gwod

I can recommend www.designedbymima.co.uk. who posted earlier, she's currently helping me with my site and I have found her to be fantastic, a good business mind as well as an imaginative designer, I couldnt be more pleased.

Been thinking about this thread alot so I asked my Teen and preteen which teen books the felt had good role models, (as it seems there are loads for younger readers,) and apart from Katniss from the Hunger Games and some Malorie Blackman they didnt feel that any of the 'heroines' in their books were people that they'd aspire to be. They pointed out though, that most books that they read now dont have a heroine, The main protagonist is usually in some sort of moral pickle or emotional turmoil and makes mistakes...so the gils identify with them in a more adult way...much more like the sort of books we read. Their example of this was Before I Die, the story of a terminally ill teenager, fulfilling her life dreams in a short time - she is brave and organised, but she also rails against her situataion in a very teen-ish way. They also start to read adult book - eldest just read The Help for example...so maybe the fact that there are not many books with aspirational heroines is because, like us, they wouldnt want to read it because it is a bit too 2 dimensional asthey get older.

How about... Pippi Longstocking Laura Ingalls or for older kids Katniss Everdean Though I agree, they are few and far between.

Dont be too alarmed though Fuschia, all four of my girls went through this stage when they were 4 or 5, It's when they start doing nutrition at school and messages about healthy foods and fatty foods are difficult for them to process. One of mine came home thinking cheese was bad because it was in the high fat section of the foodgroups. The fact that you are addressing her attitude to weight and fatness seriously as it arises can only be a good thing, probably even better than it not arising until she is a teen. The words diet and fat are all over the place, and not always in an avoidable glossy mag context. My husband had to adjust his diet for medical reasons, our cat had to go on a diet, our younger babies were chubby and the older ones were outraged on their behalf when adults pointed it out - its important that we dont react too alarmingly when these flashwords come up - at 4 and 5 the kids are exploring which words have power what they really mean, which ones are loaded, and how to use them.

Yes I agree with Gina, I notice that even Paraphenalia uses ebay to sell some of its designer items so it might be the best way to get the job done!

I recognise how you feel, I always feel melancholy in September even though my children are older than yours and I should have got use to it by now. Although I have an interesting and flexible job, nothing is as fulfilling as parenting and when they go back I feel Ive lost my purpose and I miss them. I found it particularly hard when my yougest started and I was in the empty house. God knows what I'll be like when they start to leave home! For me, it does pass, and by half term I slip into the old rhythm of the days and things feel better. In the end I consider this pain the flipside of the luck I have in enjoying my children so much, and that helps me make sense of it. It sounds as though you are entertaining lots of changes as regards work and parenting and these can be difficult to manage, and if it doesnt pass soon Im sure talking it over with someone would help get you back to your usual self. Good luck, and dont be too hard on yourself.

Definately apply now, Its a really long time before she actually would attend school (a quarter of her life so far!)and though she may seem completely unprpepared now, things may be completely different next september. And dont forget, although she will be young for the year, there will be others her age and probably younger...and the boys seem younger still. I think she would have more difficult issues to cope with in the long run if you held her back now. In my experience of my four (one summer born) reception was a magical time that they thouroughly enjoyed and look back on with warm nostalgia, and they are still close ( even the teenagers) to some of the friends they made at that early stage.

Some of my kids like to have a whole boiled egg in their packed lunch...yum. Would she eat that? Humous and dippy veg is a good option that most kids consider safe... Sausage rolls are a good option Careful not to make rod for your own back by only packing her very favourite things though - you'll both be bored sensless by the end of term is you can't encourage her to have the occasional other filling.

A voucher for the theatre would be my choice. The Childrens Polka theatre in in Wimbledon have lovely productions at Christmas that really put you in the mood...or a good old fashioned pantomime. So special to go as a family and so expensive once you have a few kids. Vouchers would be a great help.

Our has a leavers disco. I asked my 11 year old what she was going to wear and she said she was thinking of going as a cow. They are not ready to dress formally, it is an adult construct!

Ive always answered questions frankly as they come up, but I dont tend to offer any more info than theyve asked for. That way I think they are able to dictate the how much information is approprate for them. When I Told my eldest, when she was 5 that we were having No 3 she said " So did you and daddy do the special cuddle?" and when I said we had, she asked "How did it go?" My method has meant that some times they have asked questions at place and times that I would have rather not been talking about it but Ive tried to anser plainly and move on. Once in the queue at Sainsburys, one of mine said, but "how does daddy's willy get in there, its all floppy?" It broadsided me a bit but its a legitimate question and deseves an answer!

No, I was never after a particular type (and all of mine are girls) Whatever you get turns out to be what you always wanted!! I think that a lot of very wealthy people still decide to stop at 2 kids, affordability doesnt seem to be the driving factor for them. I still feel its more to do with instinctual yearning for life more than anything else unless you are genuinely on the breadline. Dont shoot me down though - its just a point of view!

Having enough money or car space or bedrooms or time was not factor in deciding to have our 4 children (though we dont have enough of any of them!) It was driven by a viceral and primal human need to know and love them. I certainly would have thought about having more had it not been medically unadvisable. Certainly there are compromises - we find it hard to travel overseas, fit in a car, will never be able to provide everyone with their own bedroom etc etc, but the upsides are fantasic and most mealtimes are a small party! Totally agree with Sillywoman that 1 is the hardest work. And wanted to reassure ???? that the swimming years will return and be even more fun when there's more of you to play in the pool.

Another vote for southbank. Borough matrket has a great Londony vibe, and Damien Hurst is still on at the Tate which is a cool thing to take the thinking type child to!

Similarly, I noticed that my nephews have tried to dissasemble Baby Bjorn on a recent visit, not in a distructive way, just to see what's inside. It had never occurred to my 4 girls to do that...Different. Very different.

When my eldest daughter was a toddler I was very adroit about making sure she had boys toys as well as girls ones. I was smug and self congratulatory about how much she played with the dinosaurs....until I noticed she had seperated them all into families and the the stegasauruses were tucking that baby t-rexs in for the night and giving them a kiss. She's a girl, through and through, but above that she's herself. Not much that we can do to influence it! (Nor would I ant to!!)

Look How cheap 2nd hand ones are on Ebay. Choose a standard name like Stentor or something. Loads of people buy them and then grow out of them or drop the lessons. Cheaper than renting and most music shops will usually take one in part ex when you buy the next size up. There is no benefit in buying one from a shop at this point as its not as though your child will want to try out a variety of instruments to get one with the tone she likes....save that for when she starts to get good!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?Size=1%252F8&_nkw=1%2F8%20violin&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=12&_dmpt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&_fln=1&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m1539

Write down everything you spend for a while - you may not even know which areas you could save money in until you know what your outgoings really are. Also it encourages you continue with the good work when if you can see the expenditure going down!

I couldnt find a Southwark one - just Lambeth.

Thats exactly what I feel is required for my girls.

Thanks so much - (I think I showed my age there!)

...though if your birth experience has been really traumatic, you are not usually asked to share it with expectant mothers - rightly or wrongly I dont know.

Anyone got a local contact?

I can recommend our lovely Violin teacher - she comes to our house to teach two of my children, one of whom since she was 6. It is not Suzuki method, so I dont have to join in, but I find it helpful that it goes on in my house as I can hear what they are doing and how it should sound, which helps me with their practice. It is about ?20 per half hour. I would recommend that you borrow a violin and let your daughter have a lesson before you buy one. Pm me if you want more info.

I didnt know Gallery Road Tennis courts had a car park - Im excited about that!