jennyh

Went to the Horniman today and was really disappointed with the Santa. My daughter is nearly 3 and can be a bit shy but had geared herself up to saying her name and how old she was and worked out what she would like etc. we went in there full of confidence but he didnt engage her or her friend at all! He briefly asked them what they wanted before going on some bizarre monologue about pop music and how he is going on tour with Jessie j and how Robbie Williams is desperate to make some money. It was really strange. There was nothing about being a good girl etc. complete waste of money in my opinion.

Agree with foil containers. When I was on mat leave with my first I did a load of cooking and froze in varying sized portions. Then whacked them straight in the oven once defrosted, made pie fillings etc and then just added mash top etc.

I've not been through it so no advice but just wanted to say how much I admire people who so suffer. As someone who hasn't had morning sickness I have a lot of respect for those who do, I don't know how you manage to function through a day so if you're worried about what people think, try not to. They prob feel for you, I know I do!

Just to say I was in there on Thursday for daughters flu spray. 2 people in the waiting room, a couple of people in the office doing psperwork and one receptionist who was chatting to a man who was doing something with prescriptions. They weren't talking about work...was general life chitchat. No-one had a phone to their ear once. I asked my husband to try and call in just as a test which he did...yep, was still 6 on the queue. So staffing has to be an issue but I feel there has to be more to it as there appeared to be no efforts to even answer a call despite the presence of staff so i can only presume theyve been instructed to leave the phones in favour of other jobs. The thing that also shocked me was the huge sign out the front saying they are registering new patients which I find astonishing. Was gobsmacked. Having said that the nurse we saw was absolutely fantastic so want to spread that little bit of positive opinion!

I will definitely call and complain too. No point in voicing a complaint on here if you can easily tell someone who can also affect change. I think everyone's experiences sounds quite shocking and even if it is a particularly poor situation at the moment it would be good to see some recognition and hopefully improvement.

I tried calling at different times of the day and it didnt make any difference. I am sympathetic to a point and if they are short staffed then of course that's understandable, but yes would be good to record a message to let people know. If you have to speak to them then there isn't much choice to hang up and try again, just a shame there is no better way of easing the pressure, it can't be nice to work there when everyone is getting annoyed with you either! Maybe an online system I check appointments would be useful.

Sadly we couldn't go in this time but I agree it is prob best. The annoying this is that it was actually to enquire about whether an appointment had been made as I got cut off at the vital time of booking it last week! I did wonder if it was a fault as I don't see how you can spend 20 mins on the phone! Although I guess if they have to look after reception and the phone then phone calls might take a backseat.

Hate a Dulwich medical centre moan but took me an hour to get through last week, going from number 7 to getting answered. Taken my husband nearly 2 hours to go from number 7 to number 1. How is this possible?? Surely it's a fault, I know it's a bad practice but that is insane. They never even have appointments so once you get through why is it taking so long to deal with the call. So frustrating. Before anyone asks...I will be moving surgeries ASAP but have my midwifery care there so for now I have to put up with it and whinge instead!

Cool! My toddler is at nursery on tues, weds and Fridays so anything for Mondays or thurs welcome too! Thank you everyone.

Thanks everyone! So far all is good but it's only been a week! We're just off Perry Vale so a little walk from the station and high street but still trying to get my head around the local stuff. the neighbourhood seems so friendly, all the neighbours have been very welcoming and even brought over candles during a recent power cut. The house nextdoor to us is up for sale so hoping for some more nice people to join the road! Will be checking out swimming tomorrow and then will google all the other recommendations. Although Horniman has long been a regular of ours and I agree it's a great place on the doorstep. In the meantime we are ok Dulwich every day pretty much and will definitely find the family room useful for the foreseeable future as it has been for the last 3 years! The baby club sounds great, upto our eyeballs in unpacking and handling a tricky toddler at the moment so prob can't make it tomorrow but I'm hoping to be on mat leave from next weds so will get in touch and see if any more meetings are planned.

Like many east Dulwich forum users I have just moved out of the area but still use the forum...albeit only down the road in forest hill. I imagine that I will still be in Dulwich very regularly as my daughter still goes to nursery there and friends are there but looking for some recommendations for good places that are a bit more local. I have a daughter turning 3 in February and a baby due at Christmas. Looking for any forest hill or honor oak based classes on Mondays or Thursdays or anything good for newborns/little babies from January any day of the week. Keen to check out the swimming pool and I think there is a good library? If anyone can point out the cafes that are good for a quick bite to eat with toddlers and parks (other than mayow) that would be very helpful! Very excited about being part of the area but just trying to find out where things are!

Moving house and forgot about the cats! I have one box but two cats...if anyone can lend me any kind of transporter for a couple of hours I would be very grateful! Thanks

Just read up on it a bit and thank you for opinions! I'm not at all anti vaccine, just had no idea that it was an option. I've recently had it as I'm pregnant so I'm up for reducing the spread. The nasal spray thing is going to be hard as she is very sensitive and will find that quite stressful, obviously less so than a needle but I have a feeling it isn't going to be quite as easy as I would hope!

Hi I've been sent a text by DMC saying that my daughter is entitled to a flu vaccine and inviting us to a walk in clinic. She will be 3 in February. Just wondering if anyone else had this and what your take on it was...I have to admit I had never considered giving her the vaccine and didnt see it as necessary but as they've offered it I am not sure whether to give it??? Thanks

Friend of mine had her second a couple of weeks ago, woke at 3am with no signs, at 4am had first contraction, baby arrived in maternity assessment unit at 5!! Her first labour wasn't great so there is def hope! I'm due at Christmas so keeping my fingers crossed too!

Thanks everyone. Have tried to nap with her, have tried to tell her I'm napping too, tried giving her lots of freedom etc but no joy. The car is a tricky one, if we get the timing right she might drop off after 20 mins or so, sometimes an hour into a journey, sometimes never! Yesterday worked like a dream, we were planning on going to Brighton after lunch so took her to the park for the morning, let her have a carb heavy lunch with no sugars/fruit and then left. She sang for ages, messed around and finally dropped off very reluctantly but had a good 1hr 15. I've tried walking her around in the pushchair for hours but she will just mess about and I just give up. I was wondering whether we start giving her a bottle of milk in bed because that is the way she goes to sleep at night (please don't shoot me for the cavity situation and the bottle in bed - alternative is a toddler who won't stay in bed and undresses herself). Don't want to give her milk as she doesn't need it and I know eventually she will probably refuse much lunch knowing that she will get milk. Urgh I don't know. It's not a killer but its just not good for her and i would like to help her feel rested and happy as possible! Oh and I would LOVE a nap too...can you imagine!??

Hi all Please help! My daughter is 32 months and for the past few months she hasn't napped at home in the day. She naps at nursery 3 days a week (mon-weds) but then nothing for the rest of the week. At first it worked well because it meant she would go to bed easily at 7pm when previously napping meant being up and difficult until 9pm ish. The issue is that every day she tells me how tired she is, she says she wants a nap, she practically falls asleep all through the morning. However no matter what I do I cannot encourage her to nap and its worrying me that it's no good for her. Sometimes she will sleep around 10-11 hours at night with a few wakings, other nights she wakes quite a lot and so may only get 9 hours or so which is just not enough across the 24 hours. Sometimes mealtime are hard as she is exhausted, similarly behaviour and tantrums get unbearable by about 3pm. Similarly trying to take her to do any sort of activity after 3pm is impossible as her temperament is so changeable and everything becomes very laboured! Has anyone had any luck reinstating a nap after so long not having one?? I've tried suggesting 'quiet time' and not enforcing darkness end, tried letting her chill on the sofa in front of tv, tried pushchair naps, tried before and after lunch, books, sleeping on a mat on the floor (as per nursery), going in the car. She just fights the urge to drop off or relax, she could be dead on her feet but would still rouse a little energy to act up and refuse to calm. I guess I just feel we are caught between the pros and cons or napping/not napping and it doesn't feel natural for her to not sleep as she is often red eyed, rubs her eyes etc and goes on and on about how tired she is! Not sure what I'm looking for...hand holding???? I have a baby due at Christmas and have gone through the entire pregnancy without her having a nap and can't say I relish the prospect of a newborn and a toddler who is still styling like this. She's a lovely little girl but my word does she test my patience!! Especially when she taunts me by saying she would like to sleep!!! :-) Apologies for typos... On iPhone! Thanks!

Similar story, my daughter is just over 2.5 and she has increasingly been saying she doesn't like nursery and doesn't want to go. I have put it down to...age (seems to happen to lots around now) moving to a new room and key worker and also some anticipation about new baby coming at the end of the year. I've had real wobbles about it as it does make you much more aware of how little you know about when they're there. I was worried that my girl was finding it hard to interact with the older children in her room as it is a big change, but actually I've seen her playing and she's fine. I spoke to the nursery and they've been pod at reassuring me saying the 'I don't want to go' it just for my benefit and she's happy as anything when I've gone. This has been backed up my other parents who have seen her when I've not been there. I do think a lot of it is age. We tend to tell her when its a nursery day and explain that she will stay at home on 'this' day and plan out what we will do so she looks forward to it. We make a big fuss about her choosing her nursery clothes and helpin pack her bag, lots of 'oooh X will think that's really pretty' etc. lots of healthy snacks to get her there as she's also hungry which adds to the drop off angst. I have all this to come as I will be on mat leave soon and I am sure I will feel just as guilty when I'm at home with the baby. I do feel for you, lots of sympathy if no useful advice!

We have a cat who has bad anxiety and it came from being bullied by the neighbours cat. We've not been able to do much about that and she goes through periods of weeing in the flat rather than the tray. We found that because she was scared she was holding in her wee a lot and getting cystitis which then contributed to her weeing all over the place. She also developed a habit of over grooming which needed treatment. I would say get him checked for a urine infection and also make sure the litter is always clean as that helps. Also perhaps get some feliway which pumps out happy hormones and can help to calm an anxious cat. I do sympathise, it's not nice when your pet displays signs of stress as it really impacts their behaviour a lot.

Yes I was a bit taken aback too! They def said it was booked with the nurse and that it was the next available appointment. I will keep trying to call for cancellation but because I work it's a bit tricky to sit on the phone for hours trying to get through :-)

Hello Massive apologies if this has been done to death already but I am at work and haven't time to search just yet. At 28 weeks my midwife mentioned I should book in for these jabs and have just called DMC who cannot see me until the 4th November. I will prob wait until then for the whooping cough (or try and call for a cancellation before) but think it would be wise to get the flu jab done before as I know it is easier to get, am I right in thinking pharmacies and supermarkets do it? Come November I will prob be full of cough, cold and illness so don't really want to take the risk of having to cancel after my toddler brings home every single lurgy from nursery and I can't get them done! Thanks in advance.

Oh feel your pain, my calves look black with thread veins, I just presumed its one of those things that can't be helped but if you find tips I will try!

All very interesting and valid points. Re the link to the savethekidsgroup site...it is something different, the labels on the collections boxes were very different, logo was different so I can only presume a different 'charity'.

I feel cheated! I knew that something wasn't right but wasn't really thinking as I often drop my loose change into boxes and everyone else seemed to be ignoring them. I didn't see the other threads, wish I had. I always like to try and give some change and eye contact to genuine collectors as it seems like a thankless job sometimes but I will be more wary now. I am a regular charity giver in addition to one off bigger donations for disasters and appeals etc but always think hard about which I want to give to...must remember to apply the same to people collecting on the street! Thanks everyone.

Hey Two guys collecting for save the kids...not sure if I've just given money to a registered charity! No real reason to doubt them but I didn't take the time to look to see if they had badges and the collection boxes did look a bit homemade, does anyone know about this charity? Googled them but can't see anything that seems to fit the logo and name I saw. Only gave a pound or so not going to break the bank but I realised how little notice I take when handing out to charity! Anyone know of this charity?