Bobbaz

I took my Son out of nappies when he was 2 and he picked it up in a couple of weeks, he's now 3.5 and I thought it would be a good time to take away his bedtime pull up nappy as I know he treats it as completely legitimate to wee in his nappy as soon as it goes on, (regardless of the fact that he goes to the toilet at all other times). I started to remove it about 5 weeks ago and I am still having to change his sheets every day. I make sure he goes to the loo before bed and if he happens to wake up in the night I will also make him go to the loo but even then he's still wet. I know he understands he needs to go to the loo but I think he's just naturally wee'ing whilst he sleeps and wetting himself also doesn't wake him up. Am I doing this too early? Does anyone have any tips?

Sadly I think you might find that most nanny's get full pay for their holidays. My advice is to agree in advance how many days holiday you want to give your childminder and also what you want to do about bank holidays too! (and make sure you track them somewhere!) Then you pay her/him full pay for those days but anything over that would be unpaid. While you're agreeing this I would also check out what you'd like to do about sick pay as I also paid my nanny for sick days too (as long as it was within reason) but she would also try and get someone else to cover for her if poss (I was fortunate my Nanny's Sister and Mom were also nannys!) I seem to recall I gave 20 days plus bank hols (if they fell on the day she normally worked) but 2 weeks of her holiday would be agreed by us both so her holiday fell at the same time as we wanted to take our summer holiday.

Anywhere is fine I'd say at 5 months, but for ease I'd pick somewhere in Europe to keep the flight times down and I would base the decision on whether or not to go self catering on whether or not you're weaning your little one yet. If you need pureed food then self catering is definitely easier than say all-inclusive where you're limited to a buffet or having to eat only at certain times when the restaurant is open. When we took our baby away I would also buy sterilising tablets so you can just fill up a sink with cold water and drop a tablet in, so if you're just using bottles hotel or self catering is fine.

I contemplated this myself and see no reason why not to if it works for you - however the only reason I decided not to go down this route what the lack of nice children's bedding available in double size.

Would it be OK to bring my 3 year old along with me?

Thanks, that actually reassuring to know you've read around it and decided to go for it. I have read around it on the internet but as everything gives a pretty balanced view point for every pro there's a con and vice versa it seems. Have to say I do agree with the point you raise about passing on the antibodies to your baby. Hope all goes well with your birth! Thanks

I've just receieved a letter from my GP asking me to go for the vaccination as I'm in the high risk group being 6 months pregnant. If I won't take the vaccination I have to sign a letter declaring that I'm refusing it. Dilema, what do I do for the best? Obvioulsy the GP says the benefits outweight the risks but I can't help but be cautious and think about the whole Thalidamide situation. Am I just being paranoid? Should I just get on and do it?

I've seen parties happening at the soft play in beckenham? Maybe a bit too much for 2 year olds perhaps but I also looked into the pottery cafe (name escapes me at the moment), the one at the end of the row of shops at the top of Goose Green and they seemed very good and reasonably priced.

My Son goes to Dulwich nursery (in sainsbury's car park) and they're brilliant - but have a long waiting list. When I was checking them all out I liked Cherry Tree Montersorri (although I think that was the one that was only open until 3.30pm), but I would definitely steer clear of the one on Lacon Rd, sorry I forget the name now.

Thanks for recommendations!

I took a look around it when I was trying to find a place for my son, we didn't go with it in the end but the staff all seemed very welcoming and the children all looked perfectly happy. I went elsewhere in the end as I needed an immediate place and they had a waiting list. I wouldn't go the one on Lacon Rd road if you're also considering other local ones. Absolutely awful.

I need to get my 3 yr old son's hair cut. I normally do it myself but I think it's time for an expert.

When my son was about the same age as your youngest we found a self catering apartment in a small complex in Sardinia which worked well, especially as I was just starting to wean. My only sugesstion though would be to make sure if you go for something like this try and go somewhere where there are restaurants and things in the local vicinity as mine was a little remote. A good resort I went to last year that ticked all the boxes for having small children was Cala D'Or in Majorca.

Thanks everyone for your comments, some really useful advice and tips which is greatly appreciated! From the sound of things Bessemer Grange is looking good, any other suggestions are greatly appreciated. Also does anyone know if there is anywhere you can look to find school open days at all or would I just be better off just calling direct and making an appointment (or using the PTA as suggested by Coach Beth)?

I am in the process of completing my Son's school application form and whilst I have always known what school I wanted him to get into (and moved house to one nearby a couple of years ago) I now need recommendations for other good schools in the area to add to list just in case he doesn't get our 1st choice. (We live near to Goose Green so something not too far away would be ideal). Any suggestions would be massively appreciated!

1) Bring back the free trolleys - I always shove my cards in my back pocket and never pick up cash when I go there, it's only ever when you get to the entrance you realise. At the moment I've so far always been able to grab a free one but I doubt they're going to be around for ever. I know it cost supermarkets's loads to replace them when they go missing - but customer satisfaction should count for something, especially when you also needs to frag a 2 year old around with you, a basket's not an option. 2) Why on earth do they open 24 hours during the week but not open until really late on a Sunday. Maybe an earlier opening would ease some of the ridiculous congestion - especially when they always seem to use the weekends to re-stock all the shelves. 3) More parent and baby parking spaces please. 4) Finally (and most frustrating of all), similar to other postings I am always being overcharged and items being scanned twice. I used to work in a supermaket myself (many years ago) and I know full well that you can tell when you've accidentally scanned something twice. The staff often seem like they can't be bother to call a supervisor over to sort it out. In all fairness the staff at least are pretty helpful when you need to ask a question and always say hello though (still I'd rather not pay over the odd's!)