Amy Bryan, Local Childcare Coordinator

Meeting Location Change — Please note!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 27, 2009

Due to the heavy rains and likely muddy conditions at Milburn, we will NOT be meeting there today.  Instead, we will meet in the designated alternate location of Starbucks at 454 E Main Street in Middletown.

We will still meet at 11 am as before. This will allow everyone time to meet our new au pairs and host families are still invited to join us if they wish.  However, to make up for today, October’s meeting will most likely now also be a host family event.

Au pairs are still expected to attend and arrive on time and there will still be a drawing for a gift card for those who do arrive by 11!  I will also announce the Au Pair of the Month and go over a few other items.  New au pairs are encouraged to ask questions of their fellow au pairs, and it would also be a good chance to set up play dates or make other plans together.

How Was Your Day? A Simple Question That Can Mean So Much

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 23, 2009

This seems like such a simple question and takes only a second to ask someone.  However, it’s often forgotten and easily dismissed in the midst of the chaos and flurry of activity within host family homes across the country.  When a host mother or host father comes home at the end of the day and neglects to ask this simple question of the au pair, they miss the opportunity to engage with the person who is taking care of the most important thing in the world to them, their children.  They also miss the opportunity to recognize some of the challenges the au pair may have experienced which can build up over time and cause greater frustration and reasons for transition. 

When an au pair neglects to ask this simple question of the host mother or host father, they miss the opportunity to engage with the people who can help make their au pair experience an unforgettable one.  By not engaging with the host family in this very simple way, they may be unknowingly sending a message that as soon as the parents come home, they are “off the clock” and uninterested in being a part of the family.  They may also miss out on the opportunity to understand that it’s because of a big case, a major project, some sort of office shake-up or other work-related crisis that is causing the host mother or host father to be distracted or stressed out and it’s not because of the au pair.      

It’s easy to get so caught up in our own experiences each day that something like this can fall off of our already full to-do lists.  Just a small investment of time in this simple question as well as the answer given can provide a great deal of insight into the experiences of someone who makes a big difference in your every day life. 

More Au Pair Lesson Plans & Activities Posted

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 15, 2009

Be sure to check out the tab titled “Au Pair Lesson Plans & Activities” for some great activities, crafts and fun things to do with the kids.  These can be really helpful for au pairs who might be struggling to keep the kids busy during the day or even just fun for families as well.  I hope you will use them as resources to do the best job you can for your host family. 

If you’re stuck, I’m here to help.  I can give you ideas for how to make them work for individual au pairs.  I was a foreign language teacher for several years, so I am experienced in adapting plans and ideas to work for different people!  Au pairs are not expected to be teachers; however, an entire day can be tough to fill and au pairs should be interacting with the children when they are together, so hopefully some of these ideas will be inspiring.

Fun Fall Cultural Events In Our Area This Week!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 14, 2009

This week brings a taste of Central Europe to New Castle County, as both the Polish Festival and German Oktoberfest celebrations are happening this week!  Even if you don’t have an au pair from Poland or Germany, these are still great ways to experience another culture with friends and family!

First off, the Polish Festival will be happening from today, September 14th through Saturday, September 19th on the Wilmington Riverfront, near Frawley Stadium.  You can see the exact location here.  Admission and parking are free!  The kitchens open at 5 pm during the week and at 4 pm on Saturday and will be serving traditional Polish dishes.  Traditional music will also be featured each night as well.  There is also a midway with carnival games and rides.  The festival is sponsored by St. Hedwig parish in Wilmington.

This weekend will also bring the Bavarian tradition of Oktoberfest right here to Newark!  The Delaware Saengerbund will host its annual celebration on the grounds of their club, located at 49 Salem Church Road, Newark.  The Fest opens on Friday, September 18th at 5 pm and closes at 11 pm.  The opening parade begins at 7 pm with ceremonies similar to those held in Munich, the home of Oktoberfest.  The festival opens at noon on Saturday and Sunday, closing at 11 pm Saturday and ending at 6 pm on Sunday.

The Fest will feature traditional foods, dance, music and costumes from Bavaria, the southeastern region of Germany where this festival has been held for centuries.  There is also a midway with carnival games and rides.  Admission is $7, which benefits the Saengerbund.  Food and midway entertainment cost extra–the food is definitely worth it though!  You can find out more information at the Saengerbund’s website.

Welcome Emilio and Therese!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 14, 2009

This week, we welcome two new au pairs to our area! 

Emilio and Therese have arrived from Training School and joined their families in Middletown and Bear!

Emilio is 18 and joins us from his home country of Argentina.  He will be living with his host family in Middletown and will be caring for six kids!

Therese is also 18 and she joins us from Sweden.  She will be living with her host family in Bear and cares for 2 children.

Please contact them and welcome them to Delaware.  I’m sure they’d love to get to know the fabulous au pairs we have here in our area, so be sure to invite them on your next trip to Starbucks, the mall or wherever you’re off to on your off-duty time!

Good luck to you both as you begin your au pair year!  I hope you have a wonderful experience!

Join the Community and the Conversation!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on September 9, 2009

We are very excited to announce a new communication tool and resource — an on-line community for host families called the Cultural Care Community.  Join the conversation through this new site where families can ask a question, share an idea, report a problem or give praise. Cultural Care staff, LCCs and other host families can all join the conversation by responding to any of the questions, ideas, problems or compliments or adding their own.  

You can access the site at  http://community.culturalcare.com.  This new community is not meant to replace the industry-standard customer service structure and systems that we already have in place but rather to give host families a public forum to share with us and each other.

The response to the community so far has been very positive and we hope that this social media site proves to be a valuable tool and that it demonstrates to our host families, present and future, that we value feedback and are committed to helping our customers.  Let us know what you think!