nunheadmum

I did pop in once recently just to pass time and grab a bite to eat and it did seem very baby oriented. I felt quite out of place with my 3 year old even though she was very well behaved. It seemed like a nice group if you had a little one and the Nun's Head is a lovely pub but probably more suitable for kids who aren't mobile.

Excellent. Tried to beat the school shoe rush this am but it wasn't to be. Poor Mr Barnett didn't look too chuffed either, peering out from his shut doors! Thanks!

Went down there this morning and couldn't get in. Don't want to raise the kids' hopes of new shoes and then not meet them again! If anyone knows it's finished and open (or not), that'd help. Thanks.

Harris Girl's school has one on. Tues evening I believe. Would be grateful if anyone had any more details of what it's like and if you contact Harris or someone else.

Fiona Foster does classes at Ivydale school on a Friday - very relaxed class. (google her for contact details) . I think there us also a class at the Harris girl's school on a Saturday morning but I don't know the details.

Wonderful news about toddlers who wake at night.......glad there's some point to the torture!! (Please don't tell me otherwise....I don't care if it isn't true, it makes me feel better.) Definitely agree re the loss of humour. I do laugh more with the kids now but I struggle to lose myself in 'fluffy' TV...when I do get to see some, I feel like I want it to be decent when what I probably need is 'fluff'.

Maybe a book on the theme - I'm thinking there's a Splat the Cat one (or Tales on Moon Lane in Herne Hill may be able to suggest a good one) - with a little note written inside. My experience is that in reception, they may not have their own desk etc as we may have had in our day so anything taken into the classroom is at risk of being used by one and all. Maybe worth bearing in mind.

Could you move Seb in with you and put baby in the other room? Or maybe that introduces more problems longer term than it solves.....may not want to go back!

Yes, I think she was tired after school - and going away on holiday the first week of the hols probably didn't help. I'm hoping that's all it is. She seems to be picking up a bit as the weeks go on - maybe also getting used to not having playing options all around her at school and having to think of things to do herself. At this rate, she'll probably be back on track just in time to go back to school!!

I had a planned C-section for a breech baby with my first, was keen to try VBAC without constant monitoring - I had a bit of a fight on that one but met with Cathy Walton (fairly senior in the midwifery team) and she explained a lot and backed me up. Having done that, my 'natural' birth was nowhere near as good as I'd anticipated and, if I had the choice again, I'd go for another planned C-section. But I totally understand the feeling that you want to try doing it yourself naturally.

Not me....I wish! But my 5 yr old daughter seems to be spending half her holidays 'just lying down' either in her bed or in various make-shift beds around the house, usually with her thumb in. She seems fine when we are doing things so I don't think she's ill in any way. She seems to be getting increasingly shy. At school she's got a lovely group of friends and all indications are that she's sociable enough there. But even when she's met up with friends during the holidays, it's touch and go as to whether she'll play at times. I'm putting it down a bit to generally being a bit unsettled about what this whole 'holiday' concept is, just as she was getting used to 'school' and what that meant. And maybe a bit of boredom - I do some things with her each day but I'm trying to avoid filling evey minute of her day as I do kind of subscribe to the theory that kids need a bit of boredom/non-planned activity to learn how to use their own minds. I just wondered if anyone else has found their kids doing this? I don't know if maybe she's just enjoying letting her mind wander and imagine etc in preference to physically playing? Or is she just getting VERY lazy or socially withdrawn. Hopefully it's just a 5 year old's phase!

I avoided the hassle of sewing by buying a laundry marker pen and just marking the normal labels. There's usually enough space somewhere and you recognise your own scribble. As Mrs TP says, they don't get returned to you, you have to hunt so as long as you recognise it, that's usually enough.

You should visit both schools to get a feel. I originally thought of Frances Cabrini as I liked the Catholic option but when I visited the school, I didn't get as good a feel as I would have liked. In the end I chose my local, non denominational school which is just round the corner and I really like the local, community feel. There's a lot to be said for a local school you can walk to, where your kids friends will be all around them when they're out and about. St John's sounds like a good option as I guess you will get the Christian steer, albeit without the Catholic bend. But as the local schools don't deal with things now like First Communion (that's all done via the parish), I would question what the real difference is between a Catholic and a Church of England school other than perhaps they take the kids to mass on appropriate days etc. Good luck with the choice.

Was it Bugman Jones? He did stuff at the Ivydale school fair and I think he's done things at Nunhead Cemetery too. Not got contact details but could maybe get them for you if it is him (if the necessary folk aren't on holiday).

I found a little girl on LL, by the corner of the Curry Cabin a few months ago. I couldn't see any adult and she was a bit too young to really tell me much. I was on the brink of calling the police - didn't want to over-react, but... - when she started running back down the side street. I followed her back to make sure she was going home (not just running away from me). Turned out she'd run out an open front door to go and look for her daddy who was out shopping. The mum didn't seem that concerned when I said where the daughter had been. It haunted me for days, worrying that I hadn't been clear where the girl was or that she was allowed out that far on her own. I imagine in reality the mum probably had a 'OMG' moment once I'd gone....she looked like a standard, concerned parent. But it really preyed on my mind.

Having just spent 2 nights in a toddler bed while our sick daughter was in our bed with daddy, I would vote for going straight for a single! Not only is size an issue but the matresses tend to be much poorer - probably good enough for the size / weight of a little one but not so good for parent sizes. And if she is big for her age, she probably won't last that long in a toddler bed. I don't think the kids worry about the size of the bed - if there's any problems it'll be with the concept, not the actual size. I think it's more us that think they look so small in a big bed....but more space for them to hide in!

There was discussion on the Nunhead Forum about Hollydale recently - sounding increasingly positive. The Nunhead Forum has now closed but I'm sure the old threads can still be read.

Can anyone recommend good accommodation family on the west coast of Scotland (no further north than Oban really and down to Dumfries & Gallwoay)? I'm visiting family but thought it'd be nice to break it up with a few nights away where we can focus on the kids rather than visiting. I was thinking of something along the lines of a holiday park - something with a pool or similar if the weather is bad - but a good cottage set-up would work too. Unfortunately the ones I've seen online get mixed reviews. But I'm not always the best at finding things online. Just wondered if anyone had stayed anywhere good? Thanks.

We'll be doing this in the summer too - with a 3 & 5 year old. Used to just motor up but won't get away with that now! Any good stopping places appreciated. Hadn't thought of Blackpool!!

There have been discussions on this topic on here before and many people offered to get involved in trying to find solutions. I'm sure the contact was directly to Southwark if I'm not mistaken - I've certainly contacted them directly before and got zilch as a response, even when responding once to a Southwark council central staff member dealing with the club who asked me to send her my details. There's a lot of goodwill around and folk who want to try and help and have skills that may be of use, but Southwark don't seem to be interested in following it up. I suspect that process and procedure swallows up any capacity to do things!

I think Freedom Academy do a drama only class.

May be worth asking at Ivydale Primary - they have a Streetdance class and some of the kids may be up for doing some more. They did a display yesterday at the end of the day and I was impressed with how good it was and how many boys were involved.

Mmm....I can see what you mean about the benefits of having two folk in the house on the same instrument. But even with her little ELC saxophone, I find myself having to sit on my hands as she picks out a tune, trying not to tell her which notes to use. I kind of think with the violin, I wouldn't know where to start. But the thought of the off-tune screeching does put me off, big-time! I agree with what others say that any instrument like the flute or clarinet is best kept for later. If nothing else, their hands may struggle to reach the keys with some instruments and they do need a bit of puff and breath control which is harder to learn. As someone who learned on recorder, I think it's a brilliant instrument at a young age and teaches all the basics in an easy way which can transfer really quickly then to a bigger instrument later on. Keep them exposed to other instruments as they learn and let them try out different ones later on before deciding which to choose (if you have the luxury of choice and aren't constrained by the teaching / instruments available).

Seemed to have pretty much taken over the car park this morning - and that was fairly early on - I wasn't too chuffed. The last time I encountered filming the crew were pretty decent, making sure space was kept for 'normal' users. Wish they'd all do that!

I'm wary of the violin too - the screeching could well be too much for me. But as I play woodwind (and have done guitar and piano in the past to a limited extent) and hubby has toyed with brass, I do wonder whether it's better to go for something that neither of us has any experience of....and strings are the only thing left. I did speak with the music teacher too and she did seem keen to let a wider group of kids do recorder but I think it's a case of teaching resources. She also spoke of the ocharina (think that's what it's called) - it's like a 4 holed recorder - which is meant to be great for little ones to start on. But can't help but think it may be a little restrictive, but maybe not for a 5 year old. I'm sure there are more parents who would be interested in something accessible like the recorder. Maybe worth asking again what the reasons for the restrictions are.