Archive for the 'Local Info' Category
Give Kids A Smile
No Comment |Posted by: mcalabro on January 16, 2012
THANK YOU HOST PARENTS DR. BRUCE AND DR. ANNE NGHIEM AND THE STAFF AT THE CENTER FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE IN SIMSBURY for extending an invitation to complimentary dental care to the Simsbury residents and surrounding communities that are younger than 21 and in need of dental care.
This will include hygiene cleanings, fillings and extractions. The event will be held on February 11, 2012 and patients up to 21 years of age can participate. This is a very generous offer and I hope that many au pairs can take advantage of this.
This event is expected to be very successful, and tickets will be handed out on a first come basis. The office will open at 7:45 am with the first appointment starting at 8:00 am and ending at 3:00 pm. Please make sure you get there before 9:30 am.
Please call 860-658-1991 if you have any questions.
Center for Dental Excellence, 625 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070
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An au pair, a family member for many years to come
| 2 Comments |Posted by: mcalabro on July 18, 2011
One of the many joys of working with host families and au pairs is seeing them form life long connections and strong bonds.
The Krupnikoff family of Farmington is a true testament to that. Over the years they have hosted many au pairs who remain a big part of their family.
Patricia Krupnikoff, host mother of 10 (soon to be 11) au pairs from Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Austria, Czech Republic and soon Sweden, shared this with me:
“As a host family, one of the best benefits to living with au pairs is learning about different cultures. Whether we learn from them or they learn from us, it is great to share ideas, customs, and interests between au pairs and host families. In our case, we continue our relationships with our au pairs beyond their time with us during each year. We are currently hosting our tenth au pair and we have traveled to Europe twice, staying with former au pairs and their families in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. As well, our former au pairs have become friends with one another through us and developed familiar relationships themselves, especially when they come back to visit here in Connecticut. Recently, our eighth au pair, Barbara, returned this month to stay with us. She met Vanessa, our current au pair and they worked together to help with my children this week. In turn, we enjoyed time together at Winding Trails in Farmington all week and touring in Mystic, CT and Watch Hill, RI over the weekend. It was great to see Barbara and Vanessa share the love of our children and act as true family members.
Since we stayed with Barbara’s own family in the Austrian Alps last summer, we could talk about many fun times together this week while she was here. While in Austria, Barbara’s family introduced us to several amazing tourist sites like taking the gondola to the top of Schoppernau mountain or traveling to meet another former au pair, Fernanda and her husband in Zurich, Switzerland. Barbara was also able to meet our second au pair, Michaela in Berchtesgaden, Germany when we traveled across Austria together by train. While there, Michaela took Barbara and our family to Hellbrun Castle in Salzburg. Again, while Barbara was here this week, we talked about all our adventures together and how much we learned about each other’s countries. These types of experiences are what make hosting au pairs special in the lives of our children and what I believe they will remember forever.”
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- au pairs Barbara and Vanessa are enjoying Winding Trails with host children Lauren and Sam (Jess and friends
were in the water)
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- Barbara and Vanessa in Watch Hill, R.I. with host child Jessica in the middle
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- Host mom Patrica and children with au pair Barbara in Schoppernau, Austria
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- Fernanda (Krupnikoff's au pair # 5) and Barbara Krupnikoff's au pair # 8) in Zuerich, Switzerland
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- Host children Sam, Jessica and Lauren with au pairs Michaela (Krupnikoff's au pair # 2) and Barbara in Salzburg
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- Vanessa, Barbara with their host children and host dad, Henry, in Mystic, CT
Over the years I have had many au pairs come back to the Farmington Valley to visit their host family. Besides Barbara Bischof visiting the Krupnikoff’s, Barbara Grabher from Austria is in Granby visiting her family and Katja Hillesheim is visiting her family in Farmington.
The Brayton family of Simsbury refer to their former au pairs as “au pair daughters” and they are currently visiting their first au pair Anna from Poland and their third au pair Elli from Austria. Can’t wait to hear about their trip!
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Keeping our children safe in, on, and around the water
No Comment |Posted by: mcalabro on June 15, 2011
Drowning is the second most common cause of death from injuries among kids under the age of 14. Drowning can happen so fast — sometimes in less than 2 minutes after a person’s head goes under the water. That leaves very little time for someone to help.
Many drownings and near-drownings occur when a kid accidentally falls into a swimming pool. But accidents can happen anywhere — at someone’s home or even at your own house, and that’s why you need to know how to be safe around water.
PREVENTION TIPS:
- Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water in the home. Empty all sinks, tubs and buckets immediately after use. Store all containers upside down and out of reach.
- Do not rely on a bath support ring to keep a baby safe in the tub without adult supervision.
- Never leave a child unsupervised in or around a swimming pool or spa, even for a moment. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer the phone. All wading and inflatable pools should be empty when not in use.
- Teach children to practice safe water habits. They should always wade into water first before diving or jumping to avoid hitting their heads on a shallow bottom. Children should not push or jump on others in the water.
- Children should never swim alone.
- Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals or ponds. Older children are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their swimming ability.
- Make sure children are swimming in designated areas in oceans, lakes and rivers. Look for clear water with little or no current and check the depth of the water before swimming or diving.
- Children over age 3 should learn to swim from qualified instructors but caregivers should keep in mind that lessons do not make children “drown-proof.” Never rely on a PFD or swimming lessons to protect a kid.
- Adults and children over age 13 should learn infant and child CPR.
- Children should not dive in water unless an adult is present and knows that the water is more than nine feet deep.
- Adults should not rely on pool covers to prevent children from drowning. Water must be kept from collecting on the surface of pool covers.
- Children and adults should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD when on a boat, near open bodies of water or when participating in water sports. Air-filled swimming aids, such as “water wings,” are not considered safety devices and are not substitutes for PFD.
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CT Whale Hockey Game
No Comment |Posted by: mcalabro on March 22, 2011
Our au pair group made some NOISE at Sunday’s hockey game at the XL Center in Hartford. The CT Whale scored in each period, scoring a 3-1 victory over the Springfield Falcons. This was the Whale’s third win in three days!
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St. Patrick’s Day - March 17
No Comment |Posted by: mcalabro on March 14, 2011
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17 in countries around the world by the Irish and the “Irish at Heart”.
The first year St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in America was in 1737 in
Boston, Massachusetts. The first official St. Patrick’s Day parade was
held in New York City in 1766. As the saying goes, on this day
“everybody is Irish!” Over 100 U.S. cities now hold Saint Patrick’s Day
parades and we all felt the Irish Spirit at the 40th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hartford:
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is credited for converting the Irish people to Christianity. According to legend, St. Patrick used a three-leafed shamrock to illustrate the idea of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). The St. Patrick mythology also includes the claim that he banished snakes from Ireland. He charmed the snakes into the sea so that they drowned.
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