Monkey

This guy brightens up my morning. Leave him alone.

"Don't feel guilty. We can't all be perfect parents all the time." Dear oh dear.

I could not agree more, Sanne Panne.

I stopped trying to breast feed in week 3. I felt it was best for my baby and also for myself. I did not feel any guilt and, to my surprise, was praised by my gp who said the pressure to bf in ED is such that she often gets mums crying and "almost wanting to give the baby back" - an exaggeration of course. Switching to formula is not the end of the world. My daughter is fit as a fiddle and hardly ever ill. I don't have stats but looking at my family, my grandmother bf all her children but not for six months. They were moved onto solids sharpish. Is the skill getting lost or has bf always been difficult? Again no stats but my grandmother, who rAised 5 children, advised her daughters to use formula which she saw as a great life

Of course they can be evicted if they are council tenants. Councils have a responsibility to ensure that their tenants behave. Now where it would be difficult is if the house belongs to the people causing all the trouble.

EG, Please follow Manda's advice which is pretty much what I advised you to do at the time of your first post(had sent you a PM). The noise unit cannot help you. They do not deal with "people noise". You need to contact the ASBO team and make sure you make yourself a bigger problem to them than your troublesome neighbours. I was fobbed off by the team a few times unless I lost my cool and emailed a whole range of people including head of asbo team, head of local area housing unit, head of safer neighbourhood programme... etc. From the moment I sent this group email, a senior ASBO officer was appointed and called me on a regular basis (several times a week). My neighbours were moved within three months if my memory serves me right.

Would be good to see Goodrich follow suit for those of us who stand little chance of getting into a faith school.

Thank you!

I am hoping you EDF mums and dads will once again be able to help me. I am launching a parents' forum at my workplace to support parents and promote an environment in which they can socialise and talk about all things children. I am looking for someone to speak at the forum's launch. I invited the mumsnet founders but have not heard back yet and that was always a bit of a long shot. Any ideas? I don't really have a budget so I am rideally looking for someone to come and speak for free - maybe an author promoting a new book for example. All ideas welcome. Thank you.

We saw their show in Retford at half term and also really enjoyed it.

My daughter goes to Asquiths (Peckham Rye) and absolutely loves it there. The staff are wonderful. I know people on this forum were not too happy with the Dulwich branch a while ago - although a lot of people were. They have had a new manager since last year who was trained by the Peckham Rye manager who is absolutely fantastic and has an eye on everything. I would have thought Asquiths Dulwich would be a good choice.

I am getting a bit annoyed with people complaining about schools and nurseries (see the Piplings thread) And actually when it comes to Alleyn's, the school is based in extensive grounds so nuisance must be minimal. It has also been there for years and years. If you don't like it, then don't live it near it.

Well... I bought a perfect little tee shirt dress - very Lola - at lunchtime and...errr...forgot it in the office. Had to improvise so my little lola will be wearing black leggings, stripy tee shirt, spotty cardi, butterflies in her hair and will be carrying her Sizzles and a bottle of pink milk.

NCT Sales at the St Faith's centre in Dulwich Village this weekend. A firm favourite of mine.

May I suggest that if DMC started appointments earlier on in the day and also worked a bit harder on Saturdays, this could maybe help their patients get seen in good time.

Meant to also say good luck with everything. Really not what you need, especially not with two little ones to look after! XXX

Do you have to stay the whole day? As a witness, I would have thought not. If you do, then my advice would be to sort out a full day of childcare, maybe with a local childminder or someone who will come to your own home. The times when I have been the most stressed or when everything's gone to pots was when I had not sorted out enough childcare having convinced myself everything would be ok.

It is monthly, yes.

I can recommend Asquith in Peckham Rye - fantastic staff, low staff turnover, great manager and great purpose-built premises well away from main road. A full-time place costs GBP1,400. They're open 51 weeks a year, five days a week, 7.30am to 6.30pm. They take babies from 6 months. Also had great feedback on Piplings and I think they start at 1 but could be wrong. My daughter also goes to DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergaten and Infants School) Open only term-time, 8 to 4.30pm. Perfect if you don't work - bit more challenging if you do but we manage. Prices are available from their website. We pay about GBP1,500 a term for two days a week. Again staff is amazing and the premises are great with a huge, huge garden which my daughter loves. Their kindergarten takes children from 6 months. All kindergarten children get offered a place at the Infants School starting in September after they turn 3. You could also try Piplings and Mother Goose. You can find inspection reports on all nurseries on http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/ Good luck with your relocation.

Tiny love mobiles and playmats are great. Also look at Lamaze toys at Soup Dragon on LL. And books, books, and more books! Enjoy these precious first few weeks with your little one!

Stick to your plans! My mother used to bake a cake herself and let us run riots in the garden with our bikes and roller blades. It was great fun.

Or there's the Lister centre in Peckham. I am at DMC as well and have the same pbs. Last time my daughter was ill, I called in a French paediatrician who visited us at home. When my mother in law took my daughter to the GP later on in the week to get checked, GP told her that the paediatrician had given far more antibiotics than she would ever allow and how she wishes all French doctors would go back to France. They don't like the competition - especially when it's got a better bedside manner.;-) I would go to the Lister if I were you and you can bear to take yourself all the way there. Or wait for 6.30pm for Seldoc but the service there is a bit hit and miss.

Yes I did and I was completely "wowed." Loved the staff whom I all found very warm, thought the kids' work on display was out of this world, the two children who showed me around were ever so polite, articulate and most importantly seemed happy and not stressed. Loved the fact that the french teacher is French (I am French) and that the after school clubs are fantastic (include circus skills or so I hear) I feel this is a place where my daughter will be happy.

My daughter is in the Kindergarten and starting at the Infants' school next year. Can't really answer your questions re: preparation for the exams. I am not too fussed myself about this. However the stats re: which schools the children go to after Ducks are now available on their new website - did not use to be on the old one. See here: http://www.dulwich.org.uk/ducks/about/year-2-results What attracted me really was the fantastic setting, small size classes and the fact they do one-to-one reading with the teachers every week. And the heateacher is great, very warm. She's available on the day on which you book your visit of the school and I am sure she would answer your questions by email as well. Sorry I can't help more but given the fact you have not had many answers, I thought I'd chip in!

Same here, always get ibs at work. I think it's a combination of eating quickly, not being able to digest quietly and not wearing loose clothing lie I do at home. Peppermint tea seems to help. I also eat lots of pain yoghurt. I avoid apples, salads, onions. Hope this helps.