katgod

We did Telegraph (for the GPs!) and personalised photo cards as thank you notes with a picture of child and printed name, date, and weight details. Have received a lot of similar cards, but only one straight announcement card. Used photo box and bonus print- as a rule I find anything aimed especially at new parents to be over priced.

Just been to Peckham. Happy to pay for 5 and 8 year old, but was surprised that the 21 month old had to be paid for. I said she would sit on my lap, and that she was under 2, and that most places do not charge for under 2s but was told that Peckham plex is not 'most places'. She then had to stand where the woman in charge could see her to decide whether she was small enough to be free. All a but odd, never had it before, cinema three quarters empty. Film is fun, but I think I liked it more than the children due to having the backstory and childhood steeped in Muppets. Babes in arms are free, but there seems a grey area over toddlers. Just for info, will be happy to pay in a few months.

Rascals, Gambado, Peckham pulse and beckenham spa are all variations on same theme, big with potentially big drops which either worries you or doesn't . My 18 month old was not impressed by Gambado baby area at all she wanted to be up the main frame. Toddler world is flat with bits of gym equipment. For me that works better as I am not stopping her escaping up the steps/ladder and scrambling over obstacles. Toddler world is a very gentle safe introduction but not fun for over 2.5 year olds I would say. Mine all love Gambado and Peckham but if just a little one I prefer TW. No point paying for lots of things they won't use. And TW is fine by yourself whereas for some reason beckenham and Gambado I would not fancy without some other parents I know going along too. TW is like the old 'camberwell baby gym'- dies that still run, it was such good value and my fee two loved going there.

Don't recall precise details, never had help, but baby basically carried from room to room as toddler put in bath, stories, bed. Tbh the new baby is happy provided full up, it is harder when the new baby is mobile too. And you have to have different expectations. Does toddler have to have a bath every day? If it makes life easier do it, if not, don't. Feeding baby before cooking toddler tea seems familiar too, so baby sleeps through tea, bed, bath and you are serenely feeding when hubby comes home to pour that wine.

Dd has it. She's 21 months.Aqueous calamine is good I think normal lotion is drying and makes it itchier.porridge oats in bath were recommended to me-who knows but it was a right mare to get the oats of older sister's hair and because of my fears of blocked pipes I was scooping porridge out for ages once bath drained. A shiny new tellytubbies DVD has proved some distraction from the spots so far!! Seems a lot of it about just now

I had this too. I found I had to stand on the train to work despite offers of a seat because the transition from sit to stand was too much. Put a plastic bag on the car seat to help you swivel round in a graceful royal way and ease the strain (means you can keep your knees together). And for the worried ones I have three children and the SPD was really painful with first, needed physio, belt, lots of tips to manage, mild twinge very occasionally with the second and nothing at all with third. Think is all to do with the lie of baby so don't worry too much each pregnancy is different.

We got two rolls of biodegradable liners from the council when the kitchen caddy was delivered.they sell similar in sainaburys or Robert days.

What was outcome on this?bag reunited with owner?

everyone I know on Rodwell is very friendly, lots of community spirit along there. I'll ask if my friend knows who lives at 25.

If you did the demand will come at just the wrong time in my experience, just when money is tight. We will be worrying even more if the CpZ comes about....

Mine is now a mini shed for gardening tools. May well plant the other one up with bulbs as suggested on here.

Are you on Crystal Palace Road Horsebox? Our blue bin is over flowing and was not collected today. If bins are only to be collected fortnightly, they need to make sure the collections are on schedule, there is no margin to squeezea bit more in.

We need the blue one emptied weekly and the green and brown bi weekly. Surprised the pilot did not find that. We are recycling more, nad it is overflowing after 1.5 weeks.

I do not think formula is the reason. Contrary to what a lot of people think large swathes of children born in the early to mid 70s were bottle fed and given early solid food (at about 2 weeks old_rusk, egg yolks etc) and I too was in a class where one child had asthma. I think overly clean homes is more likley, plus a degree of fashionability. Some children have real, serious allegies that are horrid. Other might get a funny tummy after eating something, and it is labelled an allegy. I have seen this first hand. Apple juice was too acidic for my son when he was small, so I avoided giving it to him as he ot the runs afterwards. Friends and nursery reacted by saying 'oh he's allegic' and he started saying he was allergic to it. I don't consider getting the runs after a glass of apple juice the same at all as a potentially fatal nut allergy, so I do not consider him to be allergic. Some proportionality would reduce the rates of allergy suffering. But of my 2 of school age'speers, no one has an allegy that has been worth mentioning when coming to tea/parties, so I do wonder if the high levels are also a bit exagerrated.

It is good that you 2 councillors are getting involved and being responsive. The whole play area is ill conceived. I have both a toddler and a KS2 age child. There is nothing there for the older one, except the big swing. And regardless of age I do not want my children playing in an area where dogs are free to crap. Is this some super fast growing hedge Southwark have discovered? It needs a fence, with a gate, now. Not a hedge that will take a year to get established. And how can a hedge cost less than a fence?

Chris Cook is the client for this project, an emloyee of Southwark. People are comlaining to the one +'clock club staff about the dogs weeing and pooing in the playground. No point complaining to the staff- email or call Chris Cook at Southwark.

thank you - I have binned my letter, so good reminder for me

I thought it was 8.50 am start right from the off. You should have received a letter last week setting this out. I will check mine when i get back home.

my children do not cope well if there is more than one person in charge. They are fine with the nanny when I am not there, but if we are both there they get confused. So think that is normal. Re childcare, all you can do is choose the best option as you see it. Explain clearly that mummy has to go now, but that ytou will be back at teatime/3 o'clock/whatever he understands. My 4 year old understands that I will be home just after she has had her dinner. He will have fun with other children, lots of cuddles and love when you are back - bound to worry but it will be fine.

East Dulwich, London Bridge, Jubilee Line to Bond Street is quickest - I have never had a problem with buggy on escalator, I just do it and it is fine, but if not keen on that then the London Bridge to Charing Cross route is great - you walk through the station from platform 15/16 where our trains arrive and get over to platform 5/6 which is all step free as said above. Charing Cross is right by Trafalgar Square, cruise past National Gallery, up Charing Cross Road to the east end of Oxford Street. Train far preferable to bus in my opinion. Make the most of this time. Much easier to get out and about with a four week old than a wriggly 15 month old who wants to get out of the buggy. The galleries and museums perfect with a sleepy baby, and they all have nice cafes! And John Lewis Oxford Street of course.

the 78 bus is I think the slowest bus in history. For Fenchurch street I'd take the 40 all the way to Aldgate, then walk a short distance to Fenchurch Street. I think I'd do the same for Liverpool Street too - not far down Bishopsgate to Liverpool Street Station. At the least the 40 feels like it is heading in the right direction whereas the 78 is off down all sorts of side roads! If it was me with my children I think I might go the other way too - bus to Forest Hill, ELL to Canada Water then Jubilee line to Stratford for the Romford train, or Jubilee line to West Ham for the Grays train. Flat access at Forest Hill for the outward journey, lift for the return, and the Jubille line is well served with lifts and escalators. Will deopend on when you are travelling but even in rush hour the ELL is much less busy at the moment due to holidays, and expect other lines are the same.

Thank you. I thought that would tear the shoe. Problem solved. Crocs nmore robust that I thought. The forum really is fab for daft queries like this. Thank you again, happy children now!

I have been suckered into buying these charm things for crocs. How do you attach them? Worried I will break them as they are clearly tat. Twist the back part off? Pull it? Any help appreciated, Thanks

Will have to agree to disagree. Our home is fine thanks, with lots of books and toys and love. But keeping my 4 year old at home would be depriving her of the different range of activities and experiences and viewpoints she can get at school.

Obviously everyone has different views as to what's best for their child. But I would strongly recommend going to look at the school again, and talking to parents who have children coming to the end of reception. Reception really is pretty gentle. Most schools allow reception children free access to the outside. There are no desks in the way you probably remember. Children move freely from one activity to another. They maybe spend half an hour on reading and writing each day, the rest is learning through play. To be honest I am/was a sceptic about learning through play, but it works, they learn by osmosis somehow. Your 4 year old will not be stuck at a desk for 7 hours. He or she will be playing in the sandpit/wendy house/on climbing frame/with water/lego/paint learning loads and having a lot of fun. I would think very carefully about depriving my child of all that, plus the new friendships that they will make.