QueenMab

No you're not going on, belle! I have found this thread so helpful in crystallising in my mind that yes certain activities are just not going to work for my son and now I don't feel bad about not doing more of that kind of thing and much less of a failure for not doing so either. I feel I've taken control a lot more just by acknowledging that this is just the kind of child he is and instead trying to think of activities which he will get the most out of. I will definitely check out Gymboree. I think when I looked at it before it seemed quite pricey but I reckon a couple of quality activities each week might be well worth it. Oh and belle I updated the Nature Play page to say that I took my buggy with me to the woods a few times and just left it at the top of Cox's Walk (if you have a small bike lock type if thing you can chain it to railings), then you can walk from there. Also, have you heard of the London Sling Library? They have slings you can go and try and borrow to find one that suits you.

For anyone wondering about using a buggy, I used to use mine (McLaren) to get from home and go up Cox's Walk and then just chained it to the railings at the railway bridge to continue the rest of the journey on foot/carrying. Actually mostly I didn't chain it, just left it the other side of the fence. I figured there wouldn't be many people wanting to thieve a crusty old buggy from the middle of the woods.

Oh I love this discussion! I feel like I'm not going mad after all. Knomeister I completely share your experience of having the child that has to race for the exit in any given location. Even baby yoga seemed to be a nightmare as he wouldn't just lie still on his mat playing with toys like other kids. Like an idiot I've been taking him to a toddler dance and music class (Diddi Dance) which I find totally exhausting, as he rarely stays still long enough to sit in a circle, join in with sensible activities, he's constantly trying to run out the door, open cupboards, run around wildly. My friend remarked that she was exhausted just watching me. I have to say repeated attendance has resulted in a mild improvement in 'joining in' skills but it still feels bloody infuriating when you compare his behaviour with that of the other kids around him. My favourite thing is Nature Play on Thursday mornings in the woods, which is brilliant because its unstructured and 'child-led play' so there's no-one trying to get them to join in with group activities. I can't say it is relaxing, he does do lots of racing around, and I tend not to be one of the mums sitting on picnic blankets chatting but I have met a couple of other mums with high energy kids and he can be persuaded to race around with them, so we get to help each other out chasing around with them. We have also been exoerenting with training then to "stop!" when you call them to, with very limited success, but we are hoping a group effort may eventually reap rewards.

Ah yes. I was very pleased to read that, thanks for that link. I am also that parent who watches other children sitting obediently in their parents' laps and wondering how this miracle can be achieved and what I'm doing wrong. I've decided that activities like library story time are a tiresome waste of time for us (he reads plenty at home). I am now focussing on activities for 2year olds that are not excessively structured and which enable maximum racing around wildly. I must say a recent beach holiday was joyous, no roads, nothing sharp to collide with and acres of space for racing around with no requirement for me to provide any kind of input other than to just keep an eye on him. But yes, he does sleep well at night, which is a blessing.

DO you mean normal bikes or balance bikes, etta?

I was going to get our 2-year-old a balance bike for his birthday and wondered if there was anywhere nearby where you can go and try them out? I was going to order online but thought that if there was somewhere nearby where we could try various models that might be better (and more fun).

I would second that advice. I went to a wedding with my baby and just found a dress which looked fabulous. Then I fed in the loos with dress hitched up. As it was only for one day it was fine. Often with do's in hotels there will be a room free where you can go and feed rather than the loo.

I think this is a good and timely article. Lots of people seem to think it's OK to pick wild plants for food, but it's not. Often it is done without any regard for sustainable growth or awareness of the impact it might have on an ecosystem. When you think about the sheer volume of people living around the Sydenham Hill wood area, it would very quickly lose a lot of its diverse and precious plant life if anyone could just go in and pick whatever they fancied.

Blimey have you been to Brixton soft play? Last time I went it was disgusting, the smell was eye-watering. I've heard the Peckham one is far cleaner, so it might be worth firing out a bit more for a clean well maint?ined place.

There's a very good pharmacy in Herne Hill called the Fourways or something (next to the Half Moon pub). I get the Green People organic kids' sun cream from there, which seems to have the lowest number of weird chemicals in it (I've examined a few!) . However, I've a feeling if you ask the pharmacist for help he may well be able to advise on other products they may have in stock.

I came here to ask about this very thing. I have a 2-year old and whilst there are millions of things to do in the mornings, I'm mostly working then, and he sleeps til 2 or 2.30 so generally lunch isn't finished til 3 or 3.30. I struggle to find things to do and I feel sorry for him having a lack of opportunities for sociable play but there doesn't seem to be much, if anything between 3-5.

I think the Baby Whisperer was the one I liked best at the time, although like others I found her style deeply irritating at times. However I would recommend keeping an open mind, and not expect one book to have all the answers. All babies and parents are different and different things will suit different people. The best thing I ever did was joined the library and just borrowed as many books on the subject as I could. That way I didn't feel I was 'investing' in one approach which I had to stick to no matter what. I much preferred reading a really diverse set of ideas on the subject, happily discarding stuff I didn't find helpful, and picking up some real gems here and there. More to to the point, the utility of these books is often very fleeting and there's plenty of other things you can usefully spend your money on. So make the most if the fact all of this information is free on your local library!

I also love this place! I think the church attached also has a couple of baby singalong groups in the week too.

Muesli or other cereals stirred into yoghurt is a good way of getting cereals into little ones with less mess than milk seems to make at that age. Our lad loves that and it's dead quick to make. I'm also a convert to Oatibix as a quick alternative to porridge which you do t need to wait to cool down. Basically it's the same as Weetabix but made with oats. Once you've added the milk it quickly reduces to a mush. You can even make it with warm milk and it's like instant porridge.

Blimey, it's one thing to think quietly to yourself that a person might be making poor nutritional choices for their children, but as for giving them the death stare.... Come on! That's a quick route to a smack in the chops in my view. I am laughing like an idiot about the children secretly drinking sugar water from behind the toilet though. I have taken a pretty hardline view on sugar so far (although my son is 16 months old, so that's fair enough I reckon), and am now having visions of him snorting sugar in the shed by this time next year.

Personally I think it would be better if some places specifically stated "no children", and had done with it. I have a baby but don't really want to go to places where there isn't the space and/or the staff and customers don't want kids there. I wouldn't be offended or feel discriminated against. I do remember life before kids, and caf?s full of screaming, snot-faced kids really aren't that attractive for people who just want to go and have a quiet lunch somewhere. Perhaps The Gardens just needs to take the plunge and say, sorry no babies/children etc. Or as someone else said, just have a notice which says, please park your pram out the back.

Come on, has East Dulwich ever been "cool"? The only place less cool is the Boden farm, Dulwich Village.

Have you though about doing it yourself? After paying ?10 like a fool for the lady at Little Clippers to spend 2 minutes lunging at my 7-month-old (he has a lot of hair!) with scissors only to result in a terrible cut, I decided I couldn't do a worse job myself. I've done it twice now and it was easy and he looks great.

Splendid. I shall try and pop along too.

I must say, I as a member of the Lido in Brockwell, which is part of the same group. I once went to this Leisure Centre in East Dulwich and found it unspeakably awful. The gym was boiling, cramped and poorly equipped. Changing rooms were tatty and filthy, despite the fittings actually being quite new. I never returned. It seems the best course of action is to vote with your feet. If you're already a member, I would be badgering the life out of them for a refund.

I have also been wondering about this. I also read that high fibre food such as bran and whole wheat can be "too abrasive" on a baby's delicate digestive tract. I don't know where the evidence for any of this comes from; I'd be much happier if books on child nutrition quoted a lot more peer-reviwed research. As it is it seems to me that child nutrition (like most other areas of childcare) is teeming with books written by people who flipping well make it up as they go along.

I have also been wondering about this. I also read that high fibre food such as bran and whole wheat can be "too abrasive" on a baby's delicate digestive tract. I don't know where the evidence for any of this comes from; I'd be much happier if books on child nutrition quoted a lot more peer-reviwed research. As it is it seems to me that child nutrition (like most other areas of childcare) is teeming with books written by people who flipping well make it u

Yes splendid to see everyone! More mild bleariness here too.

Being in love is merely a hormonal event and is fleeting. Once that wears off, see what you're left with. Hopefully you will have shared interests and values. Try to cultivate those, whilst both having your own things that you dO apart from each other. But really, does anyone ever act on advice from others in matters of the heart?

Oh sorry. You said go gentle. At least the forum hamster swapped my swears for !?*%!!s