This newsletter is dedicated to summertime safety!

As travel resumes domestically and borders open internationally, many of you are probably planning a summer vacation! Along with COVID safety protocols, APIA encourages families and au pairs to speak about vacation plans, schedules, and personal safety before embarking on a vacation. If you will be traveling to a place that poses new potential hazards for your host child (such as the beach), take time to speak to your host parents about safety. Do not assume that you know about all the precautions that would normally be taken in this new setting.

If you are joining your family  on a vacation, this is a great way to create new memories as a family, explore parts of the US that you may not have seen yet, and give you some well needed relaxation to your host parents. My au pair just joined us for a week of camping – the kids loved having her to hang out with and she enjoyed the fresh air and change of pace from city life! It is critical to establish a set schedule during your vacation so there are no misunderstandings regarding what is considered a workday vs. a vacation day. Here are some tips.

The Guidelines for a Successful Year/Host Family Handbook discusses vacation in detail and includes the following points:

• Vacation is completely free time for the au pair to use as she wishes. If both the au pair and the host family agree that they want to vacation together, and the au pair has no child care responsibilities during the trip, then the au pair may accompany the host family and choose that as her vacation time. In this situation an au pair may be asked to assume her own expenses.
• If the au pair travels with the family as part of her child care responsibilities, it is strongly recommended that a schedule be discussed in advance detailing her 45-hour-per-week /10-hour-per-day child care limit. Travel time is considered work time when an au pair is required to travel with the family as part of her child care responsibilities. The family would be responsible for all travel expenses, accommodations and meals.
• A host family may plan a vacation that includes the au pair. As they may not need her to assume her usual amount of child care responsibilities, part of the time may be considered work time and part vacation time. The arrangements need to be carefully discussed and agreed upon in advance of the trip. The family would be responsible for all travel expenses and accommodations and meals on work days, in addition to the au pair’s full regular stipend.
• If the host family takes vacation and the au pair remains at home, she must be paid her stipend. The family may want her to remain at home during this period and ask her to perform child related duties. If she is expected to remain at home, these days do not count as vacation days. Before the family leaves for vacation, expectations should be thoroughly discussed.
• If an au pair is traveling on her own, she should leave an emergency contact number with the host family. If she is traveling with the host family, she should leave an emergency contact number with the community counselor.

Whether you plan to stay close to home or venture further a-field, may your summer be full of fun, sun and memorable moments!

Best Regards,

Jean Quinn
Director
Au Pair in America

Jennifer Stein was outnumbered.

She had her hands full with a toddler and twin babies, and all the worry that comes along with parenting young children. Living in Texas, preparing for a hot summer, Jennifer’s mind turned to keeping her family cool, happy, and safe – where else, but at her local pool. So, when Jennifer’s “Mothers of Multiples” parenting group brought in a speaker to talk about water safety, she listened. Jennifer still recalls the lessons she learned that day, saying, “That was a real lightbulb moment for me. I didn’t realize that drowning was silent, and how quickly it could happen. And that the floaties we used as kids are not safe.”

Fast forward 10+ years, and Jennifer now uses her water safety know-how in her work as a Community Counselor with Au Pair in America. Each year, she hosts a safety meeting for the au pairs in her community, with a focus on supervision, identifying distractions, and knowing the facts about drowning.

Read more on the APIA Blog

View Water Safety Resources from Colin’s Hope

Check out the APIA Water Safety Toolkit from Colin’s Hope
Families can access it with the password APIA. The Toolkit includes:

• water safety video
• water safety checklist
• printable bookmark
• Water Guardian quiz

Host families also receive 10% discount in the Colin’s Hope online store with code APIA.

Save the Date!

APIA and Colin’s Hope – Water Safety Webinar
July 8, 2021 7:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

The Heat Is On — Tips to Stay Cool! 

Be aware and plan indoor activities if the outdoors are too hot to handle. Get the children outside early in the day or later in the day and avoid the mid-day heat. We highly recommend planning activities ahead of time so everyone can enjoy the day no matter the weather!

Tips for Staying Cool This Summer

• Check daily temperatures and make activity decisions that use common sense, especially with young children.
• Make sure everyone is drinking enough fluids. Water is best!
• Many public places, such as libraries, shopping malls and movie theaters, are air conditioned.
• Avoid hot, enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children unattended in a hot car!
• Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing.
• Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.
• Slow down, plan your day, and avoid being rushed.

Signs of Heat Overexposure

• Heavy sweating — though if heat stroke sets in, the body can no longer compensate and stops sweating
• Pale skin, muscle cramps, and feeling weak
• Headache, nausea or vomiting, and altered mental status (confusion or disorientation)
• Becoming semi-conscious or passing out
• A person/child experiencing any of the above may need medical attention. If in doubt, call 911.

American Red Cross Scholarship: Enhancing Child Care Safety Skills for Au Pairs  

Au Pair in America has a special partnership with the American Red Cross. The Red Cross Scholarship program, funded by AIFS, is extremely beneficial to au pairs wishing to expand child safety skills or develop a better understanding of child development. Approved courses currently include:

American Red Cross Adult/Pediatric First Aid CPR/AED

To qualify for course reimbursement, au pairs must have a minimum six months remaining on their contract. Each au pair is entitled to one scholarship only. Courses must be child care related. Lifesaving/swimming courses do not apply. There is a set limit to the cost of each scholarship.

Any interested au pair should talk to her Community Counselor.

Helping Au Pairs Make Safe Decisions

Alcohol

• It is illegal to drink alcohol in the United States if you are under 21.
• Using a fake ID is illegal. You can be arrested for using a fake ID.
• Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous. It puts lives at risk. You should NEVER drink and drive.
• Be a good friend and don’t let your friends drink and drive.
• Do not risk ending your participation on the program by drinking underage; it is not worth it!

Drugs

• APIA is a drug free program, use of drugs is not allowed.
• Even though marijuana use is legal with restrictions in some states, it is still not allowed on our program.
• Au pairs caught smoking marijuana or in possession of marijuana are not allowed to remain on the program.

Driving

• Make sure you have a clear understanding of the car use rules and where you are allowed to take the car.
• Be careful at night, park in well-lit safe places, and avoid empty looking car parks and indoor garages.
• Do not use your phone or any electronic devices while driving; never text and drive.
• Let your host family and Community Counselor know immediately if you get into an accident so we can help you.
• We advise all au pairs to get an American driving license, as it is the most commonly used form of ID in the USA.

Home Alone

• Sometimes you may be home alone. Talk about the house rules with your host parents.
• Talk about having friends over and find out what is allowed; talk about overnight guests and male guests.

Social Media

• Be sensible and safe about pictures you share on phones and on social media. Nothing is private!
• Do not share any personal information such as your address or phone number on social media.
• Be very cautious about texts/messages/pictures you send on a phone. You never know who might see them.
• Always ask your host family for permission before posting pictures of the children on any social media site.

Make safe choices! We want you to have a wonderful and safe year.

Cyber Safety for Au Pairs

Unfortunately, scams and fraud are a risk for any of us. Host parents and au pairs should be very cautious of anyone who reaches out to ask for personal information. Do not give personal information to any source not known or verified to YOU.

Be careful with your:

• Passport information
• Bank information
• Social Security number
• Driving license
• Home Address

Check out our helpful tips for staying safe online!

More Safety Training for Au Pairs: Free Au Pair Webinars

At Au Pair in America, we not only provide education for au pairs as part of their orientation at the beginning of the program experience, we also offer valuable ongoing training throughout the year. Every week, webinars are offered on a wide variety of child care topics, including safety and safety-related topics. We encourage au pairs to expand their learning opportunities and to connect with our program trainers and each other.

Au Pairs can view the selection of upcoming webinars being offered and register at any time. Upcoming sessions include:

• Talk, Talk, Talk: Activities to Promote Speech and Language in Young Children
• Help, My Kids Are Fighting Again!
• No School: Activities to Do with Kids of All Ages
• Toilet Training 101
• Successfully Communicating with Your Host Family

Visit our Au Pair Webinar page

Baby Safety Checklist

Au Pair in America is happy to provide safety tips on a variety of topics for au pairs to refer to as needed. Please read on for some helpful child care tips for babies!

• Check condition and sturdiness of toys. Discard any with sharp edges or are broken or falling apart.
• Check children’s clothing for loose buttons and strings.
• Is baby’s pacifier still in good condition? Never use strings to attach the pacifier to baby’s clothes or crib.
• Where do you set baby’s carrier? Not on the counter, or any high surface. Babies can wiggle and tip themselves over.
• If your stroller is collapsible, be sure latches are secure before putting baby in. Don’t hang overloaded or heavy bags on the handle of the stroller; this may cause it to tip over.
• 12 most common choking foods for kids under five? Popcorn, hot dogs, chunks of meat, raisins, ice cubes, chunky peanut butter, nuts of any kind, hard candy, grapes, raw carrots, potato chips and corn chips.
• Allergies: always discuss allergies as a family and make all child care providers completely understand any allergies.
• Don’t leave babies or toddlers alone while eating; if they begin to choke you need to be nearby to assist.
• Is the formula the right temperature? Always check that it is not too hot.
• Extra diapers? Always bring extra diapers wherever you go and change baby regularly.
• Get a piggy bank: this is a great place to put coins, so they don’t end up on the floor, in the couch cushions and then baby’s mouth.
• Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub.
• Always keep eyes on babies and toddlers or stay close by with a monitor if they are sleeping!

See more safety tips

As always, we’re here to support you! Your Community Counselor is your first contact. At Au Pair in America, we take great pride in being able to provide 24-hour support to our program participants. If you cannot reach your Community Counselor and the office is closed, there is always a Regional Program Manager on call for urgent situations. To reach our after-hours emergency line, call 1-800-928-7247 and follow the prompts at the end of the message.