zeban

Agree with Pickle, although I'm not sure I'm allowed to have a view in such matters being childless so feel free to ignore me! But my gut reaction to this post was that the older child might end up feeling as though they're being punished a little because of not being allowed to stay at home with mum. Could end up developing a bit of a jealous streak towards the baby getting all of the attention. My older sister loved taking part in looking after me and in turn I ended up looking up to her, developing a very proud feeling of 'that's my big sister' (although my sister was 2 when I was born so the age gap might make a difference). Definitely just go with your gut instinct. I hope I haven't said anything out of line by the way :-S

Oh I see. I'm quite happy with my Henry though thanks!

What's a miele showroom?

If you're walking when it's dark which I know is early these days, or when it's late I'd definitely not use my phone, especially if it was a desirable/expensive one. As it is my phone cost me ?3.95 from Carphone Warehouse so I don't think anyone would want to steal it. You have to keep your wits about you when walking.

Apologies MP, you did say that in the first post. I just think this is an issue to take up with the surgery themselves instead of complaining on here- or if you were trying to find out if other had problems getting through on the phones then you could have just put in your post: does anyone else have problems getting through? instead of going into a bit of a rant. They do tend to prioritise timed appointments I'm guessing so they can keep to the 10 minute schedules they're given - which is why even a letter is booked in as an appointment because if done on the side/in between appointments then other appointments might run late. Some might say this is silly but that's the way the surgery seems to operate I guess.

Errr re-read the thread please MP, obviously it's not a hassle for me living on the road but I'm not talking just from my own perspective. I'm saying if you want a same day appointment which you're lucky you can get, my last surgery didn't offer anything like that, then you can walk there, get there at 8.30 when it opens, get an appointment straight away for within the next half hour, wait, be seen, go home. NO second trips. Just the one. Yes maybe it feels abit old fashioned but it works! Surgery's have catchment areas so you're supposed to be within walking distance of them. If you do not fit in their catchment area then they'ld probably turn you down given their system. I think this is about you being p***ed off because you're sick which is fair enough but I think it's hard for doctor's surgerys to find a system that works for everyone.

But you said you can walk there! And they do pick up the phone, it just sometimes takes some time. And you got an appointment for tomorrow. It all sounds ok to me! I understand what you're saying but like I said you can't please everyone and if this doesn't work for some people then they'ld probably choose another surgery. Catchment areas of surgery's are supposed to be within walking distance anyway. Yes if you're sick it might be hard to walk there but you'ld have to walk there anyway to get to your appointment and if you're there at the time it opens you could get the first appointment which means no coming back for the appointment. If you've decided you need to go to the doctor that day then do that and you're absolutely guaranteed an appointment. I'm sure you'ld be complaining more if you went there and had to sit for hours waiting to be seen as an emergency patient because you couldn't get an appointment for 2 weeks. Get there for 8.30 on the dot. You'll be seen and be out within half an hour. Is it Man flu?

It's hard to please everyone though. If there weren't any same day appointments then you'ld have to wait two weeks to get an appointment (this is what happens at my Mum's surgery) which is a nightmare. I prefer it this way.

I live on the road, and I never phone in just walk there. As long as you're there at the time it opens you always get an appointment on the day. They do pick up the phones but first thing in the morning there aren't many receptionists so if you're within walking distance just go there. They do make appointments in advance but they get booked up a lot in advance because of the appointments they put aside for same day appointments which I think is excellent- most surgery's only have an 'emergency' same day system whereby you just go and wait- and you're usually waiting for hours, not good for doctors or patients. They're excellent at The Gardens for keeping to appointment times and within appointment times. The phones might be annoying but it's the best surgery I've ever gone to. If you're allowed to get someone else to book you an appointment you could hire me to do it for you!

ljs it wasn't an attack on you. I just really think it's a question that needs to be answered by other parents, given the many issues and feelings that parents already have to deal with when it comes to childcare- it's a question that I think requires understanding from the viewpoint of the parents. And I do think that by saying a yearly payrise was a given for you it might unfairly worry parents who cannot afford to do this. Many people don't get yearly pay rises.

Because you might only want to pick up a couple of items. What is the point of delivering in that case? No one is saying they would necessarily do their whole shop at Waitrose.

ljs you've already said in a previous post that you worked as a nanny for two stockbrokers. I don't think your experience will always be in line with all families who use nannies. You could be in danger of making families feel guilty if they can't match your experience. I think the OP would prefer replies from families who hire nannies in this thread, not nannies themselves.

So now poor people are so stupid they wouldn't want to pay less for more??? I don't get your argument Louisa

Rubsley stop advertising yourself!

Oh dear lord I'm not saying change it. Besides, a lot of poor people don't even have the internet to compare prices online! Help this thread is driving me mad. Enough already!

Louisa just for reference, not everyone is saying replace the Iceland. I'm not. I'd prefer everywhere in the area stepped up their game- locals staying open later, co-op sorting itself out. I think you're generalising this argument too much and making it a class thing. I'm a poor, working class person myself but I'd like Waitrose just for the occasional thing because I've found things there that are not stocked in other supermarkets and their end of day reductions on fresh food are great. As for m & s, I think it's overpriced overpackaged and not very good. This argument is going round in circles- you want to see this argument as a class/snobbery thing that's up to you but I shop everywhere for different/certain things- from Lidl/Aldi, to Tesco, to Morrisons, to Sainsburys, to Waitrose etc- don't think I go anywhere apart from M & S- maybe for lunch but not grocery shopping, and Iceland- not because I'm a 'snob' but because I don't think it's value for money- eg. buy a pack of peas there for their famous pound and find it in Sains for 87p.

Peckhampam Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And please don't worry about walking in Peckham > after dark-it is no more dangerous than anywhere > else YES I agree

I don't blame you!

I don't think I'd go either, especially as there's nothing I love more than going to the cinema alone, being completely engrossed in the film I've chosen. The Ritzy is my favourite and although not quite 10 mins away- more like around half hour bus ride- I'm still happy to make that journey. Maybe something for the mums and babes here but I'm not sure others would really use it.

Agree with Sophiesofa and Curmudgeon. ED isn't run down in the least, believe me I've lived in extremely run down, dangerous areas. ED is definitely not one of them! There are many places to use the loo, littering isn't anything like where I grew up (Dalston, Hackney). I do think where there are a few pubs in the area then often late night drunkeness causes some littering at the end of the night, but I'd say in general ED is pretty clean (also maybe the peeing you have mentioned is another result of that but you'll aways have that in areas with pubs- Upper St Islington is the same.) I haven't noticed any broken streetlights either. In general have found Southwark Council services very good, although with cuts this may change. I have to say the recycling schemes in the borough are fantastic, and I'm really impressed by them. Of course there are always improvements and it does annoy me that James Barber is suggesting that a Waitrose would be good for the area rather than good for the residents because I certainly don't want ED to turn into another Islington/Clapham etc and I sincerely hope James Barber doesn't either. ED/ Dulwich has always been seen as a gentrified area, it doesn't need certain things/ shops for the reasons of making it more attractive to prospective residents because what people like about ED is that it's not full of people who want to live in a 'trendy' area- that it has it's own quirks and a steady and stable community of residents.

Do you think maybe he feels anxious about getting it wrong? I'm not suggesting you make him feel bad if he gets it wrong but I remember it taking me ages to be able to tell the time because of the pressure I felt from my Mum- I hated her watching me do it and putting me on the spot and then showing exasperation if I got it wrong so sometimes I just refused to do it. I was a very independent child but I was also quite shy and took every criticism personally. I really don't want to seem like I'm suggesting anything about you but I do think the nursery are putting unnecessary pressure on him and you. I think he'll do it when he feels comfortable doing it.

I agree with every single word of that mockney piers. I wish I'd written it!

To be fair I think Co-Op is extremely expensive for what you're actually buying.

duke Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Waitrose or M&S, Yes please, > > To see a higher quality of food, and a far > healthier in my experience than Iceland, Tesco, > Co-op and Sainsbury`s, > you may think that the healthier option from > Waitrose or M&S might be more expensive than the > local independent shops, you would be wrong. The > only competition would be from the local shops > claiming to sell healthier or a higher quality, > but at higher prices! > Ocado, is for those people who dont have time to > shop? > I would like to shop at the independents but I > dont have deep pockets to indulge them, > As for Co-op, Tesco`s, and Sainsbury`s its simply > a matter of price and convenience, Sainsbury`s > having both (parking!) > Iceland, I never buy frozen! > Healthy competition and choice is for everyone, > and not to be dictated to by others !!!!!!! > As for the site, yes the police station would be a > good spot, but then it need not have to be on LL, > only near? > > So my vote is YES. Finally someone who speaks sense. Thank you Duke, this is exactly how I feel too. Personally I think LL would be the wrong place for one anyway because the store would end up being too small. But a larger one in the nearby area would be brilliant.

It was on the main BBC news today at lunch time.