damzel

Sounds like I should still encourage the earlier night then - phew! She goes up to bed about 7:30pm and reads until lights out at 8pm, she never gets out of bed, but recently is still struggling to get to sleep at 8.30 - 9pm. I usually let her read for a bit and then she slips off to sleep very easily, but not over the last week. Still shouting down the stairs "mum, mum, muuuuum, what shall I doooooo, I can't sleeeeeeeep". yawn

My daughter has always been a good sleeper but I remember a year or so ago, the transition from 7pm bedtime to 8pm was harder for me than her - took me a while to realise she didn't need as much sleep anymore. Now I think we're in the transition from 8pm to 9pm. I really hope not as we go to bed around 10.30pm so our own time is shrinking (how will we get enough time for our Sky+ series links??) During the week she has to be up by 7am but we all lay in at the weekends to catch up. So is 10 hrs sleep for a 6yo (with extra catch-up at weekends) the norm? Are 11hr sleeps a thing of the past?

I do get you 281102 although I don't think Benhill will work for me. Thanks for letting me know where Wells becomes 2-way - looks like I can go via Coleman Road to meet it a bit further up. Great.

worldwiser has given me great ideas for a new route in but does anyone know if you can cycle north on Wells Road? It's off of Southampton Way en-route to Burgess Park. Looking at Google street view, it looks like it's one-way southbound but the image is 2 years old

I have 6yo daughter and contract in IT the City (although same contract for 14 years) I work 26hrs over 4 days, starting at 8am but varying finish times which enables 3 school pickups and 1 drop off a week - just enough to keep in direct contact with the school, teacher and other mums/carers, which I feel is very important. My partner drops daughter at breakfast club on my working days, so he gets to his desk by 9am. She is picked up by my child minder 2 days a week. I feel I am lucky enough to have the perfect balance between work/home life. I love my job - it's very stimulating and challenging and I thrive working as part of a team. Fortunately, my boss is very accommodating and allows flexibility when I need it. Friday's is my day off but is spent doing "house-stuff". I only have one child but don't think I could manage the home if I worked full time. Too stressful!

Try Zara and Warehouse edited to add - don't dress for your age, dress for your figure, which for you Pickle, means you can dress in what you like!

My 5yo loves Silly Sentences which is great because she is generally a reluctant reader. Also picture dominoes and Guess Who keep coming out of the games cupboard. We've bought Kids Charades for Christmas so we'll see how that goes, although I think the head bands might have been a better idea.

So this explains the repeat prescription fiasco that Boots had on my behalf last week then, and me not being able to get through on the phone on Friday. I won't bore you with the details, just adding to the list.

landlover - I'm on your stretch too and have often wondered about neighbourhood watch - not sure what's involved though. I'm definitely up for joining though so would be interested in whatever you find out. Sorry that you and your family had such an awful experience but thank you for sharing - I've been much more conscious of security since you posted.

So happy that you posted that - hilarious!

There is not enough room to walk whilst pushing your bike through those chicanes! Safest/easiest/quickest way is to cycle slowly and give pedestrians priority

Thanks for the replies. Norfolkvillas - I already have the free trial details, thanks. I just don't like signing up for "free for a month" stuff without researching first. Teach your Monster looks good - I'll give that a go - thanks

Does anyone have any experience of http://readingeggs.co.uk? I'm looking for something fun to motivate my 5yo with her reading/writing

I don't agree at all. My 5yo still gets it everywhere if it's not solid and it results in UTIs as it sits where it shouldn't all day. Boys are not so much of a problem but it is hard for a little girl with not so long arms, to reach around the back so it's incredibly difficult to go front-to-back from the front (if you see what I mean). What's not "health and safety" about rubber gloves that nurseries usually use? Although having said that, if this is a school "nursery" i.e. your 15 free hours in an actual school - then as they are teachers and not nursery staff, it is different. After starting my little girl in the school nursery at about the same age, after one week we decided that she would be better in a normal nursery, due to her not being completely ready with regards to toileting and cleaning herself. It was too stressful for all concerned.

Lots of people picking them on the Surrey Canal Path

I think swapping classes might cause a bigger issue, if she's the only one who swaps. She does have friends in her class but she often seems to be the 3rd wheel, sometimes with one of them pushing her out. Although, I am getting this from what she tells me (and a couple of witnessed incidencies), which is difficult to really understand from a 5yo. I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see what really happens. I'm new to this school stuff and I would never have considered contacting the head directly, not sure I'd be be comfortable doing that either since I've never even met him. Anyway, I've high-jacked this thread so will leave it there for now. Thanks

Bornagain, you've highlighted my worry completely there. My daughter hasn't really made any stong connections in her reception class and I get the impression that she feels a bit left out sometimes. It's terribly sad to see her going from a very friendly and confident pre-schooler to a bit of a loner. A shake up for Y1 might well do the trick. I've no idea if her school does it though. Which schools do?

Brilliant BB, thanks. They are called Merry Go Round and I just rang them. They sell your items for 40% commission

Maybe it was online - could you deliver the clothes personally? If so, then yes that's probably it. I can't find Green-buttons though - the website no longer works.

I seem to remember a shop in Honor Oak or Nunhead that will sell your good quality label childrens clothes for a commission. Does anyone know the name?

You put me on a mission to research this again and just found these which look like they might do the job http://www.vertbaudet.co.uk/girls-pack-of-3-shorties-purple-light-solid.htm?ProductId=700210018&FiltreCouleur=6749&t=6

I have been trying to resolve this one for years! Sainsbury's occasionally have legging type shorts (half way down thigh) which work well but they don't sell them very often. I've found that Next pants have wider gusset so are less inclined to move inappropriately. I've often considered starting a line of proper short type pants for little girls as I think there is a major gap in the market. (The "shorts" style pants that are sold have a seam down the centre which makes the probelm even worse imo) I'll be watching this post with interest!

I'm in. Loved it last year even if it was a bit rainy

Whilst their appointment system leaves me cold, I have always found the receptionists extremely helpful and accommodating. I recently wanted to make a non-urgent appt for a particular day of the week and their diary hadn't been opened up far enough to schedule it. The receptionist made a note of my request and called me the day the diary was extended, so I didn't miss the slot.

There's one of those little ones at the LL end of Landells Road near where the bins are. Very clever shadows too