Archive for the 'Au Pair Meetings' Category
Au Pairs and the Santa Clara County Fire Department Focus on Children’s Fire Safety
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on March 12, 2010
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, on February 28, 2010, our monthly meeting was a fire safety meeting held at the El Monte Fire Station in Los Altos. Au Pairs from Poland, Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Sweden and Host parents from Mountain View and Los Altos attended. Members of the Santa Clara County Fire Department covered topics ranging from smoke detectors to safely exiting a home in the case of a fire. They emphasised the cultural differences for handling an emergency here in the United States compared to other parts of the world.
When we arrived the Captain and his crew of three, told us if there was an emergency call, they would have to leave. Twenty minutes into the presentation they were called to a medical emergency - off they went with sirens blaring. It was an excellent, live demonstration for all of us! Shortly after, the Battalion Chief arrived, continued our safety education and then took us on a tour of the living quarters for the firemen.When the crew returned they showed us the fire engines and equipment they have to tear open a crunched car, as well as put out a fire. Most of their calls are actually medical emergencies and a paramedic rides on each call.
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. Prior to attending this meeting, each au pair was asked to use information on the Santa Clara County Fire Department website to prepare a fire safety escape plan with their host families.
These are 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
Fun Fact: The fire station captain’s name is… Captain Kirk !! This was an extra draw for Star Trek fans!
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Hot Apple Crisp, Ice Cream & Fresh Lemonade for our January meeting!
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on January 28, 2010
What is better when the weather is cold and rainy than something hot and tasty from the oven? That’s what we all enjoyed at this month’s au pair meeting. Most of my au pairs, from Mountain View and Los Altos, had heard of apple crisp and a few had tasted it, but did not know how to make it. So we made my families “secret” recipe and had a great time eating hot apple crisp and ice cream! As an added treat we made fresh lemonade from the “sweet” lemons in my backyard.
First, we used the “apple - peeler - corer - slicer” to prepare the apples. Several girls had a “turn” and it was a lot of fun. Then we made the oatmeal and brown sugar spice topping. Others tried their hand with the electric juicer to extract lemon juice. 
Viviana didn’t really want to try. I told her she would find it fun. Then she said, “Ok, just one.” Four lemons later, she let someone else have a turn. A little sugar, water and a few stirs to make fresh, refreshing lemonade.
While the apple crisp baked in the oven we played dominoes. I taught them a game called Mexican Train, which everyone enjoyed and hoped to play again. When the apple crisp came out of oven we served it up with ice cream and everyone decided it was a deeeeelicious! They all want the recipe, so my secret recipe has now gone international!
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California Christmas! – tasty cookies and stories from around the world
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on December 27, 2009
We had a cozy evening, starting off with a delicious cookie exchange. We tasted each other’s cookies and then exchanged them with each other. Everyone went home with a variety of cookies to share with their host families. (Well, at least I think they shared them when they got home!) 
As the au pairs arrived I had paired them up to talk about what it was like to celebrate Christmas in their home country and what they treasured about the holiday. Then we gathered around the tree to take photos and enjoy a gift exchange. As each person chose a gift their au pair partner shared what they had discussed about the Christmas holiday. We learned about eating a huge meal and dancing salsa all night in Colombia, about special foods eaten in Germany and we jumped to a discussion about New Year’s Eve in Brazil. 
There, everyone dresses in white and walks to the beach. As they jump in the waves they make their New Year’s wishes. We thought that would be very cold to do here – but in Brazil it is the middle of their summer on January 1st!
Merry Christmas everyone!
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Kids First Charity Giftwrap a SUCCESS!
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on December 15, 2009
Ready to WRAP!!
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‘Kids First’ Charity Gift Wrap - Nov 28 & Dec 2
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on November 19, 2009
Click here TO BE INSPIRED! Kids First Video
Our November meeting will focus on helping others as we wrap gifts for Kids First Charity. Feel the holiday spirit! The event will take place at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in San Jose on Stevens Creek Blvd. Everyone has already signed up for the hours they will be at the bookstore to wrap presents. Contact me if you need a remind. Host families are welcome to join us - just send me an email!
“Kids First” is Cultural Care Au Pair’s charitable campaign intended to better the lives of children including: Casa do Zezinho in Brazil (after school program in the “death triangle” outside Sao Paulo - bottom photo), Ubulhe Babantwana (an orphanage near Capetown in South Africa - upper right photo) and St. Mary’s Academy (flooded school in New Orleans - center photo below). This will be our November au pair meeting. 
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Pumpkin Carving in Rainbow Park
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on October 28, 2009
This is a photo of Viviana with her first, ever, carved all by herself, Halloween pumpkin. You can tell that she is very proud of it! Families from Los Altos and Mountain View gathered to prepare for Halloween and carve our pumpkins. Last weekend I wondered if the ground would be dry and sun shining for this event - well, it was summer for one more day, and the weather was incredible! With my new SLR digital camera I snapped photos families could use for their Holiday cards. Here are a few photos of the event - view more under the photo section.
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7th Annual Scavenger Hunt in San Francisco September 20, 2007
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on October 22, 2009
It was a beautiful day in San Francisco for our 7th annual Scavenger Hunt. Over 400 au pairs from all over Northern California participated. We had a great time seeing friends and making new ones. Thank you for the kind emails letting me know how much you enjoyed this event!
Check out additional pictures in the photo section of this blog. Just click on the word photos in the grey bar above.
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An Old Fashioned Outdoor Movie Night for our August Au Pair Meeting!
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on September 4, 2009
The city of Los Altos blocked off Main Street, turned it into an outdoor movie theater and invited all the families in town to watch a movie together. My au pair family and I were there to enjoy Friday Movie Nights in downtown Los Altos together. 
We brought our folding chairs, blankets, munchies and relaxed together for several hours. Friends joined us from other au pair groups and other au pair agencies as well. We gathered for a group picture as it was beginning to get dark. Several host families attended with their children as well. They came over to us to say “Hi!” It was a festive atmosphere with music playing over loud speakers, lots of families relaxing together, plenty of food and fun.
Check out the photo page of this website to see more photos of our night at the movies!
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Stock Brot & S’mores!!
| 1 Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on July 24, 2009
At our July meeting, we enjoyed a combination of German and American campfire treats. 
In Germany, where they love their bread, they wrap bread dough on a stick,
roast it over a campfire and then enjoy it hot off the stick. We wrapped it, sprinkled pretzel salt on it, roasted and it was tasty!
In America, where we love our sweets, (a little too much!) we toast marshmallows until they nearly melt, slip a piece of chocolate inside and make a sandwich with graham crackers. Both were delicious and we all enjoyed sitting around the fire, chatting and “roasting”! I asked the au pairs who are ending their year to share their words of wisdom with the new au pairs who have arrived. We also discussed the educational component of the program and how to complete that requirement. Due to the California budget crisis, classes the au pairs have relied upon are being reduced. So I stressed the importance of registering at the first opportunity to ensure a spot.
The last half of the meeting was reserved for Cultural Care’s Continuing Education Program. We moved inside to talk about how to keep the children we care for safe from accidental household poisoning. We took a quiz in groups of two and then discussed how to make our homes safer. Please go to the photo section to see more of the photos from this meeting.
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Laser Questing in April
No Comment |Posted by: swildeboer on May 11, 2009
Imagine, chasing each other with laser guns, through a black light maze with techno music in the background. That’s what we did for our meeting in April. Another au pair group joined ours and we had a great time. Add some pizza and soda and you have an aerobic and tasty evening!
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