Pickle

6 hours is considered short in our family, it takes over 30 hours door to door for us to visit my family :) Lots of new little toys, plenty of snacks, and try to relax. I've travelled long haul a lot with various combinations of my kids at different ages, and it's always fine. If all else fails, the crew call button is usually fun to play with ;)

Having just spoken to the police, can I urge anyone with information to contact them on the non emergency number (101).

This happened on Upland too, and I saw the people responsible, whom I assume could have also done the rest of the damage (it was 1:45am when I was woken up by loud voices, and saw them walk up the street). From what I understand one of my neighbours recognised one of them, so hopefully they will be reprimanded appropriately. They were children, can't have been much older than 13. God only knows why/how they came to be roaming the streets at that time of the morning.

I find, even with a mop that I can wring out really well, that dirty water ends up getting into the grout of my tiled floor, making it look grubby. When pregnant I spent hours one weekend in a fit of "must get the grout clean" insanity on my knees with Cillit Bang and a toothbrush, and got it looking really nice again. Since I got the steam mop it has stayed looking good (which is lucky, cause now that I'm not pregnant, and never will be again, there's no chance that I will get down on the floor with a toothbrush again!)

Another vote for sunshine, it works wonders!

Ah that's a shame, I haven't been for a while admittedly. I hope they sort themselves out as it's a good facility.

My oldest two are a boy and a girl, and are inseparable. They seek each other out at school during playtimes and spend time together there too. They squabble, as all siblings do, but it's generally resolved in 5 minutes and they go back to playing nicely. My younger brother (sadly now deceased) and I used to fight a lot as kids, mainly down to us being completely different personalities and also I was 4 when he came along and quite jealous! However by our late teens we had developed a good relationship based around a love of the same music, and in my early 20s before moving to the UK we went out a lot together. I think you need to do your best to put your situation out of your mind when you look at your daughter and her little brother - they are different people and will form a different relationship. P x

We like Rascals at Bellingham, and the Buzz Zone at Beckenham Spa. Both clean, good fun, and have cafes attached.

She is funny with milk - is happy to have cows milk on her cereal, but any time I have tried to give it as a drink she point blank refuses. All of her milk was breast milk until April when I had to go to NZ for a week without her. Thankfully about a week before that I had tried the toddler milk and while initially she was reluctant to taste it (she could see it was milk!) once she did she was fine. It is a lot sweeter than cows milk, and while it frustrates me to be buying formula having survived without for well over a year, I figure it is better than nothing. I started out replacing her morning milk with it (she has this at the same time as breakfast). Sometimes I try adding a little bit of cows milk, but she always notices! Personally, although it will be tough initially, I would stop giving him milk when he wakes. It means his little system is used to having food at that time, so food wise his day is always going to start at that time unless you try and break the cycle. You could do it gradually, push it back 5/10 mins a day?

Sorry to hear this, I remember you posting when he was smaller. My daughter is the same age (will be 17 months on Monday). I'll hold my hands up and say she is a great sleeper, and always has been - so my advise is limited to what we do. It may be luck, but I've done the same with all 3 kids and they all sleep well. At this point we have been on one nap a day since April. Our day goes along the lines of up at 7:30am, breakfast (includes milk in a beaker - she won't drink cows milk so I'm reluctantly using "toddler" milk). After school drop off we usually spend the whole morning out at a playgroup or something equally stimulating. Lunch around 12 and in bed by 12:30, as any later than this and I find she is overtired and won't sleep well. I always get her up by 2:30, 2:45 at the latest. Dinner at 5:30pm, bath, milk and bed at 7pm. I have just made the decision to stop breastfeeding her, so she has started having a small bottle of milk at bedtime (around 2oz), but it doesn't seem to have had any impact on her sleep. When he starts the day at 5am do you start his food etc. early? This may have a knock on effect meaning he's hungry early the next day - so maybe worth holding off till as near as "morning" as possible with food/milk if you don't already. Teething is a real possibility at this age, as the nasty big molars tend to appear. Sorry, probably not much help!

I would go with the one closest to you, especially as it eliminates the stress of having to move schools at 7. Being at your closest school makes it much easier for children to form bonds with others, as you are generally at school with your neighbours (or people very close by). We find now that we can do impromptu play dates that are arranged on the walk home, which is lovely and gives a real sense of community.

Hi there, There are lots of kiwi families locally, and lots on the forum. A while back we started thinking about arranging a regular meet up or playgroup but it hasn't really got off the ground (I'm guilty of not doing anything to push it!). I keep thinking a kiwi picnic or BBQ would be nice, maybe we should arrange one for the summer. There is a kohanga reo group that meets at NZ House, on Haymarket, not sure if it's every week or not, but it's in the weekends and I know a few people who go and love it. I keep meaning to take my kids there but weekends end up too busy.

I've read a few good ones recently... Gold by Chris Cleave (about Olympic cyclists) Room by Emma Donoghue After the Fall by Charity Norman The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Enjoy!

There was one in our neighbours garden recently while they were on holiday - I rang the council on Saturday evening and was told they would come on Monday and it would cost (as on private property). They turned up on Sunday morning and didn't charge :) Of course the other option is to move it out to the street, and it will be picked up by the council.

You might just be a bit early, I think most local schools sports days are later this month or in July as school winds down for the year.

For years we have driven past the "spooky house" and our eldest child covered his eyes due to it, apparently, being too scary. Now he moans that it's not spooky any more. I think it looks great, would love to have a look inside.

I think it's a bit of a marmite situation! I have friends that loved the classes and enjoyed the signing, and others that didn't get much out of it. I went to a trial when my first child was a baby but didn't really enjoy it, we went to other music classes and I've found that all of my kids are able to verbalise most of the key things (milk, ta, drink, snack etc) by just over a year. Try a free class and see how you feel.

Yes, my two older kids have it (as do I). Really bad at the moment, and due to get worse as the privet hedges come into flower. Eldest was 18 months, 2nd child only started getting it last year when she was 3. We use Piriton daily ad well as eye drops.

I always found that no matter how ill I felt, if I craved something I would go with the craving. There were certain things I couldn't go near, like others vegetables were a stomach turner (particularly broccoli, I couldn't even cut it up ready for the pot let alone eat it). Pregnancy 1 I lived for 4 months on salt and vinegar crisps and KFC Zinger burgers (as I was working in the weight loss industry at the time I used to drive for miles to ensure I wasn't spotted at KFC!) #2 crisps #3 raspberries, fried eggs (runny yolk, not ideal) and cheese and onion sandwiches! I tried "Preggie Pops" in my 1st pregnancy but couldn't stomach them at all. Chewing mint gum helped a bit. Thankfully it will pass eventually, good luck!

There's a nice playgroup in the Honor Oak Baptist Church (Forest Hill Road, across the road and slightly further up than the Co-Op/Herne Tavern) on Wednesday mornings, 9:45 - 11:30am. A nice big space with lots of toys and completely contained for your toddler. Lots of nice Mums and childminders go along, plenty who would love the chance of a cuddle with a little baby if you need some time with your toddler!

My bet is that someone had paid for the shed to be removed, and that person has then taken it round the corner and dumped it.

Yes, normal service here today too, thank goodness it's been resolved faster than last time.

Type "Jolly phonics" into YouTube and you'll find the songs, they are the best place to start.

Yes, mine has been patchy too, I'm in Upland Road. Frustrating given there were weeks of problems late last year.

I'm still happily using my Vax one :-)