anna75

[decided that life is too short to get involved in this "discussion". good luck to ALL mothers]

"Someone who has only ever posted on the forums once. That one message was to another person selling something, offering to go round that person's house to buy something or other and, I believe, asking for their address. " WHAT??? Good grief, I would not even consider it. Clearly a weirdo of some description. I'd report it to the police in an attempt to save someone else less careful. I am really serious. This is weird.

Saila, So said Money week's morning email this morning, yes.

Defo

Agreed that BoE is targetting house prices or, more accurately, the continued (?) solvency of UK banks/PLc. It certainly isn't bothered about inflation and probably prefers quite a high rate to erode Govt debt. Borrow borrow borrow if you can...

hmmm interesting. Our ch were bottle fed from day 1 and fell almost immediately into a 3 or 4 hourly pattern, with slightly longer stretches at night. At the end of a feed, they would be asleep (when tiny this is), I would change the nappy, put the baby down and do some small pathetic task before it all started again. However, it sounds as if that is unnatural compared with the breast fed babies who seem to be comfort feeding in between. I wonder why this is.... why don;t they sleep immediatrely post feeding?

Benmorg, YOu make a good point. Here is my understanding. Different buyers - middle class Brits are increasingly priced out of the areas you mention. The people who can afford them are not dependent on mortgages, often have big bonuses (yes still and yes funded by us!) or are non doms (ironically) or the global rich moving money from volatile areas into places they perceive as safe. A flight to quality if you like. None of those categories will be attratced to local markets like SE London where mc Brits can afford to buy, just, still.

Very sensible child. they are mostly quite disgusting. My daughters hate public loos and will try out several before pronoucing any fit for use. I wodner if it is becuase their senses are so much sharper than ours that all the noises etc are quite terrifying. Not to mention the dirt and yuck.

Ruth, 18 monthers are normally able to do what you describe. My children were not as advacned as my best friend's however. Her girl was potty trained - and totally dry - at 18m. When her son came along, we all said "no way". However, ditto. Do these children just have good instincts or is their mother a training genius?! PS they had normal - ie pampers disposable - nappies. Babies who have old fashioned nappies should learn earlier on average as they can feel it more easily.

The answer is that, finally, a whole quarter of London is being discovered. You have realised earlier than most, that is all. Battersea is horribly over-priced for a rather nasty inner city area, completely unsuited to children. THere has been a birth rate/population explsoion since 2000, so areas that are suitable for families have increased in price a great deal. Couple that with the fact that the East London line has reminded buyers of the hitherto unknown delights of a short commute and you get your higher prices. Having said all this, I agree that these levels of icnrease year on year are untenable. I'd look in Nunhead, Honor Oak or Brockley if I were looking now. More for your money, not far away, good trasnport links to city/canary wharf and west end and the start of the boom not the end of it. Good luck in your search

it isn't difficult to get the quals and OFSTED reg etc. (needed for parents who are claiming back the tax) very good for the years when your own ch are at home anyway.... a teaching career should allow you to return, no? as long as you keep up on the latest theories, some of which will be discredited by the time you go back anyway. ;-)

Crystal, c/minding/set up a mini nursery? People would love a former teacher to be looking after their children surely? Then, of course, go back to teaching when your littler one is 4/5. (4 or 5, not 0.8 I mean ;-))

Sadly, a second friend of mine has just learned that her baby has cystic fibrosis. THis time, neither knew but both she and her husband tested positive as carriers, though neither is aware of anyone in previous generations having had the disease or demonstrating similar heath problems. I have no idea about my husband's or my status but if we thought about another baby, I would probably get one of us checked. (YOu both have to carry the gene so if one tests clear, it's fine. Cf sufferers, like many diseases, can just be unlucky and suffer a totally new mutation but that cause would be very very rare.) Tests are simple - blood tests at Harley St, not on NHS. Posting in case anyone else wants to set their mind at rest.

Many thanks everyone. Kimmy, may I just ask you: are there any pros (or cons) of being at a "school nursery", as it were? Are there things I would not otherwise consider? eg my husband wondered if the older children (aged all of eg 8 I suppose) might be both a good and a bad thing. Thanks

Thank you DW - any other views on Buds or others? Thanks