oimissus

If your intention was as per your last post, then why not just write 'head lice is going the rounds at local schools, so please could parents be vigilant about checking their children's hair, especially those with longer hair, thanks'. Instead of singling out middle class boys with longer hair - your original OP makes no mention of girls at all, something you still haven't explained btw. The whole thing suggested that what you don't like is those middle class parents who allow (how very dare they) their sons to have hair longer than a grade 2, and who might be a bit scruffy with it, and suggesting that they are responsible for the spread of nits in Southwark schools. If that wasn't your intention then perhaps you need to improve on your written communication skills. As it is, your public health warning has been a spectacular fail, don't you think?

I went to posh school, like, forever, and I never had nits, even with thick, dark, not-very-clean hair (only washed once a week in those days, Sunday night with me Ma singing doom-and-gloom Scottish folk songs about wronged maids dying and whatnot).

so it's fine for girls to have longer hair but not boys? If nits prefer longer hair shouldn't the advice be for both boys AND girls to have shorter hair? Or do you just have some objection to boys with longer hair? Boys should be boys and girls girls, is that it?

this shop, d'you mean? Art Stationers & Village Toy Shop 31 Dulwich Village London SE21 7BN 0208 693 5938

please don't risk passing it on - for those with reduced immunity (who won't be walking around with a sign saying I've Got Reduced Immunity on their foreheads) CP can be extremely dangerous. You might get lucky - others might not.

not medical or scientific in any way, but we had our first poo in the potty yesterday and I think this might have been helped by the piece of very rich and squidgy chocolate brownie Miss Oi had in a cafe (as well as pea soup at lunchtime)! Not an ongoing solution but might help as a one-off?

well, we ended up getting a Peppa Pig airbed. She hasn't used it yet but her cousin has, seemed fine in it.

we did a mixture of controlled wailing and going in but not picking her up, just sitting by the side of the cot shushing and stroking, and then gradually leaving. Always gave her a few minutes to try and self-settle, then went in. She has her bunny blankie always at bedtime (we have a spare) which has helped her no end, she strokes his ears through her fingers as she tries to get back to sleep. These days (she's just turned 3) it's so unusual for her to wake at night that I go in pretty quickly, and it rarely takes long for her to drop off again. Make sure once back at work you share nightimes with your OH! You will need each other for support if you do CC. I don't think CC harms them, you can do the timings to suit yourself and your child, so we did 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 minute intervals, never longer than 5; some people do 5, 10, 15 etc. I think leaving them crying for longer than 30 minutes isn't great (isn't that when their cortisol levels start to rise?). At the end of the day a child and parents who get a decent night's sleep regularly are happier than those who don't!

I'm still using my Bee with my 3 year old, it's been brilliant getting around town. Get some bag hooks and then you're away. I also find the single handle very useful with a toddler as it's easier to steer one handed. And see if you can acquire the cocoon secondhand or from a chum as it's very useful but the baby will only be in it for about 3 months. Best thing is to book a slot in the nursery dept of John Lewis and you can try them out.

we are also struggling with poos and potty training (as I think I've posted before), 3rd attempt, wees are fine, she takes herself off to the potty and is very proud of herself, poos she's got some kind of mental block where she simply won't use the potty, and eventually we have to put her back in nappies, together with the lactulose. Not even the promise of Peppa chocs is helping, and normally she'd sell her soul for chocolate. Sigh. I guess they must all get there in the end, it just seems such an epic journey, with nary a Thorin Oakenshield or Kili in sight to ease the way (though Miss Oi prefers Bombur, weirdo).

we've used Lactulose, it's a poo softener, if you will, not a laxative. Poor wee thing, hope she's better soon.

I've never been to Peckham and found jellybabies sessions not happening when advertised, and they are now every day so that's pretty good, isn't it? And never found the changing rooms to be anything but clean.

Eynsford

We asked our nursery not to 'help' Miss Oi nap, so she lies down with everyone and if she drops off they wake her after 20 mins or so, and if she doesn't they don't stroke her or encourage her to nap but she has a rest, so you can request them not to do this. We had a time of Miss Oi wanting us to stay in the room when before we'd left her and she'd dropped off within minutes of us leaving, and I didn't want to for the same reasons as you, but in fact it was a phase - for maybe a fortnight we would sit on her sofa till she dropped off (about 20 mins max) and then we went back to normal. sorry, that's all very badly phrased, been out to a birthday party ooops . . . !

can't really help on whether suitable for children or not, but watch out for the heat. I went to Vienna a few years back (pre-child) in, I think, September, and it was boiling. So I would head for the hills rather than the city.

my just-turned 3-year-old doesn't seem all that bothered, probably because she's just had her birthday. She loves the tree and Father Christmas (in theory, not in practice!), loved going to see the Snowman, but she isn't asking when it's Christmas Day or anything, even with her 2 advent calenders. So, it's all pretty chilled out round our way. Going to my mum's for the day so no cooking or hosting to do, thank goodness.

dunno about round here, but a few years back Mr Oi and a couple of his mates (all middle class boys) were writing a book about scary pubs (it came to nothing) and one of the best was one in Silvertown. Every single window was broken and held together by cellophane, there was no door just a roll-up thing which they had to duck under to get in, having ascertained that they were indeed open for custom, and when they spotted the pool table and asked for cues, were handed a variety of cues, all of which were broken. Because they only did their research on Sunday afternoons, being too wussy to go on a Saturday night, they said it wasn't actually scary when they were there, the landlady was very chatty, as were the locals, but clearly things could get pretty lively. I think in general estate pubs were their favs. I know there's one on the Brandon estate in Camberwell that he keeps meaning to check out.

thanks everyone, clock house had sold out but we got a perfect 7/8 footer for ?50 outside the Crown & Greyhound.

not really family room, but anyway . . . does anyone know where's a good place to but a real, tall christmas tree (about 7-8 feet) for a reasonable price - we got a good one from B&Q last year but they didn't have any tall ones left, and the only other place we've bought one from round here has closed down. thanks x

Wow, you sound angry. I understand your frustration, but at the same time I'm not sure what you're expecting - the one today sounds like the woman didn't handle it well, but in general, if a group is full it's full, they can't just magic up more room or cram the children in so no-one can turn around, which is what you seem to think should have happened. All Saints on Blenheim Grove is lovely but I've seen people turned away from the first session because it's been full - they're not being unfriendly or unchristian, they simply can't safely fit more children in. But the second session is quieter. Same with Tippee Toes, a fantastic group but there has to be a limit on numbers else it becomes unworkable. The good thing about this area is there is a lot of choice, have a look at the ED Tots website which lists many of the groups and classes going on daily. I do know what you mean about feeling left out. I don't think people are being mean, they are focussed on their children or meet up with parents they know already, or perhaps are just shy. I've sometimes had to force myself to stick things out because my daughter enjoyed it, and that's the main thing. Keep trying out different groups and you'll definitely find some that you and your son like and you can get into.

the council want to extend a CPZ into my SE15 road (I think we're probably quite close to the OP's zone) which I so don't bloody want; yes parking CAN be a bit tricky in the day (though I'd say 50% of the time I can park outside my own house, and most of the rest of the time pretty near it) but it's actually worse in the evening, when there wouldn't be a CPZ in force. Cash cow for the council, methinks. Quiet road, not that close to the station, but surrounded by CPZs (which will be one of the reasons why parking might be trickier), so obviously the council want us to be paying for the right to still not necessarily be able to park outside our own homes. Hurumph.

am I the only person dying to know how come you have all these brand new towels :) ? That's good to know about Lee Oasis, I've got lots of stuff I could give them.

I don't think I would have bf'd beyond a couple of weeks without the complete and total support of Mr Oi, he was essential to making it work. Every day before he left for work he made sure there was a sandwich in the fridge for my lunch, that the house was pretty clean and tidy (he's much better at housework than me!), that I had water and snacks to hand - basically I didn't have to do anything other than feed my baby and sleep when she slept. He made the dinner, did the shopping - everything. I did express and he tried bottle feeding but it wasn't a beautiful father-and-daughter bonding moment, she just gazed vacantly around! So he wasn't bothered, which in retrospect was a mistake, I was able to express fine but we left it too late and by the time I was ready to go out by myself and leave her with him she refused to take a bottle. So, if your sister is able to express I would recommend that. I think the fact that he was breastfed himself, and that's what his sister and most of his friends (all female), meant that it didn't really occur to him that I wouldn't give bfing a go (though if I had decided to stop he would have been fine with that too, I hasten to add). Basically, he can be as involved as he wants to be, feeding is just one part of it.

perhaps you could point out to her that as she is not your children's godparent it is not her role to instruct them? And it's certainly not for her to frighten them. Can your partner not get her to back off? After all, tis the season to be jolly! When does she falalalala lalalala off?

I think nursery at age 3 is good as they are more confident (or of not, it helps their confidence - Miss Oi wasn't great with bigger groups but since starting nursery at 2, over the year she's been there her confidence in social situations has grown so much, it's very noticeable) and they like being with other children - I know a lot of people stop using a childminder around this age as they 'grow out' of the smaller setting. With regard to illness - I would have thought better to get a few colds and whatnot now, rather than when she starts school? But there's no right or wrong, and not all nurseries / pre-schools are the same, some can be fairly small so have a look around.