minder

Please remember little Charlotte as I know I have been for the past week. My daughter is in the same year at The Charter so it's so heartbreaking. Our thoughts are with her parents, family, friends at this time.

I would accept the place. As previous poster said it's only usually 2 and a half hours in the morning/afternoon so not too long a day. My three all went to the local state school nursery at around 3/3 and a half and it really helped prepare them for reception class. If you decide to go somewhere else for 3 full days will you end up paying? At least Heber is free!

My brother-in-law was caught up in the traffic earlier and this is also what he heard from another bus driver -. my heart goes out to her family.

I think too many choices/negotiating for a child that young is confusing. Also I wouldn't "warn" him of what is going to happen e.g. leaving somewhere he is enjoying a full 5 minutes before because 5 minutes to a toddler is a long time. Just do it. Get yourself ready and then child last e.g. shoes/coat on. An adult has to make the decisions sometimes for safety and sanity sake. They will still love you the next day. Also, I would never have dreamt of asking my toddlers what they wanted to wear, especially the night before or do you want the red top or the blue top. They just wore what I put on them! and I never had any problems.

My daughter began orthodontic treatment in September 09 as she had always had a gap between her two top front teeth and an overbite due to having a dummy when a baby. She never had any feeding problems but when in reception class she was referred to a speech therapist as she had a slight lisp. She only went twice and was then discharged as the speech therapist said it wasn't a problem and we only noticed it now and again. Daughter had her brace fitted in the September and then orthodontist told me she would need removal of a piece of skin between her teeth as there might be problems with closing her gap. I remember taking her to King's Dental Institute and was led into a room with two students and a Mr R Bentley who pointed out what would happen. He pointed to the piece of skin in the middle of daughters top teeth on her gum and said this would be removed by laser. He didn't point to the frenulum then. Six weeks later my husband took her for the procedure and when she came home I was a bit shocked to see what had been done and on the consent form my husband signed it said "removal of labial frenum with laser". I had a few sleepless nights about whether the wrong piece of skin had been taken away and even orthodontist was very vague about it saying "it must be the way they do it now". Daughter was very sore for a week or so but now it doesn't really look any different. She is still wearing retainers at night for the next six months and orthodontist said the gap will not close completely.

The SLP have merely reported on something that should be of interest to the local community. Can't see how they gave a misleading impression. That's what our local papers are for.

BB100 - just curious as to why did the Head of Kingsdale went off to Lewisham when he couldn't fill his school with the locals? Why didn't he stay in Southwark? Probably because Lewisham is served by the P4 bus route which is still a good 10-15 minute walk to Kingsdale from the nearest P4 drop off at the South Circular. Then again I think there's another bus which stops near the South Circular, which comes from the East Dulwich area. The trouble really with Kingsdale is that it is not easy to get to on public transport. Kingsdale is really isolated at the top end of the borough of Southwark.

Debi - in a previous post you mention the million pound houses surrounding Kingsdale and their impact on admissions. Personally, I don't think if you are in a million pound house you will be sending your child to the local comp when just up the road there are numerous private choices. Of course Kingsdale is being selective in not using distance as one of its criteria - trying to "demystify" this at their appeals evening won't change that but there's nothing parents can do if Kingsdale have set that is there? Also how can they reflect the diversity of the community they serve, when lots of children living just around the corner are excluded? Aren't they part of the community?

I really feel for the parents in the story in the South London Press today. It seems all the parents who live literally two minutes walk from Kingsdale (on the Bowen estate) did not get a place. Kingsdale states that distance from the school plays no part in the admissions process. It said when the school was oversubscribed preference would be given to kids in care, those with abilities in music, maths and sport or youngsters with brothers or sisters at Kingsdale. It seems to me that if you don't play an instrument, are not so good at maths and not the sporty type then that's it.

My three were still waking regularly during the night at 4 months. I thought this was the norm and didn't expect much else to be honest until they settled into a routine from around 6-8 months.

He is still very young - can't your Mum and other half carry on until May and then have both your children at home until you go back to work? There's no need at 16 months for him to get used to an environment away from home if you are at home?

Hi SarahLP - just to say that most childminders can look after two babies under 1 year old if they apply for a variation. We have to write to Ofsted and explain the circumstances - could be twins or just two families with similar age babies. I've been given permission twice in the past. Also, being self-employed, childminders are allowed to sort out their own annual leave. Most do take 4 weeks per year but some can take up to 6-7 weeks and this is all explained in the contract. Also not all childminders charge full fee for their own holidays.

Since Friday I've since 3 big bees (prob Queens) - two of them were on the pavement dead. One of them was on my living room floor and I put it out to back garden. Wonder what's going on?

Jeremy - you wouldn't be saying "so be it" if you were on the Council's waiting list. SimonM - I know that both these ladies were paying rent to Southwark Council. Vik - aren't you thinking of the laundry rooms on the Champion Hill Estate being made into flats? This was also in the South London Press recently. Surely there can't be that many laundry rooms on the Dog Kennel Hill to warrant a big sign selling them off? PeckhamRose - that's right it was Humphries - he told my husband face to face they were selling off council places.

This is nothing new. Around 2/3 years ago I kept noticing For Sale by Auction signs going up outside houses/flats all around Southwark. Then 2 houses in my area, which I knew were council houses, because one elderly lady had gone into care and one had sadly died, went up for auction. My husband had to see a Councillor about something around the same time, and he mentioned this to him. He was told that this is what Southwark Council were/are doing e.g selling off council properties and that the sale of a three bedroom house would pay for repairs for a few flats! Just before the new government came in that Councillor (can't remember his surname but first name Kim) resigned. The person who has replaced him knows all about selling off council homes because I'm sure I've seen a report about it in the South London Press. Just to add that out of curiosity, I went on the auction site (Allsop) at the time. There were loads of 3/4 sometimes 5 bedroomed houses going for auction. These were all over Southwark but lots in East Dulwich, Peckham, Dulwich by order of Southwark Council! The two houses round my way have since been renovated and are privately let. All these homes could have been given to families on the waiting list so the housing stock has now gone down even further! I think Southwark Council have now been given money by the government to bring all homes up to the Decent Standard so don't know why they're still selling off flats!

Should add not all registered childminders are on the direct.gov list - I wasn't up until around 6 months ago.

direct.gov and will bring up all registered care in your area, if you type in postcode.

Teething and frequent pooing are not necessarily connected. Your baby may have teeth coming through but this doesn't mean he/she will have runny etc. poos. There is usually another reason. Good old vaseline is great for sore bottoms.

I don't think it's an odd post. Somebody is just asking for some advice (prob on behalf of their 15 year old) about after school/weekend things going on. Lots of posts don't get many replies and it's only the same day anyway. What's the point about "being local" ?

Holidays also 2 + 2 (but only realise that as they get older). I have three and would have had another child if I hadn't had a pulmonary embolism with last one, but I'm older and wiser now and am content with my lot!

Yes was thinking more for 4 year olds (cross posts) but my daughter's friend did have her 13th there a couple years ago.

Herne Hill United Reform Church, junction of Denmark and Red Post Hill?

Yes, there is a group on Mondays from 10am - 11.30am at St Faith's, North Dulwich. The group is run by 3 childminders (myself not included) and can get quite busy but everyone is welcome! I've been going along every Monday for the past 8 years and help out with song-time at the end.

Wondered what the aircraft was the other night! It was after 10.30 and I thought it was some kind of army aircraft as it was different to helicopter noise - it was very loud and completely shook the whole area! We're in North Dulwich by the way. Sorry to hear what it was for and also for Jess.

Even though you don't get on with your MIL now etc. maybe think ahead to say 15-20 years time, when your children will wonder what happened. Luckily my in-laws have been lovely and still have us over every week for dinner. There will come a time when my three won't want to go (it's getting to that stage now, teenagers "do we have to" etc.) but out of respect for us and their nan and grandad they want to go.