BeccaL

How about a childminder? Can be a bit less full on for little ones and also cheaper than nursery, especially if you don't need 100% reliability as you would if working. We were fortunate to be in that situation - daughter went to minder for 1 day a week from 1 yr then up to 2 days from 2 yrs - she loved it and I think it did her a lot of good in terms of interacting with other kids.

A friend of mine who lives on dunstans rd mentioned to me on 18 dec, so i'm fairly sure it's not related to the rumours when sains opened. However, I didn't get a chance to talk to her for long and find out her source, hence said I had heard rather than I knew. Legalbeagle - do you know any more?

No thank you - agree with others that it would affect the good local shops we have. I have heard that Val's shop by the plough is going to close because of the new sainsburys - no more of this please.

I think Fourways chemist in Herne Hill rents them - 020 7924 9344

Difficult - I'm surprised that you saw both together, to be honest. I'd generally say that the paediatrician is more of a specialist than the GP, but I know that GPs see quite a lot of reflux. What did they advise you - I know others on here have had experience of treating reflux so may give you considered advice on what you were told.

Just williams had a strings pack so might have just strings. Afraid we just put up with the knot as they get knotted very quickly!

Good point clux - lego and playmobil both good. Lego has a good website, and we ordered something yesterday which was despatched today, so service seems pretty good (famous last words)

Mellors, have to disagree in our experience - our daughter still loves her toddler trampoline even though at nearly 6 she is borderline too big for it. Also good when they are a bit bigger for wearing them out before bed if they have too much energy!

Can't you just get them all presents from Disney world? That and some surreptitious (?sp?) Amazon or equivalent beforehand should do it, shouldn't it? You will still have the "new baby" excuse as well!

Roald Dahl box set (they have it in Tales on Moon Lane) - books range from quite short and heavily illustrated, e.g. The Twits, The Enormous Crocodile, to the longer classics, e.g. Danny Champion of the World, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - so some that she will be able to read when she's learnt but others for when she's bigger? Does she have an easel - there's one from IKEA with paper one side and chalk board the other which our daughter (same age) still loves - good for drawing and writing when you get to that. Re board games snakes and ladders is quite good for counting skills, and also helps them learn that sometimes you lose! Ours took a little to get to grips with the concept of going backwards on the snakes being just the luck of the dice, but helps when learning to lose gracefully - we try and end every game with a hand-shake and "Good game, well played" regardless of who has won and who has lost - helps to reduce gloating as well (from us as well as her!)! Does she like Charlie and Lola - new book out, also annuals are good from that age, as plenty of little things to look at again and again - Charlie and Lola, Peppa Pig, Pixar?

I agree - the new gates on the junction of Wood Vale and Langton Rise are beautiful - really nicely done.

Goodrich is also on the 4th - 1-4pm.

Search for goodliz on the forum - she does very good running courses and got a group from goodrich school doing 5k. Good luck

Since we had our daughter we didn't go to either family but stayed at home - so much better. Gussy, definitely tell him you're not going anywhere! Also a chance to establish your own family traditions (not that that is likely to work with your MIL as a reason why you're not there!). Hope to see you in the park on Christmas Day!

My mum took O-level maths when she was about 40 - she was taught by a science teacher from my secondary school. She said the thing which really helped her was that while he understood it, he wasn't used to teaching it, so he quite often went and checked things with the maths teachers, which meant that he was clear on what he was teaching her (does that make any sense?). Agree that if your son is disheartened with it might be better not pressuring him...

there's a thread about this in general ED issues/gossip - http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,561618 the display on Burbage Road is good - ?5 each for adults, accompanied kids under 10 free

Sally - we got married in almost exactly the same way and situation! I wore a bias cut dress from monsoon which accommodated a 6-month bump quite well - just needed to take up the lining a bit! Your day sounds perfect - hope you both enjoy it!

Can you go running at lunchtime while at work? Also agree you need to "encourage" your hubbie to pull his finger out - as chantelle says an hour with the kids isn't that much, is it?

Bump - watch out for a brief glimpse of Mount Adon Park (just off Upland Road) in tonight's episode - full preview here http://www.ontvtonight.org/ (Still biased - see above)

My daughter does the same loud telling off about people not waiting for the green man, as she does for people not wearing bike helmets. These do, however, get relegated to the level of "very silly" rather than "naughty" as we had to explain to her that it wasn't illegal! She's a stickler for rules...

No you're not Molly! My daughter is 5 and in yr 1 at Goodrich. Last year she did French on Weds after school and I was not convinced she was getting much out of it - lots of drawing! Wondered whether to drop it this year but she's got a new teacher who seems to be teaching them something! She also does gym on tues. School just introduced spanish which we'd probably rather she did than french, but I think at that age 2 after school things is enough, especially with occasional film club on thursdays. Also no time for chilling at home or playing with friends either. I figure there's time for that when she's a bit older!

One thing to mention re growbags - we were intending to continue using them until our daughter worked out how to undo the zip - went in regularly to find her sitting in her cot with just a nappy on - she'd taken off the bag and her babygrow, and was freezing!! At that point, decided duvet and pillow the way forward! she was about 2 then (I think) so not worried about her having a pillow...

This series of Spooks starts tonight, so watch out for Upland Road starring in a future episode (it's not in the first 2). Good preview on www.ontvtonight.org (biased - my husband wrote it!)

The glades in bromley is fun - small slide, little pool and wave machine too

Snowboarder, my 5.5year old is still in her converted cotbed - just getting to the point where we're thinking that we need to start looking for a full size single, though she is pretty short for her age!