Pickle

We (7 years of making that journey, once or twice a year, now with 3 kids) always choose the night flight from Heathrow on SAL, with a 5ish hour stopover in Singapore airport where you run them ragged. We then find they sleep pretty well on the 2nd leg too. P x

I have a V tech walker in perfect condition if you're interested? ?10.

Brilliant, loving the highlights!

Congratulations! I used the Lansinoh ones when I was expressing - it's been a while, but they used to stock them in the Lloyd's pharmacy on Northcross Road.

My 5 year old (girl) asked for her stabilisers to be taken off over the summer holidays, then sheer determination on her part meant she mastered riding within a few days. We went to Peckham Rye park, and found she got on better on the paths rather than grass. My 6.5 year old is still miles off being able to do it, as he's not so keen on practising, and tends to be of the "I can't do it straight away, so I don't want to do it" mindset.

Interesting to hear different views on this. I did it nearly 7 years ago now, and found it offered quite an unrealistic view of what breast feeding was all about, despite it being run by Clare who went on to provide me with support after my son was born. I remember a very sepia toned, soft focus European film, lots of positioning with dolls etc. All good in theory, and probably quite useful if you end up with an easy to feed baby, but in my case (tongue tied baby) I found the reality very different, and didn't feel the workshop prepared me for things going wrong... if that makes sense?

A nice shape sorter (one of the wooden ones)? At one they will just play with the pieces, but my daughter now (20 months) will spend ages trying to work out how to put the pieces inside.

I am also in the no tv before school camp, as I know it would cause problems. I have 3 kids (6.5, 5, 20 months), they are up and in their uniforms at 7am, breakfast is generally done and dusted by 7:45, at which point the older two do their homework. After that, they're free to play, but definitely no tv or computer. They get a tidy up time warning 10 mins before we leave for school, and after I once carried through with my threat of "anything left out goes in the bin" they do it remarkably well :) While I do a last minute nappy change for my youngest, they get their shoes and coats on. I think it's about making a plan for the mornings, explaining how it works, then sticking to it. Get as much done the night before as you can, as if you're stressed in the mornings your child will be too. I get up 15 mins before the kids to have a shower (an hour earlier some mornings to go for a run), and eat breakfast with them.

Your January baby would start in the September before he/she turns 5.

We enjoyed the show this afternoon, the kids were fascinated, even by the budgies :) Something for everyone, I very much enjoyed the lovely gymnasts and strongman...

Does your daughter bring books and homework home with her that you look at with her? A big part of reinforcing reading comes from the time you spend at home doing it. Our school have homework books which start from year 1, encouraging 15 minutes every day of homework on different topics. In Year 1 at my children's school the "learning" really ramps up, and their day is very structured with literacy, numeracy etc. If I asked my children what they have learnt on a particular day I probably wouldn't get much feedback - but this morning my year 1 daughter has been walking round the house with a tape measure, notebook and pencil, measuring things and "writing them in a table", so that gives me an idea of what she's done at school :)

My son tells me nothing (year 2), other than that cucumber featured at lunchtime. Daughter (year 1) gives me too much information, useful at times, but generally equally as irritating as being told nothing.

The one at Honor Oak Baptist Church? If so, yes, it's on and is a lovely group.

Just to update, I phoned again this evening with my 24 hour log of service (none/limited when at home or nearby, fine when outside of my immediate area). They have now admitted that there is a problem with the mast, affecting both standard signal and 3G in the area. No indication of when this will be rectified, but apparently I'll receive a credit on my account (I doubt this will happen without me pushing for it). In the meantime I have a phone I can't use for anything useful. Very frustrating.

I sent a message via that link and got a call back today. Straight away my call failed, so I rang them back on my landline. Very frustrating conversation followed - according to Vodaphone there is no problem, and I can buy a booster for a bargain 50% off, just ?50 (!). Explained that I pay a monthly fee for them to provide me with a mobile network, and I shouldn't have to fork out any more, and miraculously it is now free. However, he still absolutely denied that there is a problem. I have been told to keep a record of failed calls, no service etc. for the next 24 hours and ring them back. Apparently if others do the same it will strengthen the case for them to take it seriously, so please, anyone suffering the same shoddy service, keep a note and ring them. I've been with Vodaphone for nearly 13 years, but since December last year the service has been constantly patchy. My contract is up for renewal and I think I'll go elsewhere. Recommendations?

I've used reusable a for all three kids - from 10 months with my first, and from birth for the other two. I'm not a nappy evangelist, and use disposables at night, and sometimes during the day if I just can't be bothered :) If I'm honest, with my girls in particular, I use them because they look cute (shallow, I know). I use Itti Bitti and Blueberries, which are cute and fluffy (from 6 months up, but can be used from birth). From experience, using from newborn is easier than it sounds, and if you use a good nappy with a good cover over top you get a lot less of the dreaded up the back poo explosions! My personal preference is to use one system up to weaning, then another type afterwards, but opinions vary. You definitely save money over time, especially if you use the nappies again - my 20 month old is in the nappies her older sister wore. There's also a healthy resale market, so you can get some money back once you're done. Children in real nappies often potty train a little bit earlier too, so you can potentially get the nappy stage over quicker. I wash every 2nd day, and don't notice any smell from the nappy bucket. We don't have a drier, so I either dry on the line outside, or on airers/radiators inside. To try them out, buy 2nd hand - used nappies are more absorbent than new ones, and I often see complete systems for sale on here for less than ?50. Good luck x

I seriously doubt that a school nursery would leave a child sitting in soiled clothes. I remember picking my kids up and seeing parents being given bags with dirty clothes in them, and the staff were really supportive and lovely with the little ones.

Starting 25 Sept: an after-school flute group for young flautists who want to play a variety of fun music with other musicians. For players under 19 years of age and of grade 3 standard and above. A weekly session (term-time only) of approximately an hour and a quarter in East Dulwich, led by Sharon Moloney (Musical Director of Opal Flutes). Wednesdays 4.30-5.45pm. For more information please e-mail sharonflute77@live.co.uk.

I go running very early in the morning, and on more than one occasion have seen people (not the same person) walking down the street, bold as brass, trying every car door. As I'm running alone I haven't had the nerve to say anything to them, but have reported it to the police when I got home. Once on Wood Vale, once on Cheltenham Rd, both about 6:15am.

Do they have protective things at home? It may not be necessary - I've got three kids and have never used corner protectors or the like.

We are very familiar with the weekend setting in our house (it's set for 7 on weekdays, 7:30 weekends). Even better, last Saturday night Miss 5 messed with the clock, inadvertently putting the time back an hour :)

I remember being surprised by this, but it spurred me on to teach the kids how to do it properly. This opened up a new world for me that didn't involve hearing "Mummmmmeeeeeeee, I've done a poo, wipe my bottom please" many times a day, can't say I miss that part of parenting!

We've used one for a couple of years now (oldest two now 6 and 5). Sometimes in the morning I hear them chatting, generally the younger one suggesting they come and see us, to which oldest (certain to have a clipboard type job when he's older) replies "the clock DOES NOT say its morning". So yes, a winner in our house too :)

I've just done one of my exercise DVDs, but instead of the usual abs I tagged on one of the YouTube ones instead. Whole different set of muscles, that's for sure :)

Yes, I was thinking that this morning, will try to have a chat to her at school. A least now I understand why my tummy refuses to shift, despite my best efforts :)