Clare11

Can anyone recommend a repair centre for Maclaren buggies? I've got a seriously dodgy wheel. I've got a Sovereign warranty so I believe it needs to be a registered Maclaren repairer. Any help appreciated. The Maclaren site appears to be being redone and I've had no response from their customer service email.

I've just discovered that 'the montage' in forest hill (it's not THAT far..) has an amazing playroom near their garden. Indoors, comfy with loads of toys. Easy to watch little ones whilst sipping a coffee on the back verandah. All undercover. Also a great cafe with range of antiques for sale. Brilliant. Little man and I are very impressed.

Louisa - you didn't say 'excuse me'. Then you're upset that all 'buggy' users aren't constantly aware of every other pedestrian out there. How long did they completely roadblock the path? 5 mins? 20mins? Are they still there? You do not "trade manners and consideration for a buggy", you either have them to begin with or not. Many times I have gotten off a bus and walked because people more needy needed the space (not just wheelchair users either). Some people with buggys just blankly ignore them. And all this 'JoJo' talk really annoys me. Just because you have a buggy and stand around in a park for a few minutes chatting doesn't set you in a certain demographic. Anyone who is a mother knows how hard a job it is and it really bugs me people painting it as some sort of holiday. How about we stop abusing mothers with children and actually cut them some slack. Children, especially toddlers are hard to control in a park environment and it's not unusual for them to be running a muck. We're not living in Victorian England. If the women hadn't had buggies would you still be annoyed? I'm thinking you wouldn't have made it such an issue. Just like all sorts of people, with our without children, some are nice and some aren't. Some people say 'excuse me' and allow you to move out of their way, some people don't, and then go for a rant on here instead.

Just because a buggy has manouverable wheels does not mean buggy pushers enjoy weaving in and out of the way of every person they encounter on the street. As a buggy user, who does not own a car, I am so sick of having to push past people on the street who assume I can go around them with the flick of my wrist. I usually say 'excuse me, sorry' as I go by. I am also usually pushing a child and heavy bags. Lets lay of the buggy bashing please. Don't paint us all with the same brush. People have children, you were all children once so get over it. Manners all round.

My suggestion would be. Apex meaning; the tip, point, or vertex; summit. a pinnacle or high point, as of a career, etc That's my two cents..

My husband is a hair dresser and also has very long hair, so would be sensitive to cutting it. Let me know if you'd like his details. He does do home visits.

Police didn't think prints would be possible, but we still have them if they want to investigate further. I was really impressed with 101 and the response/interest from the police. Considering the proximity to our front door, I think it was more likely they were being 'prepped' for something rather than disposed of. But that's all just speculation.

Just wanted to inform all forumites that yesterday we found two screwdrivers hidden in a bush in our garden. They were definitely hidden out of the way near our front entrance. Luckily my husband saw the edges and discovered them. One of them wasn't fit to be used as a screwdriver and looked like it had been used for other things as it was quite blunt. Could be nothing, but 101 rang back for further details. We are on Overhill Road (cemetery end) and there have been some break ins near us. Possibly someone stashing them for a break in, or hiding them afterwards...I can't say. Awful to think of someone putting them there for that purpose, and I just wanted to recommend everyone check their garden plants, back and front, just in case.

Well should we arrange to meet in the children's park section of Peckham Rye? Is that somewhere easy for everyone to get to? When is good?

Sounds like a good plan. So where shall we meet up etc?

Hi Adelle, whereabouts are you based? I'm currently at home with my 18month old son and would like to socialize him with more than just the play group group which can be a bit impersonal for kiddies.

Awful! I had this for the last few weeks of my pregnancy. Almost drove me insane and I was scratching til it bled. I ended up at Kings with it and they gave me Diprobase, but also had a cream made up for me which had menthol in it. Literally I'd put it on and start shivering because it was so cooling but it really did help. Maybe ask your doctor about it. Despite the itching, I had a successful and comfortable water birth at home. The PUPP subsided pretty much immediately. Although its no consolation, at least it's cooler this time of year. I had to endure the heat and the itch. There was no escape. Hope you get comfortable, it's a bastard of an ailment.

Personally I don't want dog owners to feel like they can't let their dogs off in the park. Definitely there needs to be more common sense used as to where the dogs are off leash. I could have blatantly pointed at the sign and asked him to put his dog on a lead, but then if he'd said no, what's the next step? I'd already decided to leave. If a dog owner can't see, read, or adhere to an obvious sign, OR use common sense to restrain their dog around small children, I don't think he would have listened to me. Lots of people with toddlers have dogs. But just because your dog doesn't bite your child doesn't mean they won't bite others. Again today a pack of about six dogs off their lead surrounded my friend and our children looking for lunch scraps. We were frozen while the owner yelled at them to leave the strollers alone. Sounds like Peckham rye park is going to be free range to dogs with all toddlers safely hemmed into the children's area. Dog are unpredictable and so are small children. But it would have only taken one of these dogs half a second to take off some fingers from my son if they'd thought he had food. Unfortunately it's the owners who lack of control of their dogs, especially around toddlers, that puts me off the park despite the odd lovely owner allowing us to pat a calm and controlled dog. Much to my toddlers delight.

There is a sign at the pond treehugger. Two signs that I saw actually. It asks they be leashed for public enjoyment and mentioned the young swan that is in residence. Not sure how long they've been up but certainly when I was there the majority of dogs were left unleashed.

I'm sure this has been debated to death. I am a dog lover. Right now however I have a toddler. Today after walking down to feed the ducks at Peckhan Rye Park, I am now not a dog OWNER lover in many respects. There is a very clear notice saying that the area around the pond is a 'dog on lead area'. This didn't deter any dog owners I saw today from letting their dogs roam free. Normally I would be able to live and let live. But two particular dogs who came to chase the ducks really annoyed me. My little boy was almost barreled over by both of them but particularly by a very large dog. They were scanning around our stroller for food, running loose and generally had this dog lover afraid for my son and his fingers. The owner also had a child, but also seemed less than capable of controlling his animals. He asked me if I was scared of the dogs and I pointed out my concern in them knocking my son over but he didn't offer to leash them after I mentioned this. I should have pointed the sign out but they are in clear view. We left soon after which ruined a cold day destination for us. In short. If there is a notice advising that dogs must be on a lead in a certain area, how on earth is that to be policed? Seems like a good idea, especially with the baby swan around. But it seems fairly useless if no one actually adheres to it.

I was in there yesterday. The owners are retiring. It's a shame to lose a garden centre within walking distance of Ed. The guy who served me said it was going to be flats which is sad as I really enjoyed going in there and 'pottering' around. Good news about the library though.

Smiler. In saying I like your list. I didn't mean I was happy about its contents, more that I would have a very similar list. Which isn't great, but more realistic than the original one posted. (For my circumstances at least)

Thanks Smiler. I really like and sympathize with your list. Do you get time out for yourself? That's what I struggle with most having a little boy of 17months.

It's sad that the list doesn't include anything for mums themselves. 'Have snacks for your baby and yourself' etc. And frankly I'm offended that part of being a 'mum' is being on top of the housework!!! Housework is not a requisite for motherhood in my book.

It really is up to choice. We have the choice to breast feed or formula feed. And sometimes other circumstances make that choice for us. I think it's good to promote breastfeeding to all mums. It does have a lot of benefits and the support should be there. I find it sad that among my friends, I'm the only one still offering breastfeeding to my 16momth old son. I resent even that the health visitor said I was in the 'minority'. I think that's sad. But I guess a lot of people just switch or mix from 6 months. Which is fine, my son has formula as well. Some people are shocked to here he still gets some 'boob', but he and I are both comfortable, so that's all that matters.

Forgot to say that in the time we've been going, there's only been two accidents on our day and both times the class was cancelled because the pool had to be properly cleaned. So I think they are really stringent with hygiene.

Hello, We've been going to waterbabies at Lewisham for almost a year now. It's always been very clean and hygienic, never had any complaints from our visits. If someone does have an 'accident' in the pool, they always let us know and cancel the class straight away. A make up class is usually offered later on. My son loves his classes and is really a confident boy in the water at only 16months, I think taking him along from about early on, and the approach the teachers have there has really been great. Can't recommend them enough.

that sounds ideal...thanks! ;)

Hi, I need a babysitter or nanny for just 3 days in a couple of weeks. We are thinking that perhaps an agency would be easiest giving the time constraint. We don't have time to vet babysitters personally but want a professional to look after our son. Has anyone used an agency before that they could recommend? I need to be able to go to work knowing our little boy is in very safe hands. Any recommendations appreciated...

60 calls later this morning and my husband got through...... I actually think going to Kings and waiting would give a better service than DMC currently do. If they are oversubscribed, they should close their books. Plenty of medical centres in Sydney (where I'm from) do that regularly. At least then you're not signing up for substandard service.