edanna

I think they are worth it. The one I did was pretty strongly pro natural birth, which it turned out was never going to be an option for me with the first birth, and also very strongly pro breastfeeding as I'm sure the NHS classes are. The practical stuff like different ways to hold the baby, etc was v helpful. You don't know how much you will hit it off with the other parents but I made two of my best friends that way. I never made it to the coffee mornings because they were quite early in the morning and I didn't feel confident turning up at a stranger's house. Meeting up with people you knew before birth is easier, especially if you're finding things tough in the early weeks and months after your baby is born.

We also have experience of the cleft service, though my daughter's issue wasn't diagnosed until some time after birth. As the others have said they are amazing - you will have access to so many different experts who will help your baby and you every step of the way. Everyone there is lovely and will really listen to your feelings and needs as a parent and help you to make informed choices. Lots of luck.

Ha, well Dolly Parton does seem an unlikely sponsor of children's literacy in Southwark. But good for her and her titles!

Lovely. Nice titles too.

It sounds like a really stressful experience, which unfortunately happened in the presence of a bunch of people who have no idea how difficult it is to get a small child down from the top deck of a moving bus. I would have been angry too. Ultimately you need to vent your anger and let it go. I know what it's like to be furious about something like this and feel unable to calm down from it. But you will. Deep breaths!

I think his books are very reminiscent of Roald Dahl - have you read all of those?

We have two Maxi Cosi Rodi: http://www.maxi-cosi.com/car-seats/rodi-airprotect.aspx bought for the reason that newtoedf stated - boosters alone offer no crash protection. they work with the normal car seatbelt and are fairly easy to take out when you need to, not that I would want to do it v often. The back and seat come apart, which makes them easier to store/transport.

Simon Turgoose, osteopath at the Vale Practice, helped me massively during pregnancy (and before and after). His treatment is very gentle yet effective - I can't recommend him highly enough.

There was a thread on this a while back: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1405036,page=1

We haven't driven a Prius. But if you go on the seat manufacturer's site eg Maxi Cosi they usually give details of the models of car they are compatible with.

They will love it - it's tacky, v expensive, madly busy etc. BUT if you go nice and early before the crowds, work out a realistic limit for how many tokens you will buy and encourage them to choose their rides wisely, you can have a great time. You need to be careful with your belongings too. Food wise, not the healthiest but yummy.

What a lovely sentiment yeknomyeknom - I agree. Merry Christmas everyone.

Talking of films, this looks brill though we don't have it yet: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animation-Studio-Helen-Piercy/dp/1406350974 I imagine it will need parental input at first but maybe not once he has the hang of it. My son really likes playing Rush Hour and does this on his own - we have the adult version: http://thinkfun.com/products/rush-hour/

Hot Wires is brilliant but probably needs some parental help. There are a couple of brilliant Klutz Lego books - Lego Contraptions and Lego Chain Reactions but will also need some help. There are some nice puzzle books designed by Thomas Flintham which are doable alone.

You may find a few stocking fillers in Just William. Hawkins Bazaar site is good too.

Albrighton Centre in the Dog Kennel Hill estate?

The Bessemer Grange fair is tomorrow (Sun 6 Dec).

Have a look at Eos: http://eosdance.co.uk

Happyland toys from ELC are great for that age. Or train track/bridges/trains?

Also relevant to this is the very high proportion of children in Southwark who are overweight or obese (44% of year 6 children). We all know obesity is a complex issue but anything that threatens children's ability to take part in challenging outdoor play is really not going to help. Here's the BBC article with the latest stats: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34932478

What about making snowflakes by folding up white paper and cutting bits out? I'm sure there are patterns online. I still remember making the three wise men with my mum by wrapping Christmassy paper round milk bottles and glueing on a face and beard and hands holding gold/frankincense/myrrh. Pinterest is really good for craft inspiration.

Good point on the leaves - they are very slippery after all the rain.

I think St John's ambulance do a course.

What a lovely idea. My grandma loved lemon curd - she thought M&S was the best, I hope they still make it!

I used to take my kids when they were babies/toddlers to Musical Bumps and it was so friendly and cheerful. I enjoyed a good sing too! It's a different teacher now to the one I know, but def worth a go if it's not too difficult to get to. I think you can try a class for free. http://m.musicalbumps.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musicalbumps.com%2Fwhen-and-where%2F&dm_redirected=true#2957