kemurf

PLEASE VOTE!! Wells Park is on the shortlist for a ?15k bursary. It's a great park and it would be a brilliant park if a little money was spent on the children's play area to complement the fab wet play area (fountains etc for kids to run through). Here it is on streetmap; http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?Grid2MapE&x=534379&y=171842&account=LBL&arrow=Y&type=b&html=1&width=500&height=500 See here to vote; http://www.readyforten.com/parents-for-playgrounds/1/stages/3/candidates/1015 See here on Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydenham-Wells-Parents-for-Playgrounds/198727913491092 Thank you for reading this and voting - it seems many of you have already and fingers crossed we get it! Kate

Hi I'm so sorry to hear about your situation - I know redundancies are horribly stressful and as you're on mat leave I imagine this has come as a huge shock and must be even worse. I work in HR and having read the above posts I wanted to reiterate what some of the posts say. I hope the info below helps you. If your end of employment date is the end of March, then all benefits including Childcare Vouchers, payment in lieu of service and notice period etc are usually wrapped up in this payment. Unfortunately you are not entitled to further Childcare Vouchers no matter when you were due back at work because at that point the contract of employment ends between you and your employer. It is not illegal to make someone redundant whilst on maternity leave, contrary to what somebody else posted. However it is illegal for an employer to make the post redundant if the only reason is because that person is on maternity leave - that is sexual discrimination or unfair dismissal - like akc74 says. You should have been told and given information on the business reasons for making your post redundant, planned restructure, who would absorb the work you did etc and within that should be the redundancy pool information - ie how the company chose your post and how it applied fair criteria. If you feel you have a case for sex discrimination, unfair dismissal or even constructive dismissal then ask for the grievance procedure and follow that through - you can still do this even though your employment contract has just ended and you must put this in writing - for your sake. If you are unsatisfied with the procedure with your employer, having gone through it, then you may want to consider an Employment Tribunal. Contact ACAS or the CAB for impartial advice and check redundancy on the government's website; http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/index.htm All the best, Kate

CALLING ALL PARENTS!! Please vote for this local park to receive a ?15k renovation in time for the summer! http://readyforten.com/parents-for-playgrounds/1/stages/3 Sydenham Wells Park is on the shortlist of 20 to receive a renovation bursary from Robinsons Fruit Shoot of ?15,000. The five play areas across the UK with the most votes will each receive a ?15,000 renovation in time for the summer holidays. Sydenham Wells Park is the only playground in SE London to be shortlisted and we have until April 20th to vote on the website. OK, so Sydenham isn't in Dulwich and you may think I'm cheeky in asking you ED'ers to vote, BUT, please please please support this local playpark. If you haven't visited the park, it has a wet play area - fountains etc so it's brilliant in the summer. And it's a beautiful green park. But the rest of the play area needs a make over as it is outdated and there isn't much of it. Please vote today at the weblink below to help us get closer to winning and spread the word amongst your friends. You can quickly register online or via Facebook. Thank you! http://readyforten.com/parents-for-playgrounds/1/stages/3

Use the nationalrail website? Or, if you can get to East Croydon train station, it's about 30 mins to Gatwick from there

I went back to work when P was 9 months and had a horrendous time; I had lost my confidence, the business had changed, the volume of work had increased and I was using my 'old' way of of working in an environment which had moved on. Horrible time, my boss was less than understanding and I had huge guilt about not being with P....BUT, I got through it and I actually have become more confident, assertive and knowledgeable about my job; I began enjoying it all over again. It was like I had to hit the bottom to rise up. It probably took about 6 months though to settle into it, but after a while I realised I was in control again, people noticed me and I rocked!! (well, I like to think...!) Again, as someone said earlier, most mums have a huge guilt and confidence issue when going back to work. I'm sure your boss will have noticed how unhappy you are - can you come clean and tell them how you feel? Maybe you could work on a strategy to get you 'engaged' at work and give it a go. Another option is to speak to a counsellor (does your work offer a confidential advice line? - if not PM me as we do and I can pass the details on to you for some free counselling). I'm on maternity leave again and have had the benefit of fully using the company's maternity pay provision again (ha!). I know I face another bout of losing confidence when I go back to work, but this time I know that the kids will be fine at nursery, I'll be fine eventually. But as I'm not sure if this will be the best option for the family, I'm looking at our finances and other job opportunities to try and make the best informed decision. All I'm saying is come clean at work if you can, give it a go and give yourself time. All the best.

I'm fed up with the buggy tipping over when I take baby out and leave shopping bags on! Has anyone tried these hamster bags? Apparently they are ideal for lightweight strollers and prevent the buggy from tipping, but I've never seen anyone with them. Cheers See here; http://www.hamsterbags.co.uk/

What a blinkin' cheek! I'd be nervous handing over money to a nursery that's not yet opened. There is a new nursery opening in Sydenham in May - I know it's not local to you, but just in case, you can see the post on Syd Town forum here; http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5738

Try the soft play at Crystal Palace Sports Centre. It's a mini soft play perfect for crawling babies and young toddlers - all on one floor, balls, games, activites etc. Not like a Gambardo's or Rascal's which are brilliant for older kids. I think it is ?4.70. Closes at 12 pm I think.

I had my second daughter at the Birth Centre in September, and used the maternity ward upstairs 2 years earlier with my first daughter; I can highly recommend Lewisham Birth Centre. The staff are incredibly professional, welcoming and warm and make every effort to make you feel calm and comfortable - from the fantastic, modern decor, to the reception area, to the tea room (!), it honestly feels like everything has been created with the 'client' in mind - and that's how I felt - like a client, rather than a patient. It does not feel like a hospital. And the 5 birthing rooms are incredible. I had one with a pool in which was AMAZING! And I was discharged, 5 hours after giving birth and I have never felt so good. Have you googled Lewisham Birth Centre to see what it looks like? If not PM me as we took a photo of it when we arrived - it looks like a hotel! You have to have no known risks - straightforward pregnancy, no medical complications etc to be allowed to use it. There are 2 risk assessments performed before you are 'on the list' to give birth there; one with your community m/w one with a Birth Centre m/w - I had the latter whilst on the routine tour at 37 weeks. I understand that Kings are looking to have a Birth Centre, so fingers crossed. Good luck Stina!

Hi I remember my eldest becoming aware of wee and poo at that kind of age but it was ages after until she was toilet trained - she was 2 years 6 months - and so far so good. Seems that most toddlers at my daughter's nursery learn to use the potty /toilet at 2-2.5 years. 'I Want my Potty' by Tony Ross is good fun.

Like with all things baby related, just persevere! I think I put my daughter into a gro bag at about 3 months too, with a blanket tucked in over her chest and legs, and it worked. But if after another few days if your baby still seems restless, go back to swaddling for a while and then try with the gro bag another time. Good luck.

There was a good piece on eczema on radio 4 last week - (Woman's Hour?) and from what I remember, there seems to be confusion about how to treat eczema, from those who suffer with it and those who try to treat it. One of the many things I remember the spokesperson from the National Eczema Society saying, was that it about knowing how to apply the different ointments and when to use them. Try and find the programme on Radio 4 - maybe someone on the forum heard it too and can help, but perhaps try the National Eczema Society; http://www.eczema.org/ However I think spending some time with the GP (double appointment?) or getting a referral to go private would help get to the root of the problem.

Ditto about making sure it fits through the door, in the car boot, on the bus (some are too wide) etc but I'd like to suggest second hand buggies. I've bought second hand for both my kids and had fab results - try gumtree, ebay or posting something on the classified forum on EDF, FH or Sydenham to bag a decent bargain for under ?80. You could easily get the M&P pram on one of these if your heart is set on it. Personally I think Bugaboos are too expensive.

Bonjour Vivine75 and bienvenue! J'habite a Sydenham et j'ai lu qu'il y a un club francais pour les petits; LE CLUB FRANCAIS, ages 3-11, Blackheath, Forest Hill, Lewisham, Dulwich and Herne Hill, 020 8699 7665. Vous recontrez les autres parents francais aux parcs, je suis sur! Bonne chance! Kate