Moos

*startled* This thread survived the cull? Thought the old ones were all ditched!

I get intermittent shoulder / back achey pain from carrying the small around - he gets quite clingy when he's tired. Find resting / persuading him to sit down somewhere / finding another suitable baby-lugger and stretching out the muscles helps a bit. Roll on the ability to walk!

Charlotte's had suggestions ranging from 'buy it from Chanel' to 'make it yourself out of mud' and is now fully equipped. Plus she's been outed as Mrs. Ratty and is now apparently about to move to Disneyland. Or something. I have profound psychological problems, or at least a bizarre sense of humour. I think our work here is done and you are free to unmask yourself as Edward Teach or whomever you like. Why are pirates called pirates? Because they arrrrr.

Sorry. I don't know that many people, ran out of suspects.

Mum? Is that you?

Hmm. Got any more of those, darling?

Jesus. Now, if Bob turned out to be my other half that would be a surprise.

Come on kids, put the cutlasses away, you bunch of princesses.

We use the naughty step but I'm thinking of phasing it out as it is having less and less of the right effect and makes our son sullen and angry rather than cooling him off. Maybe he's outgrowing it and we should use confiscating toys or withdrawal of privileges instead now he's no longer a toddler. Would be interested to know what methods those of you use who are opposed to time-outs - newmother, zeban? I wouldn't want to judge another parent until I'd seen what their situation was myself, but the OP sounds both sensible and bothered by what's going on. Hoping for everyone's sake that it's not as bad as it could be.

Guess that's Truman up the spout then.

I really think it's out of order for parents not to accept apologies from other parents with grace. All of our kids have phases when they are out of line, and it's up to us to control them as best we can, apologise on their behalf if they're little and ask them to apologise when they're big enough. To make someone else's life harder when they're dealing with a difficult phase is just mean. *gets off high horse*

Molly, I think that's a really good idea - and brave of you too, nice one.

Blimey. I've been in there loads with my baby (and with you, sg?) and have never had anything but friendly service. They can be slow and a bit dizzy though. I have always found it chock full of kids, it seems quite baby friendly to me. Why is it their fault if the highchairs are all busy?

Mockers, thanks!! Have a 16GB 3GS but can't flick between apps... praps best not to risk it. Thanks everyone too for tips... upgrade in a year...

I did, after got the "no" message fro your link. Says "requires the 4.2 software update", which come to think of it is not necessarily the d same as the 4 I guess... but how to get it?

Nooooooo... iPhone 4 only! Thanks though, sb - great idea.

Rolfe was played by a guy called Daniel Truhitte.

Ahem

Hi sb I think you are right to continue with 3 naps if you can get bubs to do it. My experience of all the gina-fordesque babies I know is that Gina is a bit keen to drop naps early, and most hang onto them longer than she says. Twosling is 8 months, but has v similar routine to what he had when he was 6 months, once solids established. Moosling is now 4 and doesn't nap. This was difficult when Twosling v. small as the then 3 1/2 year old didn't like being left on his own AT ALL, so hard to juggle both their needs. We only got past this when a) I did sleep training ("gradual retreat") with the little one so that he slowly learned how go to sleep on his own and the time to settle him got faster and b) Moosling got a few months older and was OK being left in front of the TV for twenty minutes during settling time so Twosling can have nice relaxed feed & cuddle before bed, and Moosling can have a bit of solo mummy time before bed too. Twosling's nap times also had to be timed around nursery dropoff and pickup which is v. inflexible. I never had any success with the third nap, he's just not tired enough to drop off easily and with older child around it just didn't happen, so I allow first nap to be up to an hour and second as long as possible. Upshot is he sometimes has to go from 2pm to bed at 7 awake, which is tough for him. 6/6.30 Wake and big breastfeed 7.40/8 Breakfast for both kids (and cats. Oh, and me) 9 Nursery run if nursery day 9.30 1st nap - supposed to be 45 minutes but will leave him for up to an hour. Settles self after short story/cuddle/song routine. Sometimes wakes after 30 minutes and is grumpy 11.30 Twosling lunch. Would like to make this later but he's generally super-hungry by then so will have to wait to give both kids lunch together. This is his biggest meal. 12.30ish 2nd nap - supposed to be 1 1/2 hours. Settles self after short story/cuddle/song routine. Sometimes only 1 hour and v v grumpy all afternoon. On good day over 1 1/2 hours and happy all afternoom. Yay. Moosling lunch, followed by 'quiet time' listening to a CD/playing inside. 2.30 Twosling small bottle of formula. Doesn't really like it, has between 1 and 4oz, usually about 2oz 3pm Nursery run if nursery day 4.30 Twosling dinner. 5.30 Moosling dinner. 6pm Twosling has bottle of formula. Usually still full of dinner so has 1-2oz. 6.15 Both boys bath / teeth cleaning / getting into PJs etc. Then Moosling watches a movie while Twosling has breastfeed and is settled into bed by 7. 7.30 Moosling in bed. 10.30/11pm Big bottle of formula administered by Daddy Around 3am/4am middle of the night feed Hope that's helpful!

Yes, I know. The weblink I gave earlier provides the same advice. But thank you. Everyone, thanks for your kind responses. It's always reassuring to know one is not the only one. In some ways knowing that (other than a possible link to tiredness) there's no known cause is easier, so we just have to put our heads down and live with it. It bothers me though to think of his going through this fear without being able to comfort him; though he doesn't remember, surely it must affect him. Saffron, poor little girl that you were, how awful. My son is at that awkward age when articulacy and imagination leap ahead of understanding and reason, so it's very hard to judge. I did ask him this morning whether he had any bad dreams, and he said no, he slept "fine" and proceeded to tell me all about a happy dream he'd had about flying, which I suspect he was making up for fun. But who knows.

Ruskin used to be great, but on the one time we've been this year it was two-thirds empty (of water! stuffed full of kids!) and filthy. Thanks for reminder, will mention to Southwark, hopefully they'll sort it out.

...the last word being the one that is so unacceptable that even cheaty spelling is banned on the EDF!

I think I'd have reacted much as Fuschia did, complete with glare and polite but firm admonishment of the child. I agree with whomever said children need to be raised by a community. Fuschia did say that she looked around for a parent, and having done so I'd say she had every right to speak to the child. The glare I think is a 'first instinct' reaction, not exactly ideal but very understandable. However, in the cold light of day I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable describing a young child as a "nasty piece of work". Completely agree about swearing in front of children, too. I met a charmer in Goose Green recently screaming abuse at another dog-walker who'd offended her, and when I approached her and asked her very politely to keep her voice down she not only told me to fcuk off, she made a point afterwards of coming to the bench we were playing on and said "I won't argue with you, because you have kids with you, but I'll "fcuk, shhit, cnut" wherever I like in a park".

My 4 yo son is experiencing night terrors at the moment. They aren't like nightmares (which he also occasionally has) when he wakes and needs comforting: during a night terror he remains asleep but sitting up with his eyes open, crying and calling for me (while I'm there with him), hurling himself around and very distressed. He doesn't remember them in the morning. I've now done quite a bit of reading and am not overly concerned when I have my logical head on, as it seems to be that they are a known phenomenon among young children and will probably fade over time. They also occur in cycles, so may be regular for a while, then stop, then recur. My boy has had two in the last week. Here's a GOSH weblink to one of the more sensible articles I read, in case anyone is interested, or going through the same thing. However, with my emotional head on I am finding this quite upsetting, and would be keen to hear from other parents with experience of dealing with night terrors. We were glad to find that our instinctive response (to hold him gently, talk to him and allow him to fall back to sleep) is the recommended one. We'll also be reviewing his bedtime routine and trying to ensure he gets enough sleep, in case this is contributing to the occurence.

'Sallright. It was very funny, and it didn't stop anyone eating it. I had a lovely afternoon, and it was nice to see everyone.