katgod

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.

My parents wasted, in my view, a lot of money on suzuki violin lessons for me. 2 or 3 years, no great talent, and, annoyingly, not even the ability to read music at the end of it. and the 'showing off' part , as referred to in a previous post above, can be very counter productive, it was for me anyway I just wanted to sit down at the first opportunity at the concerts.

Have you been contacted by the Administraters? We are not owed any money, but the case is still open and they contacted me again only last week. PM me if you like and I can pass therir details on. You should get some of the money back. Most unlikely that it is the same people - but you can check at Companies House to see who the Directors are. The old Bojangles also ran a nursery in Forest Hill - maybe check that the new nursery on the site is not linked to that other nursery.

Yes DS has been - is better IMO if they can go with a friend, but he has been by himself and was fine. Is well run, varied, just expensive. He went the summer at the end of Reception Year (age 5.5), and also end of Year One (age 6.5).Not so good when you have 2 who are in different age groups as they are at different locations, and the pick ups would be tricky, but would be very happy to use again once they are both at the same place/I have more time to get them there.

Gym is in the main sports centre, monday to thursday 10ish to 12ish-always open those times when I go.

there are fewer options for nursery for under 1s. Be prepared that lots of people will advise against and try to persuade you against - often with no basis/experience/need for a nursery. Find out which ones accept under 1s. Go and visit. Only you can decide what is right for you and your baby. Are the staff kind and caring? Is the baby room clean and calm? where do the babies nap? Can they go outside? Do they get taken out for walks in their buggies? If for while you are at work - how easy will the pick up drop off be and how easy to get to work from the location? I have used nursery, childminder and nanny, there are pros and cons to each, but only you can decide, and you will only know if it is right once you have been to look round. And i have never heard of a minimum commitment - I would be a bit wary of that as maybe suggests there is a high drop out rate that perhaps indicates unhappy parents and babies.

Blackheath, Blackwall Tunnel, A13 eastwards towards Essex then cross country to Brentwood (is signposted off A13).A13 is 3 lanes pretty much like a motorway from Blackwall Tunnel. A12 through east/notheast London is a series of roundabouts and traffic lights (Redbridge/Gants Hill etc). Grim. Or Rotherhithe/Blackwall as you prefer then A12 to Redbridge, then M11 north and one junction round on the M25. Never the A12 through east london tho!

warm weather over weekend caused red patched on backs of my baby's legs. I have ordered some Pure Potions balm - organic wonder cream. My friend's child had terrible eczema, steroid cream from GP etc - nothing worke except this. I used on my other child and it stopped a mild case getting any worse. Is worth trying.

A shame if not what you applied for all that time ago Molly - but things being what they are now I must say it looks a big improvement, I hope it get s built quickly.

Sorry no pearls of wisdom just another question - have the rules changed? We have flown with Maclarens several times and never needed to have a buggy bag. Just closed it up and off it went. Is this a new airline restriction?

The community midwives who come immediately after baby is born are great - helpful and a welcome resouce. HV in East Dulwich are based at Townley Road clinic. I have 3 children and am pleased to say the busy body HV i saw at Townley Road clinic appears to have left, however I find the rest of them to be patchy at best in the qaulity of the advice given. There is no requirement to see them at all if you don't want to. With first baby I went regularly (fortnightly) to the baby clinic, with subsequent babies the lack of organisational skills shown by the HVs (and to be fair the other mothers) meant that it was taking longer and longer to be seen and with a toddler it wasn't feasible. I think once you are over the initial 'is baby gaining weight' stage, if you are happy and relaxed there is no need to go at all (except for the routine checks at 8 months, and possibly one slightly earlier). Baby 3 has been to clinic 3 times in a year. If you don't go to clinic you don't see the HV. For those that do go - a suggestion - keep an eye on the name of the baby in front of you in the list, and when that baby is called, start getting your baby undressed out of the multiple layers of gear you have him/her in. It would all move along a bit quicker if people anticipated their name being called!

Nanny PAYE are good, responsive and helpful.

thanks. Any other suggestions? Is One o'clock club at telegraph hill only open at one o'clock or all day like at Crystal Palace?

buggy board and scooter. 2.8 gap. fine. scooter can be slung over buggy when not in use.

You need to check with the nursery. The cost of a session at a private nursery will not be fully met by the government grant. If he was at a school nursery (Heber, Goodrich, Goose Green etc) it would be free, but Oaktree is a business and they will charge appropriately. Their rent, insurance etc will mean taht the grant won't cover their costs. Oaktree is a nice nursery - the Early Years Curriculum is very play based but he will probably be doing phonics there, certainly my 3 year old did some early phonics work when she was there. He will be one of the oldest children there though, so if you want him to do more you may have to ask and discuss how he can be encouraged to do more.

Is there such a thing? My understanding is that for the various music classes they would be in different age groups so would not be able to attend togther. A baby group would not really suit the 4 year old as she would like people to play with. Needs to be near Lordship Lane as 4 year old goes to nursery in the afternoon. Peckham Soft Play is all I can find at the moment. Does anyone do Crystal Palace One O'Clock club with a crawling baby? my recollection is that it is more geared to older children. Any thoughts? And how long does it take on the bus? Any thoughts welcome. Thanks

One to two much harder than two to three. Depends on gap tho, 2 was 3.5 when new baby arrived, has been a much nicer maternity leave than it was second time around Big ones are lovely to new baby, no jealousy, lots of love, can see there may be logistical issues when they are bigger, but overall I wld say do it, I thought I was done with 2, but with hindsight, now I have the total 'done' feeling, I know I wasn't done at all.

One child born under the old 4 month regime who loved the solids from 16 weeks and loves his food now, two born in the new 6 month regime. The older one I tried on solids at 16 weeks, but she was not intersted so I offered it once a week til at 5.5 months she liked it. Younger one just not bothered til 6 months. Each child different. They have 2 grannies who reckon they should have had a rusk or scrambled egg at 12 days old like me and DH had. We don't have allergies or diabetes AND as well as being given solids at 2 weeks old we were also formula fed. Amazed we survived. Do what is right for you and your baby and ignore 'advice'.

Maybe you mean Simply Childcare? They've turned into more of an online thing now rather than a mag, but is the same idea.

I have The Times. It doesn't seem to have the Times E supplement (my husband's colleagues often swipe that bit, but I may find it around the house). PM me your address and I will pop it through or post depending on where you are. We have tried to keep papaers for our children too, it is an interesting record for them I think.

have Pmd you but in summary yes very good.

baby dropped from 98th to below 25th and was told should take to GP, failure tp thrive etc. Checked with GP friend and the nurse when went to be vaccinated and was told not to taake any notice. On next visit to HV she had just crept over 25th line and was told how lovely she was. I must have looked a bit taken aback as HV said, 'mum you are not worried are you, she's very bonny'. I never was worried as she slept through, was smiley and happy and fine - but they worried me and by crossing a seemingly arbitary line suddenly everything is different. Yoghurt my only high calorie tip - fromage frais type. Mine is nearly 7 months and not keen on solid food really but will wolf down Petit Filous.

Having worked through 3 pregnancies I think I must commute with a better mannered group of commuters as can count on one hand the number of journeys when I was not offered a seat. Often with SPD it was the transition from standing to sitting that crippled me, so I preferered to stand for the short hop from PRye to LBridge, and usually found myself turning down kind offers. Often, although you think you bump is huge, other people genuinely don't notice. I have huge bumps and found travelling while pg gave me new faith in human nature. I have had other standing passengers shouting down the carriage on my behalf when I was in the crowd by the doors on the tube - poor seated people could not even see me but were still being berated. I always stand in profile to the seated passengers on Jubilee line, so the outline of bump was obvious, rather than facing the seated people iyswim. No badge needed. But i think you have to be realistic about what other people will notice - what seems big and important to you may not be so noticable to others - (obviously by 7 months for most it will be obvious)

not qualified as such but do have 3 childrenf and have always been told that i need to have the 8 week check at GPs begore embarking on any exercise regime>

If you have not been to Sunshine House it is worth a trip I'd say. Well designed, with room for buggies etc. We got bus to the stop by the George Canning pub by the Salvation Army, walked down Grove Lane and came back via Camberwell Grove which was beautiful, checking out the lovely houses. I had never been along there before. And the hearing technician was lovely, there's a soft play area and I felt like we had had a nice day out. Never had one for the other children but was no bother at all to take the littley one along.