dillydale

Can anyone recommend a good babysitter...happy with ?6 hour...for South Dulwich area (we live close to Sydenham Hill train station).

My eldest (4.5 year old) is a mega picky eater...and always has been since he was weaned. I beat myself up about it for years. He was also at a childminder from he was 9 months old...and she couldn't do anything with him either. My 2nd child (who is 16 months old), eats everything and anything. And I haven't done anything differently with either of them. I love the comment from Fuschia about the microcosm of parenting...it's so true, people are getting obsessed with things like this. I have friends that have told me the only reason my 2nd child eats better is because I am more relaxed about it 2nd time round. This is a load of crap (basically). If anything, I had way more reason to be anxious about the 2nd child as he has a health issue and I watched him v carefully. Truth is (and purely from my own experience..i can't speak for others), i think our children are who they are. Some are good eaters, some are bad. Some are good sleepers, some are bad. On the upside, my eldest child now eats a whole range of stuff that he wouldn't do before. He's still a scrawny wee thing, but he eats relatively well now. To sum up, I think if they're hungry they will eat. Healthy Ssnacks are a good idea if you can't get them to eat with you at mealtimes. Eventuallly your child will come round to eating better as time goes on. For the record, none of the gadgets worked for me. I have the smiley face plate, all sorts of utensils, the lot. Just didn't work for me. What I did notice though (when he was about 3 yr old), he was eating things at friends houses that he wouldn't normally eat for me. I realised that some of his issues were a psychological thing with food...and moreso, where i was involved...almost like he had one over on me. That is basically about the same time I started relaxing about it all. hope this helps ...I feel your pain.

Cora Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If you are free this afternoon some of the parents > are gardening in the school's wildlife garden > opposite the school. Your son could run around > while you ask all the questions you like. They > will be more than happy to see you. It's a great > school, I have two son's there, in Reception and > year two. Feel free to pm any other questions. Is > the P4 any good for you? That goes close to the > school. Many thanks, might pop up. Thanks again

sillywoman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Isn't > Elliot Bank closer to you? > Yes, Eliot bank is much closer....(but we're on a Waiting List for that one...currently No. 14). So we're having to think seriously about the possibility of him going to Bessemer...time is ticking on.

Out of curiosity, what's your first choice? Yes, it's a long way to travel for a primary school (I had grand ideas of being able to walk my child to primary school...but i guess that's a luxury in London). We live in a weird spot for schools round here...we're not in any decent cachments at all. I guess it's because everyone must send their kids to private school round here. But not us...we're just normal run-of-the-mill people, just wanted a decent school within a reasonable distance. Wasn't to be. There's an open day at Bessemer on Tues (next week). i guess I'll find out more then. Was just hoping to get some insights before then.

close to Sydenham Hill station + St Stephens Church

OUr son has been offered a place at Bessemer Grange School...a school we know nothing about. We didn't get any schools in our list of 6 choices (we currently live in South Dulwich) and Bessemer was offered to us. As it was offered to us (and it wasn't on our list), it made me wonder whether it was an undersubscribed school? Does anyone have any experience of this school. The ofsted report says it's "Good". Can anyone offer any help or guidance? Perhaps your child goes there...do they like it? Are you happy with it? Anyone any ideas why it might be undersubscribed this year? any help would be greatly appreciated.