vesti

Can't win schools can they really - don't put up the kids names - 30 parents demanding to know names and spellings put up the names - 30 parents telling you it's ridiculous to promote xmas cards don't ban xmas cards - why aren't you banning cards? do ban cards - why are you banning cards?! Maybe parents and children should make informed choices and decide for themselves. Presumably if people wish to do so there are other ways to deliver cards than needing to take them on to school premises and if you don't want to send them/don't celebrate chrismas/don't want to destroy the trees - dont send em. Simple. Merry Christmas!

Oh dear :-) . Slightly out of touch with the language of the newer parent. What are these wetbags that they are all into I wonder. So I google it, first thing that comes up is the urban dictionary definition...

http://www.re-cycling.co.uk/ is worth a try. Based under the arches at elephant and castle, they recycle! preciously used bikes. You would probably have to take your son with you and you might have to go a time or two depending what they have in. They get mixed reviews but we've had a couple of good bmx bikes from them. Typically better quality bikes than we would have bought new - names the kids go for! Second hand also means less likely to get nicked and you/they aren't stressing about maintaining the bike in it's shiny condition! Our lads have typically had bmx's as they enter secondary school as they are a bit more rugged and tend to last a bit longer (don't grow out of them in same way as grow out of other bikes (cos you sit upright or stand).Don't know much about aluminium frames I'm afraid. Dean's Garage in Beckenham have always given good advice too - and never sold us a dud.

Ugh! Thankfully not happened to us. Although I do find myself under a yearly seige from the people round the corner who seem to invite every kid under 10 in E Dulwich to trick or treat with them and think it's Ok to have hoards of them surge forward into our very narrow doorway and snatch at any sweets going. I am planning my management of them this year!! Maybe I can campaign for a minimum group size or have an "Only 2 school kids in the doorway at any one time" sign...

My "older" kids take my younger kids trick or treating - and I'm extremely grateful to them for doing so! What counts as too old to go trick or treating then?!

Hi pommie, It's awful isn't it. We went through the same thing with one of ours and, coincidentally, good friend had same thing with her son. Both children are healthy, happy and have no problems at all now. I do remember the awful worry all the way through my pregnancy though - you just don't want anything to be wrong with your child do you. My child was put on precautionary meds (v low dosage of something beginning with t, trem something?)to prevent any kidney infection when born. We recieved excellent treatment (we were with Kings), had a little op at around six months (little! tube poked up inside and up to the kidney which then removed a blockage somewhere en route). suffered no ill effects and was bouncing around as normal that afternoon. We went back for check ups for a couple of years, signed off and no problems at all now. Friends son went along same route with Great Ormond Street, post birth meds, small op when little. He then had another op when he was about 7 - again now signed off,fit and healthy. Easy to say but hard to do - keep enjoying your baby, think positive. You and the baby will get good medical treatment and hopefully all will be well. I would imagine any op would be done once the baby was born - but write a list of questions for your next appointment to make sure you get everything answered, or try calling the hospital and ask if you can have just two mins of someones time over the phone to clarify some things that were said to you at your appointment but that you were not really able to take in at the time. Wishing you and the baby well.

Just enjoy them. They grow up - that's what happens. I have loved seeing mine develop into their own, independent people. I think you have to embrace every stage not regret the ones that are no longer. Long for something that used to be and you miss the amazing stuff that's happening now. Look forward to having real conversations with them and sharing laughs, having them have different opinions to you and hearing them defend their views, to re experiencing and remembering your own experiences growing up, to them making you a cup of tea and feeling proud of it, to being able to share after 9pm Tv programmes, to visiting them at Uni, to going to the pub with them and having them buy the drinks from money they've earnt, ... Loads and loads to look forward to with them. I have(much) older kids,of course they're not my babies now, they are their own people and I feel very fortunate to know them and to be able to look back on their growing up and to have a share in their lives. It's a bit corny but they continue to enrich my life, much more so in different ways now they're older and more our equals - they challenge me , bring different perspectives, introduce me to things and people... (and i still get cuddles! And not that we haven't had a lot of rocky , challenging patches along the way!!)

Michael Rosen - two books which he wrote after the death of his son Eddie, he also brings in the loss of his (Michael's) mother. 1.Sad Book - although intended more for children I think it is quite moving and really captures feelings, attitudes and responses to death. 2. Carrying The Elephant - poetry around the theme of loosing someone (more adult orientated). For me the good thing about both books is they capture and convey so much whilst being funny and moving and they are both easy to read and dip in to - without feeling you are wading through a manual about death. They are very much somebody's experiences rather than "These are the stages of grief.." I use both books with the young people I work with and they have proven themselves over and over to be helpful to people of all ages.

Good outlining of the issues here - http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.32819 My understanding is that such an arrangement has to be agreed by the local authority and as such would probably have to be agreed at your child's annual review and you may need evidence/support from an EP. You would need to be really clear on what the benefits would be for your child.The summer born argument doesn't usually work as it's a situation many parents and children are in, the reality is there has to be a cut off point. I don't know that there's much (UK) evidence that being held back a year makes a great deal of difference and it has to be balanced against a child's self esteem (taken out of year group, away from friends and then going in to school every day with knowledge you are in a class where all the other children are younger than you).How will your child feel seeing all their current peers in year 3 when she is year 2 - again? Most schools would say that a child's needs are catered for by differentiating the curriculum. If a child is unable to access a mainstream school curriculum with a differentiated programme then school may suggest that parents need to explore special school options too. What is the school's policy on having children out of their chronological year? Is there a place for your child to be able to retake Year 2? Many schools have a policy of NOT taking pupils out of year. It can get really complicated come Secondary placement. Secondary schools are a lot stricter than primary schools on the whole out of year thing and you may well end up either transferring your child into Year 8 straight from Year 6 or having to think about your child leaving primary school at the end of year 5 to be able to go into year 7 (I worked in Lambeth for years and had a no. of difficult situations with children out of year group on secondary transfer). Best, Jane

Get your brother in law to call the NSPCC direct and explain to them himself what is going on. They will provide helpful, professional advice based on vast experience and training. None of this chuck em a jaffa cake/complain about the noise (which may make things worse)/how long to leave a baby/not baby out in the garden stuff. "Call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 if you are worried about a child". Or try Southwark - "If you are concerned about a child who may be suffering harm please contact our referral and assessment team." Tel: 020 7525 1921 Out of hours: 020 7525 5000 [email protected] Get the person actually witnessing the incident to actually speak to people with experience and expertise. Much better I would have thought than a number of well meaning non-experts on a forum.

aprilfool Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for your posts all. Good to know you're > having the same problems LSB and I'm not the only > one hearing contradictory information! That's > exactly what DVI told me but I agree that it will > really only be one bite of the cherry and > therefore two years of attendance at St Bs will be > in vain and at the cost of attending mass > elsewhere where the chances of a place may be > better. Futhermore, Southwark told me that I > wouldn't 'fail' the criteria, i'd just be ranked > lower than those without a closer school whereas > DVI said that's wrong and if you have a closer > faith school then you'd be canned (which also > contradicts their two cherry bites advice. All > very confusing! What would God think? Is prayer ever in vain? ;-)

All other issues aside this makes me smile. Teachers propose a one day strike and Govt is up in arms about children missing out on a days education. Queen proposes bank holiday for a wedding - no national broadcasts then around concerns about kids missing out on a day of education. Too late to organise a street party?

Thank you. SO depressing when you go to the drop down menu to put in the year of your birth and keep on scrolling and scrolling till you get to the relevant year...

Thanks. Blood settling. Best of luck with the baby. Jane

South London Emergency and referral Centre 23 The High Parade, Streatham High Road, Streatham, London, SW161EX United Kingdom Tel: 0208 677 0976 We've taken our cats here a time or two outside normal veterinary hours. You have to ring first.

Thought I'd just have a little look at a nice sounding thread and now blood is boiling. Be nice if people worrying about names to call their kids would also worry about not offending others with terms like "pikey". Pikey is pejorative. Can we just not use it.

Our children played with Athenlay (couple of years ago now mind). They have various teams, most seem to train on Peckham rye. Just checked and they have a facebook page which I guess has contact details.

you could try calling the parks info number 020 7926 9546

We get No 40 bus to London Bridge and go in water fountains near The Scoop. Bit busy there by lunchtime today. Or - go over Waterloo bridge to Somerset House and go in water fountains there. There are loos in Somerset House - and a cafe (bit expensive) if you want a cup of tea. Get there by 10 and the place is virtually empty. We always get one of the tables and chairs.

Try the ACE (advisory centre foreducation)website. They have a really good - downloadable - booklet taking you through the appeals process. Pretty much contains a template with everything to include in your appeal statement. Hopefully this is the link - http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/Resources/ACE/AppealingForASchool_MCIS_Mar2011_LR.pdf

Hi. Anyone know of any gym classes for boys aged 11 + and relatively competent (participating in competitions, tumbling etc)? Newish to area- son used to do lot before we moved. Thanks.

Point taken re light pollution and downward pitch lights. Bit concerned about probable increased use of Alleyns pitches in the evenings - noise, traffic etc. Friend of friend thought there was a leafleting campaign to enlist support against the scheme. Probably didn't extend as far as us. Anybody have the details of the neighborhood organisation who leafleted?