minder

Yes it's at the Children's Centre - I've seen lots of posters around. Sunray Gardens is a park 5 minutes walk from the school.

In between I would just use Vaseline.

I've been there twice this week and the playground was open, although around the park (near the duck pond and tennis area) there was a lot of empty bottles and lots of broken glass around,especially near the benches. Maybe this was classed as vandalism, but it makes me mad as I have to direct the toddlers every now and again! Unfortunately, once the the weather gets a bit warmer you get everyone coming out and just leaving all their rubbish behind! You don't see them when it's cold or just mild. I feel sorry for the lone Southwark guy who goes round Sunray every day picking up all the rubbish.

Also, I know it's hard when your children are young and I wish I'd know this then, but don't go by the centile scales so much. My eldest (now 19) was born 4.5 weeks early. He is now 6 foot 2 inches!

The act of getting taller probably uses a lot more energy so that's why your daughter doesn't put on any extra weight. Wait until they get to their lanky teenage years!

I will be thinking of Charlotte and her family today.

Nunheadmum - to learn letters and basic reading at nursery is quite exceptional. Well done to you for the input to your daughter's learning. I worked in a Reception class a few years ago and could tell the ones (maybe a quarter of the class that had this input) but to be fair most Reception age children should be learning through play anyway. Some didn't know basic things like colours, numbers, nursery rhymes, but still picked up once given the opportunity. Would agree with Chantelle that only the basics are known i.e. a couple of letters or their name. If they can pick up and cope with more then that's good. The school can then build on this in their own way. All the children should catch up by age 5/6 and will be on an even keel to start the learning in Year 1.

Shame that Ofsted don't proof-read their reports before publishing them! I had to correct a few on my latest one - this one has a lot of spelling and grammatical errors that doesn't project a good image for the nursery e.g. "fist" for "first aid".

You "want to find a nursery as good as our childminder has been" Then why move him/her? How old? Type in Cherry Tree Montessori on google.

Yea, sorry it's the 4th July, but you know what I mean! Getting my dates mixed up!

I've been coming along to your morning 9.30-12.30 Friday sessions since November. Another morning session on a Wednesday would be good. My mindees all sleep 1pm-3pm and school pickups are this time so detours are not a good idea. I use groups on-going in summer/winter so the weather isn't an issue.

Yes, Languagelounger, I wouldn't have know that 14th July is the French national day. I suppose we just associate it with American Independence Day! Oh well, good to know the French government are paying for the party on the 17th! Why should we in these times of recession?

Seems strange to me that the UN have chosen March 17th to celebrate a French language day, when March 17th is St Patrick's Day! I'm sure there will be a lot of St Patrick's Day celebrations going on all over London rather than something French.

Crescent - the NCT sale at St Faith's (Red Post Hill, North Dulwich, not Dulwich Village) is on from 11am-1pm this Saturday 3rd. They have a poster outside which I pass most days. Every time the NCT has a sale here the queue goes back for miles, so if you are at back of queue it might take some time to get in! They can only let so many in. Saying that, I agree with cathh about overpricing, but I think the entrance fee is a bit steep too.

Would agree with Saffron about the growth spurt, especially if your baby has been walking for 2 weeks and waking at 4am for 2 weeks. I had everything you describe as per feeding during the day/milk with one of my children (he's now 19 and 6ft 2" and still eats me out of house and home even though he's sports mad) and it lasted for more than 6 weeks I'm afraid. I had the health visitor involved and kept daily/night diaries but if he needed a feed then at that moment in time that's what you go with. Does he go back to sleep after a feed at 4am? If he does, you are lucky

Setting up a Spanish toddler group sounds like a good idea for all you Mums and Dads - as long as it does not exclude anyone from another nationality, as I was excluded from a group a few years ago (not Spanish by the way).

I'm a childminder in the area (they don't know me) and can only recommend JAM by what I see in my local play area after school. The children in their care seem well looked after, happy with their carers and have use of good facilities. I use the JAM hall twice a week for the children I look after and they are lucky that it's clean and spacious.

Ole - how old is your child? Maybe it's the 2 day a week thing. You say that on the other days you have a great time together. Sometimes it takes a while for young children to settle into another environment. Then again, I have yet to see a child NOT display this sort of behaviour on collection time by their parent, even though they have had a fantastic day with their carer/nursery. It's all about transition stages.

Bottle.

Try it one Monday and see what you think - it's suitable for a 1 year old and 3 year old.

There's hundred of them as you walk around Dulwich Park.

Oh yes, sorry forgot about the No. 3 bus - it's only 5 minutes walk from the bus stop near West Dulwich train station to DCPS. I've had experience of the No. 3 bus for the past 35 years and it hasn't changed - it's very poor.

It's up to the nursery and/or childminder whether they accept the 15 hours of nursery time - as usual the guidelines are difficult to understand and some nurseries/childminders lose out or have to fill out a lot more paperwork.

The P4 and P13 are the only buses that go anywhere near.

Just like a nursery, childminders have to incorporate the EYFS into their setting, so whether it's becoming a childminder or setting up a nursery that part is the same. It's whether you want to take on more children, as Curmudgeon says, but then you would have to employ an assistant. I don't think you would have any problems attracting parents as childcare is something that's always needed.