Archive for February, 2010
Philadelphia International Flower Show - 28 February to 7 March
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 27, 2010
The Philadelphia International Flower Show opens tomorrow and runs through next Sunday, March 7th. It takes place at the Philadelphia Convention Center, located at 12th and Arch Streets in Center City. This year’s theme is “Passport to the World” and will feature flowers and plants from Europe, South America, Asia and New Zealand.
There are garden and floral displays, as well as individual entries, which are judged. Some of the displays will feature flowers and plants from the Brazilian rainforest, orchids from Singapore, Japanese flower displays, Dutch tulips and wildflowers from the US East Coast and PA. For a full list of all the different displays featured, click here.
For more information such as hours, admission fees and maps, visit the Flower Show’s website by clicking on the link above. You can also find directions and how to get there via Septa or Amtrak. Amtrak offers a 15% discount as well, so look for the discount code on the “Directions” page.
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Childcare Tip of the Week #10 — Reading With Your Kids
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 22, 2010
One easy way to keep your kids busy is by reading aloud to them! Research shows that children who read or are read to for 20 minutes a day do better in school. Even children as young as six months old can benefit from being reading and looking at books.
Read to your host kids in English to help you practice your language skills, and read to them in your own language too, to expose them to a second language early. Reading together can be a great activity before nap, bedtime or even just on a rainy day! This can also be a good thing to suggest for the kids to do to keep busy while you clean up from lunch or even if you need a few minutes to run to the bathroom!
The following information comes from “The More You Know“:
BUILDING READING SKILLS IN CHILDREN
Reading aloud, introducing print materials to your children and encouraging positive reading experiences all have a beneficial effect on a child’s learning and literacy. Children who are read to at least three times a week are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading than those who are read to less than three times a week. As a result, reading to kids can have lasting effects on their educational level in the future.
Literacy starts at an early age; parents should begin reading to their child at six months of age. Infants learn most through sight and sound, reading facial expressions and movements. Therefore it is important to gesture, talk, smile, and sing to young children. They will eventually recognize that the words have specific meanings. Also, introduce children to books when they are babies- soft, washable books or touch and feel stories are a great way to introduce a child to reading in a way that is fun and interesting.
As infants grow into toddlers, parents should engage them in conversation about different objects, pointing out colors, names and shapes. Books with rhymes and poems help peak children’s interest and also familiarize them with words and phrases. As a child begins school, parents should expand their library to include books with more words rather than pictures.
Around the age of four, children will begin to sound out words on their own. If they want to try reading themselves, encourage them. While most children are reading by the age of seven, each child begins developing reading skills at different times. Parents should not be discouraged if their children are reading at a later age- keep encouraging them and remain positive.
Knowledge about reading and writing go together; as children learn one, they are learning the other. When kids are toddlers, give them crayons and paper to write on. Drawing at an early age helps build muscle control, and soon your child will begin to write letters. Eventually, with the help of teachers and parents, children begin to learn the correct spelling of words. Therefore, reading skills are only a part of a larger learning process that progresses from talking, listening, reading and eventually to writing.
WHAT YOU CAN DO…
Learning to read starts in the home. By creating a comfortable atmosphere for children to read, parents can influence their learning abilities for the future. Here are a few tips that will help develop your child’s reading skills and foster an environment that makes learning both fun and interesting for your child.
- Set aside time
Try to read to your child everyday for 30 minutes. At first, read for only a few minutes at a time for several times a day, the gradually increase reading sessions as your child grows older.
- Make it visual
Point to words as you read them in order to familiarize your child with what different words look like.
- Be enthusiastic
Read various kinds of stories to your child, using different voices and changing your intonation in order to make the story more exciting. Singing the lyrics is also a good way to keep the attention of infants and toddlers.
- Repeat
Read your child’s favorite stories over and over again.
- Keep a collection
Make sure your home has plenty of reading materials that are age-appropriate for your child. Keep a collection of books, magazines and newspapers available in the house.
- Involve your child
Talk to your child about what you are reading; point out objects in pictures and talk about what is going on in the story. When your child gets old enough, ask questions as to what is going to happen next, what objects are in the pictures, and point out new words. Remember not to stop too often that your child forgets what is going on in the story.
- Set a good example
Show your children that reading is important to you as well. Read books yourself and ask your child to join you.
- Visit the library
Take trips to the library with your child and let them pick out a book for story time.
- Read everything
Reading is not just limited to books. Read street signs, cereal boxes, letters - anything you and your child see throughout the day.
LIBRARIES IN DELAWARE:
Appoquinimink Library 651 North Broad Street Middletown, DE 19709 Preschool Storytime Mondays: February 15, March 8, 15, 22,29 (No Storytime May 24) 10:30 a.m.Preschool / Kindergarten Storytime with Miss Audrey Thursdays @ 10 am Join Miss Audrey for stories, songs, crafts and activities. For children ages 3 - 6.
After-School Story Time Every other Thursday @ 4 pm (Pre-K through 2nd grade) Join Miss Jackie and Miss Audrey for stories, songs and activities for children in Pre-K through 2nd grade, which meets every other Thursday at 4:00 pm. Remaining dates: February 25, March 11 & 25, April 8 & 22, May 6 & 20, June 3
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LIBRARIES IN MARYLAND:
The Cecil County Public Library has a variety of free classes and events. The easiest way to find out what’s going on is to click the previous link and check the calendar on the website for the most accurate information.
The nearest branches are located in Elkton, Chesapeake City, North East and Rising Sun.
Chesapeake City Branch 2527 Augustine Herman Highway Chesapeake City, MD 21915 410-996-1134Elkton Central Branch 301 Newark Avenue Elkton, MD 21921 410-996-5609
North East Branch 106 W. Cecil Avenue North East, MD 21901 410-996-6269
Rising Sun Branch 111 Colonial Way Rising Sun, MD 21911 410-658-4025
Other Story Time Options:
Barnes & Noble Bookstore - Christiana Mall Storytime on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays @ 11 am upstairs in the Children’s Department. Check the link for storytime themes.Borders Books - Newark, DE 101 Geoffrey Drive, Newark DE 19713 (across from DelTech Stanton, near the Christiana Mall) Storytime Wednesdays @ 10 am, Saturdays @ 11 am
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February Au Pair Meeting
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 21, 2010
We had a great time at Grotto Pizza in Newark! It was a great chance to catch up after being snowed in and also to meet some new friends from LCC Jenny Westphal’s group.
It was nice to hear that everyone survived the snowstorms and all is well! 
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Cultural Care & Kids First in South Africa
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 18, 2010
Even two bunk beds can make a difference…
This is what Cultural Care Au Pair staff members and Local Childcare Coordinators (LCCs) learned when they visited the site of our Kids First partner in South Africa earlier this month.Kids First, Cultural Care’s own philanthropic program, raises funds for children in need worldwide, including many in a Cape Town community looked after by a woman named Mama Pumla.
Mama used $12,000 we sent last year to build a structure that would house the youngest children in her care, and our representatives visited in order to check on her progress. During the visit, we purchased even more supplies and gifts and met some incredibly special people. Whether you are already a Kids First supporter and want to know what kind of difference you’ve made or want to learn more about this program, watch our short movie.
To learn more about Cultural Care’s efforts to help children around the world, click here.
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Baby It’s Cold Outside!
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 17, 2010
As the weather continues to be chilly across much of the U.S., now is a great time for host families and au pairs to get on the same page regarding appropriate outdoor attire for the kids. Sometimes kids can have their own ideas about what counts as a “winter coat” and they may or may not think that a hat and gloves are a necessity when they head out in a snow storm. However, if the au pair is responsible for helping to get everyone together in the morning and especially during inclement weather, it’s important that they know what the expectations are of the parents in this regard. Families and au pairs are encouraged to discuss this important seasonal issue.
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Childcare Tip of the Week #9 - How To Drive in Hazardous Conditions
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 16, 2010
Since we have had–and continue to have–significant snowfall here in Delaware and Maryland, it is important to be aware of safe and responsible driving in hazardous road conditions. As an au pair, many of you have the responsibility of driving your host children. This is a big responsibility, so I challenge you to read these tips, watch the video and check out some of the sites, games and tests. If you are going to be taking either the DE or MD driving test, then I encourage you to check out some of the available classes and links for lessons and practice tests. Most importantly–STAY SAFE THIS WINTER DRIVING SEASON.
TIPS FOR DRIVING IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS
- Get a grip. To have adequate snow traction, a tire requires at least 6/32-inch deep tread, according to The Tire Rack. (New passenger-car tires usually have 10/32-inch of tread.) Ultrahigh-performance “summer” tires have little or no grip in snow. Even “all-season” tires don’t necessarily have great snow traction: Some do, some don’t. If you live where the roads are regularly covered with snow, use snow tires (sometimes called “winter tires” by tiremakers). They have a “snowflake on the mountain” symbol on the sidewall, meaning they meet a tire-industry standard for snow traction.
- Make sure you can see. Replace windshield wiper blades. Clean the inside of your windows thoroughly. Apply a water-shedding material (such as Rain-X) to the outside of all windows, including the mirrors. Make sure your windshield washer system works and is full of an anti-icing fluid. Drain older fluid by running the washers until new fluid appears: Switching fluid colors makes this easy.
- Run the air-conditioner. In order to remove condensation and frost from the interior of windows, engage your air-conditioner and select the fresh air option: It’s fine to set the temperature on “hot.” Many cars automatically do this when you choose the defrost setting.
- Check your lights. Use your headlights so that others will see you and, we hope, not pull out in front of you. Make sure your headlights and taillights are clear of snow. If you have an older car with sand-pitted headlights, get a new set of lenses. To prevent future pitting, cover the new lens with a clear tape like that used to protect the leading edge of helicopter rotor blades and racecar wings. It’s available from auto-racing supply sites.
- Give yourself a brake. Learn how to get maximum efficiency from your brakes before an emergency. It’s easy to properly use anti-lock brakes: Stomp, stay and steer. Stomp on the pedal as if you were trying to snap it off. Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle. (A warning: A little bit of steering goes a very long way in an emergency. See Tip 8.) If you drive on icy roads or roads that are covered with snow, modify your ABS technique: After you “Stomp” and the ABS begins cycling — you will feel pulses in the pedal or hear the system working — ease up slightly on the pedal until the pulsing happens only once a second.For vehicles without ABS, you’ll have to rely on the old-fashioned system: You. For non-ABS on a mixed-surface road, push the brake pedal hard until the wheels stop rolling, then immediately release the brake enough to allow the wheels to begin turning again. Repeat this sequence rapidly. This is not the same as “pumping the brake.” Your goal is to have the tires producing maximum grip regardless of whether the surface is snow, ice or damp pavement. Use the tips in “How To Survive the Top 10 Driving Emergencies” to practice before the emergency.
- Watch carefully for “black ice.” If the road looks slick, it probably is. This is especially true with one of winter’s worst hazards: “black ice.” Also called “glare ice,” this is nearly transparent ice that often looks like a harmless puddle or is overlooked entirely. Test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel.
- Remember the tough spots. Race drivers must memorize the nuances of every track, so they can alter their path for changing track conditions. You must remember where icy roads tend to occur. Bridges and intersections are common places. Also: wherever water runs across the road. I know people who lost control on ice caused by homeowners draining above-ground pools and by an automatic lawn sprinkler that sprayed water onto a street in freezing temperatures.
- Too much steering is bad. If a slick section in a turn causes your front tires to lose grip, the common — but incorrect — reaction is to continue turning the steering wheel. That’s like writing checks on an overdrawn account: It won’t improve the situation and may make things worse. If the icy conditions end and the front tires regain grip, your car will dart whichever way the wheels are pointed. That may be into oncoming traffic or a telephone pole. Something very similar happens if you steer too much while braking with ABS. Sadly, there are situations where nothing will prevent a crash, but turning the steering too much never helps.
- Avoid rear-tire slides. First, choose a car with electronic stability control. Fortunately, ESC will be mandatory on all 2012 models. Next, make sure your rear tires have at least as much tread as your front tires. Finally, if you buy winter tires, get four.
- Technology offers no miracles. All-wheel drive and electronic stability control can get you into trouble by offering a false sense of security. AWD can only help a vehicle accelerate or keep moving: It can’t help you go around a snow-covered turn, much less stop at an icy intersection. ESC can prevent a spinout, but it can’t clear ice from the roads or give your tires more traction. Don’t let these lull you into overestimating the available traction.
Related Links
Driver’s License Practice!
Sample Driver’s Test Questions & Answers for Delaware
Free Practice Test for Delaware Drivers
Sample Driver’s Test Questions & Answers for Maryland
Free Practice Test for Maryland Drivers
Defensive Driving
Online Defensive Driving Course
Keys to Defensive Driving from Nemours
Defensive Driving Course - Del Tech, Wilmington / Stanton, DE
Defensive Driving Course - Del Tech, Terry Campus (Dover, DE)
Local Driving Schools and Instructors
License To Drive Professional Driving Instruction - Bear, DE
Approved Defensive Driving Course Providers - Delaware DMV
Certified Driver’s Education Schools - Maryland MVA
Cecil College Driver Education - North East, MD
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Cultural Care’s Au Pair of the Year 2010 Nominees
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 15, 2010
Cultural Care Au Pair received almost 200 nominations for the “Au Pair of the Year” Award, three of which we sent to the International Au Pair Association for final consideration. (Each au pair agency is allowed to submit just three nominees.) Watch our movie to meet Cultural Care Au Pair’s three finalists, Ann-Kathrin, Patrizia and Sandra and to see photos and the names of ALL of our nominees.
Au Pairs of the Year for Pennsylvania and Delaware are…
Au Pair of the Year, PA: Saskia Groene, Germany hosted by the Wagner Host Family, PA: Saskia has been the most wonderful addition to our family this year. She brings so many great attributes, and talents, and has made such a tremendous difference to our family that we just don’t know how we’ll survive without her! You must first know that our family became seriously ill with Lyme disease a few years ago, and while we’ve healed substantially, there is still a lot that the children cope with including medicines, not being able to eat what every other kid eats, as well as intermittent pain, and other lingering issues from these horrible diseases. What we have wanted most for our kids is for them to feel “normal” and to be as functional as possible. For a new aupair coming to the US, it is hard enough, with the language, and different culture, let alone having to deal with this strange situation. When Saskia first came, we thought, oh my - she looks so young (and maybe not strong enough, assertive enough to deal with 3 enthusiastic and thankfully energetic kids)… but that impression was very misleading. Saskia is one of the most confident, active learners we’ve had as an aupair — and we speak from experience — she is actually our 8th aupair! Saskia has incredible enthusiasm, and commitment, takes her job seriously, and has terrific relationship and communication skills. She has initiative, and anticipates what is needed, and quickly became an integral part of the parenting team in our family. She is able to balance the authority of being the aupair “in charge” and developing strong friendships with Sarah, Sam and Peter. Our Peter calls her “his Saskia” — she has become a total member of our family, and we know we have found a life-long friend. She has had to juggle the complexities of medicines for 3 children, with school assignments and at times, handle sick or hurting children, and was so responsive and caring with our kids, that our family has healed a lot this year on many levels with her help. She has helped us organize our household so we could finally clean-up some of the many “messes” that occured when our family was severely ill with Lyme disease. She keeps our home humming on a routine that is beneficial to all, and yet manages to be flexible as well adapting to our varied scheduled. Both my husband and I have flexible schedules that change quickly involving international travel at times for me (I am a management consultant), and sudden meetings for my husband (he is Pastor of a Lutheran Church), and handles such changes with grace and agility. And, we have also gained an “extended family” through her family - it turns out that Saskia is a Pastor’s daughter –her father is a retired Lutheran Pastor in Germany, and we had the pleasure of having her family stay with us for many weeks this year, enjoying and connecting with them as if they were truly family. Cultural Care made an excellent match with us. Every year brings new talents and personalities, that all enrich our lives — but this year has been special in so many ways — Saskia’s joy, enthusiasm, energy, love, and great organizational and leadership skills as an aupair have been outstanding. We expect her to do great things in her life, and are just glad to have been a part of her journey. Our children fully expect to be her “au pair” in the future!
Au Pair of the Year Delaware: Eunice Sanjuan, Colombia, hosted by the Green Host Family, DE: Our Au Pair, Eunice, arrived to our home on April 3, 2009. At that time, I was pregnant with identical twin boys. We also have a two year old son, Jerry. I went into premature labor on April 7, 2009 and Eunice improvised every well with caring Jerry and being in a new environment. She was responsible for his care that day after having only met him 4 days prior. This can be quite a challenge with a toddler since they experience stranger anxiety. She did a wonderful job keeping him occupied so that he would not sense that something was wrong. I was released later that day and went home to rest. Eunice was great in caring for Jerry so that I did not have to and helping to care for me. She is an extremely passionate and generous person. I had the twins on April 9, 2009 and she was responsible for caring for Jerry while my family was at the hospital. She was very conscientious about his schedule and trying to make him comfortable since his family was not around. A great example of Eunice’s exceptionalness is after my parents arrived at my house following the birth of my twins, they found her sitting on a stool in front of our baby monitor so that she would not fall asleep in case our son Jerry woke up and needed something. Her actions spoke volumes to me since she had only been in our family for 6 days. Our twins spent 4 weeks in the NICU and Eunice accompanied me to the hospital many times to get to know the twins and to gain experience in caring for premature infants. She also attended an infant CPR course with me and my husband prior to the twins’ release from the hospital so that we were all trained in case of an emergency. When the twins came home from the hospital, they were both on heart monitors which was new for all of us. Eunice did a great job learning the equipment and responding quickly if they alarmed. She was never left alone with the twins when they were on the monitors but she was essential in the functioning of our household during the early weeks of chaos. Eunice blended into our family very quickly and has become a valued member of our family. My children are extremely happy to be left in her care and we don’t have any concerns about their safety or well being. She speaks excellent English and is teaching our son Jerry to speak Spanish. Eunice is respectful of our home and follows any instructions I give her in regards to the boys. In addition, I am an avid photographer and love capturing pictures of my children. While I am at work, Eunice will take pictures of the boys for me so that I don’t miss any moments. She also will send me frequent text messages to advise me how the boys’ day is going. Eunice was not familiar with breast milk when she arrived at our home but has done a phenomenal job making sure the milk is correctly handled and heated. It is quite challenging, even as their mother, to handle twins and an older sibling. Eunice does this with care and compassion. I truly believe that she loves our children and only wants the best for them. I am very confident that she will remain a part of our lives even after she is no longer our Au Pair.
Thanks to all of our host families who submitted nominations, and congratulations to each and every Cultural Care au pair who was nominated. You are all winners in our book!
To see some of our local superstar au pairs, be sure to check out the Au Pair of the Month section of this website!
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Cultural Care Offices Closed for the Holiday Weekend
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 12, 2010
Please be advised that this weekend our offices will be closed Saturday 2/13 - Monday 2/15. This means we will not have staff available to make connection calls until Tuesday 2/16.
Customer Service and other office departments will also not return until Tuesday. As always if there is an emergency on the weekend or Monday, please utilize the Emergency Beeper and the on-call staff will be available to assist. The emergency beeper can be accessed by dialing: 800-333-6056 option 9.
Thank you and have a great long weekend!
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Get a taste of spring this weekend at Longwood Gardens!
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 12, 2010
Escape Winter - Come Indoors to Longwood Gardens
This weekend, bring your sweetheart to Longwood! Flowers, fragrance and strolling musicians help to set the romantic mood. The paths leading to the Conservatory are clear, transporting you to an Orchid Extravaganza inside our 4-acres under glass. We could all use a chance to get out of the house and enjoy upcoming sunny days! The outdoor garden paths are limited while we continue our snow removal process.
Join us on President’s Day (February 15), for School’s Out Mondays! Find out what plants do when the garden is asleep. Kids can wear their PJs and receive a coupon for a free cookie redeemable that day at the Terrace Restaurant. Fun activities are scheduled from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and are located in the Indoor Children’s Garden.
Don’t miss the last two OrKID Days! Enjoy a family performance, crafts and the chance to meet exotic animals. February 20 features the Suzi Shelton Band and animals from The Brandywine Zoo. February 27 features Alex & the Kaleidscope Band and animals from the Elmwood Park Zoo. Activites are included with Gardens’ admission. Concerts begin at 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm and the animals are on display from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Longwood Gardens is located in Kennett Square, PA, right over the state line from Delaware. For more information, including maps, directions and admission costs, visit their website.
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More Activity Ideas with Snow!
No Comment |Posted by: Amy Bryan on February 10, 2010
We have so much snow out there right now–why not use some of it to try some of these things with your kids!
SNOW ICE CREAM
Ingredients
* 1 bowl of clean fresh snow
* 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
* 1 Tsp of Vanilla extract
* mix ingredients together and eat and enjoy…
RAINBOW SNOW ART
you will need
* old spray bottles
* water
* assorted food coloring
* area of snow to color
* dish soap
If using spray bottles that had contained cleaning products rinse thoroughly and explain to the children CANNOT eat the snow or drink the liquid from the bottle
Fill the bottles with warm water and food coloring add a squirt of dish soap to make the mixture less likely to stain hands and clothing… make a rainbow or decorate your snowman for lots of fun in the snow.
MAKE A SNOW HUT
Making Shapes in the Snow
There’s more to it than just snow angels!
For powdery to moderately sticky snow, making snow angels can be great fun.
The easiest and most traditional way to do it is to lie on your back in the snow, swish your legs and arms up and down/out to the sides, then try to find a way to get up without destroying your creation. Voila! A snow angel!
If you’re craving a bit more variety in your human snow stamping, try a few different techniques.
Try it from the side
Just like a shadow puppet, try to think of different shapes your silhouette could make in the snow. Lie down on your side and strike a pose like you’re running or jumping. After you get up, does it look like you expected? See what swirling your arm or leg might do to alter the shape. You might be surprised how many different shapes you can make with just a few different movements!
Stamp, don’t swish
Instead of moving your arms and legs fluidly like you would in a traditional snow angel, try lifting your legs and arms up and then ’stamping’ them back into the snow a little further out. Bring them back to their original position and stand up to look at your creation. You’ll have a bunch of different lines almost like a snowflake.
Make patterns
You could try kneeling instead of lying down, and then doing fun things like punching the snow with your mitten in a circle or dragging sticks with your arms extended. This can create really cool circular patterns and dots. You could also lie flat on your back and have someone else trace around your body with a stick, making dots or dashes.
You might also look for things that have unique shapes like different sized buckets, rakes, or tennis rackets. Try stamping the bucket and then weaving lines around with the rake for a cool snowy pattern.
ICE CUBE SCAVENGER HUNT
Using food coloring, freeze ice cubes of one color or of several different colors. Hide cubes in the snow in a designated area and let the children try to find them.
MAPLE TAFFY ON SNOW
Boil pure maple syrup to 122 C or 252 F. Drizzle on well-packed snow. Make sure it is cool before licking. (It is essential that pure maple syrup be used and not any other maple-flavored syrup).
CATCHING SNOWFLAKES
Place a black sheet of paper into a freezer until cold. Take outdoors and use a magnifying glass to view snowflakes that land on the paper.
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