Au Pair Café

Posted by kroemer on November 19th, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan

Whether your an aupair from Brazil, Argentina or Colombia and have never seen snow up close, or if you’re from Sweden, Poland or Germany and have lived with it all your life…winter where you live now as  an AuPair in America, is here! Being an AuPair in the USA, you should appreciate this as a fun and beautiful time of the year, and don’t let anyone tell you differently! Keeping the fun times rolling, and keeping yourself and your host children safe and happy while it’s cold outside is so important. Here are some tips!

DRIVING

Making mistakes in the winter while driving are not as forgiving as in the summer. For example, if when you are driving your host family’s car, you look down to grab a CD, and look up and notice a car right in front of you. (first off, you should always keep your eyes on the road!!!), but in the summer, you might catch yourself in time by braking without harming you, or another car/individual. In the winter on snowy roads, you’ll find yourself in a major accident, and often the person behind you will too! Here are a few items you should ask your host family about their car. Your car may have all, or none of these features, but you should understand them if they will help make driving a safer experience for you.

Antilock brakes,Traction control, Electronic stability system, Four-/all-wheel drive, Ground clearance, Winter transmission modes, Heated seats, steering wheel, Heated side mirrors, Heated windshield, Remote start

A few more tips.

NEVER start your car in the garage!! Deadly fumes come from the exhaust, and can KILL you or anyone in the garage.

Always add at least 10 minutes onto your travel time, so that you can clear the windows completely of snow and ice, and warm up the vehicle by allowing it to run. (of course if your car is not stored in a garage)

NEVER leave children un-attended in the car for any reason.

“Black Ice” is almost invisible ice that forms on the roads. Always be aware, and test your brakes in a safe area. Begin braking before stop signs, intersections, and lights very early. Braking too early isn’t a problem…braking too late could cause a serious accident should your car slide.

Always Carry your Cell phone

Go SLOW

Inform your house family if the car appears to be in any disrepair

CHILDREN

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these tips to keep your children safe and warm this winter.

What to Wear

Dress infants and children warmly for outdoor activities. Several thin layers will keep them dry and warm. Clothing for children should consist of thermal long johns, turtlenecks, one or two shirts, pants, sweater, coat, warm socks, boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat. The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.

Blankets, quilts, pillows, sheepskins and other loose bedding may contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and should be kept out of an infant’s sleeping environment. Sleep clothing like one-piece sleepers is preferred.

If a blanket must be used to keep a sleeping infant warm, it should be tucked in around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as your baby’s chest, so the infant’s face is less likely to become covered by bedding.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure to cold. It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing. As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy. His speech may become slurred and his body temperature will decline. If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite

Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose. They may become pale, gray and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that her skin burns or has become numb. Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play. Have children come inside periodically to warm up. If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of her body in warm (not hot) water. Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears and lips. Do not rub the frozen areas. After a few minutes, dry and cover him with clothing or blankets. Give him something warm to drink. If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

Other Health Concerns

If your child suffers from winter nosebleeds, try using a cold air humidifier in the child’s room at night. Saline nose drops may help keep tissues moist. If bleeding is severe or recurrent, consult your pediatrician. Many pediatricians feel that bathing two or three times a week is enough for an infant’s first year. More frequent baths may dry out the skin, especially during the winter. Cold weather does not cause colds or flu. But the viruses that cause colds and flu tend to be more common in the winter, when children are in school and are in closer contact with each other. Frequent hand washing and teaching your child to sneeze or cough into her elbows may help reduce the risk of colds and flu. Children between the ages of 6 and 23 months should get the influenza vaccine to reduce their risk of catching the flu.

Ice Skating

Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved. Advise your child to: skate in the same direction as the crowd; avoid darting across the ice; never skate alone; not chew gum or eat candy while skating

Sledding

Keep sledders away from motor vehicles and crowded areas, and keep young children separated from older children. Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries. Steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes, are safer. All sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated. Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like fire hydrants or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30º), and end with a flat runoff.

Snow Skiing and Snowboarding

Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children. They should never ski or snowboard alone. Young children should always be supervised by an adult. Older children’s need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill. If they are not with an adult, than they should at least be accompanied with a friend. The AAP recommends that children under age 7 not snowboard. Consider wearing a helmet. All equipment should fit the child. Skiers should wear safety bindings that are adjusted at least every year. Snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards.

Snowmobiling

The AAP recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles. Do not use a snowmobile to pull a sled or skiers. Wear goggles and a safety helmet approved for use on motorized vehicles like motorcycles.

So, go out and enjoy winter. Stay safe, stay warm, and everyone…have fun!

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING MOST FORWARD TO THIS WINTER??