AuPairCare

Welcome to Au Pair Care!

Welcome to AuPairCare!

AuPairCare understands that each family is unique. That's why our programs are customized to fit your childcare needs, budget, lifestyle, and timing. Our carefully screened au pairs provide the highest quality of in-home care to ensure that your children will be safe, happy, and healthy. AuPairCare offers you a dependable, flexible childcare solution. You'll have childcare that fits you.

Did you know that AuPairCare has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating! If you're looking for an au pair agency, this is an important consideration. Ask other agencies their rating.

Meet Our Au Pairs

AuPairCare has hundreds of carefully screened au pairs from around the world available for placement. When you welcome an au pair to your home, you gain superior childcare at a surprisingly affordable price. Meet some of our amazing au pairs at http://www.aupaircare.com/

Mother Tongue

I've lived in California most of my life, but I don't have many American friends. Most of them are from other countries: Italy, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Israel, Canada... anywhere but here.

It all began when my son Skyler started kindergarten at the elementary school down the street. I'd been warned that the school was full of non-English speakers and most of the home owners in the catchment area sent their children elsewhere.

But, it was free, it was a block away, and I had a preschooler and a toddler in tow. I'd just side-stepped my career for a mommy-tracked consulting gig and convenience was a top priority. How bad could it be? So we signed Skyler up and off he went.

The knot of moms around the class door at the end of the day spoke ten different languages. None of them was English.

It was depressing. I quickly gave up the expectation of making friends at the school. No one talked to me, and I didn't know how to start a conversation in any other language, so I pretended to be fascinated by Skyler's finger painting at pick-up time. But Skyler kept talking about two boys he played with every day, Ben and Itai, and asked if they could come over. After school one day, he dragged Ben over to me and introduced him. "Find his mom!"

A blonde woman with very fair skin approached us, and spoke in a lilting language to her son. "Um, I'm Julie, Skyler's mom. He talks about Ben all the time," I ventured, hoping she understood.

"I"m Mia," she answered. Phew! We'd be able to talk! I discovered she was from Finland, married to an Israeli. Her husband had found work in America, so they'd recently moved here. She spoke three different languages: Finnish, Hebrew, and English. Ben spoke very little English, but Skyler talked all the time, so they got along famously.

After Mia, I met Rama, Itai's mom, also Israeli. They had lived in the US for years. "You are my only American friend," she told me. "It is hard to get to know people here."

How could I be her only American friend? I'd only stumbled into her because of my son. I was scared the international moms wouldn't understand me or want to talk to me, but I never dreamed they too felt isolated. Rama gave me the courage to bumble and lurch my way into more conversations. I met women from war torn countries, Kazakhstan and Pakistan; educated women who came here to find work or followed their husbands but weren't allowed to work. Silly and lonely women who were trained as chefs, scientists, and artists. They became my good friends.

How brave these ladies were to uproot their families and move to an unfamiliar country where they didn't speak the language or understand the customs. It made me wonder who else I'd missed meeting because I was too insecure to be friendly. If the roles were reversed, I hope I'd be invited into the local community in my new home. I just don't want to be the reason someone doesn't have any American friends.
And now I have places to stay in lots of countries that I can't wait to visit!

Posted by Julie Colwell

Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, nanny, childcare, babysitter, sitter, live-in, au pair, provider, AuPairCare, nannies, children, child, kids, multiples, twins, triplets

Apps for busy Parents in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

While at lunch with a group of busy parents we pulled out our phones. We were in the middle of an intense conversation about our favorite apps. We've all done it, swapped app stories. Each one of us is adamant that our apps are the best.

Here are some of the apps the group could not live without. Maybe you will find some to add to your favorite app list.

Bestroom Finder-find the nearest restroom anywhere in the world

Where to Eat-find restaurants located near you

Bank Apps-search for your own bank app to find the closest ATM

Amusement Park Apps-Busch Gardens, Disney World, Six Flags all have apps that tell you the wait times for rides. Invaluable for parents wanting to minimize time in lines.

Birthday Express-have all your birthdays in one place and get reminders of upcoming birthdays. This app even downloads birthdays from Facebook and iPhone contacts.

Find a Coffee Shop--especially good for parents on the go who need a little pick-me-up.

In Case of Emergency (ICE)-Important for the entire family to have on the first page of your phone.

AroundMe-quickly find out information about your surroundings including banks, gas stations, supermarkets, hospitals, hotels, movies, etc.

White Noise Lite-the perfect app for relaxing a baby.

I am sure you have some of your own favorite apps. Share them with us.

An opportunity for high school students to study abroad.....what an amazing opportunity!

Studying Abroad in Germany.....what a great opportunity!!!!!

Do you know any motivated high school students who would want to study abroad

in Germany on FULL SCHOLARSHIP?

AYUSA is now seeking applications for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

Program (CBYX). The CBYX program was inaugurated in 1983 by the United

States Congress and German Bundestag to strengthen diplomatic ties between the

countries through youth exchange. Recipients of the CBYX scholarship live with a German host family

and attend a local high school while gaining a deeper understanding of German social, political and economic

life. Selected students will attend a one-month language immersion course upon arrival to prepare

them for the coming year. Previous German language experience is not required. Please go to

www.usagermanyscholarship.org for more information or to apply.

Please share this wonderful opportunity with high school students! Students should

apply by December 16, 2011

Moving to a New Home and Bringing your Au Pair with you in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

This weekend a YouTube video was in the news. The video shows a two year old listening to her Daddy read her a bedtime story. He is active duty military and deployed while she is growing up every day. The video is touching as she claps her hands while he reads her a book on the screen.

The video, showcasing military life, reminded me about one benefit of au pairs that is not mentioned very often. Because I live in a large military area, I am very aware of this benefit and talk with my families about it. But, the benefit is not just for military. All families can benefit. In today’s corporate world, as well as the military, many families move under the demands of their careers. For a family in the process of moving, an au pair is invaluable. Unlike most nannies and any other form of childcare, an au pair can move with your family. Below are many benefits of having childcare that moves with your family:

Cohesiveness for your children during a disruptive time

During a move, schools change, houses change, rooms change, friends change. One thing that does not have to change during a move is their caregiver. It is reassuring for children to minimize any change possible during a move.

"The house is being shown, where do the children go? The movers are here, what do I do with the children? We need to unpack, how can I accomplish that?"

With an au pair, these types of questions are easily answered. The au pair can help the children continue their daily life, minimizing the impact of the moving process in both locations. Ballet lessons, soccer games, and school work at the library can continue for the children under the guidance of their au pair.

Easing the transition into a new community

An au pair can help the entire family ease into a new community. From researching new ballet studios to finding the neighborhood soccer team, an au pair is a valuable asset for host parents while they are at work adjusting to their own new environment.

Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, nanny, childcare, babysitter, sitter, live-in, au pair, provider, AuPairCare, nannies, children, child, kids, multiples, twins, triplets

Baby Packing for those expecting in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

Packing for the Hospital.

Your time is getting close. The nursery is done, you’ve bought the baby gear, the baby clothes are freshly laundered and folded in drawers, you’ve written your birth plan, done the hospital tour, but wait! Have you packed your bag for the Big Day? For some reason, with both my pregnancies, this was the very last thing I got around to doing, even though friends around me were going into labor weeks early and getting

caught short.

So, with this in mind, here is a packing list for you to print off and execute. Do it NOW, you never know when you might go into labor!

Mom’s bag:

Night gown and dressing gown

Clean underwear (although let’s face it you may end up sporting the attractive hospital disposable pants!), include socks as your feet may get cold in labor.

Wash bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, any medication you routinely take, hairbrush, make up, yes I said make-up, as you will no doubt have photos taken with the baby, Hairbands (last thing you will want to deal with when you’re in labor is your hair flopping in your face), lip balm.

Frozen fruit pieces like grapes and strawberries for during labor (you may have to smuggle these into the hospital - shhh!).

You may want to take along some of your own pillows or other items from home to make you feel more comfortable.

If you plan on breastfeeding, a Boppy pillow www.boppy.com

Again, if you plan on it, other breastfeeding supplies like pump, breast pads and nipple cream, although the hospital may well provide some or all of these.

Magazines (may be wishful thinking but you never know!).

Dad’s Bag:

All the important documents like medication forms and copies of birth plan to give to doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas.

Sleepwear (the nurses really don’t want to see your hubby in the buff!).

Wash bag, all of the above, including mouth wash (may sound weird, but the last thing you want is hubby gently leaning over you telling you to breathe when he just finished that tuna sandwich!)

Food/drinks/snacks

All the gadgets (hospital allowing): fully charged cell phone, MP3 player, camera, video camera, laptop or iPad for Skyping and all accompanying chargers and wires.

Cash for hospital parking, cafeteria, etc.

Car seat correctly installed in the car.

Baby’s Bag:

Going home outfit – ah, the fun bit. Even though I knew I was having a girl, I still brought a neutral outfit as well just in case she popped out a boy!

Receiving/swaddling blankets.

PS: It is also a good idea to have pre-registered at your hospital of choice so you don’t have to mess around with filling out forms in between contractions!

Next week, packing the diaper bag!

Posted by Claire Turner

Tips for Fall, Food, and Fun with an AuPairCare Au Pair in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

I love the fall and I love the activities that come with the change of season. Having in-home childcare gives children the guidance and help to do the fun things found on the internet, the television, or in magazines during this wonderful season. An au pair can take advantage of everything fall has to offer with your children.

It is such a great feeling to walk in the door knowing your child has been having fun while you worked. The reward of a big smile and, "look what I did today" are priceless!

Here are some of my favorite fall rituals. Ask your au pair to do some with your children this fall.

Caramel Apples

Ingredients

1 14-ounce bag individually wrapped caramel candies (about 50)

2 tablespoons milk
4-6 medium apples
4-6 craft sticks

Instructions

Place the unwrapped caramels in a shallow microwave-safe bowl.
Mix in the milk and microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Be careful with this step as the caramel will get hot.
When the caramels are melted, remove the dish from the microwave with pot holders and stir the sauce until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Generously butter a baking sheet. Twist off the apple stems and spear each fruit with a craft stick.
Roll one apple in the caramel sauce until it is thoroughly coated. Place it; stick pointing up, on the baking sheet.
To thoroughly coat an apple, roll it in the caramel sauce, and then hold it upright so the sauce slides down the sides.
Working quickly, coat the remaining apples in the caramel sauce. The caramel coating will be gooey, so refrigerate the apple for 15 minutes or until the caramel is slightly hardened.

Pumpkin Games

Grab some pumpkins at the grocery store and play these games indoors or out. Have a play date for some friendly competition during the day or do this as a family in the evenings.

Pumpkin bowling: Set up a triangle of ten vertical containers such as 2 liter soda bottles, empty cans, paper towel rolls, etc. Roll the pumpkin 3 times to try and get them all down.

Pumpkin rolling: For medium to large pumpkins, do a pumpkin rolling game. Set a starting line and a finish line and have your little ones roll the pumpkins from the start to finish.

Autumn Yard Collage

This is a great activity with children. Materials needed to create your autumn yard collage include hay bales, pumpkins (all sizes), scarecrows, witches, cornucopias, etc. Anything related to fall will look wonderful. Stack the hay bales to create a backdrop. Next, place a huge scarecrow (or witch) on the center of the stack. Then add other complimentary fall accessories. Your children will take pride in their lovely 3 dimensional work of art.

Posted by Darcy Martin

At Au Pair Care, we love...

Inspired by our international team at Au Pair Care, we asked around the office to compile a special, nostalgic, yet up-to-date list of our favorite children’s books – books that we would love to have our au pairs read to our kids.

1.    The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business
By Wolf Erlbruch, Werner Holzwarth
This is a loveable oh-so-funny story about a mole that wants to find out who happened to poo on his head. So he goes out and asks the rabbit, the bear and many other animals on his way. It’s a lovely illustrated book and a fun story that will keep your kid excited, and will make you laugh for its underlying wisdom.

2.    The Trip To Panama
By Janosch
The colorful and detailed pictures and the exciting story tell a tale about friendship, dreams, appreciation, and home. Everything starts with the little bear discovering a little box while he is fishing at the river. On the box it says “Panama” and it smells like bananas. Immediately the little bear knows this is the land of his dreams. So he runs home to the small tiger to prepare for a long journey to Panama.

3.    Friends
By Helme Heine
This absolutely charming and delightfully illustrated tale for all ages will make you and your child laugh out loud and learn about friendship through the adventures of Charlie Rooster, Johnny Mouse, and Percy Pig. They ride their bikes together, play games together and sleep together- even if that means Percy the pig has to sleep on a Rooster stick. It is one of the most read books in Germany.

4.    The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle
More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold around the world. Kids are excited to follow the path of the caterpillar while he eats his way through one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, and so on. The book teaches counting and the days of the week with bright, bold pictures and a butterfly metamorphosis story!

5.    Happy Hippo, Angry Duck: A Book of Moods (Ages 2-6)
By Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, children's author, and illustrator. This, her newest book on the market, describes moods and emotions with very funny pictures. Kids love to repeat the sounds and feelings that are described in the book and the pages are colorful and vivid!

6.    Farmyard BeatBy Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown
This is a colorful bedtime story, perfect for toddler and preschoolers, to read aloud, repeating the rhymes and sounds. All the animals on the farm can’t sleep, and before you know it there is a party going on.

7.    One Duck Stuck
by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Jane Chapman
Another great counting and animal book with bright and bold illustrations. Why is it special? This book received the Parents Book of the Year award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold award.

8.    When I Grow Up I Want to Be Me
by Sandra Magsamen
Oprah calls this one of the most captivating children's books she's ever read. We guess it must be good!

9.    Pippi Longstocking
By Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Lindgren, from Sweden, was famous for her books in America years ago. The target age for these stories is four to six, and quick-to-read children will be able to handle them at seven. Pippi is incredibly strong and can lift a horse on her own. She is also not afraid of anything, so she lives alone in Villa Villekulla with her horse and a monkey, Mr. Nilsson. With her friends, Tommy and Annika, she experiences many adventures, like taking on two burglars, having an unusual birthday party, and rolling down a hill in a wine barrel.

Now – you tell us! Which book should be number 10 on the list? Please let us know in the comments below!

Post by Karen Hilbes, APC

Football and Award Shows. They are so American to au pairs in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, & Williamsburg

I was with a group of au pairs this weekend at a William and Mary college football game. One had an interesting question. "Why is it that you Americans love this game so much"? It started me wondering. Why are some things so enduring to Americans?

My answer to the au pair at the time was simple. We love it because we grow up with it. Then, my point was proven as the half time show took the field. It consisted of two teams of tiny little football players and included one of our host children. It was adorable to watch the little guys play after watching the huge college players. The little ones were so excited to be there and really enthusiastic while executing the plays.

Another American event is the Emmy's. Do other countries have over-the-top award shows like America? At yahoo.com, you can find nominees, photos, videos, best dressed, worst dressed, news and blogs about the event. I would guess that the night after an awards show in America, the most clicked link is the best and worst dressed.

When I take groups of au pairs to events, it is fun to hear their questions and listen to their opinions. What are some typically American events that seem strange to our au pair visitors?