number 2

i agree with the bigger size idea. every time i've had this problem with my son and i've gone up a size it's sorted the problem out straight away. good luck

i would say that your baby probably wouldn't mind too much. i would worry though that *you* wouldn't enjoy yourself due to fretting. it's a tough one, but i would say if you're worried about the baby and he or she knows the trusted babysitter well then he or she won't be too worried about it. good luck whatever you decide.

i'd have a look at aj farmers. they have EVERYTHING!!!

the things i've loved most as a primary teacher is nice mugs and hand made things. i can name every child who gave me any mug in my cupboard. a friend of mine also got a 5 pack of rib tickler knickers one year and some anti wrinkle cream which we all thought was highly amusing!

have you tried either tommee tippee sports bottle things or asda's own. it's the only thing i could get my boy to drink milk out of other than a baby's bottle. he still looks at baby's bottles very longingly! and he takes his drink to bed with him. they don't leak! http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/trainer/

rates vary from about ?40-?70 per day!! i would, however, always go with a childminder over a nursery for very little people. i've been lucky enough to have 2 wonderful childminders in the year and a half since i went back to work. the ratio is 3 to one but only one of them can be under one (i think) how to find one? well, asking around is the best idea and go and see loads. you'll see some terrible ones but you'll also see some marvellous ones. a word of warning, good ones are often snaffled up and some have waiting lists. good luck!

MGolden Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > new mother Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Sorry but maybe I'm too exacting - I wldn't > > consider employing a childminder/nanny whose > > attention was not focussed on my child 100%. > You > > are not paying them to chat! > > > Given that OFSTED register childminders to have up > to three under 5yos I presume you are prepared to > pay a huge ammount for a childminder to focus on > your child 100%. What will happen if you have > another child? Will you employ two childminders? > My (now 8yo) went to a fabulous child minder who > took him to play groups and looked after other > children after school, he thrived in the > environment. Other mums from the primary school > my older son went to still had this childminder > collect their children from school and I know they > often popped in for a cup of tea on their > 'non-working' days. It did my son no harm at all > to socialise with other adults. Don't assume that > because a childminder is talking to other people > s/he isn't including your child in that. > > Telegraph - does your employer support child care > vouchers? They are a form of salary sacrifice > which mean they are deducted from your salary at > source and you don't pay tax on that part of your > earnings. Many child minders will accept them and > they are a way of making the money you can afford > on childcare stretch a little further as it is > essentially tax free child care. It's certainly > worth investigating if your employer supports > them. i have to agree with mcgolden. i would also add that i don't think it does any child too much good to have anyone's full attention on them 100% of the time. it's good for them to socialise with other children, develop some independence, and to be honest they are perfectly able to do that while their childminder has a chat and a coffee. just as they are when you're around. childminding could be (i would have thought) a very isolating profession which is why they have these groups so they can chat and network. i've had 2 wonderful childminders so far and i sure as hell couldn't do what they do, so i'm all for them getting support from each other.

i can ask my childminder. she's by goose green and wonderful.

baked beans and potato waffles all the way. and frubes...............

we're great fans of si mangia! they're lovely in there!

i have to say that i have the old bee and have a strapping, nearly 2 year old boy who still loves it, fits in it quite well and is comfortable enough to take all of his naps in there. i've had very few issues with it and would recommend it to anyone. i love my bee!!

i think i would have to punch the silly cow in the face if i was to bump into her. i guess she's not one of the famous that frequent ed these days though eh?

i am very much with other people here ligaturosity. you really have no idea of what's gone on in people's lives etc. my older sister gave up smoking with her first pregnancy, and her second. sadly the second ended in a miscarriage. when she got pregnant a third time she was so wound up and scared that having 2 cigarettes a day actually helped her to calm down. like i say, you have no idea of people's reasons for doing things so it's best not to comment.

thanks for that marmora man. sounds good.

steve t, you are a very funny man. it does, indeed, look like a bandit's hideout, though i have not seen any bandits in these parts.................. obviously the hideout is working.

does anyone what the old electrical shop on the corner of peckham rye and the gardens is being turned into? i walk past it every morning and the suspense is killing me!!

i saw an acupuncturist to get pregnant who had a bit of a holistic view of trying to conceive so the list was endless - booze (of course), pork, any processed food, any spicy food, citrus fruit, seafood, the list was endless! and i was only allowed to eat organic. worked though.....

i'd definitely recommend si mangia too. it's certainly nothing fancy, but the food's lovely (and very reasonable) and our son has always been welcomed (quite literally) with open arms (and into the kitchen on occasion!). we love it there.

Indeed Sue!

Thank you so much to Kate who handed in my purse! I didn't catch your surname at the police station, but I hope you're on the EDF and see this. You've restored my faith in human nature!

Has anyone come across a red leather purse? I foolishly dropped it somewhere en route from Northcross Rd to Peckham Rye via Upland Rd and Barry Road. I'd really love to get it back. Please let me know if you've found it. Thanks

hairy maclary books are great. anything by nick sharatt anything by mick inkpen guess how much i love you (if you want a good weep!) i'm a primary school teacher, and the list is endless! soooo many beautiful books out there!

I am a little overwhelmed by how helpful people have been here. Thank you all so much. Blossoms and the Greendale sound like a definite possibility. Crystal I will pm you re your childminder. Thanks everyone, keep 'em coming!

thanks woman of dulwich. will do

Hi, We have a son of 16 months who has been with his childminder since last July and has always been very happy there (we've also known her for years which has been very comforting). However, on Thursday she dropped a little bombshell - she wants to give up minding as soon as possible to spend time with her own children - which I can completely understand, but obviously this puts us in something of a pickle. I am a teacher and she only worked term time, effectively saving us about ?1500-2000 a year and charged ?5 per hour, which I think was also very cheap. I am thinking of nurseries but having just been to the open day at the Asquith nursery on Waveney Ave I was completely put off by the hard sell aspect of it. I know places tend to have HORRIFIC waiting lists so we may be out of luck. I also got horribly upset at the idea of putting our happy little boy into a nursery while at Waveney Ave. We're on the Nunhead side of the Rye. Any thoughts/advice anyone? Thanks