of New York.

It has been brought to our attention that the state of New York classifies au pairs as ‘domestic workers’ for the purpose of workers’ compensation insurance and therefore require the host family to provide this coverage. For more detailed information on this subject, please refer to the New York State website: http://www.wcb.state.ny.us/content/main/onthejob/CoverageSituations/domesticWorkers.jsp

Failure to provide this coverage may result in a fine. Please note that we have been informed that the State has filed sanctions against noncompliant residents of New York for lack of coverage for domestic workers, specifically au pairs. To obtain the appropriate coverage for your au pair, please contact your insurance broker for policy and pricing information.

Should you have any further questions, please contact your Program Director, Judith DeKort  at 1-800-333-6056.

COMMUNICATION is key to happy home….
Good communication is the key to a great year!

• Make a good host family handbook…(some families have shared great one’s with me)
• Use this web-site h and www.culturalcare.com as a helping tool
• Help your Au Pair feel welcome and make sure they are truly part of your family.
• Bond with your Au Pair, as you want them to bond with your children.
• Pick your battles: they cannot be perfect in everything they do, decide what is most important.
• It is never acceptable to yell at your Au Pair, talk to them as an adult with respect.
• Show appreciation. Say “thank you” all the time even if they do not.
• Have weekly meetings with no interruptions of the phone or children. This helps prevent small problems from becoming big problems.
• Read helpful updates from the Boston office and LCC, lots of helpful tips.
• Your Au Pair lives in the house too. Share with them what is happening in your home when they are working and when they are not (family illnesses, out of town guests, etc).
• Stress the importance of family privacy, what happens in your home should stay in your home.
• Let them know if they are being included in vacations, holidays, dinners out, etc.

As we welcome in June  it is time to get thinking about the fast approaching appreciation day for that special Dad in your life. For Au pairs not only will you be rememberingyour own Dad from a far this year but you will also have a Host Dad to give thanks to..

Here is a fun craft that you can make with the kids to show appreciation.
Trophy for Dad (Difficulty: Easy):

What you’ll need: 2 foam coffee cups, 5 inch square box (or one cut to size), Masking tape, 1 gold chenille stem, Gold craft paint, Black construction paper, cut to fit on side of box, White paint pen, Scissors, Paintbrush, White craft glue

How to make it:

1. Turn cups upside down and trim bottom lips to make them flush.
2. Glue the bottoms of the two cups together.
3. Tape the square box shut by covering the entire box with masking tape.
4. When glue on the cups have dried, wrap a piece of masking tape around the middle where the two cups meet.
5. Cut the chenille stem in half and insert into each side of one of the cups as trophy handles.
6. Cover cups completely with masking tape.
7. Paint masking tape on both the trophy and the box gold. Let dry.
8. Write “Awarded World’s Best Dad” on the black construction paper with white paint pen. Glue to the front of the box.
9. Pipe white glue onto the bottom of the cup that does not have the chenille handles. Press onto the top of the box and let glue dry completely.

Other great ideas from the heart include: 

• Yard Service-Take the time to mow the grass, trim the bushes, and weed the garden
• Personalized Stepping Stones-decorate one and write Happy Father’s Day on it with the date. 
• Free Car Wash-Work together to wash his car or present him with a “coupon”
• Homemade Pizza-Make one especially for dad, just the way he likes it!
• Special Dinner-Make a great dinner for your dad… for $15 or less, fresh vegetables, fish and salad and for dessert, strawberries and whipped cream.
• Photo Mugs-local craft store has ones to decorate or you can send away for one with a personlized picture (shutterfly.com, winkflash.com, photobucket.com)
• Father’s Day Book-Each year the kids write their dad a letter about whatever they want (no help from mom). Then they decorate their page and print a picture of the kids together on the computer and that serves as the cover of the “Father’s Day Book.” Staple all the pages together.

With summertime approaching, schools will be closed, and schedules can be very different from the school year. The children were used to a daily routine and so were the au pairs. Now, for most au pairs that routine has changed and you will be challenged to come up with ideas to keep your host children occupied.

It’s a good idea to establish a “summer routine” with your host children. Sit with them and write up a list of things to do for that week. It will also give you and your host children something to look forward to every day. The busier the children are, the happier they, and you will be!

Here are some suggestions of what to do with your host children. If you have more than one host child, give them turns on choosing what they would like to do. Make sure you discuss these with your host parents and get their permission before you do any of them!

Grow a garden-Purchase some flower seeds or veggies. Plant them in your special garden. Watch it grow throughout the summer!

Plan a picnic-Pick a nice spot near your home, or even in the garden, to have a picnic.  On rainy days pick a spot in the house!

Visit the zoo, water park/pool and/or botanical gardens

Rent a movie-Make some popcorn and enjoy.

Play dates-Get together with another au pair with children of about the same age and plan to meet at a play ground or park. You can even organize a soccer game. Children against au pairs!! Make sure you bring your camera and something to drink.

Arts & Crafts-Plan an arts and crafts day. You can take the children to an arts & crafts store for ideas.

Write and/or act a Play-children like to dress up and act out plays. Write a simple play with your host children. Ask them to invite their friends to participate. Help them make their costumes, build a “stage” and make up invitations for the parents to come and see it. Perhaps you can include the grandparents, aunts, uncles.

International Day-Pick a country you and your host children would like to learn about. (maybe yours?) Go to the library with them and find some books about that country. Plan a “typical” dinner and find appropriate music. Talk about all the things we had learned about the country we had selected. If you have an artistic host child he or she could make placemats with a map of the country drawn on it. The possibilities and ideas are endless.

Memory book-You can paste in pictures, ticket stubs etc from all the things you do. They can also write in their books every day about what you did together. This will be a great thing to have for all of you. You and they will love looking back at this for years!

Plan a surprise dinner-Plan a simple surprise dinner with your host children for their parents. Take them for a walk to pick some flowers and have them help set the table. You can go to the library or on the internet to find recipes the (older) children can help make.

 Treasure Hunt-Hide “treasures” around the garden (or house on a rainy day) and have the kids find them.

Make the most of this summer with your host children. Everyone will look back on this with fond memories and it will strengthen the bond you have with them!

Cultural Care Au Pair’s Continuing Education on Water Safety and Drowning Prevention
Be safe and have a great summer!!!

Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water in the home. Empty all sinks, tubs and buckets immediately after use. 

  Do not rely on a bath support ring to keep a baby safe in the tub without adult supervision.

Never leave a child unsupervised in or around a swimming pool or spa, even for a moment. All wading and inflatable pools should be empty when not in use.

Teach children to practice safe water habits.

Children should never swim alone.

Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals or ponds. Older children are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their swimming ability.

Make sure children are swimming in designated areas in oceans, lakes and rivers. Look for clear water with little or no current and check the depth of the water before swimming or diving.

Children over age 3 should learn to swim from qualified instructors but caregivers should keep in mind that lessons do not make children “drown-proof.” Never rely on a PFD or swimming lessons to protect a child.

Adults and children should learn infant and child CPR.

Children should not dive in water unless an adult is present and knows that the water is more than nine feet deep.

Adults should not rely on pool covers to prevent children from drowning. Water must be kept from collecting on the surface of pool covers.

Children and adults should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD when on a boat, near open bodies of water or when participating in water sports.

Summer always means a much more hectic schedule for my family, and I rely on our au pair to keep my children safe and entertained once they’re out of school. She’s also a much needed extra set of hands at all of our summer activities. How do you plan to survive this busy season?

We have many qualified, carefully screened candidates who can help you manage your busy household. And in honor of Father’s Day, we’ll offer you a significant savings AND a free Nintendo Wii gaming console when you apply this weekend! Wii games are great for the whole family to play together!

Apply to Cultural Care Au Pair between Wednesday, June 16th and Tuesday, June 22nd using promotion code, PCWII2010 to earn:
- $75 application fee waiver
- $625 program fee discount
- Complimentary overseas connection service during the matching process (a $150 value)
The total value of this promotion is $850!*

Apply now to take advantage of the opportunity to save on our program and once you welcome your au pair into your home, you will receive your Wii gaming console!

We hope that you will take advantage of this great savings and apply now for free while you work towards securing your summer childcare needs.

*To qualify for this promotion, you must apply between June 16 and June 22, 2010 and welcome an au pair into your home by October 22, 2010. Selection fee of $275 must be paid at time of selection of au pair. Nintendo Wii gaming console, 1 remote and Wii Sports game will be sent to host family within 30 days of au pair’s arrival to host family home. Wii package is subject to change if Nintendo chooses to change their bundle pack. Wii cannot be substituted for cash, gift card, program fee discount or any other gaming system.

WHEN YOUR AU PAIR ARRIVES

• Have their room ready and clean with a waste paper basket, laundry basket, bulletin board, and a small arrival gift or basket (Perhaps something the kids made or bought). A framed picture of their family back home is always a hit.
• A great way to welcome an Au Pair is for the children to make a welcome sign and take along when you pick her up or have it waiting for them in their room.
• Encourage them to call home to let their parents know they are now with their host family.
• Ask about their room (do they have everything they need).
• Spend the entire first week showing them everything in your home.
• Ask them to operate all appliances to make sure they know how to do it.
• Remember that the amount of time and training in the first month directly affects the type of relationship you have the entire year.
• Ask your Au Pair questions about their home, their country, their family, and ask to see the pictures they brought with them.
• Ask them how you can make them feel welcome in regards to cultural differences, food, customs, etc.
• Help them to get their Social Security card and bank account right away. They will need this to get a driver’s license. Prepare the rest of the proper paperwork to obtain the license. (Please check that info under “Au Pair arrival to-do list”).
• Realize that the change of coming here is HUGE. Cultural shock is evident in most Au Pairs, as is some amount of homesickness.
• Spend the first weekend reviewing your Host family handbook together with your Au Pair.
• Try to get them out driving as soon as possible (during the first week is best).
• Be sure to give your Au Pair a written schedule for the first week and every week thereafter.
• Present role-playing scenarios, i.e. what should they do if a stranger comes to the door, how would they react if the children were acting.
• Model…set the example in our house of how you want to see your Au Pair fit into your family.
• Introduce your Au Pair to your neighbors and neighborhood.
• Show them how to cook basic things for your children
• Teach your Au Pair what to do in case of power failure, severe weather warning, school closings, etc.
• Take them to the local college to help get them enrolled.
• Support and facilitate attendance to ALL Au Pair functions.
• Make lots of lists and have them on view to help your Au Pair throughout the day.

Cultural Care Au Pair is excited to invite families and au pairs to participate in our first-ever Cultural Care Au Pair Video Contest! Do you have something interesting, funny or inspiring to say about the au pair program? If so, we want to see it on film-and we’ll give you the chance to win an entire year of free childcare (for host families) and $1000 (for au pairs) for sharing it with us and the rest of the world!

Step 1: Get Creative!
Encourage everyone - kids, parents, au pair - to participate in sharing your experiences through video.

Step 2: Upload your video!
Go to our video contest page and submit your family’s video through our easy registration process.

Step 3: Spread the Word!
Share the link to your video with your friends and family- they’re our judges! The host family and au pair with the most votes for favorite video will win the Grand Prize - a year of free childcare and $1000!

Check out the contest requirements and other exciting prizes and get out your video cameras! Good luck! We look forward to seeing your family’s video!

Lights! Camera! Action!

Mother’s Day is a day we celebrate here in the United States to honor … who else?  Moms!  In the US, we celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, so this year that’s on May 8th.  This day is also observed in many other countries around the world, but on different days and in different ways.

Do you celebrate Mother’s Day in your home country?  How do you honor your mom on this day?  Why not share these traditions with your host mom this year?  Be sure to take time out on Sunday, May 8th to say “Thank You” to your host mom for everything she’s done for you; a quick note or even an email would probably help to make her feel appreciated, too…and don’t forget to call your own Mom back home and wish her a happy day, too.  She might be missing you a lot on a day like Mother’s Day!

You can also get your host kids involved by helping them to create inexpensive, home-made gifts for mom. We moms love little creations from our little ones!  It’s personal and inexpensive and lets both you and the kids be creative.

Here are some great ideas to help you get started!  You can pick up craft supplies at lots of different places-ask me if you need help locating something!  You could also make a trip up to a flower shop or landscaping nursery for flowers or plants.

According to statistics, adults over the age of 60 and children under the age of 5 are more likely than any other age groups to be harmed in the case of a fire emergency.  Recognizing this, area Cultural Care au pairs met for a fire safety meeting hosted by Karen Place, Local Childcare Coordinator for Cultural Care Au Pair and members of the Getzville Fire Department.

Educating au pairs on fire safety is a top priority for parents. “Au pairs are often the primary caregivers for many local families during the day. Fire safety training is important because it reinforces their knowledge of what to do if there is an emergency, starting with getting themselves and the children out of the house should a fire break out.”

The training is part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s ongoing Continuing Education Program (CEP). As a U.S. Department of State regulated program, au pairs receive safety and childcare education throughout their year long stay in the United States, beginning with a week of intensive courses at the Cultural Care Au Pair school in New York. The Western New York au pairs together represent the countries of Columbia, Mexico, Germany, Austria, and Australia. Karen, a resident of Getzville, supports area parents and au pairs, advising them of educational opportunities, as well as organizing fun activities for the entire extended family to enjoy.

“I am always looking for ways to make safety training and education fun for our au pairs,” said Karen. The training covered everything from smoke detectors to safely and quickly getting out of a home in the case of a fire, with an emphasis on the cultural differences on handling an emergency here in the United States as opposed to other parts of the world. “When you invite an au pair into your home, programs like these assure that you leave your children in the most capable hands possible. It is comforting as a parent to know that your children are with a caregiver you can trust.”

 I suggest these safety tips for local families:

• Test smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries once a year
• Make sure you have a fire alarm on every floor of your home
• Plan fire escape routes for your family and identify a meeting place outside the home in case of an emergency
• Keep matches, gasoline, and all flammable materials locked away and out of a child’s reach
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Introduce children to a firefighter, so they will know not to be scared in the case of a fire
• Avoid plugging several appliance chords into the same electrical socket
• Consider buying safety ladders for upper levels of your home and show older children how to use them

For more information on inviting an au pair into your home, call me at 716-639-7305.

My Development Director, Sierra Rix, recently wrote a guest post on Mom on the Run. Sierra is a wife, mom to 4 kids (2 girls: 7 & 5 mos & 2 boys: 5 & 4), Host mom to a fabulous Swiss au pair, dog walker for Rusty the Jack Russell, litter scooper for Mr.Clark the cat and Development Director for Cultural Care. She titled her post, Mom’s Most Wanted Accessory - An Extra Set of Hands.  

Read her story… http://betterinbulk.net/2010/03/mom%e2%80%99s-most-wanted-accessory-an-extra-set-of-hands.html

As part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s mission to break down barriers of culture and language through educational exchange, a group of local childcare coordinators and staff recently visited South Africa to see firsthand the difference the donations from the Cultural Care community have made through our charitable organization Kids First.

Since it’s inception in 2004, Kids First has supported many worldwide organizations that work with at-risk youth. From the daycare center in Brazil to the school library in New Orleans to an orphanage in Russia, Kids First has supported a wide range of global organizations. Our most recent work at an orphanage and daycare center in a poverty-stricken township outside Capetown, South Africa is another great example of the work we are doing worldwide.

Cultural Care staff and LCCs had an opportunity to visit several projects funded through CHOSA, an organization that Kids First supports. CHOSA provides support to programs that work with at-risk children and their families to provide nutrition, medication, clothing, food, shelter and an education.

During the service visit, those who participated had a chance to visit the Ubuhle Babantwana Care Center, which helps 150 children, some of whom are HIV positive. Donations received from au pairs, host families and Cultural Care LCCs and staff have provided funds for the building of a new structure for the infants and toddlers in the center. The group from Cultural Care Au Pair had an opportunity to see the new structure, meet the inspirational director and dedicated teachers and had some time to play with the children.

In addition, the group visited the Ilitha-Labantwana Place of Safety, the Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project, the Emasithandane Children’s Project and the Baphumulele Children’s Home. The Cultural Care team is now bringing their experience back to the U.S. to raise awareness, and additional funds for even more projects that Kids First supports.

“Our Kids First trip to Cape Town was truly amazing and inspiring,” says Local Childcare Coordinator Trudy Mar. “The work, effort, love and sacrifice the women heading up these projects give to all of the kids goes well beyond what most of us could imagine. If one little body sleeps better, eats better and smiles more, we’ve helped to change their future and make the world a better place. Every dollar we raise for Kids First definitely does make a difference.”

For information about how you can make a contribution to Kids First, or raise awareness for the programs it supports, visit http://www.culturalcare.com/aboutus/kidsfirst/ or contact your Local Childcare Coordinator.

Wondering what our customers are saying about us?

Here is a reccent post on Big Tent from one of New Host Moms in California. She just welcomed her first au pair, a young woman from Norway, to care for 11.5 month old twins.

Kristen commented:

My au pair just arrived from Norway on Friday night. We have some friends who are very clued in to the au pair scene since they’ve been through several in the last 4 or 5 years. At her suggestion, she directed me to www.greataupair.com. She said I can find an au pair through this website, sort of like the craigslisting of au pairs.

However, after trying without any luck of searching for a suitable match, and then once finding someone who might actually work, my concerns about experience, safety, psychological and criminal backgrounds started haunting me at night. I really feel that, for our first experience of bringing an au pair into our home, going through the agency really helped me figure out numerous things about our needs that I didn’t realize before. In fact, it helped me decipher what my parenting style is, the skill set our future au pair should bring with her, which cultures and personalities would work well with our family, and much much more. Although the fee is quite steep, bringing an au pair into your home is a MAJOR commitment. (The first night she was here, I couldn’t sleep knowing she was sleeping closer to my babies than I was! What if she is a bad seed after all?? What if she harms them?) Fortunately, the agency does actually earn their fee; among other things, they interview the au pair candidate as well as the host family in person, get criminal and medical background, facilitate the visas, and handle the travel from her home country to your airport. Are you prepared to get a criminal history from a foreign country where you are unfamiliar with language and local laws? We weren’t. Our time is more valuable that the hours of frustration that would cause us, and then who even knows if it would be truthful.

We too wanted to reduce our fees, but after some deep thought about the process, we felt that for the first year at least it is worthwhile to go through an agency. Perhaps you can find a 2nd year au pair yourself and then have the agency finalize her for you. Honestly, I must have read 200 or more applications for girls that met my general requirements. Once we went with the agency, I asked them to send me 3 or 4 applications from potential candidates to help me determine what we did want and what we didn’t in our au pair. We were surprised by our list of wants and needs when it came right down to it; much more precise than we originally thought we’d need. The agency then matched us with someone they thought would work, and we disagreed. They then sent us the application of the girl who spent the afternoon caring for my 11.5 month old twins, and we couldn’t be happier. She met our requirements perfectly and we are thrilled! In fact, she just told me how thrilled she is to be with us.

I do not have any association with any of the agencies other than being a recently satisifed customer. We went through Cultural Care.

I completely understand the need to be frugal, but I don’t think child care and adding a member to your household is one of those areas where cutting back gets you ahead of the game. Quality care and bringing a positive influence into your home is worth every penny. Perhaps you can cut coupons instead, make purchases off the classifieds, and cut back in other ways. But good luck!!

Thank you to all of the families at Cultural care for taking the time to give us the gift of your feedback.

This past fall, Cultural Care Au Pair launched another customer satisfaction survey to our host families…and the consensus is that they are overwhelmingly happy!

Here is a sample of the results:  

• 96% of host families are satisfied with the quality of childcare that their au pair provide
• 95% are satisfied with the support provided by their Local Childcare Coordinator
• 97% are pleased with the choice they made to use the services of Cultural Care Au Pair
• 96% would recommend the services of Cultural Care Au Pair to other families:

We’re thrilled with these results, which are certified by independent survey company Discovery Surveys, Inc. In fact, our participation rate (52% of active host families this time around) and the results themselves have improved each of the four times we have administered the surveys (spring and fall of 2008 and spring and fall of 2009). For more detailed survey information: http://www.culturalcare.com/hf-survey.html

Thank you to our current host families for partcipating and for helping us to further improve our program!

As a participant in the au pair program, Cultural Care strongly recommends that you consult with your tax advisor, accountant, insurance advisor and/or an attorney regarding any state or federal rules or regulations that you may be required to comply with when you host an au pair. Unfortunately, Cultural Care is not in a position to provide such advice to our host families due to the variations in the law from state to state and to the individual circumstances of each host family.

If your employer requires taxpayer identification numbers, you should use the following:

*Your au pair’s social security number or ITIN, in reference to payments made directly to your au pair
*Cultural Care Au Pair’s federal tax ID number in reference to program fees paid to Cultural Care Au Pair. Cultural Care Au Pair’s federal tax ID number is 20-2020345

As a general guideline, the following information might be helpful to your professional advisor or might be issues that need to be explored:

*Au pairs are here on a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa. According to the IRS website, au pairs are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes as well as Federal Unemployment Tax.
*Au pairs are required to pay income tax with the exception of Social Security. However, depending on the time of year that the au pair arrives or departs, they may not make the minimum level of income required for taxation in that calendar year.
*The weekly stipend and the fees paid to Cultural Care may qualify as a tax deductible childcare expense.
*The IRS does not require host families to file Schedule H (Form 1040).
*Host families and au pairs may want to inquire about obtaining a social security number for the au pair. In order to qualify for a social security number, the au pair must provide proof of her participation in the au pair program with a letter from Cultural Care. In addition, they will need their passport, I-94 card and DS 2019 form. Please contact us if you need assistance with this.
*We strongly recommend that you inquire with your professional advisor about specific state laws and requirements which may include, but not be limited to workers’ compensation insurance and state unemployment taxes.
*We also suggest that you inquire at the state level as to whether your au pair needs a drivers’ license in your state in addition to a drivers’ license from his/her home country.

Account statement
A statement/receipt of payments made to Cultural Care Au Pair is available in your online account’s Payment Center.  Please contact your Program Director if you have any questions about payments made or credits owed.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Many employers offer their employees the benefit of a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), such as a Dependent Care Spending Account. You should determine if the program fees and/or au pair stipend qualify for your employer’s program.

Please note that this is intended to be a guide only and is in no way an exhaustive list of the issues you should explore nor is it intended to be legal or tax advice.

Every year thousands of young people from all over the world embark on a special journey by becoming an au pair. Now it’s time to recognize the extraordinary and ordinary daily accomplishments that each au pair makes in his or her host family by nominating your au pair for the International Au Pair Association’s seventh annual Au Pair of the Year Award.

The International Au Pair Association established the Au Pair of the Year Award to recognize the many great young men and women participating in the au pair program worldwide. In addition, the award helps highlight public awareness of this valuable cultural exchange program.

For the last two years, au pairs with Cultural Care have been honored with the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award. In 2009, the honor was awarded to Francisco Ricardo Silva de Araújo, of Brazil, an au pair to the Boyer family of Virginia. In 2008, Linda Falter, an au pair from Germany, received the award while she was an au pair for the Sato family of Hayward, California.

What makes your au pair outstanding?
Maybe it’s the day-to-day things he or she does, such as kicking around a soccer ball, helping the kids with homework or entertaining them while you cook dinner. Maybe it’s the way he or she has embraced your family, such as teaching your kids her language, baking treats from her home country or coming to watch your children in the winter program at school. Every thing your au pair does that helps your family or brings a rich cultural exchange into your family is worthy of recognition, and a great way of saying thank you to your au pair!

Host families who would like to nominate their au pair should submit an essay detailing what makes their au pair exceptional in the form provided. Nominations for the Au Pair of the Year Award must be received by Friday, January 15. Once you’ve submitted your nomination, don’t forget to share it with your au pair to show her or him how much you think of what she or he does for your family!

Simply nominating an au pair for the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award is a wonderful honor that can show your au pair how much you value what she or he does for your family. This award allows so many in the au pair community to reflect on what an incredibly positive program this is and the many lives it touches and enriches along the way.

For more information about the Au Pair of the Year Award or nominating your au pair please click here