Australia (Down-under)

Since arriving to Manhattan is been a constant and exciting learning lesson for all four of us. We have all had lessons and obviously at different levels.  Isabel has had a particularly amazing journey through her adaptation to a different school system. She has had to make new school friends and alter the way she speaks and says things at time. I am very proud of her adapting skills and I hope that these skills she has acquired will help her in her future. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to make the move. I wanted my girls to be culturally diverse and accepting. It’s always been a quality I am so proud I have and it was also a quality in Hugo that attracting me to him when I first met him. This experience of living here in Manhattan is no doubt one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences of my life. In saying that it has also brought out this amazing patriotism I have for Australia.

Although I still feel no homesickness whatsoever I do feel a very strong connection to my people and my land. I nearly every day read the Sydney Morning Herald online to keep in touch with current affairs. I always get asked about what aspects of Australia do I miss? I miss my BBQ (grill) in our patio. I miss preparing our dinner outside in summer and the smell of Maroubra Beach in the air. I miss my laundry. I miss reading the Sunday papers on the beach. It was the highlight of my Sundays back home. I would race down to the beach and try and read it while the wind blew the pages and sand got all over it. When my sister was here not long ago and she brought some “Allens Lollies” (Candy). Hugo and I just simply devoured them and the taste of them brought me back home for a moment or two. So it’s actually quite simple things I miss as life if much more simple and quieter back home.

The other day I was walking up Columbus and I saw a poster that captured my eye instantly. It was the word “Australian” that did it. I am drawn to that world anywhere as it’s not common and you don’t really hear or see many things about Australia here. As I continued to read it I was overwhelmed with that sense of patriotism I spoke about earlier. It was the Australian Ballet company performing here in Manhattan. Even better at Lincoln Center which is a five minute walk from our apartment. I am very happy to say I am taking Isabel to see “Swan Lake”. It will be her first ever ballet performance and I am so proud to say it will be an Australian production here in NYC. If you would like more detail on how to also purchase tickets here is the website.

http://www.australianballet.com.au/newyork2012

I will let you all know all about it after we attend.

To complete my week of Aussie nostalgia I received a phone call from Isabel’s school teacher. Ruth has been an inspirational and truly dedicated teacher this year to Isabel. I have never met such a magnificent and versatile teacher like her. She has been particularly special to Isabel this year .Isabel has she had some struggles with mathematics which I am so happy to report is slowly overcoming. I feel so grateful that she was able to be very instrumental in helping us help Isabel achieve her full potential.

They will commence a new nation in their social studies tomorrow and it’s Australia. Ruth has asked another Mum and myself to come in and give the third graders a talk about Australia. The other Mom is married to a New Yorker and has been living here now for ten years. I am trying to figure out exactly what I should talk about especially as I want to captivate my third grade audience. I am now off to play with Photoshop and create some photos of us at the beach with our pet Kangaroo (Skippy). I figured that would definitely capture their attention!

Seeking Work Life Balance? Childcare choice can make a difference

As working families across the country are struggling with the dual demands of work and family, many seek the ever-elusive work life balance. There are a number of general issues that influence work life balance including time, flexibility and resources for unexpected situations. Parents’ choice of childcare can have an effect on the balance equation. 

What leads to work life balance? The Families and Work Institute has identified a number of factors that predict work-life conflict among employed parents in their National Study of the Changing Workforce. In addition to job pressure, job satisfaction and other work-centered aspects such as supervisor support and autonomy, there are also family factors. These include flexibility limitations due to the needs of children and whether there is a spouse who works. The study also found that allocating more time to spend doing things for oneself and finding someone to take responsibility for childcare reduces work-life conflict.

There are pro-active steps that parents can take to make work life balance less elusive. In a report by the Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute on the evaluation of childcare, parents described three supports or coping mechanisms that helped them balance their work and family lives: making children and work their main priorities (often at the expense of their own selves); using the flexibility of their position to work around childcare issues; and having the support at home from a spouse or paid provider.

In a closer look at how the choice of a childcare provider can affect work life balance, Cultural Care Au Pair conducted a study of working parents who had utilized more than one form of childcare. Cultural Care surveyed 2,500 families and asked parents about their previous form of childcare and how their current childcare choice of an au pair had affected their work life balance.

Most working parents agree that work life balance has a lot to do with time. More than two thirds of the au pair host families surveyed found that they had more quality time with their children and more time with their spouse. Sixty two percent also found they had more time for themselves.


Kate Frink, marketing manager at a consumer products company, commented, “I believe the consistency of having an au pair has allowed for me to get involved in other activities I had recently declined, like helping on committees at my children's school and getting more involved in a few non-profit organizations. It has also allowed me to find the time to get back in shape. Exercise was a luxury I had the hardest time fitting in with my previous childcare.


Do smoother departures and arrivals affect the feeling of work life balance? Absolutely. Seventy four percent of parents with au pairs reported that the coming home/dinner time routine was easier and 81 percent said the morning routine was less complicated.


Michelle Walker, an elementary school principal with an au pair says, “The kids can take the morning at their own pace, and not rush out the door because we have to get to work. We often leave with them in their pajamas eating their breakfast and it is so nice to let them have a more relaxed start to their day. Also, I prepare dinner the night before, and our au pair puts it in the oven to bake so it is ready when I get home. This is a huge time saver for us, and we can eat at 5:30 every night.”


What about when the unexpected happens and a child gets sick? According to a Georgetown University study, Meeting the Needs of Today’s Families, the illness of a child causes a parent to miss between six and 29 days of work annually. But not for parents with live-in childcare. 75 percent of all respondents, and 81 percent of those who had previously had their children at daycare centers, said that they had taken less time off for children’s sick days since switching to au pair childcare. It can also save on vacation days and medical costs. “Last year we had our son in day care so I had to save my ten vacation days for his sick days. This year, not only did we save our vacation days, but we saved hundreds of dollars because we weren't at the doctor or filling prescriptions,” says Katie Lewis who works in finance for an insurance company.

Lewis also commented about the benefits of flexibility with the au pair program. “I can take that client phone call that inevitably comes through at 4:59 and know that my child won't be waiting for me at daycare. I am a better mom and that makes me a better employee.”  According to the survey Work and Family Pressures conducted by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, 92% of American workers feel they do not have enough flexibility in their schedules to take care of family needs. In the Cultural Care survey, 78 percent of parents who had previously had their children in daycare centers stated that the more flexible schedule that the au pair program provides allows them to be more flexible with their work hours. In fact, 69 percent indicated that they were more focused and productive at work and 77 percent said they were less stressed about work.

Kathy Vizachero of Performing by Design, host mother and corporate coach, says, "The breadth of the network of support that working parents create around themselves largely determines the height of the trajectory that they can achieve at work.  It also, in good measure, determines their happiness level. As a host mom, my 'joy' level has definitely increased in knowing my Cultural Care au pair is there providing solid and dependable childcare.  Plus, her schedule flexibility allows me to consider many creative options for how I balance my time."

Overall, 90% of the respondents to the Cultural Care Au Pair survey felt that they have better work life balance because they have an au pair, indicating that childcare choice can be a factor predictive of work life balance. Parents will continue to seek this elusive balance, but for these au pair host families, their childcare choice seems to be getting them a little closer.  

For more information on hosting an au pair, please call Local Childcare Coordinator Tanya Lindin at 212-729-4256 or visit www.culturalcare.com.

Parents are seeking to expose their children to a different language these days.

With the increasing need to prepare children to enter a global society, a growing number of American parents are demanding childcare providers who can offer their children first-hand knowledge of another culture, language and traditions. Whether it is Chinese, Spanish, German, Russian or Swedish, families across the United States are seeking childcare providers who speak a foreign language. One childcare option gaining popularity among parents is an international au pair, a live-in childcare provider who is able to teach children a second language in the home. 

Why the growing interest in raising bilingual children? For children, the benefits of learning a second language range from superior problem solving skills and enhanced school performance to having a better understanding of other cultures and traditions. With growing global competition for the best jobs and admission into top-rated schools, parents also want to prepare their children for a professional career in which speaking a foreign language and cultural sensitivity are competitive advantages.

“Most experts agree children are more likely to become proficient in a foreign language if they learn the language at a young age. Choosing a bilingual caregiver who interacts with children on a daily basis is a perfect fit for parents who want to expose young children to a second language,” said Melissa Fredette, Executive Vice President of Cultural Care Au Pair. “Au pairs bring great enthusiasm into the home and are excited to teach their host children about a new language, traditions, food and music––allowing children to develop an understanding of another language and culture first hand.” 

Au pairs live and study in the United States for one year on a J-1 cultural exchange visa in exchange for providing 45 hours of childcare per week. The U.S. Department of State regulates all au pair programs in the United States, offering parents the peace of mind that their children are in the care of a carefully screened, qualified caregiver.

For more information on hosting an au pair, please call me on 212-729-4256 or visit www.culturalcare.com

Anderson Cooper Show

Just a quick post for my loyal followers. If you all recall a few months ago I did that crazy experiment on the Anderson daytime show. Its been a while but finally it will air tomorrow.

I have very mixed feelings as I am hoping I don't look too drunk! I know it was an experiment however I have to say I was shocked at the effect it did have on me. I am sure this was the point.

Here is the preview.

http://www.andersoncooper.com/episodes/moms-behaving-badly/

Yes I am the woman at the end with the wine glass drinking.........................

Families Turn to International Au Pairs to Teach Children a Second Language

Bilingual Au Pairs Provide Both Childcare and Language Education

 With the increasing need to prepare children to enter a global society, a growing number of American parents are demanding childcare providers who can offer their children first-hand knowledge of another culture, language and traditions. Whether it is Chinese, Spanish, German, Russian or Swedish, families across the United States are seeking childcare providers who speak a foreign language. One childcare option gaining popularity among parents is an international au pair, a live-in childcare provider who is able to teach children a second language in the home.

Why the growing interest in raising bilingual children? For children, the benefits of learning a second language range from superior problem solving skills and enhanced school performance to having a better understanding of other cultures and traditions. With growing global competition for the best jobs and admission into top-rated schools, parents also want to prepare their children for a professional career in which speaking a foreign language and cultural sensitivity are competitive advantages.

"Most experts agree children are more likely to become proficient in a foreign language if they learn the language at a young age. Choosing a bilingual caregiver who interacts with children on a daily basis is a perfect fit for parents who want to expose young children to a second language," said Melissa Fredette, Executive Vice President of Cultural Care Au Pair. "Au pairs bring great enthusiasm into the home and are excited to teach their host children about a new language, traditions, food and music-allowing children to develop an understanding of another language and culture first hand."

Au pairs live and study in the United States for one year on a J-1 cultural exchange visa in exchange for providing 45 hours of childcare per week. The U.S. Department of State regulates all au pair programs in the United States, offering parents the peace of mind that their children are in the care of a carefully screened, qualified caregiver.

Affordable child-care in Manhattan!

I just wanted to let you all know I have taken on another role as a Local Childcare Coordinator for Cultural Care Au-Pairs in Manhattan.

I did a lot of research before taking on this role as I had I suppose some pre conceived ideas about how the whole process works. I have to say that in the many years of travelling the world all the au pairs I have ever met have been happy ones.

This organization has been in the US for 20 years and I have been impressed with only their track record but the training and support they offer to the host families, the au pairs and their employees (I am one now).

I am currently in the process of doing some extensive training on many aspects of my role but I am very excited too. I have had to work with so many cultures of the years throughout my career and this seems to be a natural progression.

I must emphasise this program is not anything like hiring a nanny. This is far from it! This is a cultural exchange program where you host a young person in your home for 12 months. In exchange you receive 45 hours a week of live in childcare. The department of state has strict guidelines as to what is permitted and what is not. For this reason this program is NOT for everyone.

I am happy to discuss offline any aspect of the program to anyone that may be interested or alternatively I do have a website that is a work in progress. The website is mainly a mode of communication for the au-pairs and host families that are assigned to me.

http://tlindin.aupairnews.com/

I am a very busy mother these days as I am still running my Travel Service which is also really taken off! I love being busy and finally I seem to have found the perfect balance. I am always available for the girls and yet doing work that I love!

Mother’s Day @ Central Park

Yesterday we spent Mother’s Day @ Central Park. I did another NYRR run and then both Annika and Isabel did their first kids runs. They are so well organized the NYRR and they are who do all the organization for the famous New York Marathon.

It was also coincidentally “Japan Day” which was such a lovely event.

 I took some photos to share. It felt like Japan was in the center of the park yesterday. It was a picture perfect day. It brought back so many found memories of my years in Japan.

Annika is so happy with her ribbon.

Isabel waiting for her race to start.

Cooking Okonomyaki yum!

Time just flies.............

Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday we arrived here to Manhattan.   I  feel life is going by so fast especially here in this FAST CITY! I have another birthday a few weeks away and I suppose that middle aged dilemma is starting to rear its ugly head again.

I have had friends return to Australia and others move out the “suburbs” so lots of changes. As a matter of fact that is another consistent aspect about life here constant change.

As summer approaches as do the tourist buses. I watch them constantly touring up Broadway and that almost replicated look of sheer amazement I see on all the tourist faces.

We are all back into our routines after the weeks of guests we had a few weeks back. It seems like ages ago now as life keeps moving at a fast pace.

Yesterday we went for another “exploration” day to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I had heard about it and its similarity to Newtown back in Sydney. I also was quite excited at the fact that “Toby’s Estate” had opened up a roasting house there. It didn’t take long to get there and Williamsburg didn’t disappoint. Its eclectic, grungy feeling was very similar to Newtown except it still has that distinct New York diversity to it.

We went to that waterfront where you get an amazing view of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. We ventured through the Flea market where we had the most amazing shrimp rolls.It was a great day of discovering another one of New York's hidden gems. I have some photos to share also.