VALFR59

HI I've applied around one year ago to put my son there, for an entrance in november this year, and I never had any bad experiences about waiting too long for a reply to my questions... I've been in touch several time along this year with Caroline, more by mail than by phone and it has worked well. I've found this nursery great, dynamic, with a nice environment, modern inside , and I've found a nice staff and happy children to be there. Furthemore, I had a lot of great feed back as well from parents who put their children at Little Jungle when I was looking for a nice nursery. Finally we've decided to go for a place at Nellys in WD, closer to our new house and wich was my first choice. Just wanted to share my experience with Little Jungle, and perhaps to bring a bit of "contrast" on that thread. Hope all the people here who had temporary difficulties with little jungle will find a fast "back to satisfaction ". I understand completely, by experience, how it's stressfull to find a good caring option for our children in this area, always needed to deal with crazy waiting list and prices for what it is offered finally...

Another vote for Decathlon toddlers bikes range:) Definitely very good value for money for all sports items and for all the family. and great fun for the kids to visit the full of space store, full of sports tools (balls, tent, etc)

Hello, My French niece, Julie,nearly 17 years old is coming to stay with us for the month of July. She would like to practice her English as much as possible. Unfortunately, she will not speak a lot English with us at home as my husband and I are both French? To describe Julie briefly; She is sociable, enthousiastic and well mannered young woman. She loves sports (Volley and basket player), cinema, animals, good food, children (she babysits in France and coaches a toddler basket team)?.oh, and as a lot of teenage girls, she is quite a shopping/fashion addict If there are any 16/17 years old girls out there who would like to exchange French conversation for English one, please pm me for more detail . We are based on Beauval Road, SE22". Thanks in Advance for her! Val?rie

Hello, My French niece, Julie,nearly 17 years old is coming to stay with us for the month of July. She will have a small summer job and wants to practice her English as much as possible. Unfortunately, she will not speak a lot English with us at home as my husband and I are both French? To describe Julie briefly; She is sociable, enthousiastic and well mannered young woman. She loves sports (Volley and basket player), cinema, animals, good food, children (she babysits in France and coaches a toddler basket team)?.oh, and as a lot of teenage girls, she is quite a shopping/fashion addict :) If there are any 16/17 years old girls out there who would like to exchange French conversation for English one, please pm me for more detail . We are based on Beauval Road, SE22". Thanks in Advance for her! Val?rie

Micro Scooter is perfect as a bigger could be not well adapted and get quickly boring for your child if he can't use it properly. I've saw by visiting the shop recently that DECATHLON store, wich is a huge sport retailer in Canada water shopping centre (15 min driving from ED) has referenced this brand of scooter, and they offer a good price at 54? a new, (blue or pink no more choice). Compare what I've paid for the micro scooter for our son, it's a better deal.

hello there, We are close to move from ED to West Dulwich but I am not 100% sure about our decision due to my lack of knowledge on West Dulwich. We are living now in Beauval road, a quiet street not too far from the Dulwich park/village...the new property is in Park hall road SE21, close to west dulwich centre/shops.It's bigger and more modern inside than the house we have now, but I have some questions about the quality of life in West Dulwich. Even if I've loved the property in WD, the environment has seemed a bit less "residential" than in ED side Village ( busier road, it's close to a really busy one, South croxed road,and around the new house, it's more various style/type of properties). I am also questionning a bit about the "safety" around there, even if there is a lot of nice family home in WD, it seems, especially Park hall road also to be close to really up and coming streets. At Beauval road, we are in the catchment for Heber/infant's school.I know that both of them have good reputation. In park hall road, it seems to be elm school the closer. Have some people here moved from ED to WD recently and I would love to have your feed-back please? PM me if it's more convenient to give me your opinion. I really don't want to launch a fight thread about ED or WD!!!! Just want to be reassured that we make the good decision as I've often good advice on the forum. Many thanks in advance. Val

Victoria Inn Bellenden Road (Peckham) is good with children. They have a playroom like in the Florence but it's inside the restaurant. Also, sometimes, we take with us our DVD car player and my son watch his favourite DVD when he starts to be boring (so cheeky/naughty) to be at the restaurant wich allow us a peaceful end of lunch.

http://www.maisonsdumonde.com/UK/en/ it's like an IKEA/Habitat french style if I could compare. Really famous in France, a lot of Shops everywhere in the country. I've observed they've finally start to introduce themselve in the UK, only by internet for the moment. It's a bit more expensive than the same items in France shops/website (around 10%) but still cheaper than the major london furniture shops I've found here, for this type of style of decoration/accessories/furniture. I like their Kids range with beddings , chairs/armchairs you can easily introduce in your living with keeping a style in your interior. (even if we love Peppa, Thomas &Co :) ) It Can Change a bit of Greatlittle&Co , etc. Just wanted to share one of my favourite homeshop adress with EDF families users, as I am so often happy to find here good tips on a lot of subjects! Xx Val

Another vote for Battersea Zoo: great with animals and differents playground, not too busy.if it's not raining it's nicer. the park is great and change a bit of Dulwich. Also, if you can drive, ( don't know how to go by transports)I can hugely recommend National History Museum,South Kens. It's not in the convention charge area from Dulwich.Easy to park close to the museum but quite expensive (8?/2hours).free entrance in the museum. Especially with the Dinausore room, some of them are "animated" so look like reals! . You can bring a pic nic, there is a special room dedicated. You ask at the entry desk for "little explorator" kit, (binocular, explorator hat, and a bag containing clues to find the "mysterious" animal )it's free and children are keen on it!

Definitly, Bea bop is a really great music lesson, perfectly adapted and suited for babies.It's pay as you go so We've loved to go there weekly when we arrived in Dulwich with my son, 9months old at that time. We don't go there anymore or rarely, as my son is a bit too old for that (27monthd old). Bea is a really cool girl, and children enjoy a lot all the instruments and toys she used to entertain her music lesson espacially the famous guitar! Thanks to her, I've learnt English nursery songs...as my referential was french :) Severals venues and timetables are available in East Dulwich ( Soupdragon, The plough,...) and Herne Hill (The florence ..)

Hello, It's such a great idea to introduce a foreign language at the youngest age...especially with our difficult language! thanks for choosing french :) I would recommend you to buy/borrow some french DVD cartoons/movies to introduce French until finding a funny teaching french toddler group or to complete the learning of the language. Some of Our famous characters for Toddlers in France are - Oui-Oui (noddy) - Tchoupi is really good, especially with the books which introduce a lot of basic vocabulary with pictures and short stories, -Petit ours brun. - Franklin la tortue - Charlotte aux fraises You can as well find Thomas friends,chugginton, Dora, and all the disneys movies in french. The equivalence of Cbibees is Tiji TV (you can podcast videos on their website) It has been working well in the opposite way (learning English speaking) for our son when we've arrived in London from France,one year and a half ago, before meeting english friends and finding a local nanny. I am used to go in two french books shops for my job: www.librairielapage.com : SW7 www.europeanbookshop.com : W1B 5LU for both, you can order online. They have well adapted methods to introduce french to young children, a lot of French or bilingual children's books, DVD and CD of french nursery songs.At the book shop " A la page", a colleague told me that they provide a nice french reading story session for young children once a week. As you said, children are like a sponge and I am happy to confirm that observation with our 27 months old son. As well, finding friendship relations with native french speakers, mums and/or dads with children around the same age of yours, for informals playtime and coffe is great. It has been very positive for me and my son to meet some nice english mums, now friends, open minded to my "pidgin english" and interested in french speaking,to give the opportunity to my son to have local friends. Another nice and efficient way is to employ a French au pair, by asking her to speak only in french to your children.When we will be back in France in few years, at the end of our expat contract, we will definitly choose this solution with an english speaking au pair, in order for our son to keep his english before perhaps another country discovery! Bonne chance dans votre d?marche et j'?sp?re que votre fille va bien s'amuser ? parler fran?ais :)

Hi Monkey, I know how is stressfull when our little ones are not cooperative in situation so important for their wellbeing and health! With my son, I've tried those various tricks: - Seringue (used as usual to give the " paracetamol doliprane"): more difficult to spit out the medecine for the child! You can mix in the seringue the medecine with a bit of sugar (antibiotic is liquid as usual so easy to mix).As it's a little forced action, you could give her a treat after :) - Mix the medecine with sweet (sugar or honey, depend what she likes), and put it in a plate no associate to " medeciness" in her mind (don't show her the bottle of medecine before, I observed that children are very stubborn sometimes, and refused just because they reconize the packaging, even if few months before they've appreciated the same product!) - Negociate with a treat: my son is keen on chocolate. In more than 95% it works well if I put close to him 2/3 smarties and I explain him that I know if he is a good boy, with taking his medecine, he will have the chocolate. Finally, I would recommend you to Check with your doctor for the mix between antibiotic and fruit juice (milk is more neutral but the better is water+ sugar if no pb of diabete for the child). No dangerous but perhaps could reduce the effect of medecine, as it contain a lot of antioxidant molecular and other functionnal food ingredients...(I know a bit of micronutrition and functionnal food as I am an Engineer specialised in food industry). Hope your little girl will ended very soon her infections! good luck.

Could you recommend me an efficient and good with children private doctor in the area or quite close to dulwich/herne hill? I am not in strong confidence anymore by the managment of children deseases the dulwich and lister Medecine center are providing...We had Two bad experiences on three occasions over the past 15 months. We Always had to wait between two and three visits before obtaining a "real" treatment for my toddler. they've waited the child estate get worth and worth to act. The worth has been the time, 2 months ago, when they came through a contagious childhood desease after 2 visits in a week (the third visit were successfull at the Seldoc in the dulwich hospital, after 4 drainning and painfull days for my son, when he finally received a treatment!). As a consequence of these bad experiences, Each time he has been illed, since we arrived in London, it took huge time for my son to get back to his normal estate. Brought up among parents doctors in FR, I am 100% conscient that too many medecines are not good for the immune system and antibiotics are most of time not necessary. But a good balance between "too much" as from where I come and "almost nothing" treatment I experimented here, should be perhaps nice. Except of that lack of efficiency, the team at the Dulwich and lister center were nice and welcoming. Maybe I've been unlucky with the 2 doctors I saw there! Not enough hindsight... That's why, I am thinking to find a private doctor,that I hope, could be a bit more concern to solve as quick as possible the children infections. Thanks in advance for your recommandations. You can PM me for more confidentiality if you prefer. Xx Val

Thanks a lot for your message and PM!! very helpful! I will try the diddi dance class if they have still availabilities during my days at home , and, I will continue to offer him music/dancing session at home when we are together, or over the WE :)

I am looking for a nice Modern/jazz/ street dance class or initiation to dance for my son (26 months old). He loves music, and start dancing each time the music is "boom boom" as he says! But I would like something different than the usual music lessons... Any ideas please? Something on Wednesdays or Fridays would be nice as it's the days I am not working. Thanks in advance for your good advice;-)

Many thanks for your information about the possibility to order in Dulwich at Waitrose online. I've had a look today at the Waitrose website, and Hip hip Hurray!!!! I've ordered my first basket for home delivery in Dulwich:)) bye bye Beckhenam trip :)

GIVE US A WAITROSE!!!!!!...... or a M&S it's better than nothing.. PLEASE :)) A bit boring to have to go to Beckhenam when I need a bit of festive food when I receive friends...as, sorry, people like me who are not keen on cooking by themselves all the time still exist! I don't really mind where, in Dulwich or not too far away... and perhaps we should leave Lordshiplane available for smaller shops and not another grocery shop (like a Japonese restaurant, a French Connection shop, or whatever, but that we don't have already! Anyway, a bit more variety!) Personally, I still think that Waitrose is the best quality of food supermarket, especially for ready/festive food... (sorry for Iceland and Sainsburys, which are so often out of stock for essential products, or full of nearly overpast products :)) OR AT LEAST, WAITROSE, if you hear me, COULD YOU START DOING HOME DELIVERY IN DULWICH AND NOT ONLY WITH OCADO, WHICH OFFERS LESS CHOICE THAN "WAITROSE ONLINE"...:( Maybe we should ask directly Waitrose and M&S headquarters to think about our area! But I think that if it was financially interesting for them, they probably would have already opened a store here!

ouah!!!! Thanks all for your messages &PM with a huge number of great ideas and recommandations !! that will be very helpfull!!:))

Hello, Could you recommend me a nice, affordable birthday entertainment for my nearly two years old son? We will celebrate his 2nd birthday at home with few friends and would like something funny (like a music class.art craft session but maybe more messy) to offer them during 30/45 min of the party. I've asked for a quote to my son's prefered music class but I was surprised with the price they ask (100? for 45 min) (6 children maximum, all around 2, and as usual the price is 5?per lesson in their differents venues...I've asked if they could be able to make us a better offer, but I am waiting the answer, so need to find a plan B ) Do you have any experience with this type of services? is it the current prices Music classes asked for private entertainment ? (nothing suprise me anymore, in the "crazy children business" of London). Do you have a great group to recommend me with better price? The birthday party is at the end of November,so not a lot of time anymore to find a nice and available surprise!! Thanks a lot in advance for sharing your good ideas and expericences :)

Hi Reb, If you want to have another experience more "family friendly" in France, two good adress to have a flat/holiday house inside a nice complex, full of activities for all the family and often with a nursery/toddlers club: - Club Mediterran?e: they classify the clubs compare your situation "in family/single/or in couple without child". - Pierre&vacances: Just check the feed back on websites, well look the pictures, etc. because even if it's between a 3 and 4 stars venues with the french classification, some of them need to be refurbished , for the price you have to pay for it (example not go to the "Club Med" in Corsica) See you :)) Val?rie

Hello, I can give you my feeling compare to our current expat experience.We are a French family, expat for my husband job since a bit more than year(the contract is for 4 years) It's a a GREAT and RICH experience for all the family. What a nice experience for children to discover different culture, different language speaking, and to be open minded on the world around! we arrived in the UK when my son was 9 months old. So young, he didn't take huge time to feel confortable with the english speaking.Children are so flexible clever,and they are like " a sponge" to integrate a foreign speaking language! BUT. the expat life is not without difficulties sometimes! even if the project will often make your friends "jealous" by the nice opportunity to change your life, to live a nice, not common experience(something funny behind, exotic etc). First, it depend if you have to quit your job or no. If you had a nice job here, if you are a "career" women, think about how you could feel confortable or not to stay home alone with children with no friends for the first weeks, or few months).When you can't understand what people say around you, it could be stressful. (especially when you have children and fear not be able to be understood by emergency services in case of accident, even a not too serious).It can be weird to not have family support around , to loose local good friends contacts (but if they are your best firends, they will keep iin touch with you wherever you will go in your life!)etc.. Secondly, it depend of your husband contract...if it will be a local or an Expat contract (with a lot of advantages, wich can give you the life better, espacially when it's an expatriation in a expensive city like London with crazy prices for children caring, schools, houses etc). We have friends who are expat in Istanbul since 2 years for the same company than my husband . The women enjoys it but tell me that even if a lot of people speak english, you have to speak Turquish to be integrated, to find a job, for the day to day life (shops, supermarket, etc). So check if your husband company offers a language learning package for the WHOLE famlily before and after the move.And very often it's easy to find differents clubs or organisations of your community to meet others English expats there if "you miss your roots." but it's so nice to meet local people also. I could speak pages about expatriation, as it's my current life. I love it, even if I had to make a lot of compromises on my professionnal life. If you need more informations, please feel free to PM me or if you want to discuss about it around a coffee. Kind regards. Val?rie

Many thanks for these precious advices :) It was helpfull! So, we will put a light pumpkin in front of our house for Monday. I think we will prepare a box full of sweets for children of the street and My "little ghost" son will offer it to to the kids when they will knock at the door Have a nice WE

It's the first year that I would be concern by haloween for my son, and I don't have a good knowledge of this event as we are French and in France, haloween is not really celebrated . I would like to know: - Which Weekend is haloween? this one or the next? - Do you know some children's activities organised in the aerea (party,walk in the park or something else?) And well adapt for small children as well (my son is only nearly two years old). Thanks in advance for your advice.

We pay 6?/h with a teenager girl, but we stay in ED, and go away from home after giving dinner and bath to my son We pay 9?/h with our last nanny (all charges included: food and transport). it's more expensive but she manage all (bath, dinner, make all in order around my son staff and kitchen). And I am in confidence to go far from Dulwich.(she is able to detect if he is ill, give him the medics,takes time to help him to fall sleep etc.).

We enjoyed two places with our son , who is 22 months old , the last two sunny WE - Seven Sister park East Essex : Nice walk in the "Alfriston wood" and the gardens(walk along small rivers and the sea/pebble beach after 30/40 min walking) Alfriston is a lovely small village , famous for weddings events, with differents nice restaurants. Pub George Inn good value for money and they have high chair/The Wingrove house, nice but not well adapt with children (no high chair)/ Pub it's 1.30/45 hrs from Dulwich - Whitstable, Kent: sea front less nice than the view you can find at the Seven siters but our son enjoyed watching the boats at the small port and you can walk without cars around on the sea front.At the the port ,good seafood restaurants children friendly, and the oysters were delicious.it's a fishing and harbour village. www.seewhitstable.com it's maximum 1.30 hrs from Dulwich in Kent. We will as well try in the future the suggestions of the members of EDF ...Thanks for your thread :)