Live In Childcare With An International Benefit!

New families who register from January 19, 2012 through January 24, 2012, will receive a $75 application fee waiver and a $750 program fee discount when welcoming an au pair by July 31, 2012.

Contact me via email at jane.patterson@lcc.culturalcare.com for the Promocode!

Au Pairs: Adriana (Venezuela), Kelly, Monica,Maria, Anny (Colombia),
Miriam and Beli (Germany)

Last night, Zumba at Urban Active  at The Greene was the au pair get together for January! What a healthy way to start off the au pair 2012 year! Au pairs danced up a sweat for 45 minutes of action packed Zumba!

Way to go girls! I’m the luckiest Local Childcare Coordinator at Cultural Care Au Pair! You ladies can care for children all day long and still have the energy to Zumba!!

For more information about the au pair program, please contact Jane at 937-344-6248 or email at jane.patterson@lcc.culturalcare.com. Cost to host an au pair averages $350 per week per family, not per child!

Below is the monthly meeting schedule for Jane’s au pairs for 2012!
2012 Monthly Meeting Activity - Revised 1/7/11

Tuesday, January 17th 7 p.m. Zumba - The Greene

Saturday, February 4th, 4 p.m. Skiing at MadRiver Mountain.  We will also discuss Safety: Household poisoning prevention

Sunday, March 11th TAX PREP HELP with tax specialist.  Tax specialist will assist au pairs with their tax form.

Saturday, April 21st or Sunday, 22nd - Laser Tag

Sunday, May 6th Mother’s Day Tea Host Family event -  Au pairs bring your host moms to a tea in honor of upcoming Mother’s Day.

Saturday, June 2nd 10:00 a.m. Horseback riding at Carriage Hill Metropark

Sunday, July 29th or August 5th 9:30 a.m. Beach Waterpark with Cincinnati Au Pairs - Water safety meeting

Saturday, August 25th Bicycling at Riverscape Metropark

Saturday, September 15th Clifton Gorge Hiking - Lunch Yellow Springs

Wednesday, October 3rd 6:30 p.m. Winter Driving Safety - Bar Louie

Friday, November 23rd 11:30 am. Kids First Gift Wrapping At The Greene

Sunday, December 16th - Christmas Host Family Event - Fire Safety

Dear host family:

My name is Maria and I am from Mexico City. I am 24 years old and currently living with a family in CT but it is not working out. I cared for two 10 year old twins.  I’m available NOW!!

For me family is the most important thing in the world, so I love spend time with them.

My mom is a great cook, so I’ve learned how to cook, especially Mexican food and desserts. I like to cook, especially desserts, make art crafts, scrapbooking and play games. I also like a lot take pictures; I take my camera wherever I go. I love writing, I write about a lot of topics.

I graduated with degree in journalism and kindergarten teaching degree.

Since I was a 2 years old I do ballet, so I’ve taught ballet to girls around 3 to 8 years old, and I love it, is great to see how girls can love ballet like I do.

My childcare experience includes: Led/coached a team, or worked as a camp counselor for girl’s ages 3 - 11 years old. I also cared for 6 months old and 5 years old. With the 5 year old, we play with clay, draw books, and watch movies. He loves to ride bike, so sometimes I took him to the park so he can ride and be with another kids. At summer he loved to play with water, so I take out to the yard a plastic pool and played with him. When he was a baby I changed his diapers and fed him. With infants, since they cannot play a lot,  I change diapers, clothes and feed them. If they are sick I gave them the medicines.
I have my driver’s license since 2004, so driving your children to activities is no problem. I drove a lot since I had my own car.

I really would love to live with a nice family that treats me like a family member and teach me how is the life in the United States.
I love kids. I expect to have nice host children that like me. I will put all my effort into make them happy and teach them new things, being responsible, loving and fun.

If you are interested in me, please call Coordinator,  Jane at 937-344-6248.  I’m with Cultural Care Au Pair.

Looking forward to see you soon.

Love
Maria

Anny (au pair from Colombia) with host children (triplets)

Dear Anny,

Merry Christmas! It is hard to believe you have been here for nearly seven months! We are so happy you chose to come live with our family. Since the first day we met you, you have blended so well with us. You are truly a godsend to our family. We cannot imagine not having you here.
You are amazing with our children. There aren’t many people who could patiently and lovingly take care of three 2-year-olds all day. You make it look easy, even when one (or more!) of them is having a bad day. You never lose your temper or become upset. Everything you do is done with love and respect, and we are so grateful for that. We never worry when the kids are in your care, because you love and care for them like they are your own.
The kids absolutely adore you. From your songs to the “stuck” game, you have left a mark on their lives and their hearts. They are blessed to spend their days with someone who loves them so much.
Thank you for being such a wonderful au pair, and more importantly, a wonderful person. We are so happy to have you as part of our family. We hope you are happy, too. We love you!

Love,
Rose and Josh
Lando, Reesie Roo, and Baby Girl

Miriam - 20 year old au pair from Germany

Dear Miriam,

Tonight, as I was putting Katy and Bella to sleep, I asked them what they love best about you. Katy told me “everything, Mommy! I love everything about Miriam!” And Bella nodded emphatically, with wide eyes, and said “Yes, Mommy, everything.” So you see, Miriam, everything about you is loved. How lucky to have such unconditional and complete adoration. But, you deserve it. You are so good and so kind and so patient with my daughters. I love the way you play with them. I love the way you teach them about your culture. I love the way you will take them out and about to parks, to museums, to hike, to swim. I love the way you teach them responsibility, too, by having them do their homework, clean up after themselves, and say “please” and “thank you”. And I love the way you are so conscientious with me and with Jim, letting us know when you are away that you are okay, where you are, and when you will be home. I couldn’t ask for a better au pair. I am so very grateful that you are sharing this year of your life with us. I asked Amelia, too, what she loved best about you. She told me, not surprisingly and as I am sure you could guess, “I love you best, Mommy.” But then, she added, “I love Miriam, too.” Yes, Miriam, you are loved by us all!

Love,
Melissa, Jim, Katy, Bella, and Amelia

Last Saturday, au pairs and LCC, Jane Patterson, gathered for a holiday get together last Friday at Jane’s home. The event was an au pair meeting where au pairs brought food/beverage to share and a secret Santa gift.  The big surprise of the evening was when LCC Jane secretly asked the host families or host children to write a letter to their au pair, telling them why they were important to them.  There were many laughs, but mostly tears!  The au pairs read the letters out loud and were so touched by the letters!  The letters made everyone shed a tear or two!  What wonderful host families and au pairs!!

The evening ended with a white elephant exchange (gifts provided by LCC Jane).  It was alot of fun!

If you are interested in the au pair program, please contact Jane at jane.patterson@lcc.culturalcare.com or 937-344-6248!  Cost to host an au pair averages around $345 per week per family!

BounceU is the Dayton area’s largest indoor inflatable party center where your kids can “Bounce off OUR walls instead of YOURS”.   BounceU has a 13,000 square ft facility with 10 Giant Inflatables, including the area’s ONLY 20′ Spider Mountain. Join them for Private Birthday Parties, Holiday Parties, Sport Team Events, Field Trips or Fundraising. Click on this link to visit their website!  This is a great place for host families and au pairs to take thier children!!

BounceU is located at 2109 Lyons Rd in Miamisburg, near the Dayton Mall.

Feel free to call for more details: 937.610.0500.

Secret Santa Exchange will be the theme of December’s au pair meeting.  The meeting will be held at Jane Patterson, Local Childcare Coordinator’s home, on December 16th at 6:15 p.m.  Au pairs selected their secret santa at the November Winter Driving safety meeting and decided to spend $10 on the gift.  Each au pair will bring food or beverage to share.

Looking forward to seeing my wonderful au pairs!!

If you or someone you know in the U.S. is interested in live in childcare via the au pair program, please have them contact Jane at jane.patterson@lcc.culturalcare.com!!

Safe winter driving was the theme for the November au pair meeting.  The information below was published by the Ohio Committee For Severe Weather Awareness

Winter-wise Driving Tips

1. Pay attention to weather reports on the radio. Allow time in your schedule for bad weather and/or traffic delays.
2. Become familiar with your vehicle’s winter weather operating characteristics. Front-wheel-drive vehicles generally handle better than rear-wheel vehicles on slippery roads because the weight of the engine is on the drive wheels, improving traction.
3. Keep your windows clear of snow and ice. Remember to clean head, tail and brake lights.
4. If you need to turn on your wipers, turn on your headlights. Effective January 1, 2010, Ohio law requires drivers to turn on vehicle headlights whenever windshield wipers are in operation due to any precipitation. Failing to do so is a secondary offense, meaning motorists cannot be stopped solely for failing to have lights on with wipers. They must be stopped for another offense, such as speeding, before they can be ticketed and fined for not having headlights on. Fines start at $100. Click here to read ORC 4513.03.
5. To prevent fuel line freeze-up, keep your gas tank at least half full. Fill your gas tank before your vehicle is parked for lengthy periods.
6. Leave ample stopping time between you and the driver in front of you. Braking distance can be up to nine times greater on snowy, icy surfaces than on dry roads.
7. If your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), be sure to: STOMP - firmly depress the brake pedal. STAY on the brakes - do not pump the brakes. STEER where you want the vehicle to go.
8. Gently pump non-ABS brakes to stop the vehicle. Take any corrective action gradually. You need to maintain full control of the vehicle. Refer to the vehicle operations manual for proper methods to correct skids.
9. During winter travel, it is best to supply those at your destination with the following information: your cell phone number, departure time, travel route and anticipated arrival time.
10. Lock your vehicle, even in bad weather. If locks freeze, heat the key. Do not pour hot water on the locks - they will refreeze.
11. Drive with extreme caution on bridges and overpasses during freezing temperatures. Because bridge temperatures can be 5-6 degrees colder than roadways, they can become slick and icy before roads.
12. Stay with your vehicle while warming it up. An unattended, running car invites theft.

Survival Tips if Stranded

The best advice is to remain with the vehicle. If nothing else, you are guaranteed shelter. Other helpful tips include:

1. Tie a bright colored cloth (handkerchief, towel, etc.) to the vehicle’s antenna, driver door handle or outside mirror.
2. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. Poisonous gases can filter into the vehicle if the pipe is clogged.
3. Run the engine and heater no more than 10 minutes every hour, leaving a downwind window slightly open for ventilation while the engine is running.
4. Light a flare or turn on a flashlight to let others know you’re stranded in the vehicle.
5. Use floor mats, seat covers and blankets for added warmth. If you must leave your vehicle during a severe snow storm or blizzard, secure a line of rope or cord to yourself and the vehicle to avoid becoming lost or disoriented.
6. Keep bottled water in your emergency kit or vehicle. Never eat snow. It will chill you and lower your body temperature.
7. Remain calm. Chances for rescue are better if you remain calm and in your vehicle.

For more winter driving tips, please visit this website

For more information about the au pair program, contact Jane at 937-344-6248 or email: jane.patterson@lcc.culturalcare.com