Devonlass15

Really need to send message but a message is coming up to contact administrators regarding IP address issues! Could you let me know what the prob is, thanks!

Thanks for all the advice, will check out those places tomorrow and see which is best value for money. And will make sure any previous damage is confirmed before going any where!

We're off for a long weekend over Easter and need to hire a car. Has any one had any experience of local car hire at a reasonable price? I've found a lot of the companies are extortionate and you end up paying for scratches which were there before you drove the car! Any good suggestions would be really appreciated, thanks :)

It's so awful when this happens! Now it's just a boring old wall again :(

I'm always in Yumi stuff, I find it affordable and a bit unique as I tend to feel a bit 'mumsy' when I put on clothes from Whitestuff etc, so I'd really recommend it Pickle. Also rate Vero Moda, Gap and really love Mabel in ED. I'm 39 too and I'm still swapping clothes with my teenage daughter! Not her midriff length tops though :)

Can make this date so will be there with my son. Looking forward to meeting you all!

Just had a look on Sport relief website and apparently the nearest place to take part in the run on 25th March is Lewisham. I'm pretty sure they normally do one near Dulwich, has any one got any info as interested in taking part? Also interested in whether any one is training for it, as I'm out of practice and could do with some enthusiastic running companions to keep me motivated!! Thanks.

It's a really good idea as we suffer from the same problem and always end up at the same parks time and time again. The only prob I had with the site is how do you see whether each park listed has the dedicated parking, cafe etc' which you have on the key?

Ok, may be it was just one or two times after a Millwall match against Crystal palace (pretty sure it was that match but my football facts are pretty foggy!) that the fans were in there going a bit crazy. Any way, I don't mean to insinuate that all Millwall fans are like that, it was just this particular lot...phew, scared about offending any one on this site now!!

I can't believe there is even a thread of this title on the Ed Forum, how ridiculous. I don't normally post but having read this I am quietly fuming! In defense of mothers and fathers (yes, I am one, as are a majority of adults in the british population) of course people will get defensive if you make huge sweeping statements about their ability to be good parents! It's insulting and very ignorant to assume that people having a relaxed drink are mistreating their children. East Dulwich has always been very much a family area. I have lived here for many years and to be honest, ten years ago if you walked into 'The Foresters' there were normally a load of Millwall fans jumping around on the tables, so I know which people I'd rather see in the pub when I meet up with my friends for a drink. There seems to be a growing resentment towards families moving into the area and alot of snide remarks about pushchairs and the patronizing use of the phrase 'yummy mummy's'. Would you prefer it to have the crime rate it had fifteen years ago or for there to be lots of children growing up here and a much safer feel to the area? Please can we let people go about their own business and do things the way they feel is right without the constant and needless criticism of parents, surely there are more worthy reasons to have a good winge??

So parents with children aren't allowed to shop either? What a miserable lot you are...

I tend to think that if a dog is running around without a lead, especially near children's play areas or near the duck pond then it must be friendly, other wise owners would surely be stricter about it bounding up to children etc? For people who don't have gardens, and there are alot of us unfortunately, the park is pretty much the only place we can allow our kids to go wild and get some exercise, so although I agree that parents need to be very aware of their child's safety I don't think we should be encouraged to keep them under control at all times! It's good for them to have some freedom and fun. It's up to both dog owners and parents to act responsibly with out blaming eachother. The only subject I get really enraged about is dog poo, I've lost count of the time both my kids have got covered in it during the school run (nightmare, have to go home and get them changed!)or my little toddler has wiped it all over me when I pick him up, nice! But what can you do? From what I can see it's the minority of dog owners who allow it any way.

Could she just be tired out from starting school and needing to rest a bit during the hols? My five year old nephew has been shattered since he began school and has really needed some time at home this summer. It's alot for them to take in and get used to. It's all pretty non-stop on a school day!

Hi there, We are off to Devon this weekend and are hoping to be able to fit in some walking in the countryside - pretty hard to do with a push chair! Does any one have one of those backpack type baby carriers that is sitting around not in use much which I could either borrow for the week or buy if you'd like to get rid of it? I'd really appreciate it as I'm not going to have the chance to buy one before the weekend and I really want to get out and about with the tot and not be limited to footpaths. He is 16 months now and weighs 22 pounds, think you can carry on using the back carriers until quite old? Many thanks, Elly

Fuschia, where is Bew court? Sounds exactly the sort of thing Evs would love to go to - he's crazy about acoustic guitars :)

I see lots of younger children there who have come along with older siblings and they seem happy playing on the balancing beams or swinging on the tyres (with mum and dad's assistance!) I often take my little 1 year old son there with my 8 year old daughter and we sit on a blanket in the sun with toys while she plays on the ropes, he loves watching the other kids. It's all very laid back there and a good way to spend a free afternoon :)

I think any one who makes that kind of comment and compares using reins to having a dog on a lead is definitely not a parent! We all have experience of that dreaded time they hit 3 or 4 and decide that running towards a main road with you chasing them and screaming is a great game and is worth repeating every day! Yes, I agree with Helen, it doesn't matter what people think, it's what is right for you and your children. Strangers always find something to moan about! whether it's not putting enough layers on your kids or putting them in 'reins'.

The reason that there are lollipop men standing at pedestrian crossings (I'm speaking as a parent of two small children) is because so many drivers during rush hour and other times ignore the crossings and speed through them. It out rages me that people worry more about getting to work on time than the risk of possibly knocking a child over and I'm relieved the Lollipop men are there to stop idiots who don't bother looking properly. I should point out there are also lots of good drivers who stop when we're crossing, it's the minority who are bad but it only takes one bit of carelessness, I've seen a few very near misses recently involving little kids and it wasn't their fault.

Hi Saila, I really recommend the Tesco's 'From bottle to cup'. It is shaped the same as a bottle so it is still very familiar to them and is a good transition. I started my little boy on it and he has used it straight away after struggling with a few other brands. It's really cheap and seems the best I've tried so far and it doesn't spill every where either which is great as he flings it all over the place! The only prob is you can't microwave it for more than a min but that's fine if you're no longer sterilising. Elly

Thank you nunheadmum, have arranged a free trial day for her with freedom academy after you mentioned it! It sounds perfect :-)

Hi every one, I have an eight year old daughter who is constantly singing and acting so thought she would probably love to go to a local drama class. Was thinking of something smaller than 'Perform' where she can just have some fun. Does any one know of any around East Dulwich/Peckham/Nunhead please?

It used to really annoy me when I was heavily pregnant! I remember one time the bus driver was driving like an idiot on the 484 and I was falling all over the place when he went round the corners and everyone just ignored me, it's a horrible feeling. You do feel quite vulnerable at that stage of pregnancy, and having people pushing past you and ramming their heavy bags into you is not nice! I know I sound like my Grandma, but where are peoples manners!

I strongly advise you to go and get acupuncture at The Grove vale practice. They do a specific session for going over due. I did that and then ate loads of fresh pineapple and went into labour that evening! It definitely worked! Elly

There is also a Beavers club and Scouts club at the Rye Hill community hall every Monday evening (starts at 5.00 pm) which my daughter attended for some time and really enjoyed. I think the only difference between scouts and Brownies is that the scouts are both boys and girls? An ex- head mistress runs it who is great! Elly

I'm a little confused by people saying they no longer receive home visits with the Oakwood midwives? I always have received home visits and had one last week and am expecting another in 3 weeks. I think it may only be if you are in the earlier weeks of pregnancy that they are asking you to visit the surgery, I am now in my last Trimester and they have always made the effort to come to see me. Elly