bee74

my son is going into year one and has already done a year at reception, so I already know the school and he already has experience of it. it is not about the school itself. it is great, on the beach with both beach school and forest school status, but it doesn't mean that they go out and spend time outdoors every day. i just think children are too young at 5/6 to enter formal learning. in italy we wait till 6/7 and in scandinavia they do the same, yet they are the best performing academically.

Mariamadeit T thank you for your post. A couple of questions: how many days a week would you say it became disruptive? I was thinking about keeping him only one day, maybe in the middle so he could have two days at school, two days at home. About me? Partially. I would be very happy for the kids to be away all day if I knew they enjoyed it. My son went to nursery 9-3 every day from age 3 1/2 and I had no problems about it. He was happy, had fun, did a lot of creative stuff... Of course, at school they have things to learn, but it feels too much too soon and he is not as keen to go as he was at nursery. So, no I would not keep me at home just for my own benefit. But to balance the rigour of school with a more relaxed playful and outdoor experience and for him to spend time with his sister as well.

I would not want to home school and I am not in Camberwell anymore, but in Devon. My son school is on the beach and they have beach school and forest status, plus he enjoys the social aspect of it, so I wouldn't want him to be home completely and I would honestly go mental. I would be happy to have him home maybe a day a week, so that there is more balance than 5:2... His headteacher is not keen on it at all as it will compromise the absence ratings.

I am really excited by discovering this http://edyourself.org/articles/flexischooling.php It sounds a balance middle way between home schooling for which I know I would not have enough patience and enthusiasm and school, which makes me uncomfortable as I have to hand over my kids for 6 hours a day 5 days a week. It is apparently really hard to do now that schools have to mark the child as absent as it affects their rating. Do you do it or know anyone who does it? Thank you

have been following this with interest but only for the last few weeks, since our kitchen has become a building site and we need to make decisions about what actually to put in we would like to go with an old fashioned oak worktop, but are aware from our previous kitchen that it requires so much maintenance... yet the alternatives look expensive and there are so many of them i feel a bit lost three of the best? has anyone re-used their previous kitchen units and sanded, primed and painted the doors? how do they look and do they last?! thank you

Some of you might be aware that I now live in ED only every two weeks having moved to a lovely spot in Devon six months ago. Things are going well and I am quite keen for us to work less and less in London and more here so we thought we could build a B&B with a twist: it would cater specifically for families with young children (possibly up to four). So I am asking you, my lovely mums of ED, what would make your stay more pleasant if you chose a week end or week away. The b&b would be at the end of our garden, overlooking a field and a bit of woodland with a stream at the bottom. It is all fenced off, far from the road which is not even a road, but a dead end Lane so that only the cars of the two houses up from us would drive past. The children would have access to the veg patch with an area specifically for them where they can dig and muck about, a climbing frame, tree swing and rope ladder. There would be small garden outside and a deck area for parents to eat/drink after bed time. Inside, there would be a separate bedroom with a cot bed, a bunk bed and a further single as well as a double bed for parents, although the parents would also have the option to sleep in the living area on the sofa bed. Things I thought would come in handy: Baby bath Steriliser Bottle warmer Microwave Spare nappies Spare clothes Wellies Toilet seats Potties Step to sink Toys Colouring things Books DVDs TV Anything else? I thought of offering guests an option to cook their own breakfast when they want to by leaving a hamper of local and handmade goodies as I know how exhausting it can be to either wait till 8 am for breakfast if your kids were up at 5 and also to keep them behaved at someone else's kitchen table. I would offer baby sitting services in the evening. And possibly a welly walk for kids one morning of your stay so if you could get them dressed I would then take them for a short walk with my kids while you snooze on or read in bed (this only after sunrise!) I would also offer one to one yoga for mums (or dads) and relaxing/therapeutic treatments. In terms of accommodation I was thinking of a sort of cabin, but someone suggested a yurt...yes, no? The house is 15 minutes from Lyme Regis and its beach or less to the Jurassic beach of Charmouth (fossil hunting). Both Lyme and nearby Bridport (20 mins) have lots of restaurant, caf?s, art places, independent shops, cinema, theatre, pubs, antiques, etc. Axmisnter is only 10 minutes drive away and is home to Rivercottage HQ and Canteen as well as other places to hang out, a fab Indian take away, galleries, etc. And we are in an area of 'outstanding natural beauty' surrounded by rivers, hills, forests and wonderful walks. So there would be plenty to do. We are 3 1/2 hours drive from ED (less if no traffic). Thank you for reading all this and if you could offer any suggestion or advice, that would be very much appreciated. Thank you all so much, Barbara

We are thinking of introducing some extra classes at my son's primary school and looking at things like gymnastics or choir, during school time. What is the going rate for a teacher to come in? Do you know? Thank you

amazing... where did you get the tile? lovely!

my running is all wrong and I need to see someone...

Alieh, bear in mind you don't need to go all the way to Bristol to come here like Becca suggests. She drove to Exeter, but we are not that far. Take the A303 after the M3 and keep going towards Exeter till the turning for Crewkerne (not Axminster! Not matter what sat nav says). At Crewkerne follow for Lyme Regis... Then call me. Unless anyone has a better route in which case I would also like to know!

My son has just started school and I would like to join the PTA armed with some good suggestions. Does your school do anything you particularly like both in terms of activities (during or after school hours) and of raising funds? Thank you

Does anyone have a fav in terms of worktop beyond quartz? Thanks

Thanks everyone. Katgod: we are not going to the village schools anyway as we discounted it from day one because it has only 35 kids total and also is COe. However, we have attended a couple of events in the village hall and the families are very nice and have had two play dates with the kids who are local but not at the same school. Whether we stay at the current school or we go to the beach school, the other children would be spread out. And I would still have to drive him everywhere. Bus?! Ah, what a joke!

Yes, I have visited the school on my own and got a really good feeling. The reception teacher used to work in London and gave me a sense that she might know how to respond to a very boisterous boy. The whole school looks great and has an amazing playground. The new school has a smaller playground but also a field. I am trying to judge whether my son is happy or not but I think there is so much going on that he can't separate one from the other. One day he tells me he wants to go back to London and now that we are coming back for half term he says he doesn't want to go. Of course, he is settling down slowly at his school but if we make the move, wouldn't it be better to do it now? In two months time he won't even remember the names of his current school friends whereas if we wait longer he will be very settled.

I have been going crazy for a week when I came across a new school which I seem to like more than the school my son is currently in. We have just moved to Devon and my son has only started in January (he wasn't at school before). Five weeks in I have found this school (I didn't know the area at all before and I am just discovering it now...) and I am considering switching him, but it is not an easy decision and I wonder if anyone out there has any advice / suggestion. The issues are these. The current school has great stuff going for it: it is nearer (relatively) being 'only' 9 minutes drive (3.4 miles), it has outstanding ofstead report and my son seems to be settling in ok after this first half of term. It also has an utterly wonderful nursery for my 2 year old where she goes 9-3 twice a week, which is most convenient. On the downside it is a COE school and although they don't seem to drum it in they still have to do assembly in church twice a week and have a day prayer but we are not religious at all. It also has no social space for parents and kids to hang out at the end of the day, which would not bother me in ED but here people drive everywhere, so after drop off and pick up, everyone disappear into their cars and since we already live in an isolated house I feel we don't have much opportunities to socialise and my son has no one to play with unless we organise play dates in advance (nothing spontaneous). The possible new school is much further away - 15 minutes drive (6.6 miles) which would mean I am in the car 1 hour a day just for school and then would still take my daughter to the other school's nursery which is another 17 minutes away twice a week although there is the possibility from when she is three to go somewhere closer. It has a 'needs improving' ofstead report which is clearly not great. Apparently the reasons for this are being addressed by a dynamic new head who has replaced members of stuff, worked closely with the local authority etc, so it seems it could be getting better again (it was outstanding for many years). On the plus side it is next to the beach, literally, and it is applying for 'beach school' status, which is like forest school but for the beach. This means that there is more scope for the pupils to spend time learning outdoors which they already do and also there is that coveted space to socialise (mums have told me that after school they go for walks or picnics or for swims in the summer). This is also because the school is in a much bigger village, more parents walk to school rather than drive. It is also a feeder school to one of the best secondary schools in the area, although I m not sure that we wouldn't get in from our current schools. This school has kindly offered my son to attend a taster day on Friday so he/we can check it out. As well as trying to weigh the pros and cons of the actual schools I am also wondering what an impact the move would have on my son who has already been through so much in the last 6 weeks (new house, new location, new school, old friends gone, no dad at home during the week..) Oh dear. I am having some sleepless nights over this... Any thoughts? Thank you so much

Oh what a million dollar question... I have lived in Boston and like the person rom there I would really recommended it for the same reason. I also lived on the East Coast and it really has it all. I also lived in India but it is not on your list, yet I would personally go back but visas have become a nightmare. Having just moved to Devon from Camberwell, I can say with a certain degree of certainty that next time I move it will be for warmer climes and will probably go back home to the South of Italy because it is just fantastic - sun, sea, food, inexpensive, good quality of life... But again it is not on your list! Good luck.

I guess I am hoping for something that would appeal to both adults and children... thank you

Ah, that's a great project. Much more realistic than the sexualised unhealthy image of womanhood Barbie represents. In the end I have found on eBay a doll of the heroine of MonstersInc Boo. It's cute, flat chested and fun.

I write this from Barbados and I recommend it. My partner used to live here when he was younger and we have been twice with the kids (boy 4, girl almost 2). It's hot, the beaches are wonderful, the locals are friendly, there are other activities like snorkelling, diving, surfing and lots of places to visit like historic buildings and rum factories... It is expensive however, but we normally hire an apartment and do our own cooking (lots of fish which is cheap, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and rice...) We also hire a car privately so that works out cheaper. The island is small and easy to go round. I have travelled with kids to different places like Canaries, India, Gambia, Kenya, etc and this is by far the easiest more relaxing place with them. I hope you find the answer. Whatever you decide, have fun!

Thank you. As a soft doll she uses my son's Steiner doll and grandparents got her something like a Corolle last year.

Ah, thank you. You are right. Maybe I am getting too worried about it. I have no recollections of playing with dolls but I have just asked my mum and she tells me I had Barbie and Ken and a camper van. How funny that I don't remember! But yes, I have got an MSc, an MA, I have travelled the world, I have a professional job that I love and my own property with no joint accounts and my mum always worked and earned her own money and never took my father's surname after marrying him. I hope I will be a good role model. Thanks again.

Minch - the point of my post is precisely that I don't want to discourage either of my children to play with what they like while also wanting them not to fall into an unhealthy gender specific stereotypes hence they both have access to cars, dolls, building blocks etc. I have always and hope I will always treat them as equals. And my daughter has a go, despite being 3 years younger, at whatever her older brother does. Thank you EmylyPie. Sounds perfect. I have recently watched an interesting presentation by Geena Davies on the lack of girls heroes in children cartoons. You might be interested in watching it.

Hello. We have been on holiday for a couple of weeks and my almost two year old girl has been coveting some girls' a Barbie dolls. I am not keen at all to get her one and wonder if there are alternatives or even a Barbie Doll with a difference with some sort of cool outfit that is interesting and not pink... I gave my son a Steiner doll when he was little and he was never interested. The girl very much is and she also has a very plain non gender specific baby doll. She plays with cars and animals and blocks too, but she seems so interested and engaged when playing with dolls that I don't want to discourage her. Yet I don't even want to end up with a house where boys play with certain toys and girls with others. Any advice?

I have a very similar policy to alieh so my son has asked father Xmas for the walking talking dinosaur after coveting alieh's one for a year and I luckily found one in Sainsburys. Then he is getting a new bike from us because he needs a bigger one. Plus I go to car boots and buy little things like cars or animals... And place them in jars as advent calendar. Finally, there are always some books and crafty/arty things from grandparents which I choose (!). But I love Playmobil and debating whether to give the little one the camper van it bought rapt a car boot about 2 years ago! She will be two on 21st Dec... Btw there are so many presents not because we are very generous but because they both have birthdays so close to Christams.

A week away alone...