treehugger

My daughter now 20, is and was very sporty, hard working and a girl who wants to achieve highly. She suffered terribly from tonsillitis from the age of 14 or so. Every time she did too much (even just a late night) she would go down with it, needing antibiotics. We tried everything: gargling, manuka honey etc etc. When she was 18, she and I felt the only answer was to have them out. My husband felt strongly that a lifestyle rethink was needed and a bolstering of her immune system and that the tonsillitis was a symptom of overdoing things and that having them out wasn't the answer. Although I had sympathy with this, she and I agreed to have them out (when the consultant saw the state of them, she pulled such a face of disgust, I was completely won over). My daughter coped well with the op and has been so relived that she no longer suffers the inevitable illness following a period of "doing too much", although she has learned that she is not invincible and needs to sleep and eat well. Best of luck with the GCSEs, but my advice is, get them whipped out over the summer. Xxx

I agree with Buggie. This thread was making me feel very uncomfortable. Just to add, the first and only nanny I hired was 23 when she first came to us; she was excellent and stayed with us for four years. I cried when she left.

Slightly off topic, but reading posts on the EDF tonight made me proud to be a female or at least a family-oriented person. The posts on the FMR discussion are always helpful and empathetic whereas those dominated by the guys (I am assuming) on the other EDF sites seem to degenerate incredibly quickly into a brawl. Hilarious but actually quite sad. So thanks ladies for keeping our community civil and supportive.

Slightly off topic, but reading posts on the EDF tonight made me proud to be a female or at least a family-oriented person. The posts on the FMR discussion are always helpful and empathetic whereas those dominated by the guys (I am assuming) on the other EDF sites seem to degenerate incredibly quickly into a brawl. Hilarious but actually quite sad. So thanks ladies for keeping our community civil and supportive.

I've lived here since 1991 and brought up my kids here (who wouldn't want to live anywhere else... Good luck with that). It was a bit of a shit hole when we moved here from Kennington, and now I'm pretty incredulous at the prices. If I was 30 now with a baby and a decent but not great job, I don't think I could move to what was then a run down and out of the way suburb...

Maybe chatty man is living in the wrong area. For me, as quite a privileged person financially, using public transport allows me to empathise with my fellow workers. Commuting is horrible, but I am lucky to live in a nice house and earn a decent wage. The people who have kids in prams, who have to eat food on the bus probably don't have my advantages. Real life for a lot of people who get off the train at P Rye is a real struggle. I prefer to appreciate what I have and feel very sorry for those who work extremely hard to bring up their kids with little chance that they will have the social mobility that my generation had. If chatty man doesn't like footballs and scooters he could either, a) get involved with organising after schools activities for these kids or b) move to canary wharf where there are no kids (start up some kind of media type company there, lots of opportunity I would think).

Reading this brings back, not so fond, memories of two toddlers 16 months apart. You all deserve medals. Sorry to say that they still stay very annoying. Son, now 22 and boomeranged back from university, looked in newly stocked fridge (via tesco.online) and said - why is there never any food in this house.... Sorry ladies to be the bearer of bad news - as mothers we are in it for the longest term.

Does everything have to be a spat? Boring.

My dad, who lives in Highgate has this exact same problem with TT. Ringing his landline just gets the engaged tone, although he can ring out. Weirdly he did get one call through from Ireland yesterday. Very frustrating...

First mate, you are always so sensible and informative in the advice that you give to us all on the forum re the very emotional topic of dogs. Thank you

if you stick to the parking rules you don't get fined. Parking on a zigzag line is not allowed because it obstructs the view of those pedestrians using the crossing. Seems a sensible rule to me.

We have done a number of house exchanges using homeexchange.com. It is a really good way of seeing another country more cheaply. I would advise a simultaneous swap, as otherwise it gets too complicated and you have the security of knowing you can rely on mutual respect. I wouldn't advise swapping a car. make sure your house is really clean and tidy - we take the opportunity to do a really good spring clean. you don't really want to feel that you have not given a good swap if you have left your house messy or dirty. I recommend it, good luck.

Tears in my eyes. Thank you Bryan.

Is Gregg the watchmender? If not, does anyone have a number for him. He is so brilliant.

I think Vaseiline intensive care cream is amazing. My daughter had really terrible cradle cap and it sorted it out. Quite surprising as it looks like it's full of chemicals...

Lyndhurst Way is so bad that the alternative slog up Dog Kennel Hill is worth it.

Amazing story of great bravery. Thanks for sharing.

I was cycling home from work this afternoon and was overtaken by a police car, which not only had a siren and blue lights but an additional, overlying crazy sound track. I actually thought it was some young hooligans with a novelty gas-powered horn system. We live on Barry road and I dread these crazy cars tearing up and down at all hours. Is this extra layer of noise really needed?

Giles Davies the acupuncturist has had great success in treating couples with primary and secondary infertility.His no is 07739 414210

For what it's worth, I love the drums, please keep playing them. So nice to hear talent...

Steve's house is amazing and quite creepy (in a good way). Even if the entry fee is ?10, I recommend it unreservedly. And he is a lovely and vey interesting person.

Absolutley terrific - thankyou so much Ingrid and everyone involved. Very proud for ED and Dulwich.

I am the OP. I don't think we ever heard from any professionals or decision-makers about the rationale for the pollarding. The trees are in leaf now, but the leaves are growing all the way down the trunks and have required additional pruning in order to keep the pavements clear. They certainly don't look how they have looked in the past, but I have no idea whether they will look better next year, or whether objective success criteria for the pollarding have been reached, and indeed what those criteria might be. It just feels so frustrating to have so little information and therefore knowledge as to whether this whole exercise has been a good thing for the health and longevity of the trees (in which case I would be very happy), or whether they have now been damaged (in which case I would be very angry).

When do you want to go?

The lavendar in our front garden is full of honey bees and butterflies. I am so glad we planted it a coupel of years ago. I now feel very eco-friendly!