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MANUAL PARA SER AU PAIR Actualizado el 4 de Noviembre del 2010

Au Pair Mexico & Training S.C. 1

Au Pair Training Guide

1. Specifics about the host family .................................................................................6

1.1 Short family description ..............................................................................................6

1.2 Family information form .............................................................................................6

1.3 House rules ...................................................................................................................6

1.4 Responsibilities & day schedule ................................................................................6

1.5 Important addresses and a map of the area ........................................................6

2 Your stay at Foreign .....................................................................................................6

2.1 Preparation and arrival: meeting the family, the first few days and week 10 .6

2.2 Checklist of questions to ask the family upon arrival ............................................8

2.3 Exercise .........................................................................................................................9

2.4 Language course 1: introduction ......................................................................... 10

2.5 Building a good relation with your host family .................................................... 10

2.5.1 8 golden rules to have a good communication with your host family and to build a nice relationship ........................................................................................ 10

2.6 What is expected from you? ................................................................................. 12

2.6.1 Plan and organize your duties to the best ................................................ 12

2.6.2 Plan and organize your duties to the best ................................................ 12

2.6.3 Take initiative .................................................................................................. 12

2.6.4 Being on time ................................................................................................. 12

2.6.5 Behave flexible ............................................................................................... 12

2.6.6 Be active ......................................................................................................... 12

2.6.7 Be healthy and energetic ............................................................................ 13



2.6.8 Always be optimistic ..................................................................................... 13

2.6.9 Respect the privacy of the family .............................................................. 13

2.6.10 Stick to the house rules ................................................................................. 13

2.6.11 No private things during taking care of the children .............................. 13

2.6.12 Keep your room clean and respect the belongings of the family ....... 13

2.6.13 Eat normal sizes .............................................................................................. 14

2.7 Representation and personal hygiene ................................................................ 14

2.7.1 Fresh and clean at breakfast ...................................................................... 14

2.7.2 Clean and decent appearance ................................................................ 14

2.7.3 Personal hygiene ........................................................................................... 14

2.7.4 Keep your room and bathroom clean ...................................................... 14

2.8 Au pair rules: duties and responsibilities ............................................................... 14

2.9 Money tip: Check the currency at the country ................................................. 15

2.9.1 Check all the prices ...................................................................................... 15

2.9.2 SENDING MONEY HOME ..................................................................................... 15

2.10 Conditions, procedure and visa (MVV) for the Europe .................................... 15

2.11 Insurance ................................................................................................................... 16

2.12 Language course .................................................................................................... 16

2.13 Meeting other au pairs ........................................................................................... 17

2.14 Problems .................................................................................................................... 17

2.14.1 HOMESICKNESS .................................................................................................. 17

2.14.2 NOT GETTING ALONG WITH THE CHILDREN .......................................................... 18

2.14.3 NOT GETTING ALONG WITH THE HOST FAMILY ..................................................... 18

2.14.4 THE FAMILY IS NOT STICKING TO THE RULES .......................................................... 19

2.14.5 EMERGENCIE NUMBERS .................................................................................. 19



2.15 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 19

3 Culture ........................................................................................................................ 20

3.1 How to spend your leisure time ............................................................................. 20

3.1.1 SHOPPING ....................................................................................................... 20

3.2 How to travelling ...................................................................................................... 21

3.3 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 21

4 Children ...................................................................................................................... 22

4.1 Playing ....................................................................................................................... 22

4.2 Play suggestions ....................................................................................................... 24

4.3 Language course 2: playing .................................................................................. 28

4.4 Exercises ..................................................................................................................... 27

4.5 Watching Television (TV) ......................................................................................... 29

4.6 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 29

4.7 Sleeping ..................................................................................................................... 30

4.8 Language course 3: sleeping ................................................................................ 30

4.9 Schools and other child activities ......................................................................... 31

4.10 Eating and drinking.................................................................................................. 32

4.11 Eating and drinking rules ........................................................................................ 33

4.12 Language course 4: eating and drinking ............................................................ 34

4.13 Rules and discipline ................................................................................................. 35

4.14 Language course 5: how to discipline children in 5 steps. ............................... 36

4.15 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 38

4.16 Safety rules ................................................................................................................ 38

4.17 Safety outside ........................................................................................................... 39

4.18 Emergencies and first aid ....................................................................................... 44



4.19 Language course 6: safety .................................................................................... 48

5 Taking care of babies .............................................................................................. 49

5.1 Giving the bottle ...................................................................................................... 49

5.2 Changing diapers .................................................................................................... 54

5.3 Playing and exploring ............................................................................................. 54

5.4 Why do babies cry ................................................................................................... 55

6 Childcare and health .............................................................................................. 58

6.1 10 golden rules for healthy childcare ................................................................... 58

6.2 Language Course 7: Childcare ............................................................................. 59

7 Housekeeping ........................................................................................................... 60

7.1 Tidying up, clean and organize............................................................................. 60

7.2 Language course 8: The House ............................................................................. 62

7.3 How to clean a kid's room in 15 minutes. ............................................................ 62

7.4 Washing ..................................................................................................................... 63

7.4.1 Preparation ..................................................................................................... 64

7.4.2 Laundry, drying, ironing and folding programs ........................................ 64

7.5 Your laundry .............................................................................................................. 66

7.6 How to use the dryer ............................................................................................... 66

7.7 Ironing ........................................................................................................................ 67

7.7.1 Tips for easy and quick ironing .................................................................... 68

7.7.2 How to Iron shirts ............................................................................................ 68

7.7.3 How to Iron Dresses ....................................................................................... 69

7.7.4 How to Iron Pants ........................................................................................... 69

7.8 Folding ....................................................................................................................... 69

7.9 Vacuuming ............................................................................................................... 70



7.10 Garbage.................................................................................................................... 70

8 The Kitchen ................................................................................................................ 70

8.1 Kitchen hygiene ....................................................................................................... 71

8.1.1 When to wash hands .................................................................................... 71

8.1.2 How to wash hands ....................................................................................... 71

8.2 Cleaning the kitchen after cooking ..................................................................... 73

8.3 Safe cooking ............................................................................................................. 74

8.3.1 Safe food ........................................................................................................ 74

8.3.2 Kitchen safety ................................................................................................. 75

8.4 Kitchen equipment .................................................................................................. 76

8.4.1 Dishwasher ...................................................................................................... 76

8.4.2 Microwave ...................................................................................................... 76

8.5 Healthy food ............................................................................................................. 77

8.5.1 Healthy cooking ............................................................................................ 78

8.6 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 80

8.7 European course 9 List of European words for going shopping ...................... 81

8.8 Exercise ...................................................................................................................... 81

8.9 European course 10& 11: days, months. ............................................................. 82



1. Specifics about the host family

It is important that you review this points before and after you arrive to the host family:

1.1 Short family description

1.2 Family information form More information about the children: hobby’s / friend / food, emergency numbers.

1.3 House rules

1.4 Responsibilities & day schedule

1.5 Important addresses and a map of the area

2 Your stay at Foreign In this chapter you will find all the information you will need to find your way in Europe

2.1 Preparation and arrival: meeting the family, the first few days and week 10

Preparations You have been preparing for being an au pair for a long time and now finally the time has come to travel to Europe. Being far away from your family and friends you are going to face a new challenge and an exciting year. AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING will prepare you for your stay in the Europe and at your host family to the fullest. You will have to study this au pair guide very intensively. If you do, you will feel secure in your first days with the family. Please follow the advice below before you travel to the Europe.

Go for a last check up to the doctor and dentist. The European insurance only will cover for cases of urgency not for the treatment that you already needed.

Buy all the medicines you need for your stay in the Europe Make a list of activities you want to do when you are staying in the Europe and how you are going to meet new people. i.e. meeting new people at church, call the other au pairs or go to the European course. Bring a watch and an alarm clock. Take pictures and frames and books for your room in the Europe Take your favourite cd’s or DVD’s, all your important (e-mail) addresses and phone numbers with you. Bring small gifts for your host family. The gifts do not need to be anything fancy or expensive, but it is a nice gesture. Most au pairs choose to bring gifts that are typical of the region where they live. This could be t-shirts, a craft, a poster, a book, a calendar, perfume, hand lotions, etc. To make friend with the children buy some little toy. Keep the presents for the children in you hand luggage, so you can give it to the children immediately. Make a list of questions you have to ask to your host family on the first days in order to have



a quick start. Use our checklist in chapter one. Do not forget to take your au pair guide to the Europe Make a copy of your Emergency form and put it in your wallet. Take all the official papers and make one copy of all of them, like passport and drivers licence, flight ticket, birth certificate and emergency card. Place the copy in your suitcase. Also take all details of the host family, this guideline and at least 100 euros to support your self during the travelling and the first weeks in the Europe Take some biscuits, so you will not be very hungry upon your arrival. Arrival & first day If your visa and flight ticket are arranged you are ready to go. The host family will pick you up at the nearby airport. You will recognise your family from the pictures they sent you and they will recognise you also from the pictures. Please do not worry about that. They will take you home and bring your suitcases to your room. Try to make a nice conversation in the car, even if you are tired. You will never get a second change to make a first impression. You will meet the children at home or in the airport. When you arrive home try to connect with them by giving them their presents. Try to play with them and after half an hour, ask your host parents if you can go for freshing up. Please take some time to take a shower and put on some nice and clean clothes. Also ask if you can call your parents to tell that you arrived safely. Depending on the time you arrived in the Europe you will have lunch, dinner and spend some time with the family. Try to connect with the children, play a game, and have fun. It does not matter if you do not speak the same language. After a while do not feel sorry to say that you want to rest in your room. You have had a long trip and probably a jet – lag. Please do not go to sleep in the middle of the day. Try to go to bed as close to “normal “hours as possible. Try to drink a lot of water/ fruit juice and get a good sleep. Tomorrow will be the first day of your exciting year. Ask you host parents at what time they expect you to be down stairs.

Second day: focus on your new home Set your alarm, so you will be on time downstairs. After breakfast, maybe the family and you will go out to show you the neighbourhood or the city. Here are some tips to spend the second day.

Take initiative: help the family where possible, for example helping to put on the shoes of the children, changing a diaper, help with setting the table. Get your suitcase unpacked and organize your room. Put some of your personal stuff in the room, like picture frames. Ask your host parents about putting posters up the wall first. You don’t want to ruin the wallpaper. Just make your room a cosy place to stay. Connect with your host family and especially with your host children. It’s very important that they accept you right away. Another recommended icebreaker is to bring pictures of your family, house, university, friends, etc. Your host family will be just as curious about your life as you will be about theirs. By seeing photos, they will quickly get a better sense of you. To learn more about you and your culture, your host family most likely asks you to: o Tell them about your country and customs. o Show them pictures and a map of your country. o Show them photographs of your family and tell them about your family. o Play music from your country. Teach them a song in your language. o Tell them what you like and don't like to eat. o Discuss similarities and differences between the European culture and your culture.



Study your schedule for the next day and discuss it with your host family. Eat good, drink a lot of water and go to bed early. Ask all the questions on your checklist, so you know your way around the house. The first week The third day you will probably start your au pair job. Here are some tips

Try to stick to your schedule and try to stay calm. If you are not finished, try to finish your duties in your free time.

Read the manual again. Try to read it every week in the first month. You will recognise the situation, products etc. It will help you to fulfil your duties better and easier Go to the Aliens Police or town hall to register your stay in the EuropeYour host family has to join you. Try to think of something you are going to do in the weekend, like call somebody from the au pairs club or members of your church you want to meet. Send your friends and family an e-mail and tell them about your host family, the house and the Europe Tell them that you are ok. Try not to call them, it’s expensive and maybe you will feel homesick. Only call home every two weeks. Just think about all the nice things you will experience in the Europe Prepare, or help the host family prepare, a meal that is usually served in your country.

2.2 Checklist of questions to ask the family upon arrival First day: After meeting with the children, giving them their presents etc

• Can I use the bathroom/ where are the towels etc? • Can I call my parents to tell them that I arrived safely? • At what time do you expect me to be down for dinner/ lunch etc.?

Second day

• Interact with the children and try to get to know them. • Use your eyes and ears to the maximum. Watch very carefully what the parents are

doing • Listen very good to their directions • Ask about their plans for the day and what they expect from you today • Ask about the day schedule for the next day. • Learn your day schedule very good

Second/ third day Please learn your schedule and family information form very carefully. Try to stick to the schedule. Take a pen and some paper, write down all the information.

Children 1 Where are the toys? 2 What is their favourite toy? 3 Where is the CD player to play children music, how can you use it? Children & caring 1 Where are their clothes, shoes, jackets, pyjama’s socks etc? 2 Where are the diapers/ nappies all other baby products? 3 Where is the bath, shampoo, towels, cream?



4 Where are the bottles, baby food etc? 5 Where can I put the dirty nappies/ diapers? Children & Food 1 Where are the plates, cups, food etc what the children can us? 2 Ask about their food schedule: times etc? 3 Ask when they can have a snack and what kind of snack? 4 Ask where is the fridge? 5 Where are their lunch boxes from school and their bags? 6 Where is the bread, butter, drinks etc? Kitchen 1 How does the gas work? 2 How does the dishwasher work and where are the detergent tablets? 3 How does the microwave work? 4 How does the oven work? 5 How do you clean the kitchen? 6 What kind of detergent can you use for cleaning the kitchen? 7 Where are the pans, plates, spoons etc? 8 Where can you find the cleaning equipment? 9 Where can I put the garbage, where are the clean bags? 10 Where can I put the cans and glass? 11 Where is the vacuum cleaner? Washing, folding etc 1. How does the wash machine work? 2. How does the dryer work? 3. What is the washing schedule & method of the host family? 4. What kind of detergent can I use? 5. Where is the ironing equipment (machine and table)? 6. How can I use the Iron machine? 7. Do I have to wash my clothes separately or can I add it to your laundry, as

long as I follow the host families washing instructions?

Others 1 Where is the first aid kit? 2 How can I use the internet? 3 How can I use the phone? 4 Where is the area map (school, play ground, supermarket, public transportation etc)? 5 Which bike can use? Can I try it? 6 How do I lock my bike? 7 Can I have the keys of the house? 8 How do I lock the house? 9 Do you have an alarm and how can I use it?

2.3 Exercise Please put down at least 10 other question you have to ask the host family during the first week? 1…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………



2…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.4 Language course 1: introduction English French German Hello How are you Bye Good morning Good afternoon Good evening Good night See you tomorrow No Yes I’m ….. I’m X years old I’m living in …. I have two bothers and one sister I’m coming from What is your name Nice to meet you I do not understand Thank you Please

Salut! Comme ce sont vous : un adieu! Bonne des jours de Bonne Bonne après-midi des nuits une Bonne nuit il Le voit demain Non Oui je suis ….. J'ai des années les Xe dans lesquels je vis. J'ai deux ennuis et une soeur dont je viens Comment vous vous appelez Agréable pour le trouver je ne connais pas Merci S'il te plaît

Hallo! Da sie Sie Auf Wiedersehen! sind! Gute Tage Guten Abend Gute Nächte die Gute Nacht es sieht Ihn morgen Nicht Ja, ich sind ….. Ich habe Jahre X, in dem ich lebe. Ich habe zwei Unannehmlichkeiten und eine Schwester, von wen ich komme, wie er Annehmbar genannt wird, teilen Sie, um ihn zu finden, Dank Sie Bitte nicht aus

2.5 Building a good relation with your host family Communicate! It is very important to communicate clearly and frequently with your family so they will be aware of your needs and concerns. If you do not tell them, they will never know. Lack of communication is probably the most frequent problem that can lead to Au pair unhappiness in the host family. If you have trouble in communicating with your family, ask your au pair agency for help. Most European people are having an open and direct communication. So if they want to ask you something or if there is a problem they will tell you right away. This is different from many other countries. Please do not consider this as being rude or not nice. Try not to take it personally, this is just their way of communicating. All European families are caring, honest and open minded people. They will always treat you with respect.

2.5.1 8 golden rules to have a good communication with your host family and to build a nice relationship

• Never be afraid to ask questions. Ask lots of questions about your work. Even if you think it is a stupid question or that your host father/mother have told you before but you forgot. In the Europe asking question is considered as a positive thing. Even if you feel silly asking what seems simple, you really have to ask if you have any doubts! It is so much better than making avoidable mistakes.

• If you do not understand, please ask again. Do not say yes if you do not understand, because you will create wrong expectations



when you did not follow the instruction. The family could have said something very important. Like: you have to pick up the child from school one hour earlier than normally. Sometimes it helps to repeat in your own words. Do you mean …..

• Connect with the family. Tell them about your day with the children or what your plans are for the weekend. Show interest in your host family. Ask them how their day was at the office or what they did in the weekend with the children. Make a nice conversation. Always make sure you say good morning and good night. Share your culture: talk about your country, teach the kids some of your language, songs, and games, and prepare some food from your country. Even if your host parents work a lot and you don’t see them often, make sure that you find a minute to tell them something about your day with the kids or ask questions. Say “thank you”… thank you for dinner, gifts, and vacation. We say “thank you” more than many other countries and we also write thank you notes. Host parents do not want to hear your opinions on how to raise their children. Be careful in giving your opinion unless your host parent specifically asks you for it. Do not tell your host parents what they should or should not be doing with their children, home, or life.

• Discuss your problems If you have problems with something please have an open discussion. Any problems regarding your family are very important to discuss. You will feel much better afterwards and you will continue having a nice relationship. Also problems not related to the family will have effect on your relationship. A troubled au pair can not fully concentrate on the care of the children. European people are very open minded, so please do not be afraid. It is also in the family’s interest that your problems are solved.

• Never be afraid to tell something went wrong. Such as you were too late to pick up the child from school or that you broke a glass. Be completely open and honest about everything. If the family will find out after wards they will be very disappointed in you.

• Choose a good moment to communicate Every au pair needs to understand that host parents are very busy; this is why they have you. Please do not be offended when they come home from work and get tired, upset, or don’t talk with you as much as you’d like. Whether it is a problem, question or some small talk, choose you moment right. If the host mother/father is very busy or stressed or has a conversation with the children do not interrupt. A good time to discuss problems or question is when the children are sleeping. However it is even better to ask your host mother/ father what is a suitable time for them to discuss something. Never call your host mother/father during their work for an unimportant question. Only for emergencies.

• Never ever tell a lie or half the truth The family leaves their children, who are the most precious to them, in your trust. They need to trust you completely. If you break that trust it will have big consequences for your relationship.

• Communicate your plans Always let your family knows when you are leaving and tell them where you are going



and how long you plan to be out. This may seem very childish to do this, but it is respectful to their family rules. Let your family knows if you will be gone for any of the meal they provide. Ask permission before you invite people over to the house.

2.6 What is expected from you? Host families are leading busy lives, with busy schedules. They are working long days. The time in the Europe is high. It’s a fast world with high standards. They are often doing two things at one time. The host families like everything well organized and being on time and living up to agreements are very important to them. The host mother and father can sometimes be a little bit stressed. Your role is to support the family where possible. They will really appreciate it if you follow the rules set below. That way you will build a nice relation which is important to enjoy your stay in the Europe.

2.6.1 Plan and organize your duties to the best When you and your host family made a time schedule with duties and responsibilities, it is important that you stick to that. Try to plan and organize your time and duties efficiently. Such as try to do groceries just before you pick up the children from school instead of in the middle of the morning. This way you will save time. Try to do two things at the same time. For example: cleaning the kitchen while the children are drawing at the table.

2.6.2 Plan and organize your duties to the best When you and your host family made a time schedule with duties and responsibilities, it is important that you stick to that. Try to plan and organize your time and duties efficiently. Such as try to do groceries just before you pick up the children from school instead of in the middle of the morning. This way you will save time. Try to do two things at the same time. For example: cleaning the kitchen while the children are drawing at the table.

2.6.3 Take initiative Do not sit and wait for your host mother/ father to ask you something. Please perform your duties and look around what need to be done. Never say nor think, “it’s not my job”. If it’s related to the kids, IT IS YOUR JOB.

2.6.4 Being on time Time is a very important in Northern Europe. Being late is considered impolite. You must always be on-time: for starting work, picking up the kids, taking the kids to school, getting the kids to bed, having their meals on time, and your own curfew.

2.6.5 Behave flexible Of course you have to stick to the schedule and you have the right on free time .But sometimes you have to be flexible when your help is needed. The host family will compensate that time if possible. Because you are living with the family working time and free time are not strictly separated. Like having dinner together or having a nice conversation with your host mother. Being flexible will improve your relationship with the family.

2.6.6 Be active Your stay in the Europe is one of a cultural exchange. Try not to stay in your room all the time. To enjoy your stay in the Europe you will have to undertake a lot of activities in your



free time: like making new friends, go to the movies, a museum, visit all tourist attractions and meeting other au pairs. AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING will support you in having a nice time by organizing nice activities. Also the host family will stimulate you to go out.

2.6.7 Be healthy and energetic Enjoy your free time, but never forget that your highest priority is you duties in the family. Taking care of children is a high responsibility. Do everything in your power to keep your mind and body healthy. Like eating enough fruit and vegetable, make sure you have enough sleep and fresh air.

2.6.8 Always be optimistic Even if you have a bad mood, try not to show it, because children are very sensitive. Concentrate on something nice like making cookies with the children, put on your favourite music go for a nice walk with the children. You will feel better. If the problem is structural always discuss it with your host family. Be positive, outgoing, and enthusiastic about your work.

2.6.9 Respect the privacy of the family You are living in the house of the family. At night and in the weekend you have to give them space to be as a family. Every family is different. Your host family will specify this in the house rules (see 1.3). Never compare your host family situation with another au pair’s. Remember, each family is different, in some ways better, and in some ways not. Do not talk with other au pairs about your host family’s private life. Things in your family stay in your family. Do not share with your host parents what other au pairs are saying about their host families. Ask permission before you invite people over to the house. Be quiet in the house: Be quiet when the kids are sleeping, talk quietly on the phone, be quiet when you have friends visiting, close doors, windows and drawers gently.

2.6.10 Stick to the house rules You are living in the house of the family and like any other member you have to stick to the rules. In Chapter 1 you will find the house rules of your family.

2.6.11 No private things during taking care of the children During working hours, au pairs must always be watching the children or doing childcare related things. When you are working, you are working. Don’t watch TV, spend time in your room, shower, write a letter, do personal reading, personal chores (your laundry, cleaning your room, etc), make personal phone calls or use the internet nor writing e-mails during your work-hours. NEVER ALLOW KIDS OUTSIDE ALONE!

2.6.12 Keep your room clean and respect the belongings of the family If you have an accident or spill something in your room, please tell host parents immediately. They can help you remove the stain; when stains are not cleaned right away, it usually becomes permanent. Please do not leave empty dishes of glasses in your room. Any leftover food or drinks need to be disposed immediately to prevent bugs/insects. Do not leave food in your room and empty your garbage weekly. Always close your windows when you leave the house in case it rains. Turn your light off when you are not in your room. Be sure to turn off TV, stereo, curling iron, etc when you are not in your room. Be aware that electric, gas and water can be costly and we don’t want to waste. Do not visit



inappropriate web sites, your host parents will know what web sites you go to. Don’t download anything without asking host parents first, it’s not your computer!

2.6.13 Eat normal sizes Please eat all food in moderation and realize that food costs a lot of money. Drinking several glasses of juice a day or eating a whole carton of strawberries is sure will make your host parents unhappy.

2.7 Representation and personal hygiene The AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING host families are decent, well mannered and high educated people, who have high level careers. They have nice and proper houses and are dressed well. The au pair should be representative, which means:

2.7.1 Fresh and clean at breakfast Before you start working in the morning you should take enough time to present yourself. Take a shower or wash your face and hands. Brush your teeth for a fresh breath and use deodorant. Please put your hair in a tale, if you have a long hair. You must be ready for work when your day begins. Greet your host parents 5 minutes before your start time to get your instructions for the day. Say “good morning” to your host parents and host children, with a smile, don’t wait for them to say it first.

2.7.2 Clean and decent appearance Wear clean clothes (no stains and fresh smell). Try to wear decent and casual clothes, which are comfortable of working in the house and taking care of the children. So try not to wear clothes that are too tight, too short showing your belly or too low showing your breasts. Do not show piercings or tattoos. Try to match the colours of your clothes to look nice. Avoid wearing too much make-up and wear no perfume while taking care of children, only deodorant.

2.7.3 Personal hygiene After every visit to toilet, changing dyers, wiping children’s bottoms, the au-pair should wash hands. Also before preparing food, having dinner, and lunch, hands should be washed. This also applies for every member of the family.

2.7.4 Keep your room and bathroom clean Make sure your room and bathroom look tidy and clean. You are responsible for dusting, tiding up and vacuuming your own room. Your bed sheets should be changed every 1-2 weeks. Please make sure not to leave any kind of hair in the bath, shower or on the floor. The children also have to use the bathroom.

2.8 Au pair rules: duties and responsibilities The European Au pair Organisation (NAPO), The International Au pair organization (IAPA), The European immigration (IND) and AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING set some rules where au pairs and host families have to stick to.

1 An au pair is a young single person aged between 18 and 25 who lives with a family in a country other than his or her own for a maximum of 12 months. She helps with general



housework and childcare in exchange for room, board and pocket money. 2 An au pair is responsible for providing childcare for the family's children and helps with light house work. Light house work does not include gardening, washing windows, cleaning bathroom of the parents, cleaning the car or scrubbing floors bigger than 30 M2 3 The host family must provide the au pair with a satisfactory private room. The au pairs’ room will be completely furnished with bed, closet, table, and chair, computer with access to internet and a TV or radio. 4 Working hours, free days and vacation are according your au pair program. The au pair will be responsible for providing childcare and light housework for the family's children. Babysitting activity’s can be undertaken over a maximum period of three evenings per week. The host family should also give their au pair time off, to enable him/her to be involved in religious worship and to attend church services. An au pair has two days of leisure time a week. An au pair will generally only be expected to work on weekdays. On occasion the au pair may be asked to work a few hours on a weekend as long as the total number of hours per week does not exceed the maximum number of working hours. Furthermore, the au pair is entitled to a minimum of one full weekend a month off, from Friday evening 20:00 P.M. until Monday morning 07.00 AM. The au pair is entitled to two weeks of paid vacation per 12 months, but the dates for this vacation must be agreed with the host family’s schedule.

5. The host family has to pay the au pairs’ flight ticket up to a maximum of 800 Euros as well as the visa fee, insurance, a European language course, pocket money and expenses recording the au pair program. Room and board have to be provided. The host family has to treat the au pair like an equal member of their family.

2.9 Money tip: Check the currency at the country

2.9.1 Check all the prices

2.9.2 SENDING MONEY HOME If you want to send money home, please send it all at once at the end of your stay in the foreign, because you have to pay a lot of money for this service. The best option is to ask your host parents to transfer the money into your bank account in your home country. Want to send or receive money worldwide, without using a bank account? GWK Travelex can take care of international money transfers to virtually any country in the world. Fast, safe and reliable. Please look at the website: http://www.travelex.com

2.10 Conditions, procedure and visa (MVV) for the Europe Getting permission to travel and live in the Europe for citizens outside the European Union is rather complicated and takes a lot of time and documents. AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING and your host family will guide you through the whole process. However we want you to study this section also for your own understanding. You can visit the website; www.ind.nl for more information if you like. At the left corner you can choose the language.

Authorisation for temporary stay in the Europe You wish to come to the Europe for longer than 3 months. Since you are a non EU citizen,



you are obliged to apply for MVV. For example, you have a Peruvian nationality, which has an MVV obligation. You will therefore need an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV). The host family requests a form from the IND. This is the form entitled ‘Request for advice on an authorisation for temporary stay’ The host family completes the form ‘Request for advice on an authorisation for temporary stay’ and returns it to the IND together with all the required documents. You can find these documents here on the website and they are also listed on the form. If the IND issues a positive advice (after 2 months), you will apply for the MVV at a European Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin. Please contact the Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin to arrange to collect the MVV. You will find all the information about the European Embassy at the website: www.minbuza.nl/en/home.There is a fee associated with an application to come to the Europe and stay here. The host family will pay for this. You have to pay the fees for legalising documents like the birth certificate. Check with the authorities in your country of origin what the fees are. The European Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin may charge you additional expenses (for instance fax costs). These fees differs per country, please ask your local AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING agent how much money you have to put aside. You then use the MVV to travel to the Europe. You (the au pair) will not be granted an MVV, if you or the host family in the Europe does not meet the conditions. Neither will you be granted an MVV, if the documents are invalid, incomplete or incorrect. You cannot appeal against a negative decision. This whole procedure will take about 23 months. As soon as you have arrived in the Europe you must first report to the Aliens police. You and your host family have to apply for a temporary residence permit at the (im)migration window or Department of Civil Affairs in your municipality. When you apply for a temporary residence permit the IND will check whether you meet all the conditions. You will also be examined for tuberculosis. This procedure will also take a few months. Please note: you can never stay in the Europe as an au pair for more than 1 year, in the case of the US and Canada it is no more than 2 years.

2.11 Insurance The host family will pay for your medical and travel insurance. AU PAIR MEXICO & TRAINING co-operates with Isis insurance, which has developed a special insurance for au pairs. You will receive an insurance card, which you can carry in your wallet. The insurance is only for emergencies. Treatment of an illness you already have, before becoming an au pair will not be covered. But of course for example if you have an asthma and you have an attack the insurance will cover this. We advise you to go to the dentist and doctor for a check up just before travelling to the Europe. Dentist cost will only be covered in case of an accident. A visit to the dentist is very expensive in the Europe. Please look at www.isis-ins.com to find more information about your insurance at the bottom of the form.

2.12 Language course The host family maybe will arrange and pay for a language course. Au Pair Mexico & Training au pairs has developed its own course, we recommend if you follow our course. The course is a small group of 6/7 persons and it will take 6 evenings. You will not only get a European course, but we will discuss al important subjects you can face while being an au pair. We also have fun parts like cooking together. We recommend you start



the course a.s.a.p. after arrival in the Europe.

2.13 Meeting other au pairs Au Pair Mexico & Training will give you a list of all our au pairs placed in the Europe. But most likely you will be placed in an area where there are a lot of au pairs. You can meet au pairs at the schoolyard, in the playground, the park or in the swimming pool. You will recognise them immediately. Try to connect to them ask their telephone number. It’s a little bit like dating. Remember that all au pairs are willing to help each other. They have been in the same situation like you. Don’t be shy. Also during the Au Pair Training course you will meet au pairs. Ask your host family to join this course. They can find more information about the course in the website: www.smilingfacesaupairs.nl / service module. Please also visit our site regularly, because the newsletter will tell you all about au pair activities.

2.14 Problems Au Pair Mexico & Training au pairs will do everything to support you before and during your stay in the Europe. We are going to find you a nice family, we are going to prepare you for your responsibilities, for the European live and we are going to help you to build a nice social live. But despite all these efforts you might feel that things are not working for you. For example when you feel very homesick, your host child giving you a very hard time, you can not get accustomed to the European way of live or there is simply no good connection with you and your host family.

2.14.1 HOMESICKNESS Every au pair will experience some kind of homesickness during their stay in the Europe. When you're homesick, you might feel nostalgic for familiar things like your family, friends, pets, house, or neighbourhood. You can miss something as simple as your bed or the tree outside your window. Familiar surroundings, people, and routines provide people with a sense of security and comfort. In a new place, you may find yourself missing the comforts of home and loved ones. Those homesick feelings are completely normal. Some people may only feel a little loneliness, sadness, or anxiety. Others may feel physical symptoms, like stomach-ache or headache, or even become truly depressed. Most of the time, once the new surroundings and people become more familiar, feelings of homesickness go away. But if you are feeling overwhelmed, it's a good idea to seek help. Contact Au Pair Mexico & Training if the problems are too severe. Don't wait until the problems have grown impossibly large!

Tips for dealing with homesickness Luckily, homesickness is usually mild and doesn't last long. And there are things you can do to make sure it doesn't spoil your fun.

Bring something that reminds you of home. Pack photos or letters or a favourite stuffed animal, sleep shirt, or pillow. When you start longing for familiar faces and places, you'll have a little bit of home right there with you. Do something you enjoy. When you're having fun, you're less likely to spend time thinking about people and things you miss. Talk to a friend, ideally someone who's going through the same experience you are.



Knowing you're not the only one dealing with this can take the sting out of feeling a little lonely, and you might feel better when you cheer up someone else. If you haven't yet made friends here, then try your host family. Write in a journal. Putting your feelings down on paper can help you understand them. Maybe writing about homesickness will show you what you really miss, whether it's your cat or the smell of waffles on Saturday mornings. Then you can find a way to ease that ache, like asking your parents to send a picture of your pet. Stay active. If you sit on the sidelines, you'll have more time to think about feeling sad. Talk to people and involve yourself into activities, and before you know it, you'll be too busy to be homesick. Make contacts and friends at the school yard, playground and call other au pairs Review your expectations. Sometimes sadness feelings may also be feelings of disappointment in being an au pair and living up to your dreams. You may need to readjust what it is that you want to get out of your experience. Remember that all the good things at home, will still be there when you come back. Being an au pair is a once a lifetime opportunity. Make sure you use this opportunity. Be realistic about what to expect from au pair live and from yourself. Establish a balance between work and leisure: you are NOT expected to work ALL the time -you would soon burn out. On the other hand, if you don't put in enough time on work, you can very quickly get behind, which only adds to the stresses! Give yourself time to adjust: you don't have to get everything right straight away. Keep in good contact with the people you have left behind; arrange a time to call them or e-mail them, perhaps after a few weeks. But also give yourself time within the Europe to begin to get involved here. Don't let looking back actually hinder moving forward. It is ok to feel a little homesick. You are allowed to feel sad and homesick! You are also allowed to enjoy yourself -it isn't being disloyal to those you miss! Almost everyone has felt homesick at some time. Remember that there's a good side to homesickness, too: It means you have family and friends worth missing and a place you want to return to when your adventure away from home is over. Stay healthy .Remember to get enough food and sleep! This affects us emotionally as well as physically.

2.14.2 NOT GETTING ALONG WITH THE CHILDREN Some children will give you a hard time in the beginning. They do not like to have a stranger in the house. Some children shout or hurt you. Please do not feel intimidated by the children. Please let them know that you do not like that behaviour (see section about discipline 4.4) you do not need to speak their language; your eyes can do a lot. Do not try to win their love with candy. Try to distract them with a game or toy, teach them a new language, and sing songs. Do not take it personally. If the problem continues and you can not solve it please talk to the host parents how to deal with it.

2.14.3 NOT GETTING ALONG WITH THE HOST FAMILY The most common problem between host families and au pairs is that they don't communicate with each other, which leaves a lot of room for misunderstandings. Nine times out of ten, the problem has nothing to do with the au pair's or families level of English. It is simply because they do not talk to each other! When asked why they did not try to communicate more, both sides typically had the same answer: "I thought they did not like me" or "I thought they did not want to talk to me" and in most cases, this was simply not true. If an au pair needs something or has a problem, small or large, they are often afraid



to ask for help for fear of irritating or disturbing their host family. This is a terrible feeling for anyone far away from home and can result in resentment or mistrust, which may be displayed in their attitude, making things uncomfortable for everyone.

2.14.4 THE FAMILY IS NOT STICKING TO THE RULES For example: ignore your free days or not giving you enough pocket money. Please confront the family with your problem. Make a suggestion on how to change it. If they are not willing to change their behaviour, please contact Au Pair Mexico & Training. In severe cases you can call the following number +31 (0)70 370 3888 (during office hours). Au pairs who have complaints about their stay in the Europe as an au pair can report these complaints to the IND hotline. The complaints may relate to the amount of domestic work, the number of hours they are expected to look after the children, or the way in which they are treated.

2.14.5 EMERGENCIE NUMBERS In case of a life threatening situation (Police, Fire brigade, Ambulance) call 112 to Europe

And you can call 911 in USA.

2.15 Exercise 1 Why you want to be an au pair? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 What do you expect to learn from being an au pair? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 What are your plans for your stay in the Europe? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Make a list of activities you want to do when you stay in the Europe? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 How you are going to meet new people? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………



………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 What problem you think you will faces and how you can solve them? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1. Home work

1 Please study this chapter very well, before going to the next chapter? 2 Practice biking, English and swimming if necessary. It will be very useful for your stay

in the Europe.

3 Culture It is very important that you start knowing the cultural aspects of the host country: The language, religion, the special days and Typical food, etc.

3.1 How to spend your leisure time

3.1.1 SHOPPING

*SUPERMARKETS *DRUGSTORES *COFFEES AND RESTAURANTS

Do not do his purchases in the tourist centers since they can be the train stations, the airports and the complexes of hotels. In these places in general they will receive him much more for the same product that it can obtain to only a few stables of distance. Cross the city in search of the best prices. This can go a bit more of time, but the price difference will do that it costs a sorrow.

Quarrel it brings over the return of the VAT (value-added tax) and other taxes that could be applied to his purchases. Many countries, if you buy more of certain amount, will return to him these taxes that he has paid in his purchase on having gone out of the country (or of the European Union in this case). If it is going to buy in a business it is better to do it in cash or traveller’s checks. Of this form it will know with accuracy how much is costing him and even it will be able to obtain better prices. Bear in mind that some of the things that sell in legal form in other countries can be illegal in his country. Insure itself of being informed, specially in drugs, drinks and shown restraint.



The major purchases it is better to do them at the end of the trip, so that it does not have to load with all his purchases along thousands of miles. Remember to take a valise of more if he thinks that it will do many purchases.

*MUSEUM Also you can see around the city that museums are or tourist sites to visit.

3.2 How to travelling The means of transport are different depending the country, for example in Europe it is classic to travel by train since it is economic and you can travel for different countries.

3.3 Exercise 1 Write down which cities you want to visit at Foreign? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 How are you planning to travel (by train, plane, buss, what period) ? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Write down what Foreign tourist attractions you want to see? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Write down what you think your favorite food would be in Foreign? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Home work Please study this chapter very well, before going to the next chapter? Practice biking, English and swimming if necessary. It will be very useful for your stay in the Europa.



4 Children Taking care of children is a big responsibility and sometimes hard and busy job. Children are often very nice, funny and affectionate. It’s in the child’s nature to explore the world and test their boundaries. It is not only your task to care for them or play with them. It is also your job to guide them following the rules and discipline them. In this chapter we will discuss every detail of how to take good care of children.

But here first some general rules about dealing with your host children. • Watch your kids at all times! If you cannot see them, they are too far from you. You

always have to remember: the most important thing, which your host parents expect from you, is THAT YOU KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE!!!

• Play, play, and play…We want au pairs to be actively playing with the kids; not just watching them play. You need to be fun, happy, silly, smile, creative, and be playful. Be motivated and creative with the children; minimize TV watching.

• Bond with the children -Get to know them, children need to know that you like them and they can trust you.

• Understand that European children are different than children in your country. • Understand that kids are not perfect. They have bad days too, they make mistakes,

they do things wrong… they are kids, you are the adult and you need to react to them as an adult always. Do not argue back with them like another child.

• Do not take things your host kids say or do personally. • Be sensitive to the kids, they love you whether you are “on” or “off” working hours. • Encourage your host kids. Help them to be positive and believe they can do things. • Attend important events for the kids if you can. If you cannot, be sure to ask the kids

about them. Example: How was the soccer game? Did your team win? How did you play?

• You are the “eyes and ears” for the host parents. You may see a behaviour change with the kids on Monday and your host parents may not see it until the weekend. You will hear what the kids say when they come home from school and what they need for the next day.

• Be careful not to favour one child, you must treat all the children equally.

4.1 Playing Sometimes children can play very well on their own, but there are also many moments when you have to play with them or make a suggestion to play with something. This is of course depending on age and interest. Here you will find some suggestion about playing. You can visit our website for more playing suggestions.

1. Make a day schedule at what you are going to do with the children. To spend a nice day with the children try to make an activity plan what you are going to do the next day. Make a schedule for a rainy and sunny day.

2. Vary toys, activities, spaces to play It’s important that children play with different toys and do different activities. Change approximately every half hour/ 20 minutes. Try to vary the place of the activity. Play sometimes in the living/play room sometimes in their own room and also outside. Vary playing on the floor and playing at the table.

3. Communicate while playing



It is important to connect with children. This is not only by playing but also by talking. Although we try to teach you the basics of language before you travel to the Europe, It will be very hard to communicate in other Language. Try to communicate in English .If you do not know how to tell it in other language or English, please speak to the children in your own language. 4. Play outside when the weather is nice It’s important to play outside and have some fresh air even when it is winter and cold. As long as it is not raining please stimulate the children to play outside. Here we will give you some suggestions: A. Biking: every little child has a bike. They can bike on the side walk B. Play in the garden: most of the families have toys in the garden, like swings or a ball or a sand barge to play with. In the summer you can make a little swimming pool in the garden to swim C. Go to the play ground/ little zoo (Kinderboerderij) D. Make a big drawing outside with calc (stoepkrijt) E. Just make a stroll in the neighbourhood or do some little grocery with the children

A. Kinderfiets B. Zwembad C. Zandbak D. Stoepkrijt

5. Activities for playing in the house Here you will find some suggestions of playing in the house. But you can also ask the children what they like A. Drawing, painting B. Puzzling C. Playing games D. Read books E. Dance, sing and listen to children’s music F. Build a tent or play store G. Play with Lego H. Imaginary games like dressing up and play princess

6. Free play: just let them play on their own It’s important that children are not entertained all the time, but also use their own creativity. Depending on the age of the children, they will play a big part of the day by themselves. During that time you can do some light house work of course under your supervision. Children under the age of six can never be left alone in a room.

7. When they are having an argument When they have a fight over a toy. Just let them solve the matter themselves first. If you think it is time to interfere, try the following solutions: 1 Try to stimulate to share the toy and play together



2 Ask who had the toys first 3 Give the other child another tool. 8. Play with toys suitable to their age If children of different ages are playing in one room, let the smaller children play with toys that are suitable for them. They will learn something from it. Toys for older children can also be dangerous. 9. Safe playing Of course all the toys are child proven and safe, but children of different ages play together. Please watch small parts for babies and toddlers. They can suffocate, while putting the toy into their mouth. Try to avoid playing with sharp objects like shears and pencils. Always play with these toys on the table with the bigger children en clear up after playing. Also balloons, plastic bags and robes are dangerous for little children. 10. One toy at a time When the children playing at the table: drawing, painting, puzzling or doing a game. Let them they play with one thing at the time. They have to clean it up before they play with the next toy. 11. Tiding Toys Clean up toys is what they have to learn doing themselves. You have to educate them.

4.2 Play suggestions Here we give you some play suggestions for all ages. Please look if the activities are suitable and safe for your host children. Ask your host parents what toys each child can play with. We suggest you make your own list of play activities divided into the 5 categories of playing: Creativity, Imagination, Cognitive, Activity and Outdoor At the specially developed au pair training we will give you more funny activities and games to do with children. 1. Creativity and arts

Art and music are common examples of creativity, believed in the importance of creative expression through open-ended activities. It is important to provide children with experiences that stimulate and encourage their natural creativity.

Drawing (tekenen) and colloring (kleuren) Drawing is a wonderful way for all children to become creative regardless of their educational level. You can make a drawing with different materials suitable for each age: Making a drawing with Pencils (potloden) of stifts (viltstiften) or chalk (krijtjes). You can make a drawing on white paper on a chalk board or coloring book.

Painting (verven) Painting is always a fun activity for every child. Early on, they learn about texture by using their hands, and later on they can master fine motor control when you introduce a brush. We have all kinds of painting materials, including special paint for the bath.

Clay / Play dough (kleien) Clay is lovely to squish and squeeze, and fun to model. The child can use it from around two years, but make sure it doesn't get eaten! You can either make your own or buy it.



Arts (knutselen) Let toddlers tear old wrapping paper. Then have them paste the pieces to make a collage. Bigger children can use especially designed scissors to cut pictures and shapes and glue them on a paper or create something. Making Music (muziek maken) Making music is an important part of a child's learning. Children develop a way to express their creativity and emotion when they participate in activities involving music. You can make your own musical instruments with materials you probably already have on hand. Music toys or just with a pot and a wooden spoon.

2. Imagination

Children of all ages like to pretend. They learn how to share, and it helps their imaginations grow. Toys with dolls, puppets, animals, cars, houses are designed to stimulate the imagination and provide a learning experience while giving children (and adults) hours of enjoyable play.

Play with dolls / playing house / store (met poppen spelen) Playing 'house' is a universal activity for children. Toddlers also like to play house with dolls and housekeeping props such as plastic dishes and spoons. Even boys will play house if they aren't teased about it. The allure of playing house is because of the people! Your child's dolls and stuffed animals are her family and friends; and, you're invited too. Dolls and animals need clothing and accessories, and this is where it gets fun. We like life-sized baby dolls so they can wear real baby clothes that You'll find lots of baby doll accessories such as strollers, high chairs, and beds in every guess our idea of fun when playing house is cooking and having dress-up parties.

Dress up (verkleden) Role-play games in which your child pretends to be someone else are a stable form of play for toddlers and preschool children. Face Painting (sminken) Face painting is one of the most fun things for young children. In a trice, you can pretend to become another creature, assume a new personality. Designs for painting on the face are usually those of animals, flowers or a few human characters.

Playing with train, cars, playmobile, little people (Fisher Price) Imagination is a skill children develop when they play to make sense of the worlds around them. It enables the child to take charge and the person to feed the hungry animal or rescue a princess. Hand puppets ( poppenkast) Puppets are a great way for adults to interact with children and stretch their imagination. Puppet Theater challenges kids to be creative and innovative. 3. Cognitive / Educational games

Children need to learn al lot of things. Toys help them to develop their cognitive skills. Learning colors, forms, numbers, words, counting, letters, reading and writing Learning occurs in mean full ways when children are playing with educational toys as they gain knowledge about letters, numbers, counting, shapes, colors etc. Games to learn about opposites are fun and can help improve the child’s language skills. Please look at toys to see what kind of educational toys puzzles and games your host child has. Lego /Duplo /blocks Children may continue to use blocks as they grow. Infants and toddlers enjoy simply touching and gripping larger, textured blocks. As toddlers, they develop more muscle control and are able to combine blocks, stack them, or line them up. Two-year-olds may demonstrate their first attempts at building structures, and show the beginnings of fantasy play. Around the age of three, children learn how to balance and fit pieces together to build sturdier towers, then bridges and enclosures. Threes and fours begin to recognize



designs and patterns, their towers and buildings becoming works of art. In kindergarten and early primary grades, blocks allow children to recreate structures, cities and landscapes from everyday life. Blocks offer children the chance to make their own designs, and the satisfaction of creating structures that did not exist before. 4. Activity Kids need regular exercise to build strong bones and muscles. Exercise also helps children sleep well at night and stay alert during the day. Such habits established in childhood help adolescents maintain healthy weight. And active children are more likely to become fit adults.

Hide and seek (verstoppertje) First you pick someone to be the seeker (the person to seek) then he/she turns around and counts with their eyes closed at the "base" while the rest of the people hide. Then the seeker says "Ready or Not, (1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 wie niet weg is is gezien, ik kom) Here I Come" and rushes to find everyone. Then the people try to get to base without getting tagged or else they will be the seeker. If the seeker doesn't get someone in three tries he gets to pick a man to be the seeker! Young children love this game, although they're often not very good at hiding! Play in an enclosed area, so you know your child can't go far.

Play with the ball (met de bal spelen) Role the ball over the floor or invent games. Like hide the ball. Please be careful with playing with a ball inside. If you want play active, you better can go outside.

Dancing and singing (dansen en zingen) Little children love singing songs and moving to music and it helps their language development and physical skills. Ask your host parents about the favorite cd’s and songs of the children. Jumping (springen) Toddlers like to jump. Put pillows, cushions, or a mattress on the floor. Build a tent (een tent maken) Place a sheet or blanket over a table to make an indoor tent. Put a special snack inside and give your child a flashlight. If you like, furnish the tent with pillows and a blanket, and let your child camp out all morning. 5. Outdoor activities

The best way to do this is by encouraging as much outdoor activity as possible. Let the children use up their energy by playing outside every day and enjoying other lively activities. When playing in the park, toddlers usually run, jump, and climb and this encourages the development of their gross motor movements. Young children under the age of 6 years old always should be supervised while playing outside. Older children can play outside, but always check every 10 minutes. Please ask your host parent what are their rules for playing outside. Go to the playground (speeltuin) or park (park)/ little zoo (kinderboerderij) ,swimming pool (zwembad) There are many places especially designed for children. Ask you host mother for the out door activities in your neighborhood. Go for a little walk (wandeling)/ biking (fietsen) All little children have a little bike and love to bike on it. Do not go to far and make sure you’re not in a hurry. Just a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air or to get a little grocery. Children love to go to the supermarket. Playing in the garden (spelen in de tuin) Most of the host families have a nice garden with all kind of toys especially for children: 1. Sandbox (zandbak) 2. Swings or other toys in the garden (schommel, glijbaan, klimrek) 3. Water toys (waterbaan) or plastic swimming pool ( plastic zwembadje) 4. Football, tennis, hockey



1 Make a drawing with chalk on the ground (stoepkrijt) 2 Making bubbles (bellen blazen). Making bubbles are always fun. If you have older children they will love blowing them and younger children will love just watching or chasing and popping the bubbles you blow. Add 3/4 cup of liquid dish soap to 2 quarts of water. 3 Other toys to play outside: hula hooping, jump robe, bike, step, tractor etc. Play for babies younger then 1 year Hold, rock, and sing to young babies. Take them outside on nice days. Explain what you are doing throughout the day when you change or feed them. Let young babies lie on a big piece of paper and hear the crunching noise when they move. Play different kinds of music on the radio. Put bright toys near babies. Give them soft toys (like a stuffed animal or a clean sock) to hold and feel. Give babies toys they can move and make noise with (like a rattle). Hang up big pictures of people and animals on the wall at their eye level to look at. Hang up toys you make yourself for babies to see and hear. Hang aluminum pie plates on a string. Let a breeze blow them, or move them with your hand. Have a clean space for babies to crawl. Put bright toys near babies so they can reach out or move toward them. Put a big cardboard box on the floor so the babies can crawl inside and play. Put some chair cushions on the floor. Babies can bounce and roll on them. Read aloud books that have colorful pictures. Have blankets and scarves for infants to hide under. Remember that infants put everything in their mouths. Wash toys, and be sure they cannot be swallowed.

4.3 Exercises 1. Make a play schedule from 9.00 till 12.30 for your host children in other language?

9:00-9:20

9:20-9:40

9:40-10:10

10:10-10:30

10:30-10:50

10:50-11:10

11:10-11:30

11:30-12:00

12:00-12:30



4.4 Language course 2: playing English French German Hello How are you Bye Good morning Good afternoon Good evening Good night See you tomorrow No Yes I’m ….. I’m X years old I’m living in …. I have two bothers and one sister I’m coming from What is your name Nice to meet you I do not understand Thank you Please. Hockey stick phone picking up your toys Little zoo Ducks Dog Rabbit Cat Horse Goat Chicken Cow Lamb Sheep Playground Scoop Bucket Watch out Be carefull Do not do that Do not touch that Come here Do not fight Do not hurt each other Do not take that away from your sister/brother This is not your toy You can watch TV You cannot watch TV

Le jeu avec les poignets Dessine le Casse-tête de Peinture Dans une couleur, Faites un Jeu de télévision d'Horloge courageuse outre le Cycle outre le Jeu dans le jardin on Va à la cour Vaine alimenter le ducksbread Entend une musique et une danse Cultivée un Jeu de livre avec le Frère convers se déguise le feutre de Crayons de Jouets Il Réserve le Poignet De voiture, le Bateau de Balle de Barbie. Un bâton de hockey un téléphone reprendre ses jouets Peu un zoo Des canards Un chien Un lapin Un chat Un cheval Une chèvre Un poussin Une vache Un agneau Une brebis Une cour Une cuillerée Un seau Prendre soin Soyez carefull Ne faites pas cela Non toce cela Venez ici Ne pas lutter L'un ne fait pas de dommage à l'autre N'emportez pas cela de sa soeur / frère Ce n'est pas son jouet Vous pouvez regarder la télé Vous ne pouvez pas regarder la télé

Spiel mit dem Puppe-Ziehungsfarbenfarbe-Rätsel, Tun Sie ein Spiel Sieht zu Fernsehspiel außerhalb Zyklus außerhalb Spieles im Garten Geht zum Spielplatz Gehen, um zu fressen, der ducksbread Hört etwas Musik und Tanz Gelesen ein Buchspiel mit Lego verkleidet Sich Spielzeugbleistift-Filzfeder Meldet Autopuppe Ball-Boot von Barbie An. Hockeyschläger Telefon Aufnehmen Ihres Spielzeugs Wenig Zoo Enten Hund Kaninchen Katze Pferd Ziege Huhn Kuh Lamm Schaf Spielplatz Knüller Eimer Bewachung daraus Seien Sie carefull Tun Sie das nicht Berühren Sie das nicht Kommen Sie hier Nicht kämpfen Verletzen Sie einander nicht Nehmen Sie das weit weg von Ihrer Schwester/Bruder nicht Das ist nicht Ihr Spielzeug Sie können Fernsehen beobachten Sie können nicht Fernsehen beobachten

2. What kind of activity would you suggest if children are tired? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………What kind of activity would you suggest if children are very active, running & shouting to



get them quiet? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.5 Watching Television (TV) Some families do not want their children to watch TV at all. But some families will allow it only for some programs and times. (See chapter 1 family information form).

General try to minimize watching TV: only when they are tired. There are three moments: 1 Morning 2 After lunch / after school: they are tired and want to rest. 3 At the end of the day No longer than 30 minutes each time Then you turn the TV off. Only let them watch programs that are suitable for their age. TV Programs There are three channels suitable for children. Please visit the website to find out which programs are suitable for your host children. There are also some nice video games for children. You can play together on the computer.

TV programs suitable for children Not all TV programs on are suitable for children off all ages. Please watch very carefully which programs the children are looking at. In the left corner you will find some information for what ages the program is suitable

= Suitable for all ages

= Violence

= not suitable for children under 6

= Scary

= not suitable for children under 12 years

4.6 Exercise Take a look at the above websites and put down all the names of the cartoons that children love and are appropriate for your host children?

Host child/ age ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Host child / age ………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Host child/ age ………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………



………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Host child/ age ………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4.7 Sleeping Going to bed Every baby has a different sleeping rhythm. But generally you can say that baby’s sleep in the morning and in the middle of the afternoon. Children older between one to three years old only sleep in the beginning of the afternoon. But some children sleep in the afternoon until they are four years old. Most of the European children will go to sleep in the evening between 19.00-20.00.

Crib or normal bed Babies and children 1 – 3 years old will sleep in a crib with blankets or a sleeping bag. Older children will sleep in a junior bed or a normal bed.

Safe sleeping The bed/ crib should be empty, only blankets, sleeping bag, soother and one little animal or towel for cuddling. Babies should always sleep on their backs. Many babies can roll from their sides onto their tummies, so they should not be put to sleep on their sides. Put babies into the crib with their feet at the end of the crib. Make up the cot so that the bedclothes just come up to the baby's shoulders and the baby's head cannot go down under the bedclothes. Pillows could be dangerous for babies. They can cause suffocation, either by the baby turning face down and burying his face in the pillow or by getting his head under the pillow. This is rare. Babies do not need a pillow to sleep comfortably. Do not use pillows until the child moves from the cot into a normal bed, usually at 2 to 3 years. Make sure that pets cannot climb into the crib. Never let a pet sleep in the crib even when your baby is not in there. Bedtime story Most of the European parents will put the children to bed and read a book to the children before going to bed.

4.8 Language course 3: sleeping English French German Bedroom To put to bed Be going to sleep Good night Do you want that I read a book Pillow Blanket Cloth Soother Sleeping bag Kiss

Une chambre à coucher Coucher Allez dormir Une bonne nuit Faites vous voulez que je lise un livre Un oreiller Une couverture Un tissu Un consolateur Je tire de dormir Un baiser

*Schlafzimmer *Ins Bett gehen *Schlafen gehen *Gute Nacht *Tun Sie Sie wollen, dass ich ein Buch lese *Kissen *Decke *Tuch *Soother *Schlafsack *Kuß



4.9 Schools and other child activities Creche/kinderdagverblijf / Day Care Centre Babies and toddlers till the age of 4 years old can go to the day care centre. They can stay there all day from 8 am till 6 pm. They can stay there from Monday till Friday. Some families will make a combination of a few days of day care centre and a few days in the care of the au pair. But this depends on your host families’ schedule.

Peuterspeelzaal Toddlers from 2 -2,5 years old till 4 years old can go to the Peuterspeelzaal. It’s a kindergarten for small children. Depending on the age the children will play there 2 mornings (9 am till12 am) to 3 days (9 am till 3 pm).

Primary school From the 4

th birthday till 12 years old children will go to the primary school from Monday till

Friday. The school starts at around 8.30 am till 12 am and from 1 pm till 3 pm. These times depend on the policy of the school. Look at your day schedule at what time the school of your children starts. Most of the children will have lunch at school, but other will go home to have lunch. Wednesday there is a half day at school and the children will always have lunch at home

Lunch boxes Most of the children from the primary school need to take food and drinks to school. You have to prepare this in the morning, put it in a box and put the box into the bag. Lunch in Europe consist of 2-3 sandwiches, fruit, a cookie and 1 or 2 healthy drinks. Typical lunches for children consist of: Boterhammen (sandwiches). You first have to put butter on the sandwich and then cheese, meat, peanut butter or honey. Please avoid putting sweet on their sandwiches it is unhealthy and bad for their teeth. Most of the children will get milk at school in the morning break or at lunch. But please look at your schedule for the lunchbox of the children. If the children come back from school, take the empty box and cup from the bag and put it to the dish washer.

Gymnastic The children will have gymnastic lessons at school. They need to take sneakers and sport clothes to join these lessons. Please look at the schedule at what day you need to prepare.

Play appointments In Europe it is common to make appointments for the children to play at each others house. This will take place after school from 15.00 till 17.00 /18.00 only one or two times a week depending on the child. It’s common to take one friend home, but it could also happen that more children come to play. Always have a clear communication about the appointment: What day, what time do you need to pick up the child or is the mother/babysitter taking the child back to the house. What place is the address and what is the mobile number of the mother/ babysitter. Always make sure they also have your mobile in cases of emergencies. Discus the play appointment with your host father/mother so they know where the child is and if it is ok.

Sports and classes Some children have swimming lessons, hockey training, dancing classes or art class after school. See you schedule for your family activities. Make sure a bag is prepared for them with special clothes to join these activities if you are responsible.



Always make sure that you’re on time Time is very important in Europe. It’s considered as rude to be late. If you are late please phone the person you have an appointment.

4.10 Eating and drinking Eat healthy It is very important that children eat healthy, that means less sugar (little candy) and low fat. A minimum of one fruit a day and two spoons of vegetable. Depending on the age and allergies the children have a strict diet. Please find out more in your host child eating program. But just in general you can follow below schedule.

Children 1-4 years Children 4-12 years Bread 1-3 slices (35-105 gram) 3-5 slices (105-175 gram)

Potatoes/rice/pasta 75 gram 1,5 big spoon 100-150 gram 2-3 big spoons

Vegetable 75 gram (1-2 normal spoons) 150 gram (3 spoons) Fruit/ Fruit juice ( one glass)

1,5 piece of fruit (150 gram) 2 pieces of fruit (200 gram)

Diary Products Milk/Yohurt

300 ml milk products 10 gram of cheese

300-450/600 ml milk products 10-20 gram cheese

Meat. Fish eggs, chicken, Soja

50 gram 50-100 gram

Fat: butter/ oil 15 gram 15-35 gram Drinks 0,8 liter 1-1,5 liter Eating schedule with food & drinks Most of the European children (parents) have an eating schedule as described below. European people do have breakfast very early and only have one hot meal at night. The European food is very basic but nice. Please also look at your host families information form (chapter 1) to know more about your child’s eating program for more details.

Breakfast: 7.00-8.00 1-2 sandwich/ crackers with butter and cheese, meat, peanut butter etc. You will find picture of the products below. Or cornflakes with milk/yoghurt

Snack and drink: 9.30 – 10.30 Food: raisins, fruit, rijstwafel, cookie or candy if possible. Drink: milk, juice, Roosvicee, Diksap, Carvan Cevitan with water.

Lunch: 12.00 – 13.00 AM Food: 1-2 sandwich with butter and cheese, meat, peanut butter etc. Drinks: milk, juice, Roosvicee, diksap, Carvan Cevitan with water.

Snack and drink:15.00 – 16.00 Food: raisins, fruit, rijstwafel, cookie or candy if possible. Drink: milk, juice, Roosvicee, Diksap, Carvan Cevitan with water.



Diner between : 17.00 – 18.00 Food: a healthy hot meal consist of with 3 parts: 1. Rice/ pasta/ potatoes 2. Vegetable 3. Meat/ fish or egg 4. Dessert: yoghurt, fruit, Danoontje, vla . Drinks: Drink :milk, juice, Roosvicee, Diksap, Carvan Cevitan with water We put everything on a sandwich from salty to sweets

Making dinner Use little fat (butter/oil/ cream) when preparing the food. Prepare food with low salt, pepper and other spices. You will find some nice recipes for children at chapter below (Cooking). Snacks: hunger and thirst To avoid that children only eat snacks you only can give snacks if they have eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner. If they are skipping meals they cannot have snacks.

Hunger & Thirst Try to stick to the schedule, but sometimes children can be very hungry or thirsty even when they have eaten all their breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. Besides these meals children can always drink a glass of water or a little healthy snack like apple, piece of cheese, meat, and raisons. NO CANDY OR COOKIES. Only give a little bit. And try to avoid giving food just before dinner (15 minutes). Tell the children to wait for the meal. Otherwise they will not eat their regular meal.

4.11 Eating and drinking rules 1. Use food and drinks at the table Children can make a big mess while eating and drinking. To avoid that food and drinks are all over the place, children of all ages must sit down at the table. Their hands and faces should be cleaned before and after finishing their food. Little children can eat with a napkin to protect their clothes from getting dirty.

2. Washing hands Before every meal or snack, the children should wash their hands.

3. Eat by them selves Because small children like to be independent and are exploring their own possibilities it is important to let children eat on their own; even a baby from 10 months, who makes a big mess. If children want to eat by themselves and are not playing with the food, please try to stimulate it. On the other hand older children (age 34,5) do not want to eat by themselves anymore and if they are really tired you can help them. But try to stimulate that they have to use the spoon or fork / knife themselves. Educate children to eat decent and do not tolerate them playing with food. Take a wet cloth to the table to clean the children.

4. Have a nice meal Most of the time children do not want to sit down at the table and eat. They rather want to play and take a bite. Always let them sit at the table. Every parent has different techniques to stimulate the child to eat. Breakfast and lunch will not be a problem most of the time. But dinner with vegetables is most of the time not very appealing to them. Every parent has



different techniques to stimulate the child to eat. In order to be consequent it is important you will stay with this rule. See your family information form (Chapter 1)

5. But here are some tips: 7 Try to stay calm and (pretend you) do not care if they are eating or not. And remember they will not be ill from skipping one meal. 8 Tell a story, play a little game, have conversation or sing a song at the table just to make it a relax dinner instead of pressure them to eat. The harder you try, the more they will resist. They will either feel the pressure which makes them feel uncomfortable or they will see it as a game. 9 Reward them for eating well. 10 If they really do not want to eat and play with the food, take the plate away. Tell them to wait for all the other family members to leave their chair and table. 11 Be consequent, do not give them mixed signals. 12 If they are very naughty, see chapter 4.1 on how to discipline. 13 Do not bring toys to the table or put the children in front of the TV while eating. How appealing this is, this will only distract the child from his dinner plate.

4.12 Language course 4: eating and drinking English French German Eating Drinking Yes No I’m hungry I’m thirsty Breakfast Cornflakes Bread Raison bread Crackers Lunch Sandwich Cheese Peanut butter Honey Apple treacle Jelly Sausage Spread meat Spread/pot cheese Chocolate sprinkles Fruit Apple Banana Orange Raisons Candy Cookie Ice cream You can not have any candy Please eat your food Please finish your plate

Manger Une boisson Oui Non J'ai une faim J'ai soyez Un petit déjeuner Des flocons de maïs Un pain Raison un pain Des gâteaux déjeuner sandwich fromage beurre de cacahuète miel mélasse de pomme gelée saucisse viande d'étendue fromage d'étendue / pot chocolat se dépose fruit pomme platane orange Raisons bonbon gâteau glace Vous ne pouvez pas avoir de bonbon S'il vous plaît mangez son

Essen Trinken Ja Nein Ich habe Hunger Ich habe Durst Frühstück Corn-Flakes Brot Raison Brot Kräckers Mittagessen Sandwich Käse Erdnuß-Butter Honig Apfel-Melasse Gelee Wurst Ausbreitungsfleisch Käse der Ausbreitung/Topfes Schokoladenbrauner Sprühregen Frucht Apfel Banane Orange Raisons Süßigkeiten Plätzchen Eiscreme Sie können keine Süßigkeiten haben Essen Sie bitte Ihre Nahrung Beenden Sie bitte Ihren Teller



Do not play with your food Please sit on your chair Wash your hands You can eat on your own Please use your spoon Drinking What do you want to drink Milk Apple juice Yokidrink Water Carvan Cevitan Diksap What would you like for dessert Vla Yohurt Danoontje Quark

aliment S'il vous plaît terminez son plat Ne jouez pas avec son aliment S'il te plaît sens-toi sur sa chaise Lavez à ses mains Vous pouvez manger sur son propre S'il vous plaît utilisez sa cuiller Une boisson Que vous faites veut boire Un lait Un jus de pomme Yokidrink Une eau Carvan Cevitan Diksap Qui voulait Vous pour le dessert Vla Yohurt Danoontje Quark

Spielen Sie mit Ihrer Nahrung nicht Sitzen Sie bitte auf Ihrem Stuhl Waschen Sie Ihre Hände Sie können selbständig essen Gebrauchen Sie bitte Ihren Löffel Trinken Was tut, wollen Sie trinken Milch Apfel-Saft Yokidrink Wasser Carvan Cevitan Diksap Was Sie würde, für Nachtisch mögen Vla Yohurt Danoontje Quark

4.13 Rules and discipline In order to be become nice, respectful and decent adult’s children need to be raised. It’s in the child’s nature to explore the world and test their boundaries. They can be very stubborn which is often a way of showing their independence. Almost every child will give you a hard time in the beginning by not listening and behave bad. Do not worry it is nothing personal it is just to explore their boundaries. In order to win the respect of the children please try to connect with them by playing, but try to discipline the children if they do not behave. By being consequent the children know what to expect from you and they will listen and behave like good children. In order to built a nice relation from the beginning it is important that you can communicate with them in English, French or german. That is why it is so important to learn the basics of English, French or german in the next column. By studying this au pair guide very well you will get a good start with the children. Here we give you some discipline techniques and tips to face problems, because Smiling Faces thinks that this is one of the most difficult parts of your duties. Always keep in mind that every family will have their own discipline techniques. Situation to discipline children

3 If they do not follow the rules: like sitting at the table while eating, wash their hands before dinner, do not turn off the TV etc.

4 When they refuse to follow your instructions: like: ‘Put on your shoes and coat’, ‘Brush your teeth’, ‘Do not touch the cookies’ and ‘Clean up your toys’.

5 If there are shouting very loud or make to much noise. 6 If they are hurting you or their brother/sister. 7 If they break something on purpose.

In what situation shall I not discipline? 5 For not wanting to eat. 6 For wetting their pants at the bathroom. 7 If they spill their drinks by accident.



8 If they didn’t hurt each other on purpose. 9 If they break something, but didn’t do it on purpose. Stay calm and be consequent

Always stay calm! Never raise your voice or hit a child. Try to solve it with words. Bend trough your knees so you are on her/his height and look the child in the eye. Be consequent: do what you say. Think before you say something but do not change. If you follow these five steps consequently. All children will take you seriously. You will earn their respect by being strict. Try to speak to the child in English, French or german and lower your voice. Stay calm.

4.14 Language course 5: how to discipline children in 5 steps. 1. First make yourself the same height as the child, look them in the eyes and tell them that what they are doing is wrong. Or that you want them to listen to you.

You can not do that, because

Watch out that is dangerous

Don’t do that again

I want you to listen to me

You are naughty

2. If they continue the behaviour you give them a warning and tell them if they do it again they will get punishment. Make yourself the same height as the children and look them in the eyes.

I told you before:

I give you a warning If you do that again your

Going into the hall/corner



Give a warning for bad behaviour 3. If they ignore the warning and still continue the behaviour, please be consequent and

give them the punishment. You can also count till three.

I gave you a warning now you have to go to the corner. You are naughty.

4. Put the kitchen clock on two minutes. If they sit still in the corner you can get them out and let them say “sorry”.

IF they apologize you praise them / give hug and say : Goodgirl/boy

The child says sorry Give a hug and say good boy



5. Some children are very stubborn; They will leave the corner or refuse. You tell them that they have to sit two minutes more. So 4 minutes. Please be consequent. Or if they are not saying sorry they have to go back for another two minutes.

Back in the corner Children younger than 2,5 years Children younger then 2,5 / 3 year can not be disciplined by this method. You have to continue telling them not to do that. Or take the object away from them or distract them by doing another activity. But always correct them, because you have to teach them something. Look them in the eye. If possible for there own safety you can put them in the box.

Do not do that

4.15 Exercise Please try this method on a doll or your friend so many times you can tell it in English, French or german when we wake you up in the middle of the night. What kind of other methods can you use on a child that is naughty? Please ask three mothers and explain. Mother one /age of the child ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mother two /age of the child ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Mother three /age of the child ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Children and safety

4.16 Safety rules Of course the host family expects you to keep the children safe. Especially small children can be very active and exploring. You never can lose them out of your site. Most of the accidents with children happen at home. It’s good that you are aware of the dangers at



home. In this chapter we will educate you on keeping the home safe. We recommend you to visit the following sites: www.homesafetycouncil.org Go to button (middle up) : safety guide Go to children ( left) : www.cyh.com

4.17 Safety outside To keep the children safe, take these safety rules in consideration.

4 Young children need constant supervision, especially around water, including the bath. Never leave the baby unattended on the changing table. Put babies and small children in the box or crib when you have to go to the bathroom. 5 Ask your host family where the first aid kit is. 6 Watch out for sharp object: knives, scissors, edges, toys

Store knives and other sharp objects out of the reach of children and make sure children are a safe distance away when you are using knives to avoid injuries. Install finger pinch guards on doors or drape a towel over the hinge side to prevent painful pinching injuries. Motorized and electric toys and games and toys with heavy, sharp and pointed parts or edges can be especially dangerous for young children. Don't permit younger children to play with toys designed for older children or adults.

4. Watch out for little parts / toys Replace toys that are broken. Watch out for toys that are for older children. Watch also every little part you see. They can put in into their mouth, nose or ears. Watch balloons in homes with young children, as they can swallow an unfilled or broken balloon and suffocate. Motorized and electric toys and games and toys with heavy, sharp and pointed parts or edges can be especially dangerous for young children. Don't permit younger children to play with toys designed for older children or adults.

5. Watch out for plastic bags and robes Remove all plastic bags from the nursery and areas were a young child is playing. Put cords a safe distance from the crib.

6. Never leave a child in the bath alone for one second Children under age one most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, or toilets. The child will only need 10 cm of water and a few minutes are fatal. Test hot water at the tap before you expose the child to the water. 7. Watch hot objects Candles, matches, lighters, oven, stove, iron, cigarettes and hot water all are very dangerous for little children. They can burn themselves very badly. Store matches and lighters in a locked cabinet. Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. Keep things that can



burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the stove. Keep hot items, such as hot beverages and trays that have just come out of the oven away from the edge of counters, so that children are not able to reach them. Keep children away from the range when anyone is cooking and keep a close eye on them at all times. Please visit and study this website to prevent fire and how to rescue yourself and the children. Also get to know the sound of the fire alarm. Most English, French or german people have fire alarm in their houses.

8. Watch electricity Al electric have safety caps. If one has fallen of please tell your host family to replace it . 9. Watch stairs and avoid falling Most of the English, French or german Families have placed baby gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. Wear solid shoes while carrying a baby or little child from the stairs. Keep stairs, steps, landings and all floors clear. Reduce clutter, safely tuck away telephone/ electrical cords out of walkways.

1 Watch windows /the front door Please close al windows or put safety locks. Keep cribs, beds, chairs and other furniture away from windows. Children can climb out. Lock the front door so small children can not walk out the house. 2 Watch detergent/ medicine Children, especially those under age 6, are more likely to have unintentional poisonings than older children and adults. Store diaper products and medicines up high and purchase products with child-resistant packaging. Keep kitchen and laundry detergents out of reach, preferably in a locked cupboard. Dishwasher powder is particularly dangerous.



3 Watch out for falls Baby’s and little children need to be tiding in their chair while eating or playing. Falls are the major cause of injury for young children. Children can always climb higher than you think they can. Don't put things ''out of reach'', put them away, out of sight. You might have to put chairs up onto the table for a while. Use straps in the high chair and pusher. Don't leave young children alone on change tables, high chairs etc. Falls from shopping trolleys are also common. If you need to have a child in the trolley make sure he is sitting down.

13. Protect the children from the sun Whenever possible keep children in the shade. Teach them to play in the shade. Make sure that their favourite play areas are shaded. Children can get sunburnt even on cold, cloudy summer days. Sunlight through the glass of car windows can burn the skin. Young children can become very quickly overheated in parked cars. In the sun use a hat and clothing that covers arms and legs, such as cover-up bathers. Sunglasses are recommended for children when they are old enough to be able to put them on without poking themselves in the eyes. Sunscreen can be used in small amounts on young children on areas that are not covered by clothing. It needs to be re-applied often. Some sunscreens irritate the eyes and sensitive skin. 14. Never open the door for strangers If you do not expect anyone and you are alone with the children do not open the front door for anyone you do not know.

15. Leave the house safe Lock all doors and windows before you leave the house. If there is an alarm put it on. Do not forget your keys and your cell phone, so you can call for emergencies. The emergency number 112 is free. Turn off all electricity, like lamps, oven, iron and TV. Do not leave any burning candles or food at the stove.

Exercise

Make a list of safety measurements taken and can be improved in the house of the family you’re baby sitting or at the house of family/ friends with little children.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5.2 Safety outside

2. Safe playing outside Never play with a ball near a street with cars or water. 3. Watch water. Never ever go close to the water with children or leave children

unattended when you see water nearby. 4. Watch out for strange people. Never leave a child alone with a stranger for one

second. If you are alone please look around if you see something strange. Do not go out by your one late at night. Travel with a friend. Always have credit on your mobile. Call 112 for emergency. The call is free.

5. Play ground. Supervise little children in a playground. Stay behind them to prevent



them to fall. Even when children are old enough to play on their own, always keep them into your sight.

5. Safe walking Fasten children in the stroller, so they can not fall or go out. When you stop, for example to feed the ducks always put the stroller on the break. Never ever park the stroller close to the water! If you are walking with more children, please let the older child stand on the board or let the older child hold the buggy-stroller with one hand. There are also special robes for this. If you are walking without the stroller, let al children hold hands, with you in the middle. Avoid long walks with the children. Young children need to be held if they are near roads. They may begin to remember rules about crossing a road but they are unable to understand them, no matter how many times they are told.

6. Safe biking Always practice with your new bike first. Learn how your bike is working, especially the brakes. Only go cycling when you feel comfortable. If you do not feel comfortable, please discuss it with your family. They can help you practice. If you go cycling with the children make sure you fasten them properly. Make sure that you stay on the right side of the road! Always be very cautious. Here are some pictures from children at a bike.

Bakfiets At the back of the bike At the front of the bike Bike Lanes and paths at foreign wearing a helmet is not obligated by law! You have to cycle on the specially designed bike lanes and paths (fietspaden) which makes city cycling safe. Use them! They usually run along the right sides of streets (some two-way lanes are on one side only) and typically feature white lines and bike symbols painted on the road or a reddish-coloured path.



See the Signs at foreign have many signs and signals designed especially for cyclists. Some important ones include:

• Bike Traffic Lights: These lights shine red, yellow and green in the shape of a bicycle at most major intersections. Obey them. Trams and other traffic have their own lights that don't always correspond. When a bike light doesn't exist, use the traffic lights meant for cars.

• Designated Bike Path/Route: A round sign with a blue background and white bicycle indicates a bike lane or route.

• Bikes/Scooters Excepted: A sign with the word uitgezonderd ("except") and

bike/scooter symbols means that bikers are the exception to the otherwise posted traffic rule. For example, a round, red sign with a white dash means no entry. Bikers are allowed entry if the white, rectangular uitgezonderd sign is also present.

4 Give right of way always give right of way to trams, from any direction. Listen for the distinctive clanging of their bells. The rule for all other vehicles and bikes: give right of way to traffic approaching from the right. So, traffic coming from your left should give you the right of way. Taxis and buses often push the limits on this rule, so err on the side of caution when they approach. 5 Use your hands. Use hand signals when changing course. Just point in the direction you want to go. Doing this will let motorists and other bikers know to yield or not to pass you on that side.When in doubt at intersections, dismount. There's nothing wrong with getting off the bike and walking it through busy areas. 6 Don't get stuck in a rut. Steer clear of tram tracks, which are just the right size to swallow bike tires. If you must cross the tracks (and you will have to at some point), do so at a sharp angle. Try using suggested bike routes, many of which are tram-free.



7 Lock it when you leave it Never leave a bike unlocked, not even for a minute. Bike theft in English, French or german big cities is a problem, but it can be avoided. Lock your bike to a permanent structure (a bike rack, pole or bridge) with a heavy chain or U-lock. Always put the lock through the frame and the front wheel. Also lock the brilliant little device that immobilizes the back wheel (most rental shops provide both).Look for signs that say Hier geen fietsen plaatsen ("Do not place bicycles here"). If you ignore them, your bike could be confiscated.

7. Keep moving & clear the way. Try to keep pace with fellow bikers. You may ride two abreast, as long as your pace doesn't hold up traffic. Never stop in the bike lane or on the street. When walking with your bike, do so on sidewalks or pedestrian areas.

4.18 Emergencies and first aid EMERGENCY CALL: 112 Always have the number of your host mother/ father or any other people to call for emergencies in your cell phone or wallet. For life threatening situations always call 112. But only for a matter of live and death. Tell your name, explain the situation and give the address were you live and the number you can be reached. Try to stay calm. NEVER SHAKE A BABY OR CHILD . You will cause more damage. 5.3.1 First aid

Introduction When someone becomes ill or injured there is usually a short period of time before you can get professional medical assistance. It is that length of time that is most critical to the victim. What you do, or don't do during that period of time can make the difference between life and death. By having some first aid training and knowing cardio Pulonary Resuscitation (CPR) you can have a major impact to the successful outcome of a medical emergency. All Smiling Faces au pairs should have a first aid course. But here some reminders. In Appendix A you will find some pictures with instruction.

Heimlich Manoeuvre/ Choking

Conscious Child (Over 1 year old) To dislodge an object from the airway of a child: perform abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich manoeuvre) .The Heimlich Manoeuvre is the best known method of removing an object from the airway of a person who is choking. You can use it on yourself or someone else. These are the steps:

6. Stand behind the choking person and wrap your arms around his or her waist. Bend



the person slightly forward. 7. Make a fist with one hand and place it slightly above the person's navel. 8. Grasp your fist with the other hand and press hard into the abdomen with a quick,

upward thrust. Repeat this procedure until the object is expelled from the airway. If you must perform this manoeuvre on yourself, position your own fist slightly above your navel. Grasp your fist with your other hand and thrust upward into your abdomen until the object is expelled.

Unconscious Child (Over 1 year old) call 112

Conscious child (Under 1 year old)

4. Support the head and neck with one hand. Straddle the infant face down over your fore arm, head lower than trunk, supported on your thigh.

5. Deliver four back blows, forcefully, with the heel of the hand between the infants shoulder blades.

6. While supporting the head, immediately sandwich the infant between your hands and turn onto its back, head lower than trunk.

7. Using 2 or 3 fingers deliver four thrusts in the sternal (breastbone) region. Depress the sternum 1/2 to 1 inch for each thrust. Avoid the tip of the sternum.

8. Repeat both back blows and chest thrusts until foreign body is expelled or the infant becomes unconscious. ALTERNATE METHOD: Lay the infant face down on your lap, head lower than trunk and firmly supported. Perform 4 back blows. Turn infant on its back as a unit and perform 4 chest thrusts.

Unconscious Infant

Shout for help. Call 112 and follow their instructions.

Cuts and Scrapes Small cuts and scrapes usually don't demand a visit to the emergency room of your local hospital, but proper care is necessary to keep infections or other complications from Occurring. When dealing with minor wounds, keep the following guidelines in mind: Stop the bleeding by applying pressure using a gauze pad or clean cloth. If the bleeding persists after several minutes of applying pressure, get immediate medical attention. Keep the wound clean by washing the area with mild soap and water and removing any dirt. Dry the area gently with a clean cloth, and cover the wound with a protective bandage. Change the bandage at least once a day. If the wound becomes tender to the touch and red or oozes fluid, see your doctor. If your cut is more serious and the bleeding does not stop on its own or the cut is large, deep, or rough on the edges, try to stop the bleeding by applying pressure directly to the injury using a sterilized gauze pad or clean cloth. Maintain pressure on the wound until the bleeding stops. Then consult your physician. A tetanus booster may be required if you haven't had one for a while. Severe Bleeding To stop serious bleeding, follow these steps: Lay the affected person down. If possible, the person's head should be slightly lower than the trunk of his or her body or the legs should be elevated. This position increases blood flow to the brain. Elevate the site of bleeding, if possible to reduce the blood flow.



Do not attempt to clean the wound. Apply steady, firm pressure directly to the wound using a sterile bandage, a clean cloth, or your hand. Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops, then wrap the wound with a tight dressing and secure it with adhesive tape. Most bleeding can be controlled this way. Call for emergency 112 help immediately. If the bleeding continues and seeps through the bandage, add more absorbent material. Do not remove the first bandage. If the bleeding does not stop, apply pressure to the major artery that delivers blood to the area of the injury When the bleeding has stopped, immobilize the injured portion of the body. You can use another part of the body, such as a leg or torso, to immobilize the area. Leave the bandages in place and take the person for immediate medical attention or call for emergency help. Nosebleed A nosebleed is sudden bleeding from one or both nostrils, and may result from a variety of events: a punch in the nose, breathing dry air, allergies, or for no apparent reason. To stop the flow of blood from a common nosebleed, use these steps: Sit or stand upright to slow the flow of blood in the veins of the nose. Do not tip your head back. Pinch your nose with your thumb and forefinger for 10 minutes without relieving pressure. Breathe through your mouth during this time. If the bleeding continues despite these efforts, consult your doctor or call 112. Burns Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is seek emergency medical help. First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home. Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. If a second-degree burn is no larger than 2 or 3 inches in diameter, it can be treated at home. If the burn covers a larger area, seek medical attention. You may need a tetanus booster. Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns should receive emergency medical attention. Call 112 and follow the instructions.

Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:

If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes. Cover the burn with a sterile bandage or clean cloth. Take aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve any swelling or pain. Poisoning A poisoning may or may not be obvious. Sometimes the source of a poisoning can be easily identified --an open bottle of medication or a spilled bottle of household cleaner. Look for these signs if you suspect a poisoning emergency:



Burns or redness around the mouth and lips. Breath that smells like chemicals. Burns, stains, and odours on the person, his or her clothing, or on the furniture, floor, rugs, or other objects in the surrounding area. Vomiting, difficulty breathing or other unexpected symptoms. If you can find no indication of poisoning, do not treat the person for poisoning, but call for emergency 112 help.

If you believe someone has been poisoned, take the following steps: Some products have instructions on the label specifying what to do if a poisoning occurs. If the product known to be the poison has these instructions, follow them. If the person is alert, give him or her a glass of water or milk to drink. The liquid will slow the rate at which the poison is absorbed by the body. But if the person is weak, lethargic, unconscious, or having seizures, do not give him or her anything by mouth. Certain poisons should be vomited; others should not. If you do not know the identity of the substance swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Overall, you should not induce vomiting unless directed to by a poison control authority or your physician. If you are told to induce vomiting in the person who has swallowed poison, use syrup of ipecac to do so. An alternative method to induce vomiting is touching the back of the throat of the person to initiate gagging. If you have no other alternative, have the person drink a glass of warm water containing 1 teaspoon of dried mustard or 3 teaspoons of salt. After the person has vomited, give a glass of water or milk. If the poison has spilled on the person's clothing, skin, or eyes, remove the clothing and flush the skin or eyes with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Get immediate medical attention. If you have identified the poison, take the container with you. Eye Injuries

Impaled Objects DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE OBJECT. Stabilize the impaled object by placing bulky dressings on each side of the object and then securing the dressings together, or by placing a paper cup over the object and then securing to the face.

Foreign Bodies Foreign bodies such as dirt, sand, wood or metal chips may cause tearing. Tearing may rid the eye of the foreign body. If the object remains in the eye, have the victim blink several times. If the object still remains in the eye, gently flush the eye with water.

Electrical Injuries

Everyone experiences minor electrical shocks from time to time. In some cases, however, even small amounts of electricity can be life-threatening because they can produce unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and cessation of breathing. Electrical shocks also can produce serious, deep burns and tissue injury, although often even a serious electrical burn appears as only a minor mark on the skin. If you find a person whom you think has been electrocuted, look first--do not touch. He or she may still be in contact with the electrical source, and touching him or her may only pass the current through you. If possible, turn off the source of electricity. If this is not possible, move the source away from



you and the affected person using a non-conducting object made of cardboard, plastic, or wood. Once the person is free of the source of electricity, check the person's breathing and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, initiate resuscitation immediately (see Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation). If the person is faint or pale or shows other signs of shock (see Recognizing and Treating Shock), lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk of his or her body and the legs elevated. Treat any major burns (see Treating Major Burns) and wait for emergency medical assistance to arrive.

Home work If you do not have a first aid diploma, we advice you to take a course. Most of the time the courses are inexpensive and it can save a somebody’s life. If you do not have a first aid course in your neighbourhood ask somebody who has a diploma to teach you about first aid.

4.19 Language course 6: safety English French German Watch out: The road The water Hot Do not do that No Be carefull Do not touch that Give it to me Do not put in into your mouth Do not cross the road Stand still, stop walking Where does it hurt I’m in pain Pain I have blood

Soignez-lui : Le chemin l'eau Chaude ne fait pas cela Aucun Être carefull ne touche ce qui Me le donne ils ne mettent pas dans dans sa bouche on ne croise pas le chemin Il ne se meut pas, il cesse de marcher Où le dommage le fait je suis dans la Douleur de douleur ai le sang

Bewachung aus: Die Straße Das Heiße Wasser tut das Kein nicht, carefull Sein, berührt sich nicht, die es mir Geben, stellen in in Ihren Mund nicht treffen sich nicht die Straße steht nicht Still, hört auf spazierenzugehen, wo es Schmerz tut, bin ich in Schmerz-Schmerz ich habe Blut

Do you want a plaster

Do you want a kiss

My sister is crying

My brother is crying

Telephone

Hands

Ears

Eye

Nose

Legs

Head



Arms

Belly

Faces

Knee

I’m sick

5 Taking care of babies

5.1 Giving the bottle Preparations Always wash your hands before touching a bottle or milk powder/ formula. How much cc the baby can drink and how much powder depends on the age of the baby. Fill in the below table with your host mother.

Making up the formula Wash your hands before making up the formula. Bring the water to the boil and let it cool down. Follow the instructions on the can very carefully. It is most important that the formula is made up to the right strength. Measure the right amount of cooled, boiled water into the bottle. Make sure you put in the water first, then the powder. Add the right number of scoops of formula, using a knife to level off the scoop. Do not pack down the formula into the scoop. Seal the bottle with cap and disc, and shake to mix. If you are not using the milk straight away, store the bottle in the back of the fridge (not in the door). Throw out any formula you haven't used after 24 hours. If you use a jug to make up the formula, make sure it is clean and sterilised too. How to prepare a bottle



Fill the scoop, Place the cap on the bottle lightly and level and shake to dissolve powder. with a knife, avoid Before feeding, check the feed compacting the is at the right Temperature by formula. Add the shaking a few drops on your required number of wrist. level scoops of powder. Warming bottles

A microwave may be used to heat the cooled down boiled water. Please do not put any milk powder in it yet. • For fridge-cold water try (ask your host mother) o 30 seconds on high for 90-120 ml o 45 seconds on high for 150-180 ml o 50 seconds on high for 180-240 ml The actual time will vary according to the type of microwave you have. Use a shorter time if the bottle is not fridge-cold water to start with. After heating, shake the bottle well to avoid 'hot spots', which could cause burns to the baby' and throat. Then drop a little milk on the inside of your wrist to check the temperature. If it is enough give 5-10 seconds more. Going out or travelling If you are taking bottles to use when you are out, or travelling, it is safest to take the formula powder and the water separately and mix them at the last moment. If you take made up formula it needs to be very cold and carried in an insulated pack.

Giving the bottle

Hold the baby on your lap with their head in the crook of your arm. Hold your baby at a slightly upright position to eat. To stay comfortable, you may wish to use a pillow or two to help you hold your arm up. This will help prevent you from having a stiff neck or sore upper back while feeding your baby.



Now it's time to eat! As the baby turns to root and opens their mouth, insert the bottle nipple into the mouth. Touch the baby's lips with the teat -this will usually start her sucking. The nipple should be filled with fluid. A half filled nipple will cause baby to swallow too much air which can cause gas later. To end a feeding or remove the bottle, simply pull the bottle from baby's mouth.

Never prop your baby's bottle. You should also never prop a bottle. Not even for a minute. This can cause the baby to choke. This is a very serious and life threatening thing. Propping a bottle also deprives them of the physical contact they crave. Feeding your baby should be a pleasant sensation for both you and baby. It is not simply a matter for getting as much food in your baby as quickly as possible.

The amount of milk suggested on the can is only a guide. Some babies take more and some less. Do not force the baby to finish the bottle -but if a baby is regularly taking a lot less than the directions, discuss it with your host mother. Most babies like to be fed every three or four hours. Some like to be fed a bit more or a bit less often. Throw out any milk left in the bottle an hour after the start of the feed, as germs may grow and cause illness. Some tips for getting the baby to drink. Learning to bottle feed takes time, so be patient. Make sure the baby is awake and hungry but not too upset. The baby may need less milk than you expect. Don't force her to take the whole



bottle. Try different shaped teats and try having the milk come out faster or slower. Loosen or tighten the cap to control the flow. Stroke the baby's cheeks and lips to start her sucking. If the baby does not start sucking well on the teat get baby sucking on a finger or a dummy, then remove it quickly and replace it with the bottle. Try gentle pressure of your finger under the baby's chin -in time with the sucking. Try gentle cheek pressure. If your baby is restless during a feed, rock and pat him or walk around while feeding. Get him to look at something such as a mobile or a tree through the window. Try feeding in a quiet dark room. If the baby stops sucking or gets fussy after taking only part of the feed, but is well and gaining weight, take a break after about 30 minutes. Play with the baby for 10-15 minutes then offer the bottle again for 5 to 10 minutes. Burbing Try for a 'burp' about halfway through the bottle but don't keep trying if the baby is upset. Some babies like to drink the whole bottle at once.

Some babies bring up a little milk with wind -this is normal.



Cleaning bottles and teats

Wash your hands. Rinse bottle and teat inside and outside with cold running water straight after feeding, then wash bottle and teat well with hot water and detergent. Use a bottle brush to clean inside the bottle thoroughly. Turn the teat inside out to clean off bits of milk and squirt water through the holes. Rinse bottle and teat well in clear hot water. You can wash bottles (but not teats) in a dishwasher if you have one.

Sterilising Bottles, teats, jugs and any equipment used to make up the milk, and any containers used to store the milk need to be sterilised until the baby is about 6 months old. After this age, it is probably safe enough to make sure that they are very clean, without sterilising them if the milk is given straight away. However, if the milk is to be stored, it is best to continue sterilising bottles etc. Whether sterilising or not, it is vital that all bottles, teats etc are cleaned very well. Sterilising only works if the equipment is really clean. There are several ways to sterilise. Ask your host mother how she is sterilising bottles.

Solid food Babies from the age of 4/6 th months and until the age of 12 months have special food and a special feeding schedule. Ask your host mother and see chapter 1 (family information) for the eating schedule of the baby in your family. Maybe you have to prepare the food yourself, but most of the time baby’s get ready to make food.

Foods that may cause choking Do not give babies and young children (up to 4 or 5 years) nuts such as peanuts or almonds (unless ground into a smooth paste) or other hard foods such as pieces of raw vegetables or raw fruits (unless soft like ripe banana).Young children may also choke on snack foods, such as popcorn, corn chips, whole or even halved grapes, raisins or sultanas, seeds and hard lollies. Meat should be cut into small pieces until the child can chew well.

Bad foods ingredients for babies

Salt A baby's kidneys cannot cope with a lot of salt. A diet high in salt is a cause of high blood pressure in some adults. Do not add salt to the baby's food while cooking or after -and use less salt for the rest of the family too. You will soon get used to the different taste of foods without salt.

Sugar Babies do not need added sugar and will happily eat cereals, custards etc. without it. Sugary foods cause tooth decay and sugar gives calories without any food value. It can lead to weight gain or to the child eating less healthy foods. Brown sugar and raw sugar



are forms of sugar -they are not healthier alternatives.

Honey Honey can contain the spores (like seeds) of a germ (C. botulinum) which can cause a serious, but rare, health problem (botulism) for babies under 12 months. Babies with botulism from eating honey can die very quickly if they are not treated, and if treatment is needed it will be many months before they are well again. Because this is a cause of an illness that, even though rare, is preventable, it is recommended that honey is not given to infants under 12 months old.

5.2 Changing diapers You have to change a diaper before or after the bottle and also when the baby has a poop diaper. So depending on the age of the baby you have to change the diaper at least 6 to 8 times a day, and often more. Be sure to keep at least one hand on baby and if you are using a table; do not rely on straps or rails. Be certain that you have all of your supplies close at hand before beginning. Never leave the baby unattended during diapering. To help prevent me spread of infectious disease: The surface where you change diapers should be used only for changing diapers. The surface should be covered with a sheet, water-resistant materials Wash the baby's bottom with a clean, wet baby wipe each time you change him/her. Put dirty diapers in a plastic container with a tight fitting top. Dispose of the dirty diapers daily. Some families will throw away the diapers outside directly. Remember, after changing the baby's diaper; wash your hands and the baby's hands. Diaper Rash Diaper rash is common for babies, because their skin is very sensitive. You can recognize diaper rash of rough red patches which appear on baby's bottoms and upper thighs. This is caused from the chafing of wet diapers or other irritants. The infant's bottom may be red or may become even broken with blood. Ask the parents how they want the rash to be treated. Put on some cream like Zinc cream like SUDO cream and it is important to change the diapers more often. Never leave a baby in a wet diaper.

5.3 Playing and exploring Infants require attention on many different levels. Although they may be too young to communicate verbally with you, playing is still fun for them. Babies love hide and seek games, which can have many variations. They also enjoy music and will clap or dance happily with you. Any singing games from your home country are good to try. At this stage, children are developing their fine motor skills so any light pulling or grasping games (have them grasp your finger to pull themselves to a standing position) are ideal for their strength and development. Babies enjoy toys mat move and make sounds, and are textured (rattles, squeeze squeak toys, Pop up" toys, music boxes, and texture balls).

Babies are eager to get to know themselves, the world, and how they fit in. They discover people and soon learn what to expect from others. Once parents and au pairs figure out babies' signals and patterns, then they can follow up to give babies whatever they need -a drink of juice, a dry diaper, or some shared giggles. Babies learn, can trust others to help me." When babies have reliable early care, they are more likely to feel good about getting to know people for the rest of their lives. When babies feel secure and cared about, they grow to care about others. The message they get from trustworthy adults is, "} am lovable. I am worth attention." Babies and toddIers actively explore their environment. They use all of



their senses ¬seeing, tasting, smelling, hearing, and touching. Babies are always on the move. Every day, they can do more with their fingers, legs, and arms. That's how they discover what the world is all about.

Young children are scientists at work. They learn about cause and effect by seeing what hap pens when they do something:

They drop a blob of yogurt from the high chair. With glee, they watch and listen for the splat as it hits the floor. "Hey, look what I made the yogurt do!" they seem to say. They learn that plastic is cold and hard when they bite it. "This soothes my gums." They lustily bang on a pan lid with a wooden spoon. The sound gets louder and louder. "Listen to my music," they call. Babies are great Imitators: pull out your tongue and they also will do it. They get their point across, even without words. When they pull themselves up to the refrigerator door, you know they're hungry!

5.4 Why do babies cry If your baby is crying, he needs you to go to him, and care for him. You cannot spoil a baby by responding when he is upset. In the early months a baby needs to learn that his world is a safe place to be in, and that he can trust his carers to meet his needs. You may not be able to stop the crying every time, but you need to do what you can to provide comfort, and help your baby learn to cope with his distress. Research has shown that when parents give comfort to young crying babies, they may cry less when they are older.

Reasons for crying – a checklist Is he/she hungry? Is he/she having a bowel action? Young babies can make a lot of fuss about doing a poop, even when it is soft or runny. Is he/she uncomfortable? Check if the baby is too hot or cold, needs a nappy change, has comfortable loose clothing (e.g. not too tight around the tummy). Is he/she in the best place to settle? Some babies sleep better in a quiet dark place, others do better with some noise and activity. Does he/she have wind? Air in the tummy probably does not cause all the trouble it is blamed for, but some babies settle better if you hold them upright and pat their back for a while, even if they do not burp. Is he/she unwell? Check for signs of illness, especially if her crying is different to her usual pattern. Seek help if you are worried. Is he/she overtired? If she has been awake for a while, try wrapping her firmly and rocking or patting her to sleep. Maybe he is overtired or over stimulated. Turn off extra noise like the



television or radio. Lower the lights. Wrap the baby with his arms and legs inside a blanket and lay him down on his back or side in his crib. Does the baby need to suck? Look for his/her soothers. Does he/she need a cuddle? Babies need lots of close contact. Normal crying patterns Parents often feel their baby cries more than other babies, or more than they expected. There is a wide range of normal crying. Some babies cry much more than other babies for no clear reason. Young babies may have one or two times each day when they usually cry, with some unsettled behaviour in between. The late afternoon and evening tend to be the worst. Studies show babies fuss or cry about two hours a day on average, some rather more and some less. The amount of crying often increases until the baby is about 6 weeks old, and then tends to settle a lot after 3 months. This is not the same for all babies.

Some tips for comforting the baby Crying babies tend to arch their heads back and stiffen their legs. Holding them curved into a C or flexed position can help them calm down. Here are some different ways of holding your baby that may help.

Wrapping or swaddling in a cotton sheet can be calming and help the baby sleep for longer. Dummies help some babies to settle, Comforters (or pacifiers, or attachment objects) include dummies, blankets, soft toys or thumbs that help children relax. Sucking is pleasant and calming for babies. Sucking or holding comforters helps very young children to feel safe when they are not with their parents or other family members, until they are old enough to feel OK by themselves. Baby slings are great to provide the comfort and contact that babies need when you have something else to do. Soft music, rhythmic sounds or continuous machine noises (such as the noise made by a washing machine) soothe some babies. Most babies settle when taken for a walk in the park, and the exercise helps you feel better too. Don’t leave your baby sleeping unattended in a pram, though. Whispering to babies will sometimes get their attention and stop them crying. Some babies who cry a lot find it hard to settle into a pattern of feeding and sleeping, so everyone gets very overtired.



If the baby has pain from bowel action, you can hold it in deferent positions

Coping with your own feelings It is very hard to always be patient with the baby, especially if she cries a lot. You may find yourself feeling frustrated, angry, helpless and distressed. These feelings are real and cannot just be ignored. Remind yourself that the baby cannot control her crying and is not trying to get at you. She is not “spoilt” and attending to her will not spoil her. If you are on your own, you may need to take a break anyway when you feel angry feelings building up. Put your baby down in a safe place and walk away. Go outside perhaps, and take some deep breaths, phone someone or make a cup of tea. When you feel calmer, go back to your baby and try to settle her again.

Never shake a baby! Shaking a baby can cause serious harm to a baby's brain. Some children can even die.

Baby homework



If you do not have any experience with babies younger than 1 year we advise you to baby sit few times for your families/friends babies. Please assist them with everything you need to know about babies. Buy/ borrow a book or magazine about babies and study it.

6 Childcare and health 6.1 10 golden rules for healthy childcare Wash their hands with soap. Always wash the hand of the children before lunch and dinner and if there are dirty before snacks also, after they went to the bathroom and before they go to bed.

2. Brush their teeth 3 times a day Children who are older then 1 year old have to brush their teeth 3 times a day: after breakfast, lunch and before going to bed. Babies only have to brush their teeth before going to sleep at night. Children have different toothpaste than adults. There is special toothpaste for children 0-5 years old and children older than 5 years. Please take a look at the package. Brushing teeth has to take at least one minute.

3. Washing & bathing Every morning their faces need to be washed. When the children are very dirty you will put them in the bath or let them have a shower. Some children will have a bath in the morning, some before dinner or going to bed. Not all children will go to bath every day. Please look at your family’s schedule. Too much water is bad for the skin. If the children do not take a bath before going to bed please always wash their faces, hands, bottoms and feet before they go to sleep. Also put on clean underwear and pyjamas before going to bed.

4. Clean clothes and under wear Little baby’s need clean clothes more than once a day. But also the clothes of older children are often very dirty at the end of the day. If the clothes are not dirty leave them for the next day. Never put cloths that are worn into the closet with the clean clothes. All children need clean underwear and pyjama’s every day.

5. Clean bed sheets You need to change the bed sheet of the children when it is dirty. But put on clean bed sheets at least once a week.

6. Clean eating Young children can make a big mess while eating. Make sure the children, table and floor are clean before leaving the chair. Food can give terrible stains on carpets and furniture. Baby’s and small children have to wear a napkin while eating to protect their clothes.

7. Clean bottles and soothers (speentjes) (see 4.9.1) Baby’s who drink their milk from bottles need a clean bottle. Depending on the age of baby’s bottles can be cleaned in the dishwasher or need to be sterilised in boiling water. Please discuss this with your host family. If a soother has fallen on the ground, it need to be cleaned with water.

Trough away food that has fallen on the ground. Avoid wearing shoes in the house



It is better that children take of their shoes in the house and put on their slippers .It is dirty and the children can hurt each other while playing. And it is more comfortable to wear slippers in the house. Children can never wear shoes on at the sofa or chair. 10. Guidance in the bathroom. Children, younger then four years old need guidance when they go to the bathroom. You need to whip their bottoms, flush and wash their hands. You can also teach them to do it their selves (about 4 years old). 6.2 Language Course 7: Childcare

English French German Babies Bottle Milk powder Hot water Soother Buggy/ strollers Child chair Wash your hand Wash your face Was your feet Soap Water Tap Brush you teeth Toothpaste Toothbrush Cup of water Comp your hair Brush Elastic Comp Mirror hairpin Put on your Shoes Socks Boots Coat Cloves Pants Shirt Underwear Pyjama Slippers Dress Swimming suit Skirt Bathroom Come out of the bath

Des bébés bouteille lait dans une poussière eau chaude consolateur fauteuil roulant / des fauteuils roulants siège bébé Lavez à sa main Lavez à son visage C'était ses pieds savon eau clef Brossez-lui des dents dentifrice brosse de dents tasse de l'eau Comp son poil brosse élastique Comp miroir fourche Mettez son Des chaussures Des chaussettes Des bottes Un manteau Hiende pantalon chemise Des vêtements intérieurs Pyjama pantoufles vêtement procès nageur jupe salle de bains

Babys Flasche Milchpulver Heißes Wasser Soother Buggy / Bummler Kind-Stuhl Waschen Sie Ihre Hand Waschen Sie Ihr Gesicht War Ihre Füße Seife Wasser Klaps Bürsten Sie Sie Zähne Zahnpasta Zahnbürste Pokal des Wassers Setzer Ihr Haar Bürste Gummiband Setzer Spiegel Haarnadel Ziehen Sie Ihren an Schuhe Socken Aufladungen Mantel Nebenzwiebeln Hose Hemd Unterkleidung Pyjama Pantoffeln Kleid Schwimmende Klage Rock Badezimmer Kommen Sie aus dem Bad



Soap Hot water

Sortir du bain savon eau chaude

Seife Heißes Wasser

7 Housekeeping Besides taking care of the children you have to help with light housework. Your responsibility is to washing the dishes, laundry, ironing, cooking, tidying up and light cleaning, making the beds, taking out garbage etc. Almost all families have a cleaning lady, who cleans the house every week. Task like washing windows or car, scrubbing the floor and toilets are not your responsibility. Of course the family can ask you to clean the house. But they have to give you extra money for that and only if you agree on taking extra duties out of the au pair program. Please take a look at these websites to save time: http://housekeeping.about.com and www.housekeepingchannel.com

7.1 Tidying up, clean and organize All au pairs are responsible to clear the areas where children live, sleep, and play and eat. You have to do this every day. You should always leave the house the same way you received it. Clean up after yourself and the kids throughout the day. Put things away in the same place that you got them from.

Children bedrooms Make the kids beds, open the windows for fresh air, and put away the toys, dirty clothes and diapers. Vacuum the floor if necessary. In the summer the windows can be open all day. Just open the window a little bit and make sure you put in on the lock so the children can not fall out. When it is raining outside, close the windows. In the winter only open the windows for half a hours, put off the heating in the room and close the door of the room, so the cold can not spread all around the house. Open the windows for fresh air, put away the toys, dirty clothes and diapers. Vacuum/ clean the floor if necessary.

Living room Put the toys, clothes, breakfast etc. away. Make sure the living room is clean and organized after breakfast, lunch and before dinner. If you host mother /father comes home from work please make sure she/he is coming home in a nicely organized home.

Kitchen The kitchen should be clean and organized all day. So after breakfast you immediately unpack the dish washer, clear up all the breakfast. Clean the kitchen, breakfast table, kitchen/living room floor and chairs for children. After every meal no food or drinks can be



left behind. Clean everything with a wet cloth and detergent.

Organizing toys The au pair is responsible for the toys in the living room and the children’s room. Every day at the end of the day all toys should be organized. The children must help every day when possible. Sometimes they are too tired at the end of the day. But they have to learn to put their own stuff away. Toys should be put away organized: puzzles with puzzles, books with books, Lego with Lego, baby toys with baby toys, pencils with pencils etc. So do not mix toys, this way children can not play with it the next day, because the toy is incomplete. To avoid a big mess, children can only use one toy at a time and can not eat or drink while playing. It is in your own interest to stick with these rules.

Organizing cloths and shoes Do not mix clothes, shoes and toys. Shoes should be put away downstairs in the hall together as a pair. Dirty clothes should be in the laundry bag.

Organise each floor use baskets. You can keep running the stairs many times a day. It is a good exercise but remember your time it limited. You can put basket on each floor of the house where you collect all the things that need to go up or down. At the end of the day our put away all thing that are in the basket. This will save you a lot of time. Ask your host mother to buy 4-5 baskets from 30 * 40 cm big.

Clear, clean an organize with joy Household is a lot of work everyday and can be very boring and sometimes not very rewarding. One minute everything is nice and the next minute everything is a mess again with a lot of children living in the house. Try not to organize all day, but only two or three moment in the day. Try to organize efficiently. And put on your favourite music while tiding up the house. Think of something nice you will do in the afternoon with your friends or sing a song. Remember that your host family will be very grateful if they come home, and their house is nice and organized. This is exactly what they need after a hard day of work.

Children and house duties Keeping the house organized is a lot of work. You have to do light house work while you watch the children. Otherwise you will not finish your duties. The children also need time to play on their own. Put them at the table with a puzzle, game or drawing or let them watch some TV. Meanwhile you can clean the kitchen or fold the laundry. But always keep an eye on them. And keep your ears open. When they are quiet, most of the time they are doing something naughty. Try to involve the children in your work with a song or a game. Stimulate them to help you. When it is really not possible to do two things at one time, try to divert their attention on another game. For example when they are having an argument all the time. Play with them for 15 minutes and tell them after that you have to finish your job.



7.2 Language course 8: The House English French German House keeping Tidying up Clean Detergent Dishwasher Cooking Doing Grocery Laundry Folding Ironing Vacuuming Garbage Hall Bathroom Living room Kitchen Bedroom Living room Table Chair Telephone Painting Sofa Lamp Window Mirror Door

Un soin de maison Ordonner Je nettoie Un détergent Un évier Une cuisine En faisant le Magasin de comestibles Une blanchisserie Plié Un repassage Vacuuming Des ordures Un couloir Une salle de bains Il sale d'être Une cuisine Une chambre à coucher Il sale d'être Une table Une chaise Un téléphone Une peinture Un canapé Une lampe Une fenêtre Un miroir Une porte

Haus-Halten Aufräumen Sauber Reinigungsmittel Geschirrspülmaschine Kochen Tun des Lebensmittelgeschäfts Wäscherei Falte Bügeln Vacuuming Abfall Halle Badezimmer Wohnzimmer Küche Schlafzimmer Wohnzimmer Tisch Stuhl Telefon Malerei Sofa Lampe Fenster Spiegel Tür

Stairs Curtons Floor Heating Ceiling Wall Kitchen Stove Sink Dish washer Closet Kitchen towel Pan Fork Knife Spoon Plate Cup Glass

7.3 How to clean a kid's room in 15 minutes. Provide your kids with a real cleanup that takes only 15 minutes, but leaves the room



actually cleaner. Give them this step-by-step guide to getting their room in great shape.

What you need: A basket, bag, or box to put clutter items A vacuum cleaner or broom A hamper A trash container A toy box

Here's how:

Grab your supplies. You may already have a hamper, trash can, or toy box in your room. Use the list below to gather the things you need to clean your room. Don't begin cleaning until you have all of your supplies in your room. Trying to find supplies one at a time is a waste of time. Grab all dirty clothing and put it in a hamper. I know the dirty clothes in your room are probably near the hamper, but we want to actually put them in the hamper. Don't worry about unfolding your socks or turning clothes right side out. We'll do that when we sort out the laundry. Grab all trash and put it in the trash can. Don't worry about anything but trash right now. Pick up all the obvious trash and throw it in the can. Make the bed. If making the bed seems like a waste of time, humour me. Smooth out the sheets. Smooth out the blanket or comforter. Fluff your pillows. Stand back and take a quick look at the bed. It looks much neater, not necessarily better, just neater. On the plus side, you're not as likely to loose things in your bed when it's neat. Grab all the clean clothes and refold or rehang. This is where that made bed comes in handy. If you have a lot of clothes to refold or reran you can neatly stack them on your bed to remind you to fold them later. This saves you a little time now, keeps the room looking neat, and makes sure you will be reminded to fold them before trying to crawl into bed. Pickup all the toys from the floor, bed, desk, etc. Put them into a toy box, petnet, or herever they belong. Don't worry about sorting out what toy goes with what piece, etc. Just put them all into the box. Pickup all the items that don't belong in the room and place them in a basket, box, or bag. We're not worrying about placing the items where they belong right now. Just put them all in a basket for now. Sweep and mop, or vacuum. Don't worry about moving furniture to do this. Put away all of your supplies. That's it. You're done. Does it look like a place you'd actually like to live in? Exercise

Please try this method at home in your house/room. You will have fun experiencing how fast you can clean a room. It is a great time saving method.

7.4 Washing Not all au pairs are responsible for taking care of laundry. But if you are, please study this part of the guideline very carefully. English, French or german people are very organized and take good care of their appearance. It means they wear nice and clean clothes. Clothing is expensive in some places at foreign and they are very careful with washing, ironing and putting clothes away in the closet. Maybe you are used to put all types of clothing in the machine, with one detergent at one temperature .But at foreign doing laundry is more of an art : wash with similar colours, textile , different detergent and



temperatures for each clothing. Think twice before you put clothes in the washing machine. You do not want to ruin one of the favourite clothes of your host children.

Please visit also the following site: www.ariel.co.uk Click the red button: Ariel washing guide.

7.4.1 Preparation Preparation is crucial in executing an effective wash. The most fundamental step to laundering clothes is to evaluate how many loads of laundry you will need to do and to separate your dirty clothes accordingly. The way to separate is by colour. Why separate by colour? Because the clothes with colours tend to bleed in the wash, and it'll make your whites dingy (or if you have red in the wash, pink). Separating your clothes will protect the colour of each garment as well as the durability. Should you mix darks and lights, the damage done cannot be eliminated in the next wash. The white t-shirt mixed accidentally with the red sweatshirt is, alas, pink for life. One last note: as you sort your clothes, be sure to make sure they're not inside out, that the pockets are empty (unless you want to wash a $20 bill), and that the zippers are closed (to prevent snagging) The actual act of washing clothes is simple. After you've gathered all of your materials and done the proper sorting, you're ready throw the clothes into the machine. Here are our tips:

1. First you must pre-treat any visible stains before washing for maximum effectiveness of removal. Before combining the stained garment with other clothing in the washing machine, add a dime-size amount of detergent or stain remover to the affected area and rub into the stain. Then you can add it in the washing machine and hope that the stain comes out in the agitated washing cycle. What you do next depends on the type of washing machine you're using. That has a detergent dispenser on top

Laundry machines vary tremendously: some require you to specify the water temperature; others ask you to choose the washing cycle. The latter is much easier for the neophyte: Whites require a "hot" cycle in which there is a vigorous agitation cycles and hot water rinse. The hot water gets your whites nice and clean, because it doesn't have to worry about draining out colours Lights, red, greens and darks require a "warm" or "permanent press" cycle which has a more mild agitation cycle and adds an extra cool water rinse. The cool water protects the colours. Please wash lights, red, greens and darks separate Delicates (wool and silk) (that, of course, are not being washed by hand) require a "delicate" cycle with an extremely short and gentle agitation spin. This will be a "cold" cycle. A washing cycle usually takes 1,5 hour to 30 minutes, depending on the program.The biggest problems that people encounter during the wash cycle are that they either 1) overload the washer, or 2) use too much detergent. You should never have to stuff clothes into a washer… if there's no room inside for more clothes, then there's no room inside for water to reach grimy places. So never fill a washer more than about ½ -¾ full. As for the detergent, only use the "full" measurement if you have a real heavy load of towels, jeans, and other "thick" objects. If you're doing a light load of whites and t-shirts, a half a cup of detergent is fine. What's wrong with too much detergent? Not only will it ruin your clothes (it's like using too much soap on your skin).

7.4.2 Laundry, drying, ironing and folding programs At foreign we have different laundering: first we select on collar. Secondly we select on



temperature and kind of textile.

1. White wash : underwear of the children, towels , bed sheets, pyjamas, napkins, all cotton. Program : 60 degrees : Detergent :ARIEL/ OMO, Witte Reus, Persil WHITE left basket . Drying : Can be put into the dryer Folding : This wash needs to be folded and put in the closet directly after getting out of the dryer. NO ironing. B. ( bright colours) Napkins, towels of kitchen and WC , napkins Program : 60 degrees : Detergent :ARIEL COLOR left basket . Drying : Can be put into the dryer Folding : This wash needs to be folded and put in the closet directly after getting out of the dryer. NO ironing.

Light wash : all clothing that are white , light blue , pink or beige. No wool, but you can add light collared socks. Treating Stains : Yes with SHOUT detergent . You put some on the stain. Program : 40 degrees : Detergent :ARIEL WHITE left basket . Was verzachter in de right basket. Drying :Wash should be dried on the rack. It should be stretched before hanging ( saves time with ironing). MICHIEL Shirts should be hanged on hangers but first and last button closed. Ironing : When the wash is dry it should be directly ironed and put into the closet. It is best to iron when the clothes are a little bit wet, so almost try. Dark wash: dark blue and black clothes, jeans: cotton or synthetic . No wool or socks. Program : 40 degrees : Detergent :DREft/ Robijn dark wash . Was verzachter in de right basket. Drying :Wash should be dried on the rack. It should be stretched before hanging ( saves time with ironing) Ironing : When the wash is dry it should be directly ironed and put into the closet. It is best to iron when the clothes are a little little bit wet , so almost try. Red/Pink wash: All clothes that have the collour red, purple and dark pink and are cotton. No wool textile. but you can add red, purple and pink socks. Treating stains : yes with Shout/vanish detergent. You put some on the stain. Program : 40 degrees : Detergent : Ariel/ Omo color : one cup in the left basket Was verzachter in de right basket. Drying :wash should be dried on the line inside. It should be stretched before hanging ( saves time with ironing) Ironing : When the wash is dry it should be directly ironed and put into the closet. It is best to iron when the clothes are a little bit wet, so almost dry.



Green/ brown wash: all clothes that are green, olive, and brown. No wool and socks. Treating stains : yes with Shout/vanish detergent. You put some on the stain. Program : 40 degrees : Detergent : Ariel/ Omo color : one cup in the left basket Was verzachter in de right basket. Drying :wash should be dried on the line inside. It should be stretched before hanging ( saves time with ironing) Ironing : When the wash is dry it should be directly ironed and put into the closet. It is best to iron when the clothes are a little bit wet, so almost dry. Wool/ Silk wash : Everything that is woollen or silk clothing should be washed separately piece by piece. Treating stains : No Program : 30 degrees : wool program Detergent :Woolite: one cup in the left basket Drying :wash should be dried on the line inside. It should be stretched before hanging ( saves time with ironing) Ironing : Look at the label inside the clothes if you can iron the clothes. 8. Socks : socks have fluffies and they will leave them on clothing. So blue, black, brown socks should be washed separately. You can wash light socks with the light wash and red socks with the red wash. Program : 40 degrees : Detergent :Dreft dark wash . Was verzachter in de right basket. Drying :wash can be put in the dryer or put on the line. It should be stretched before hanging Ironing : No ironing only make a pair when they are dry.

Laundry schedule If your family exists of 3 or 4 children you may have to do laundry one or twice a week. The best schedule is to do laundry on Monday (and Thursday). This way you can wash, fold and iron everything before the weekend. But smaller families may only wash one time a week. Ask your host mother to collect all the wash on Sunday evening and Wednesday evening. Please look at your schedule what your host family expects from you.

7.5 Your laundry If you are responsible for the laundry of the family, ask you host mother what to do with your laundry. We would suggest if as long as you follow the above system with matching colours you can wash your laundry with the family. This is efficient, saves energy, time and money. If you are not responsible for laundry, you have to wash on your own. Ask your host mother what is the most suitable time to wash your clothes.

7.6 How to use the dryer White washes can be dried in the dryer. The other laundries need to be on clotheslines to dry. If you don't have the space, or the environmental kindness to hang your clothes to dry,



you're going to need to learn how to use a dryer. We promise, it's not that hard. Here are our tips:

Before drying, you must prepare the dryer. For optimum performance, clean the lint filter of your dryer before beginning your load. On a standard dryer, lint filters are found at the base of the door to the dryer. Just take the screen out, remove all the disgusting fuzz from it, and place the screen back in its place. As you unload your clothes from the washer to the dryer, shake them out a bit to release any excess water and wrinkles. Inspect any stains that you attempted to remove before washing. The heat from the dryer will only set stains further so you may want to put a little elbow grease into removing the stain again. Don't overload the dryer. By shoving in all your clothes at once, the dryer process is greatly hindered and will require more money and time if you have filled the machine beyond capacity. Similar to the washing machine, a drying cycle depends upon the type of dryer you are using. Most cycles require 30 to 40 minutes for complete drying, although the effectiveness of your dryer largely determines the amount of time you'll need. You may want to set the dryer for 40 minutes and check how dry the garments are after 30 minutes of the cycle (heavier articles such as towels and jeans take longer). If you leave your clothes in the dryer for too long, they will shrink. So check the labels on your garments for drying instructions. Your clothes will also shrink if you put a relatively new item made of cotton in the dryer on a high setting. Often, it is best to hang delicates out to dry to avoid ruining the garment with the harsh heat of a dryer

7.7 Ironing Ironing clothes is really a delicate process. The iron produces so much heat that if you are not sure how to iron clothes, you should really get educated on the process before you start. Ironing is a hard at first but if you do it the right way and got the experience it’s a nice job to do in front of the television. Learning the right steps to ironing clothes should make the process a bit easier for you. If you are using a steam iron, make sure there is the proper amount of water inside, before you plug in. Before you ever begin to iron, plug the iron in, adjust it to the correct setting, and allow it to preheat. You will know your iron is ready for use if it sizzles when you spray a bit of water on it. When you begin the process of ironing a dress shirt, you should first take a glance at the label. This will reveal some pretty important information to you. Some clothes, you will find, should not be ironed. Others have a very low tolerance for heat, so you'll have to iron them at a gentle setting. Use high heat for cotton and linen. Cotton mixes and wool are ironed on a medium level. Use a low setting for silk, nylon, polyester, and other like fabrics. If you choose to ignore the warnings on the label, your dress shirt could be irreparably damaged. Most irons have a setting for cotton, polyester, nylon, linen, rayon, wool, and silk. When you actually begin to iron, take your time to ensure the garment has been stretched flat across the ironing board. This will save you some time in terms of re-ironing wrinkles that you put in. As you iron, make sure to iron clothing evenly with smooth, careful strokes. Always remember to keep the iron moving. Stopping at any point could burn your clothing.



7.7.1 Tips for easy and quick ironing For good and fast ironing we will give you some tips. Please try them all:

It is easiest to iron damp clothing rather than fully dried items. If items are too dry, try spraying or misting them with a spray bottle filled with water. If you have multiple items to iron, throw them in the dryer with a wet towel and run it through the low or no-heat cycle. The ironing board should be at hip level to prevent the back strain. Choose an ironing board with adjustable height options so you won't have to bend over. A silver ironing-board cover is best for heat disbursement, but if you don’t have one, simply places a piece of aluminium foil under the ironing board cover. The foil will reflect heat so you're actually ironing from both sides at once. Add some sprigs of lavender to your ironing water for a fresh scent. If you are ironing sensitive or dark fabrics, use a pressing cloth between the fabric and the iron to prevent any damage done to the fabric (any thin white cotton linen cloth will do). No pressing cloth? Use an old pillowcase or a lightweight dishtowel as an ironing cloth. If you are confused as to what side you iron specific garments, let's clear it up: Cotton or silky rayon should be ironed right side up. Polyester can be ironed either way. All other items should be ironed inside out. Iron dark fabrics, velvet and corduroy inside out to prevent shine. If you are uncertain, iron inside-out to be safe. If you are ironing something that has a plastic design on it, lay it right side down on a terrycloth towel and use a burst of steam. Do your ironing in the bedroom. You'll be able to use the bed to sort your laundry, and you'll have hangers close at hand in the closet. To prevent wrinkles, keep moving freshly ironed surfaces away from you. When you clean the soleplate of your iron, remove residue from the vents with a cotton swab or pipe cleaner. A sharp knife or other tool may scratch the soleplate.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Use a cotton swab to remove residue from iron vents.

7.7.2 How to Iron shirts Start the process by ironing the collar. Stretch the back of it across the flat surface of the board. Always iron shirt collars on both sides, with the inside first. Iron inward from the point of the collar to avoid pushing any creases to the tip. Run the iron over the back of the collar several times until you are sure it is correctly pressed. Turn the shirt over and handle the front of the collar. Move on to the yolk or shoulder area of the shirt, then down toward the sleeves. Move to the sleeves of the garment. You need to be sure to iron the back of the sleeves first, move to the front of the sleeves. Start by stretching the larger part of the



sleeves across the point of the ironing board. Iron all the way around the back of the sleeves, move it toward the sleeve front until you have ironed the circumference of the sleeve. Stretch the lower back of the sleeve across the large, flat surface of the ironing board. Iron toward the cuffs. Flip the shirt over and do the front, making sure to take careful, short strokes. When you get ready to handle the rest (body and the front panel) of the shirt, lay it as flat as possible on the ironing board. Wrinkling usually is avoided if you iron in this order .Work from one side to the other slowly smoothing out the wrinkled spots as you go. Hang the shirt directly after you finish ironing. Be sure to button the top and centre buttons.

7.7.3 How to Iron Dresses Begin by stretching the skirt portion of the dress across the point of the ironing board. If you are working with pleats, start at the bottom and work toward the top. Work your way around the skirt with strong, fast strokes. If the top of the dress won't stretch across the point of the ironing board, smooth it as flat as possible across the large, flat surface of the board. Start with the back and work your way to the front. On each side, be sure to work from the top down. Hang the dress as soon as possible after you iron it. Try not to wear the garment for a few hours, as it will be more prone to wrinkling again once you've heated the fibres.

7.7.4 How to Iron Pants Turn the pants inside out. Begin with the top. Iron the circumference of the waistband. Move toward the pockets. Be sure to iron both sides of the pockets. Iron the fly, then the seams of the pants, then the hems. Follow that order carefully, and use smooth, quick strokes. Turn the pants so the correct side is facing out. Hook the waistline of the pants around the arrow shaped edge of the board. Use the iron to press out the wrinkles of the top front part of your pants. Put the pants legs parallel to the board, with both of them headed in the same direction. Iron each leg without damaging the current creases. Iron the cuffs, and hang the pants.

Exercise

Please practice with ironing and follow the above instructions. You will make your own mother or father very happy.

7.8 Folding Hereby we give you some instructions on folding clothes: Every this that is dry or ironed should be folded immediately and put into the drawer. This way the wash will stay fresh and it will make the clothes less wrinkled. If there is no time for folding please leave it in the dryer. You should fold the clothes at a clean surface like a table or dressoir. Make sure your position is right so you will not hurt your back. Never hang sweaters or any article of clothing that is form-fitting for fear that it takes the shape of the hanger, not your shoulder. Please do not fold man shirts with long sleeves, dresses and adult pants. They should be ironed and hanged. All clothes need to be folded the same way .There are many techniques to fold shirts. The most important is that you fold each type of clothing the same so you will have an organized drawer/closet.You can take a look at this site to see a video of how to fold a shirt. It will take some practice, but it is fun to learn.



www.fold-your-shirt.com

7.9 Vacuuming Hereby we give you some great tips for vacuuming Inspect the area before you vacuum. Pick up objects that could cause a clog in your vacuum cleaner. Check the vacuum bag to make sure it isn't already full. If it is, change it. Vacuum forward instead of backward: you'll get the job done faster and you won't wear out your cord as quickly. Overlap your strokes to ensure that you get all dirt and residue. Change your vacuuming direction occasionally to reduce matting in your carpet. Use a damp cloth on corners, or use a crevice tool attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Get rid of dust particles by occasionally waving a vacuum wand under your bed. Vacuuming isn't just for carpets: keeping floors free of loose dirt is one of the most effective ways to maintain them.

7.10 Garbage At foreign we separate garbage: organic material, Paper, Glass, clothes and other garbage to safe the environment. Most of the English, French or german people have garbage containers in their garden for organic materials/ paper and all kinds of trash. Bottles of class need to saved in a special place. You can bring them to a special place called the glasbak. Please ask your host family what is the policy on garbage and trash. Kitchen rubbish bins are an obvious breeding ground for germs, so empty them regularly – especially in the summer. Use a lidded bin and a bin liner. Tie up the rubbish bags before removing them to avoid food waste spilling onto the floor. Even with a liner, bins get dirty so clean them out with hot water and disinfectant at regular intervals.

8 The Kitchen The kitchen is a very important part of the house. We spent a lot of time preparing food and drinks. The kitchen should always be a clean and organized area. In this chapter we discuss the following subjects. Kitchen hygiene, safe cooking, kitchen equipment, healthy



food and groceries.

8.1 Kitchen hygiene The microbes on our food that can cause food poisoning are usually controlled by heating (cooking) and/or chilling (refrigerating) our food, but given the chance they can easily spread around the kitchen – via our hands, chopping boards, cloths, knives and other utensils.

8.1.1 When to wash hands Some germs can stay alive on our hands for up to three hours and in that time they can be spread to all the things we touch – including food and other people. So wash your hands regularly throughout the day and especially at these times: Before: � Preparing food

� Eating

� Caring for the sick; changing dressings, giving medicines

� Looking after babies or the elderly

� Starting work; especially if you are a food handler or health professional

� Putting in contact lenses Between: Handling raw foods (meat, fish, poultry and eggs) and touching any other food or kitchen utensils After: Handling raw foods, particularly meat, fish and poultry � Going to the toilet

� Touching rubbish/waste bins

� Changing nappies

� Caring for the sick, especially those with gastro-intestinal disorders

� Coughing or sneezing, especially if you are sick

� Handling and stroking pets or farm animals

� Gardening -even if you wear gloves

� Cleaning cat litter boxes

8.1.2 How to wash hands We all think we know how to wash out hands but many of us don't do it properly.



Simply rinsing the tips of fingertips under cold water does NOT count. Here are some reminders: � Always use warm water. It's better to wet hands before applying soap as this prevents irritation. � Rub hands together vigorously for about 15 seconds, making sure both sides of the hands are washed thoroughly, around the thumbs, between each finger and around and under the nails. � Then, rinse with clean water.

� Germs spread more easily if hands are wet so dry them thoroughly. Use a clean dry towel, paper towel or air dryer; it doesn't matter which. Other personal hygiene tips

If you are ill, especially with any gastrointestinal problems, avoid handling foods for others. Don't sneeze or cough near foods. Do not cough, sneeze, spit or smoke near food and avoid touching your nose, teeth, ears and hair, or scratching when handling food. Cover all cuts, burns and sores and change dressings regularly – pay extra attention to any open wounds on hands and arms. 4.Avoid working in the kitchen in soiled clothing – when cooking, use a clean apron but don't use it to wipe your hands on. 5.If you are preparing lots of food – for a family meal perhaps – take off your watch, rings and bracelets as well as washing your hands and wrists before you start 6. Don't brush or comb your hair when you are in the kitchen or near food. 1mm hair follicle can harbour 50,000 germs.



Change towels, sponge and clots every day Tea towels can be a source of cross-contamination so use them sparingly; make sure they dry out after you've used them, change them regularly and wash in a hot wash cycle. Preferably, use disposable cloths or paper towels. Wash tea towels and dish cloths very day. Just make sure that after you cleaned something things like food or milk will be washed out by water. If you leave it on the sink it will start smelling within a few hours. You can sterilize sponges by putting them in the microwave oven for 15-30 seconds once a week. Or toss your dish cleaning sponge into the dishwasher on the top rack.

The refrigerator Store food at the correct temperature. Do not leave food outside the refrigerator for more than 20 minutes. When you used it , please put it back as soon as possible. Check the sell by date on any food you are using. First use the food that will be expiring soon. Never open more than one package of one kind of food: like butter or cheese. Store raw meat away from cooked meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge. That'll keep them from dripping on any other food. Throw out old and out of date equipment. Check your refrigerator once a week and throw away leftovers that you haven't eaten. Don't eat food that was cooked more than 3 or 4 days earlier

Extra care for babies Keep the kitchen extra clean – especially the floor where babies love to crawl. Wipe high chairs, bibs and eating areas before and after every meal. Keep dirty nappies away from food and food preparation areas and always wash hands after handling dirty nappies. Teach young children about hand washing and good hygiene habits from an early age.

Pests and pets Make sure that insects, birds and rodents are kept out of the kitchen and throw out any food they come into contact with. To control flies and wasps hang up an insecticidal strip (do not use aerosol sprays in the kitchen) and use traps for mice and rats. If the problem is serious, or if you have an infestation of cockroaches, ants or other pests, you might need to seek professional advice from your local environmental health department or a commercial pest control agency. As much as we love our pets they do carry germs. Keep them – and their feeding bowls – away from your food and food preparation areas and wash your hands after touching them. Give pets their own feeding bowls and clean these separately from other utensils.

8.2 Cleaning the kitchen after cooking Most of the host parents will bring the children to bed. It’s the au pair duty to clean the table and kitchen. Here are some tips:

o Dishes needs to be cleaned with a little bit of water (all the big dirt has gone) and can be put in the dishwasher. o Every day: the stove, the sink and the oven need to be cleaned well. All with spray and hot water. o Dinner table and children chairs need to be cleaned with spray. o All the food of the floor needs to be wiped (kitchen and under dining table). Do a quick mop or wipe-down at the kitchen floor daily.



o Change towels and cleaning clots every day! They need to go to the washing machine. Do not leave food in cleaning clots and leave them to dry on the rack before washing. If you don’t do so, they will give a terrible smell after a day. o Turn on some music on and do this a few times a day so everything gets done. Choose CD's instead of radio to keep you on track. No commercial interruption makes it easier to keep the beat while cleaning. Cleaning materials Use the right materials for the job: Detergents such as washing up liquids are designed to dissolve grease, oil and dirt. Disinfectants, such as bleach, are designed to kill germs. These are powerful agents and should not be used indiscriminately. We recommend bleach only to clean toilets and floors. Watch out for your clothes. Anti-bacterial cleaners are types of disinfectant and can kill germs (Dettol). Disinfectants and anti-bacterial cleaners won't work if you don't use them properly, so always follow the instructions. Always clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease and dirt, then apply disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where practicable use disposable cloths. If using them more than once, wash in hot water and soap then place in a suitable disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and allow drying. Do not soak overnight as disinfectant solutions weaken and may allow bacteria to grow. Use separate buckets, cloths etc for cleaning floors.

8.3 Safe cooking

8.3.1 Safe food Not only do you have to keep in mind good (personal) hygiene in order to keep food safe, but also try to treat food the right way to avoid food poisoning. Read the following advice on hygiene in the kitchen, which despite being simple and common, if it isn't followed faithfully could bring about problems to your health and other family members: When you cook food, you must make sure you cook it all the way through and defrost it properly otherwise bacteria may not be killed. Heat the leftover food very well when you are going to eat it. Put leftover food that you want to keep in the refrigerator or in the freezer within two hours. Don't leave it at room temperature for longer. (In the summer the time span drops down to one hour). Keep raw meat, poultry or fish well wrapped in plastic wrap on the lowest shelf in the fridge. When marinating your food keep the marinade in the fridge and not on the kitchen counter. Don't use the rest of the marinade in cooking that you previously used for meat, poultry or fish.



Defrost food in the refrigerator and not on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Cook food at the right temperature. Ways that indicate that food ready: -Juice from meat is transparent and not pink. -Meat; beef, veal or poultry, is white in the middle and not pink. -Fish easily pulls off fish bones with a fork. -Egg yolks are stiff and not runny and egg whites aren't transparent. Wash fruit and veggies with plenty of cold water. 7. Watch out with raw food like: meat, eggs, fish and chicken If they are allowed to cross-contaminate other foods – especially cooked and ready-to-eat foods – they can make us ill. Good kitchen hygiene and good personal hygiene are important to help control the spread of harmful germs. Use separate chopping boards and knives when preparing foods that could get cross contaminated you must prevent raw and cooked foods touching each other. Never use a cutting board where you have cut raw meat or fish to chop vegetables and salads, unless having first washed it thoroughly with hot water and detergent. If raw and cooked foods touch each other then bacteria pass between them. You must not allow meat to drip onto other foods as this will contaminate the food. Don't serve anything on a platter that you previously placed raw meat, poultry or fish unless thoroughly washing it first. Wash the kitchen counter, cutting boards, and knives with plenty of hot water and detergent after preparing a meal, especially if you have cut raw meat, poultry or seafood.

8.3.2 Kitchen safety Like we said before, the kitchen is an important place in the house. To keep yourself and your host children safe, please follow the following instructions:

Do not touch electrical appliances with wet hands. Do not work in a kitchen with a wet floor. Do not leave saucepan handles sticking out on the cooker. Always use oven gloves. Do not leave wires trailing across a surface. Take care when using sharp knives. Keep sharp items, away from the edge of counters, so that children are not able to reach them. Do not overload sockets with electrical appliances. Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the stove. Keep hot items, such as hot beverages and trays that have just come out of the oven away from the edge of counters, so that children are not able to reach them. Keep children away from the kitchen when anyone is cooking and keep a close eye on them at all times.



8.4 Kitchen equipment

8.4.1 Dishwasher English, French or german people all have a dishwasher in their kitchen. Here you will find information how to load it and what you can and cannot put in the dishwasher. How to load the dishwasher Scrape off as much surface food as possible and place larger and dirtier items on the bottom rack with cups, glasses and less soiled items on the top rack. Load plates and glasses so they aren't touching and put cutlery in the special basket, handles facing downwards. These items can be washed in a dishwasher, with the following guidelines: Glassware -Any ordinary glassware and ovenware such as Pyrex. Do not wash lead crystal glasses unless they carry a "dishwasher safe" label. Tableware -Most everyday crockery is safe. Bone china usually has under-glaze decoration and should be safe. Avoid antique or hand-painted and over-glaze decorated items. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer. Cutlery -Stainless steel and silver cutlery are normally suitable for machine washing, but it pays to rinse off any acidic food before loading to prevent any corrosion and, if possible remove the cutlery immediately after the cycle, to avoid prolonged exposure in a humid atmosphere. Do not mix steel and silver cutlery in the same basket and wash bone or wooden-handled items by hand. Plastics -Check whether they are dishwasher safe and do not place in the lower rack, where the heating element may affect the plastic during drying. Pans -Stainless steel is ideal for dishwashers. Aluminium can be washed in the machine, but may discolour during the rinsing. If in doubt, remove aluminium pans before the rinse cycle. Always wash cast iron and wooden handled items by hand.

Detergent tablet You have different types of detergent blocks. The most well-known brands are Sun and Calgonit. Put the tablet in a little box that is in the door of the dishwasher. You have to close the little box, close the door and turn on the machine. With some tablets you have to take of the foil, but some tablets are in see trough plastic and you can place them in the machine directly.

Clean the dishwasher Keep the filter and all surfaces clean. The highest temperature cycle will be most effective against germs.

8.4.2 Microwave The microwave oven is now an essential part of most kitchens. The microwaves make the



water molecules contained in food vibrate and 'wiggle', which produces heat. This is what cooks the food, and also why the oven itself doesn't heat up. That's why foods that have a lot of water, like fruits and vegetables, cook more quickly. When the door is opened or the timer reaches zero, the energy automatically stops, so no microwave radiation leaves the oven. Foods high in fat and sugar also cook more quickly. Metal reflects the microwaves, and the energy passes through glass, plastic and paper. Although heat is produced directly in the food, microwave energy doesn't cook food from the inside out. More dense foods like meat are cooked primarily by conduction of heat from the outer layers, which are heated by microwaves. Here some tips food microwave cooking: The foods will be very hot when removed from the oven, so use oven pads and be careful. If the food is covered during cooking, make sure to leave a small portion vented, or uncovered, so steam doesn't build up and burn you when the covering is removed. The foods should sit as directed in the recipe after being removed from the oven so the heat can continue to spread and dissipate. This is called 'standing time', but it is actually more cooking time. Most ovens have hot spots, and if you eat the food directly from the oven, a few areas could be superheated and will burn. On the flip side, there can also be cold spots where the food doesn't get hot enough to kill bacteria. Follow stirring and rotating instructions carefully. Don't use metal containers unless the recipe specifically directs you to: as stated above, microwaves bounce off metal, which can cause arcing and a fire inside the oven. Some recipes may call for shielding parts of the food, especially meats, with small amounts of foil. This is perfect acceptable as long as the directions are carefully followed. Make sure any glass, plastic containers, and plastic wrap you use are labelled 'microwave safe'. You can also test containers, as directed on the next page. Don't heat water or other liquids beyond the time recommended by the manufacturer or any recipe. Superheating can occur when plain water is heated in a clean cup for an excessive amount of time. The water will look innocuous, but when moved it can literally erupt out of the cup. Don't heat the water twice -that adds to the superheating risk. Adding sugar or coffee granules to the water will reduce the risk of superheating. Never operate a microwave if the door is damaged or doesn't close securely. • Don't operate the oven while it is empty. This can also cause arcing and start a fire. When using the microwave to defrost meat, the foods must be completely cooked right away. The microwave may have partially cooked part of the meat, and bacteria may grow if the food isn't thoroughly cooked. Arrange food evenly in the pans and follow directions for stirring, rotating and standing time.

8.5 Healthy food Eating healthy is very important for all people who want to stay fit. Especially to busy people like your host family and little children.

What kind and how much nutrition’s do we need

In order to stay healthy you can stick to below schedule of nutrition you and children need every day.

Children 1-4 years Children 4-12 years Adults



Bread 1-3 slices 3-5 slices (105-175 5-7 slices (175-245 (35-105 gram) gram) gram) Potatoes/rice/pasta 75 gram 100-150 gram 150-250 gram 3-5 big 1,5 big spoon 2-3 big spoons spoons

Vegetable 75 gram (1-2 normal 150 gram (3 spoons) 200 gram (4 spoons) groentelepels) Fruit/ Fruit juice ( one 1,5 piece of fruit 2 pieces of fruit 2 pieces of fruit glass) (150 gram) (200 gram) (200 gram) Diary Products 300 ml milk products 300-450/600 ml milk 400 ml Milk/Yohurt 10 gram of cheese products 20 gram cheese 10-20 gram cheese Meat. Fish eggs, chicken, Soja

50 gram 50-100 gram 100-120 gram

Fat: butter/ oil 15 gram 15-35 gram 20-35 gram Drinks 0,8 liter 1-1,5 liter 1,5 liter

8.5.1 Healthy cooking Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favourite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. You can try modifying it. Remove any skin from meats, use half the amount of oil asked for in cooking. For baked goods, substitute applesauce for oil -your cakes will still be moist and flavourful! In recipes asking for cream, try using evaporated skim milk. With these substitutions, many times you won't even notice the difference. General suggestions on healthy cooking methods include: Steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods. Modify or eliminate recipes that include butter or ask you to deep fry or sauté in animal fat. Avoid using oils and butter as lubricants -use non-stick cookware instead.

• Don’t add salt to food as it is cooking. Remove chicken skin, which is high in fat. However, to retain the moisture in the chicken meat, remove the skin at the end of cooking. Eat more fresh vegetables and legumes. Eat more fish, which is high in protein, low in fats and loaded with omega 3 fatty acids. Keep fats to a minimum It is a good idea to minimise ‘hidden fats’ by choosing lean meats and reduced fat dairy products. Processed foods can also have lots of hidden fats. Dietary fats are best when they come from the unrefined natural fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado because this fat is accompanied by other good nutrients. If you add fats when cooking, keep them to a minimum and use monounsaturated oils. A little added oil can be a good thing. If you add a little oil to vegetable and legume dishes, it will help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins and antioxidant photochemical.

Low fat cooking begins when you are shopping Choose the low fat version of a food if it exists -for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.



Choose leaner meat cuts. Choose skinless chicken breasts. Low fat cooking suggestions include If you need to use oil, try cooking sprays or apply oil with a pastry brush. Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil. When a recipe calls for cream as a thickener, use low fat yoghurt, low fat soymilk, evaporated skim milk or cornstarch. When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables (such as mushrooms) can absorb during cooking. An alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying is to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the griller for a minute or two. When serving meat and fish, use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces. The first thing to do is choose leaner cuts of meat. The obvious choices for low fat cooking are chicken and fish, but other meats can be lower in fat as well. When shopping for red meat, the words 'sirloin' and 'round' are cuts which are naturally lower in fat. Check the meat and choose the one with the least amount of marbling and trim off any excess fat before cooking. Look for ground beef that is 95% lean. Pork is also another great lean meat. Retaining the nutrients Water soluble vitamins are delicate and easily destroyed during preparation and cooking. Suggestions include: Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin. Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them. If you like to boil vegetables, keep the vitamin-rich water to use as a stock and do not over boil them. Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients). Use less salt Salt is a traditional flavour enhancer, but research suggests that a high salt diet could contribute to a range of disorders including high blood pressure. Please take a look at the following suggestions:

Use little salt when cooking For baby’s under the ages of 1 years old can not have any salt, pepper or herbs in their food. Use herbs, spices, and vinegar or lemon juice to add extra zing to your recipe and reduce the need for salt. Add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables -it can enhance flavours in the same way as salt. Herbs Culinary herbs are leafy plants that add flavour and colour to all types of meals. In many cases, they can replace the flavour of salt and oil. Remember: Herbs are delicately flavoured, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes. Dried herbs are more strongly flavoured than fresh. As a general rule, one teaspoon of dried herbs equals four teaspoons of fresh. Apart from boosting meat dishes, herbs can be added to soups, breads, mustards, salad



dressings, vinegars, desserts and drinks. • Herbs such as coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass are especially complimentary in vegetable-based stir-fry recipes.

Marinades

Marinades aren't just for flavour (although that is a great benefit!). Using acidic liquids will actually help break down the tougher connective tissue in the meat. Try one of the many low fat marinades available in your grocery store, or make up your own with ingredients such as balsamic or red wine vinegar, herbs and spices. Depending on the size of the meat portion, you can marinade from 20 minutes to several hours. A great marinade for chicken is yogurt. Mix fat free yogurt with some lemon juice, salt, pepper and any other spices you like and coat your chicken.

8.6 Exercise Please take some recipes with you of your favourite food and of the traditional food in your country. Make a list of at least 5 traditional meals.

1……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Here we give you some grocery tips:

If you have the opportunity, do groceries without the children, that would save you a lot of time. For example, after you brought the children to school. If you are doing grocery with children, please watch them carefully that they do not break anything. In a lot of supermarkets you have nice shopping trolleys especially designed for children. You can take a basket for all your groceries, but you can also take a trolley. The trolley will require a coin: 50 eurocents. Before you decide to go to the supermarket take a big solid grocery bag with you. They won’t provide the little plastic bags in the supermarket. Do not put too much in it, so you will be able to carry it. If it is too much, divide the grocery over two bags. Check your expiry dates of food. When shopping, please remember: always check the expiry or sell-by date on the foods you're buying. Some stores are better at rotating stock than others so it's always good to double-check this. Try to buy the item that has the most time until the expiration date. Some stores even have policies regarding finding out of date stock. They discount an in-date item (or even give you one for free) so be sure to check with your store. Selecting fruits and vegetables. If you need the food for use that same day, make sure food is ready to use. For example an avocado can not be used the same day if it is really very hard. But also make sure you do not buy rotten food. So carefully search and feel the fruits and vegetables before buying. Choose bananas according to your family’s needs. Look for yellow skins, with no spotting. You can ripen green bananas faster by placing them in a paper bag with an apple. As the fruit turns a deeper brown, it is better suited to cooking and baking. Some of the vegetables are already washed and sliced. It will save you a lot of time



preparing, especially when they are mixed vegetables. But this is more expensive. If you’re using only one kind of vegetables for dinner you can choose to buy one piece. When you pay the grocery always ask for a ticket. Show the ticket to you host mother and give her back the grocery money, she gave you. Or if you paid for the grocery ask your host mother for money and give her the ticket to prove what you spend.

8.7 European course 9 List of European words for going shopping English French German English Fruit Apple Pear Banana Melon Strawberry Oranges Grapefruits Grapes Mandarin Vegetables Potatoes Curly kale Cauliflower Endive Salad Onions Paprika Mushrooms Carrots Tomatoes Aubergine Courgette Cucumber Dairy products Milk Yohurt Danoontje Cheese Quark Cream Beans of Tarts of Rice of fried potatoes of Potatoes of Pastas of Sal's Pepper of Olive oil of Butter of Others Flour meel Meat Eggs of Fish of Chicken of sausage Big vlees rookworst housing vis eieren There has lunch / have for breakfast the Bread Raison Galletas of bread Ontbijtkoek the Peanut of Cheese smears the extension meat of Sausage of Jelly of molass of Apple of Honey the cheese of Extension / pot the Chocolate rocia Small leaves of Snowflakes of maize lunch/ontbijt they think that the cookie krentebol ontbijtkoek kaas pindakaas sharpening appel stroop it clogs worse smeer smeer worse kaas hagelslag conrflakes pannekoeken

Des pommes de terre de Légumes de mandarin de Raisins de Pamplemousses d'Oranges anglais de Fraise de Melon de Platane de Poire de Pomme de Fruit Leche de Produits lactés de Concombre de Courgette d'Aubergine de Tomates de Carottes de Champignons de doux Poivron d'Oignons de Salade d'Endive de Chou-fleur de chou frisé Frisé Yohurt Danoontje le Fromage Quark Nata Des haricots de Tourtes de Riz de pommes de terre frites de Pommes de terre de Pâtes de Poivre de Sal d'Huile d'olive de Beurre des Autres Une farine meel Une viande les Oeufs de Poisson de Poussin de saucisse Grands vlees rookworst logement vis eieren Raison Galletas de pain Ontbijtkoek déjeune / déjeune du Pain la Cacahuète de Fromage graisse la viande d'Étendue de Saucisse de Gelée de mélasse de Pomme de Miel le fromage d'Étendue / pot le Chocolat asperge les Petites feuilles de Flocons de maïs lunch/ontbijt ils pensent que le gâteau krentebol ontbijtkoek kaas pindakaas en aiguisant appel stroop bouche pis smeer smeer pis kaas hagelslag conrflakes pannekoeken

Englische Frucht-Apfel-Birne-Banane-Melone-Erdbeereorangengrapefruit-Traubenmandarine-Gemüsekartoffeln Lockige Kohl-Blumenkohl-Winterendivie-Salat-Zwiebelenpaprika-Pilzkarotte-Tomate-Aubergine-Zucchino-Gurke-Milchprodukt-Milch Yohurt Danoontje Käse-Quark-Sahne Ander-Butter-Olivenöl-Salz-Pfeffer-Teigwaren-Kartoffelpommes-Frites-Reispastete-Bohnen Mehl meel Fleisch Großes Wurst-Huhn Fischt Eier vlees rookworst Schläfchen vis eieren laden Sie Brot Raison Brot-Kräckers Ontbijtkoek Käse-Erdnuß-Butter-Honig-Apfel-Melasse-Gelee-Wurst-Ausbreitungsfleisch-Käse-Schokolade-Sprühregen-Corn-Flakes-Pfannkuchen Der Ausbreitung/Topfes lunch/ontbijt Brut krentebol zum Mittagessen ein/frühstücken Sie Kräcker ontbijtkoek kaas pindakaas, appel stroop honend, verklemmt schlechtesten smeer schlechtesten smeer kaas hagelslag conrflakes pannekoeken

8.8 Exercise Cook one recipe from the website (see www.smilingfacesauppairs.nl, newsletter au pairs



recipes) and send a new recipe with ingredients, preparation, shopping list in English and D English, French or german to [email protected]. The best recipes we will put on the website with your name and picture.

Recipe

Ingredients Ingredients Grocery list in English, French or german

Preparation: X minutes In English

8.9 European course 10& 11: days, months.

Today, tomorrow, yesterday Second, minute, hour Day, week, month, year Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

One , two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, hundred.

Winter, spring, summer, Fall. January, February, March, April, May, June,



July, August, September, October, November, December

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