nunheadmum

Hubby has wanted a new camera for about 4 years but has never managed to choose which one. I decided to simply buy him one of the type he wanted - as making a decision isn't his strong point. (I did get expert advice on which one.) Camera comes at 6pm (with accessories) and at 8pm hubby comes down stairs and tells me he's put something on his wish list - a different camera!!! Do I: 1. return the one I got and all the bits and get the one he wants 2. keep with what I got (very similar but not the same) and say, well you should have decided years ago (or at least not leaving it last minute this year!!!) Not sure I can deal with the added hassle of having to return stuff - feeling annoyed too that my lovely 'good wife reading your mind and solving your decision making problem for you' has gone awry due to my last minute husband!!!

We went at 11.30 on Saturday and walked straight in. But I did see queues later on and I'm glad they didn't let everyone in as it was pretty crowded as it was - but bearable. Many more and it would have been awful. I would say that there isn't a lot of seating in the general areas so expect to do LOTS of walking around. But my normally reluctant walkers managed to go from 11.30 till around 4pm with only a few rides - so there must be something about it that they like!

Mae - Ivydale announced it in the last school newsletter, now on their website. I expect the headteacher didn't know for sure at the time of the open day.

Ivydale has already announced that it won't be taking a bulge class in 2014. Not sure if the details of which schools are taking one has been decided.

Meeting a friend there with the kids at the weekend and just wondering if it's any good. I'm resigning myself to it costing a small fortune. Is it worth the queue for Santa - it talks of a 2-3 hour wait on the website. Certainly won't wait that long but wondering if a shorter wait could be worth it?

We went to the Catford one last year and it was great for kids! Traditional, cheesy but with a few laughs aimed at the adults. Good old-fashioned panto as I remember it. And a relaxed approach that means you don't feel bad if the kids have to come and go during the performance. Just watch out for all the flashing toys on the way in!!

Might need to go down a size? My 5 year old is so skinny, everything falls down. Usually have to go with age 3 - thankfully she's small all over! We usually find Next ones are okay or M&S. M&S I find keep their shape better and have the size printed on the waistband - a real help when you have more than one kid wearing tights!

I bought this one a couple of years ago - nativity and advent calendar in one. It avoids having to do chocolate advent calendars or think up lots of little bits to put in the do-it-yourself ones. http://www.lakeland.co.uk/40910/Bethlehem-Advent-Stable Not cheap but a good family investment.

I find that some of the stuff we bought when they were young (e.g. it said 3+ so we thought it'd work!), they're coming back to now (age 5 & 7) - particularly the building stuff like Lego etc that they're better able to think around now. So maybe a little bit to refresh something that you already have?

At that age, kids don't naturally do discos - they like the idea for 5 mins but then don't know really what to do. If you are going to do something like that, it's probably worth getting folk in to do it who know how to keep the kids going - or try and find out the tricks of doing it. But a great way I find at home to end a party - 10 mins of madness before they're packed off home on a high!

For small charities like schools etc, Just Giving and the likes can still take a big chunk of your cash - Just Giving charges ?18 a month regardless of whether you are actively collecting in that month or not. So not all charities will use them. If you're not sure if it's legit or not, ask them which school/nursery/group etc they're collecting for - then if it is a local one, let the school etc know that kids are coming around the doors. It may be well intentioned but I'm sure it isn't what schools would be expecting kids to do.

Decathlon. Great cheap, light bikes. Can try them out in the store.

Are marble runs any good or do you spend ages setting them up for the kids to run a couple of marbles down them and then move on? Can a 5 year old build them?

Please wear a badge. Having been offered a seat when I wasn't pregnant and feeling very embarrassed (as was the person offering!), I'm really wary now of offering unless it's obvious. But I hate feeling that I could have left someone standing who may have really needed a seat.

No don't think it's possible. I know a few kids who have their birthday in the first few days of September and were so ready to go up with their July/August friends but had to wait. Funny how some parents worry their August kids are too young while others are desperate for their September kids to move up. Just goes to show how arbitrary a cut-off date is.

I had an elective C-section for my first (breach) and a VBAC with my second. Of the two, the c-section was by far the better birth experience. I felt quite let down that this wonderful natural birth was actually not that nice an experience due to the pressures on staff in the NHS and folk who, quite frankly, seemed to be in the wrong job. (Actually, I felt ridiculously angry!) I think the staff you are in contact with will make or break the experience more than which of the two you go for. If you want to go for VBAC, I'd recommend trying to ensure you know which midwife you'll have or take someone along who you feel will know what to do to get you a good experience. Otherwise you can build it into so much in your head what with the should I / shouldn't I decision, that it's very easy to feel all the more let-down if it doesn't go as it should. And remember that a healthy baby at the end is more important than how it gets there.

I think this is the guy who sometimes does things for us at the school fair. http://bugmanjones.com/about/ Not sure about costs.

There may be a good reason it's hard to find - my husband dressed up in and adult spiderman costume for my daughters last party and it looked REALLY creepy!! Maybe he just didn't have the build. Kids didn't seem to mind. Good luck finding one though!

I know Push do ballet shoes but not sure if they do tap? Need to get a pair tomorrow but don't want to go all the way to Duo Dance if I can help it.

I'd be tempted to say, explain to her that you're going away, do it and accept that it might not be her ideal scenario, but she'll realise that you came back and nothing major happened to you or her. Yes, she'd rather than you were there but we don't always get what we want - we need to learn that other peoples needs also need to be met. If she always gets what she wants, what does she learn from that? Sometimes it takes a bit of tough love but your daughter obviously gets lots of love and support and an odd weekend away won't undermine that. It will help you and your husband keep your relationship going and that will possibly be more important longer term for your daughter.

Could this be that the nursery are saying the worst case option (i.e. we can't do it) to ensure that parents encourage their kids to learn but in reality, if a kid has a really messy one, they will help? I guess they don't want to be doing it every time for all the kids. But surely they don't really want kids with messy bottoms sitting about all day? Maybe other parents with kids at the nursery currently could advise?

We started with a Kids Sleep bunny clock and graduated to the GroClock when the previous one stopped working. They worked brilliantly from a pretty young age. Aged 7 we STILL need to put on 'sleepy-star' every night. I'll be slightly sad when we finally grow out of them - though secretly suspect the eldest will be taking it to uni/own house with her!!!

Emski - I've got the problem too of my 5 year old announcing that she doesn't like old favourites any more. I keep trying to stress with her that there's a difference between 'not liking' and just 'not my favourite'. Sometimes it helps. Also sometimes trying to find out what it is about it that they don't like can help. Sometimes it's texture rather than taste - so they may have gone off the skin on peas rather than disliking the taste or they don't like bits of tomato in the tomato sauce (I've taken to mashing my sauce now) etc. I've found with both my 2 that around about 4/5 they've taken a dislike to any kind of bits in their food. I often cook big meals at the weekend when I have time (shepherds pie / lasagna etc) and make enough to put a few portions in the freezer for mid-week meals.

Details of activies at the Peckham Rye Playroom / One O'clock club on the Ivydale School website: http://www.ivydale.southwark.sch.uk/childrenscentre_detail.asp?Section=23&Ref=237 Sorry, too late for today but maybe helpful for another time. I suspect they maybe weren't quite back into normal routines last week?

Might be easier to start them on the ukelele? Our school had a lovely little group class for the reception kids.