There are many new mops in town, and everyone that mops is searching for that perfect one to do the job swiftly and efficiently. Lately, I became a proponent of BONA because I loved the microfiber re-useable pads and found the cleaning solution to work well.  However, most recently, I have been better informed by several veteran housekeepers who do it the ole fashion way.  So I tried it.

Here is what you need: 
·      Broom/Vacuum
·      Gloves
·      Bucket
·      Good cleaning solution
·      Sponge mop that swivels
·      Terry cloths the size of a hand towel

Here are the steps:

1.     Sweep/vacuum area to pick up excess debris

2.     Run very hot water into a clean bucket and put on those gloves to protect your hands and nails

3.     Pour a good cleaning solution for the type of floor you are cleaning

4.     Submerge a terry cloth in the bucket, wring tightly and then wrap it around the sponge mop

5.     Scrub vigorously and then put cloth back into the bucket and wring it again

6.     Do small sections at a time

7.     Have several other terry cloths available so that you do not re-use a dirty one

8.     With very dirty floors, you will need to change the water several times

9.     Go over floor again if necessary

10.   Finally dry the floor with a buff cloth.

Happy moping!

http://www.martaperrone.com

Most nannies and their employers work and are paid on a set weekly schedule; however, from time to time the family will require additional hours from their nanny. Legally, nannies are entitled to additional compensation for additional hours worked, and live out nannies, at a minimum, are entitled to the overtime differential (1.5 times the hourly rate) for hours worked over 40 in a work week.

In New York, Domestic Workers United (an in-home caregivers advocacy group) recently established a help line for nannies, housekeepers, and their employers to explain New York's labor laws surrounding overtime for household employees. In California, affiliated worker advocacy groups have been actively organizing and educating their constituencies about California labor laws for in-home caregivers. Many employers, accustomed to being exempt, salaried workers professionally, neglect to pay their nanny or housekeeper accrued overtime. This is a risky proposition for the family. The convergence of Federal and State wage and hour enforcement efforts (an Obama administration priority), and the well organized educational outreach efforts of DWU and it's affiliates, raise the risk to the household employer that a disgruntled employee will file a Wage and Hour grievance. The consequences include awards of back pay, penalties, interest and attorney's fees. 

Families are advised to side step these risks and follow best practices that include:

• Have a written compensation agreement with their household employees that includes wages stated in hourly rate terms.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous time tracking records.
• Track and include overtime hours in the periodic payroll.
• Provide the employee with documentation of the periodic payroll calculation, including weekly hours worked, hours paid at the regular rate, hours paid at the overtime rate as well as applicable tax deductions. This is legally required in some circumstances! HWS clients who have any questions about their employee's payroll and time tracking are invited to call their representative to discuss their specific circumstances and best practices.

* Many states have customized overtime payment schemes - know your state's rules or call your HWS account representative to discuss your situation.

Source:  Kathy Webb www.4nannytaxes.com

http://www.MartaPerrone.com

This recall from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission includes 10 bike and bike-related items including baby seats, helmets and bike trailers. Bridgeway Bicycles

The bicycle chain can break, causing a rider to lose control and fall.

Trek 2012 FX and District bicycles

The bolt that secures the seat saddle clamp to the seat post can break posing a fall hazard.

Fuji Saratoga Women's Bicycles

The bicycle's frame can break in the center of the downtube during use, causing the rider to lose control and fall.

Public Bikes 2010 through 2012 Model Year Bicycles

The pedals can crack and break, posing a fall hazard to the rider.

Specialized 2012 bicycles with Advanced Group carbon forks

The brake component housed within the bicycle's carbon fork can disengage from the fork and allow the brake assembly to contact the wheel spokes while rotating, posing a fall hazard.

Chariot bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits

The bicycle trailer's hitch mechanisms can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle. This poses an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer.

Topeak Babyseat II Bicycle Carrier Seats

A child can place his or her fingers in the opening at the grab bar's hinge mechanism. When the consumer lifts the grab bar to remove the child from the seat, the child's fingertips can be caught in the hinge mechanism, posing a laceration and fingertip amputation hazard to the child.

Little Tricky Bicycle Helmets

Product testing demonstrated that these helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance. Consumers could suffer impact head injuries in a fall.

GT, Giant and Trek Bicycles with SR Suntour Suspension Forks

The suspension fork's internal support tubes can break and cause the rider to lose control, fall and crash.

Gore Bicycle Brake Cables for Road Bikes

When the brake cables are installed on Campagnolo style brake levers, they can detach, causing the brakes to fail and posing a fall hazard.


Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/16/3244542/10-bike-related-recalls.html#storylink=cpy

In today’s world, fluency in more than one language is becoming more and more essential. From communicating with the people around us to success in the job market, there are dozens of reasons why it’s a strong investment in your child’s future. For parents considering Spanish as a second language for their child, here are ten reasons to follow through.

1. Commonality – Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the United States, making it one of the most useful second-language choices for American children. As children get older, the likelihood of a communication barrier with Spanish-speaking coworkers and neighbors will grow exponentially if they don’t have some degree of fluency.
2. To Improve Fluency in Their First Language – Studies have shown that learning to speak a second language actually improves vocabulary, reading comprehension and written skills in your native tongue as well.
3. Creating Travel Opportunities – Spanish is spoken on every continent of the world and is the official language of the United Nations. Should your child choose to study abroad or to travel extensively, their experience will be greatly enhanced by being able to confidently and comfortably speak Spanish.
4. University Admissions – Foreign language classes are a very stringent requirement for some colleges and universities; beginning to learn Spanish during childhood will make those high school Spanish classes much easier. Those high marks in high school Spanish are likely to make quite the difference on college applications.
5. Employment Opportunities – By the time today’s children enter the workforce, the ability to speak Spanish fluently will greatly improve their resume and employment opportunities. Recruiters and hiring managers already understand that the need for bilingual English and Spanish speaking employees has grown; within a decade, demand for workers who speak both languages is likely to increase even further.
6. Reducing the Chance of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Later in Life – Studies have shown that people who speak more than one language are less likely to suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s than their single language peers.
7. Accessibility – The similar sentence structure, straightforward pronunciation and number of cognates make Spanish an accessible and relatively easy-to-learn second language. By beginning in childhood, your child is likely to reach adulthood with a grasp of Spanish that’s almost as strong as their grasp of English.
8. Cultural Enrichment – Being able to enjoy Spanish literature, music and film in their original forms will help your child understand the rich cultural contributions of Spanish-speaking artists and intellectuals, while affording them the chance to broaden their own horizons.
9. Learning a Second Language is Easier During Childhood – Children are already in the process of learning their native language, so they’re typically more open and easily coached in a second language than they would be later in life.
10. To Learn Other Romance Languages – With a solid grasp of Spanish, kids will have a much easier time learning French, Portuguese or Italian than they would otherwise, as they are all Romance languages with Latin roots.

These reasons are only the beginning of a very strong case for helping children to learn Spanish as early as possible. As parents, we all want to open every possible door and create every opportunity for our children that we can; giving them the gift of a second language is a great beginning.

Source:  http://www.Aupairjobs.com

During pregnancy, many women are pampered and cared for more than at any other time of their lives. Husbands are attentive, family members call to see how the mom-to-be is feeling, and friends host baby showers, lavishing a woman with gifts and attention.But what happens after the baby arrives? Suddenly, pampering of the mother stops and attention shifts to the needs of the baby. The new mother, though physically drained from the rigors of childbirth, gets to work caring not only for her newborn but for others in the household as well.

It doesn’t have to be that way, explains Claudia Kolker in her new book, “The Immigrant Advantage: What We Can Learn From Newcomers to America About Health, Happiness and Hope.” This is not a book about immigration — although it should be mandatory reading for lawmakers debating immigration policy. Instead, it’s a book about best practices and the traditions that immigrants bring with them to this country that could benefit the rest of us.

“I am a convert,” writes Ms. Kolker, a contributing editor to The Houston Chronicle whose reporting career took her to El Salvador, Cuba, Haiti and India, among other places. “Many of these practices are so elegant and efficient at reaching American goals, I believe newcomers need to hang on to them. And the rest of us should consider trying them out for ourselves.”

I recently spoke with Ms. Kolker about the lessons we can learn from immigrants, why hot chocolate is good for new mothers and an ancient pampering ritual called the cuarentena. Here’s our conversation.

Q.Most of us associate immigration with hardship. Why is your book called “The Immigrant Advantage”?

A.My book is about the really smart practices that first-generation immigrants do that help them achieve goals that Americans like myself really want — healthier moms, school success, thrift, the ability to save on a tight budget, how to finance a house or a Ph.D. on a modest budget. Things all of us would really like. These are practices that originated in other countries that translate particularly well in this country.

Q.What do we know about the health of immigrants?

A.There is something called the immigrant paradox that actually shows an immigrant advantage in terms of longevity, infant health, mental health. There are certain elements to the immigrant profile that are very healthy. In many markers, first-generation immigrants tend to be healthier than native-born Americans.

It’s a paradox. Nobody has fully explained it, but the consensus is that self-selection has a lot to do with it. You’re not going to leave your country and everything you know if you have poor health and don’t have confidence you can make your way in the world. There is an attitude that seems typical of immigrants who leave everything they know because they want to improve their family’s life. And right now we are grappling with a lot of health challenges that are connected to our affluence. Immigrants come from places where they don’t have these advantages, and paradoxically, they don’t have some of the health problems we have.

Q.Tell me about this unique practice of mothering the mother that is common among immigrants.

A.It’s called the cuarentena. It sounds like “quarantine,” but it refers to 40 days. In traditional Hispanic culture, as well as many cultures around the world, there is a real ritual attached to the first 40 days or so after a woman has a baby. We attach a lot of ritual to the time before the baby, with baby showers and foods to eat or not to eat during pregnancy and coddling the mother. We don’t really have a prescription for after a baby is born.

But in Mexican culture, it’s highly ritualized. The idea is that women family members traditionally surround a mother and help bathe and clean and diaper the baby. But really the focus of the attention is the well-being and safety and health of the mother for 40 days. The poorer and more rural and more remote a community is, the more likely it is that they are going to take this ritual seriously.

Q.Is it a challenge for immigrants to duplicate the experience in this country?

A.There is no way to duplicate it because you don’t have the family structure or even the architecture. In a Chiapas village in Mexico, you are required to have an aromatherapy sauna at least twice during the 40 days. There are stone structures on the sides of mountains where you go for your ritual sauna. It makes a mom feel pretty good. There is a woman in the community who is a traditional postpartum massage therapist. You can’t recreate all these things, but what they try hard to do is recreate the intensive care, the idea that the new mother is as vulnerable in many ways as a newborn baby.

Q.Can you describe what happens during a cuarentena in this country?

A.In my book I write about spending time in Akron, Ohio, with first-generation laborers from Chiapas. They don’t have an extended family of mothers and sisters. What I found in Akron, which does not happen in Mexico, is that it was men who were taking care of their wives. They were insistent that their wives observe the cuarentena as best they could manage. The women were not allowed to touch a dish or sweep the floor. There was a man who had never touched a broom before. In some cases, they would drive their wives crazy because they didn’t really know how to clean a house. But that was the level of investment in a new mother that they have.

Q.What are some of the foods given to women during the cuarentena?

A.There are very prescribed rituals and foods. If there is chicken, she gets chicken soup. She is given hot chocolate – they have this whole system of certain foods that are cold and not suitable for a postpartum mom. You want to keep her body warm and her system warm. Foods like cucumbers are considered inappropriate for a recovering mother. There are emotions that are considered hot and cold that you need to protect her from. Anger is a cold, frosty emotion, and you need to protect a mother from feeling it or witnessing it.

One food is atole, a comfort drink made from toasted corn and thickened with milk and sugar. It has a lot of symbolic meaning because this is a culture that has revered corn as a divine gift. It’s very good for you. The iron in it is easily absorbed. But it also takes a lot of care to cook it. You have to cook it slowly and reheat it, and every time you give it to someone, you need to reheat it, add water and stir. What I found was that it really seemed to be about the amount of attention and love and engagement with the mother’s well-being.

Q.What else happens during the cuarentena?

A.The mother is supposed to rest. She only has two jobs. One is to cuddle and enjoy her baby. The other is to learn how to breast-feed from experts. Nobody says “wing it” or “nature will take its course.’’ People will help you. There are no expectations that this is easy or spontaneous.

Q.Does this mothering of the mother happen around the world?

A.There is a version of the cuarentena in many, many cultures. The length of time can vary. Chinese women lounge in seclusion for 30 days, while the Onitsha women of Nigeria rest for three months. From South Asia to the Philippines, the Middle East to South America, new mothers and their babies rest for 40 days.

Q.Why is it 40 days?

A.The number 40 has a lot of mystical significance throughout history. There is a lot of biology attached. It takes about 40 days for your reproductive organs to return to their ordinary shape after having a baby. There is an observation about how the human body works and the cycle of nature, and I believe a lot of the folklore follows that.

Q.Is there a take-home message from all the stories you collected for your book?

A.One of the things I learned is this idea of permission — permission to take care of yourself, to ask for help. This felt very revolutionary to me. It also entails giving help — stepping up and being there and not just sending an e-mail or gift basket, with the understanding that you will be helped in the same way. It’s the power of a group of people getting together at their best to do difficult things. With a cuarentena, you’re not alone. It’s difficult being a new mother. To be surrounded, to have other people on the team, it’s a happy atmosphere. It helps you get through it.

Source: New York Times - By Tara-Parker-Pope

Interviewing mistakes happen in every industry and can instantaneously ruin an opportunity to be hired in just a matter of minutes. I tell my students that it takes merely 30 seconds for the average person to look at you and develop an impression. Everything you do and say thereafter matters.
Here is a quick review of interviewing techniques to follow:


1) Dress Code - Have a preset outfit in your closet ready to wear. It doesn't matter whether you are interviewing for an office or nanny position, dressing conservatively is the way to go. Black/Blue pants with a white blouse, closed-toe shoes, hair back (away from your face), not too much jewelry, light make-up and no perfume is best. Make sure your nails are short and polish is clear or light colored.  No loud colors or prints to distract the interviewer from focusing on you. Your appearance should be immaculate.

2) What to Bring - Bring your portfolio that contains your resume, letters of reference, immunization records, CPR certification, certificates of training, diplomas, Trustline Registry letter, copy of identification, driving record and anything else that supports your qualifications for the job.

3) How to Get To the Interview - Use Google maps - the most reliable source to find the location, print out directions and know exactly where you are going. Get the traffic report in the area so you know if there is anything that might delay you. There is no excuse for getting lost.  When you make the interview, ask if there are any special instructions.

4) When to Arrive - ON TIME - not early, not late, but exactly at the minute you are supposed to be there. If you arrive early, then wait outside in the car until it is your exact time for the interview.

5) How to Greet - Introduce yourself by saying, "Hello, my name is Marta Perrone, and I am here (from the Domestic Connections Agency) to interview for the nanny position."  If you come on your own, without agency representation, then of course simply indicate the manner in which you both connected.  If the prospective employer puts out a hand to shake yours, then extend your hand and give a firm grip. If not, then just wait to be asked inside the home. If you meet at a restaurant, wait for the employer to sit down and then sit where indicated. Put your portfolio on your lap or on a table, set your purse aside and sit up tall, shoulders down and relaxed, facing the employer directly.

6) How to Start - Usually the employer will begin. If the question comes up, "did you have any trouble finding it...?" or "is this far from your house?", be sure to always answer in a positive manner, never giving the impression that the distance, traffic or ability to get there was a problem. You may be asked if you want anything to drink. Unless you are dying of thirst, I would suggest not having a prospective employer be bothered with serving you. (Take water in the car and drink some before entering the house/location).

7) Be a good Listener - The employer will most likely begin talking about the job and telling you many details. Listen carefully, and do not interrupt. There is not need to make lots of remarks unless they are relevant.  It is best to wait until the employer either asks you a question directly or finishes talking.

8) What to Ask - Ask questions about the family, what the children like to do, where they go to school, preferences for food, activities, etc. If there is a baby, then the questions should all be directed on the mother's philosophies on how she wants her child handled from every perspective. 

9) What NOT to Ask - Never ask about money or benefits until a job offer is made. If coming from an agency, you should have a general idea of what the salary and benefits will be for this position if hired.  There is no need to discuss this until the employer has made a decision. You have more negotiating power once they are settled on hiring you. Also, the focus of the interview should be whether you and the employer are a good match first.

10) Attitude - Be friendly and energetic during an interview, and remain calm. Nervous energy is not comforting to any mother or father. The best way to exude confidence is to be relaxed as you discuss your qualifications, past jobs, references and constructively interact with the family members.

11) Meet the Children - If the children are present, you might ask if you can meet them. If there is a baby, the mother may or may not want to let you hold the baby. If she suggest that you do so, immediately wash your hands first and then proceed to hold the baby. How you do this makes a first impression of your abilities. The baby may need something while holding him/her, and your response will reinforce your abilities. The idea is give the mother confidence that you are qualified.

12) Be Positive - Never speak ill of former jobs or employers. You may have had a recent problem in a job; however, it is best not to discuss this in a negative manner. If it has to be discussed because the employer is insisting on knowing the reason why you are unemployed, then speak about the situation in the most diplomatic way possible. Try to use phrases such as: "we came to the conclusion that it would be best if we parted ways" or "our philosophies on child rearing were not a good match" or "I simply wasn't comfortable working for this family any longer".

13) Leaving the Interview - Tell the employer that you are reachable for any further information (or to please contact the agency). Suggest a second interview once she has narrowed down her choices. Make yourself available for a trial day so that you can spend more time together. Comment on your interest to work there and thank her for her time and the opportunity to interview.

14) Follow-up - If you do not work with an agency, you can certainly follow-up by email (If you don't have an email address for them, send a thank you note by mail) reiterating your interest in the job and looking forward to her response.  If you are working with an agency, call them immediately to discuss the interview and your interest. Be clear on when the prospective employer will be making a decision and stay in close touch with the agency or employer. If you don't have an email address for them, send a thank you note by mail.

15) Hired or Not Hired -Everyone knows the saying "it was or wasn't meant to be" - If not hired, be confident that you will find another opportunity suitable for you. If hired, then congratulations....you have successfully passed "The Interview Test"!

With fitness experts so up in arms about how kids today just sit around playing games, it’s nice to think about how beneficial games can be.  Not just any games, but those that exercise the mind.

1. Matching games: We all grew up with these games, but now they have turned into big business.  I believe every cartoon character has a version of the memory game.  The cards are flipped face down in a grid formation on the table or other flat surface.  When it’s your turn you choose two cards to turn face up.  The object of the game is to have the most matches at the end of the game.  If the two cards you turned up match then you pick them up and keep them in your spot, but if they don’t match you must turn them face down again and remember where they were so when you turn up the match you can remember where it was.
2. Sudoku: This game is also played with a grid, but you have to get these puzzles premade in a book or on the internet.  The idea is to fill in the open spots on the grid.  There are 3×3 grids where you must fill in 1-9, but then the hard part comes when those smaller grids are part of a bigger grid and you have to also have each vertical and horizontal line contain 1-9.  There can be no duplicates.  The preprinted games come with some of the numbers already filled in for you and you do the rest.  This game can grow with your child because it comes in many levels of difficulty.
3. Mazes: These have also been around literally forever, but in their current format as long as we’ve had printed paper.  The object of the game is to start at the entrance and make it through the maze to the end.  These also come in books or you can print them online.  Just like in Sudoku they come in various degrees of difficulty and can grow with your child.
4. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box: This is probably the newest game on this list.  This game is a game for the Nintendo DS and has a video element where the professor is riding on a train to try to figure out what happened to a friend of his.  The train is filled with many different kinds of puzzles.  After you solve a puzzle you get a jigsaw piece that will help you solve the bigger mystery at the end of the game.  This game will give your child (or you) hours of enjoyment that is exercising their mind at the same time.
5. Jenga: This game is usually made of wood and it’s a stacked tower of different sizes of wood.  This game works on spatial awareness because you must pull individual pieces of wood out of the tower without knocking the whole tower down.  It probably also uses some hand/eye coordination as well.
6. Mystery jigsaw puzzles: Jigsaw puzzles are fun all on their own and many people find them very relaxing.  I’m not one of them.  However, they have come out with a twist on the old classic.  Now you have to put the puzzle together in order to gather the clues in order to solve the mystery or crime at the end.  There are many versions of these types of puzzles on the market, but it might be a fun activity for the whole family.
7. Clue: This is a board game that has been around for ages.  While travelling around the board you ask questions of your fellow game players and try to determine who committed the crime, where they committed it and with what weapon they used.  It’s a lot of fun and really makes you think.
8. Checkers: This strategy game has been around literally forever.  There are variations of checkers recorded as early as 1100 A.D., but it is believed to be older than that.  This game is played on an 8×8 gridded board with opposite colors.  The object is to diagonally jump your opponent and take his playing piece.  If you make it to the opposite side of the board you are “kinged” and you can now move your piece forward or backward.
9. Rubik’s cube: It was invented in 1974 and it was a really big craze in the 80’s.  This colorful cube is mechanical and you can rotate the rows of mini cubes on the big cube.  The object is to get each side of the cube to be all the same color.  It is very difficult to do and really exercises the mind because you have to think several steps ahead.
10. Word searches: These fun puzzles have words hidden amongst other letters.  The idea is to find the real words within the extra letters and circle them.  There are various degrees of difficulty in these and they can be printed online or you can even make your own with some help from online programs.

Content provided by: www.shareananny.com

http://www.MartaPerrone.com