Sqiggles

Friends of mine did it, and ended up having to pay the full term's fees, despite a fight. The school (fairly in my view) said that, by the time they had withdrawn their child (and a number of other children had also been withdrawn) it was too late for them to fill the places, probabaly for the whole academic year. If you could prove that they did fill the place, however, and so the school had not really suffered any loss, then I would probabaly have a go at fighting it. Or, as Mellors says, you take the view that one team's fees is less than 7 years worth!

Villa Pia in Italy (Tuscany/Umbria borders) is great for kids - no childcare etc, more lots of likeminded parents sitting round the pool, occasionally venturing out to see a hill top town, and eating and drinking too much in the evening.

I love Godstone farm. A real shame for them - although obviously awful forthe children infected as well. My two have been there a few times over the summer, but no signs of any problems and I thikn we are not outside the incubation period.

What drives me mad is when they cycle up behind you full pelt and then ding their little bells to tell you to get out of their way, as if you are in the wrong for walking on the pavement. Quite why they can't say excuse me I do not know! But other than that, if the cycle slowly and carefully, with consideration, I think it is live and let live. Of course, that is quite a big if!

I should have said, snowborader, don't worry about a bit of lean in the trip trap - it does not last long, and you can just stuff something soft and washable (a towel?) down each side for a few weeks. Both mine were in it from 6 months - with the baby attachemtn/straps etc - even the cushion when it was not in the wash! In the long term, the tripp trapp, or something similar, will win through!

Tripp Trapp - I have 2, and still using both of mine (kids 5 and nearly 7). Best test is the fact that you rarely see second hand ones advertised!

Basically there is no catchment area as such anymore. For the Infants, there are two sorts of place, church places and non-church places, and you cannot apply for both. It used to be 45 of each, but they may have changed. Church places requires regular attendence (twice a month) certified by vicar - no idea whether being a catholic counts (it is a CofE school) but can be any church (not just St B). Within each category, the places go to siblings etc (but only siblings at the Infants, not at DH), and then to the children nearest to the school. So it all depends how many children in your category live closer than you do. You would expect to be able to live further away for church places (less people qualify). I know in the past people in Holdene Ave have got non-church places, and Ruskin Walk have got church places. For DH, same rules, but only one category of place. Again, I know people in Holmdene who have got a place. I think the Village school has an info pack explaining it all - but you have to drop in to pick it up.

With a 5 month old, I would work out what you would really like to do, and then work out how you do it with a little one. It won't be long before you are having to do legoland and the like - enjoy. So, if you like country walks, get a baby back carrier thing and go. If you like art galleries, then take them there. If you want to go to the cinema, then find out about the big scream etc at the ritzy. Babies love buses and trains, but don't go near the tube unless you can't avoid it! Just allow twice as long to do everything - and you can always breastfeed in starbucks etc. I just wish someone had told me that when I just had one baby....

Not really on point, but I did not realise that anyone was still bothering with the single jabs. Hasn't all the fuss about the risks of the combined MMR been proved to be a load of rubbish?

Nanny - for all the reaosns above - until they are about 2. They need the one to one care in a home environment, and you need all the extra support that a nanny brings at home. If you can't do nanny, then I thikn a childminder (for the same home environment/one to noe care reasons) would be much better than a nursery. And the babysitting idea is a great one - only just managed it (after over 6 years) and it makes such a differecne to know that one day a week we go out together straight from work. Even if you only go and grab something to eat and are home by 9, it still feels like such a treat!

I use nannypaye.co.uk and they are fine - went to them originally becasue they were cheaper than nannytax!

I think toast is right, the KS2 SATS results at Bessemer Grange this year were really good - at least 90% for maths, I think, and well over 80% for Engligh and Science. But is is also a pretty balanced and inclusive school - not just a SATS factory. They do lots of creative activities etc. The early years is currently on a different site (across the road from trhe main school) but a new chlidren's centre is being built which will enable everyone to be on the same site - and have a great children's centre as well, which brings with it extra resources generally. The early years has had a great reputation for a few years, and the head of the early years seems to be very popular. Because Dulwich Hamlet only takes children from year 3, some children do move on to DH at year 3 - most of the children at Year 6 move onto the charter school. The new head took over last September (she had been deputy head and then acting head for a while before) and she seems to be doing great things. The school seems to have great staff who have worked very hard to produce the reuslts they have. And the location is lovely - overlooking playing fields. It is not that far from ED - there is a path from Sainsburys or you walk down Greendale (opposite the end of Townley Road).

First time round DD1 was in bed with us for 6 weeks (not what I intedned but we would do anything to get sleep) and then my MIL came to stay and forced us to try her in her own room - worked brilliantly, and we never looked back. DD1 had been in her cot for day sleeps etc, so not a complete shock. But DD1 was always noisy, demanding, woke up and screamed etc, and this way we managed to get some sleep. DD2 started off in a (borrowed) crib in our room, and was such a delight to have there (quiet, woke gradually to give you time to wake up too, etc etc) that she stayed much longer - until she slept through. I had also mastered breastfeeding lying down by then, so just used to pop her into bed with us for a feed. What I would say is don't be too hard on yourself if what you end up doing is very different to what you planned - it all sounds so easy until it is the middle of the night and you just want to get some sleep, whatever it takes.....

Well, all I know is that I have one child who thrives on tests, a very full timetable, and a very structured day - and another who does not see the point of any of that. Both seem to learn, but they do it in their own way. Child one thrives in the more pressurised environment where they have to work very hard to keep up, and know it when they are falling behind - indeed, I fear that the energy would be channelled in a less positive way without the very full day. Child 2 would react badly to all of that, and prefers to move at their own speed, in a more mixed ability environment. Both are motivated children in different ways - the way that you get the best out of them is different. But maybe I am usual in having such different children (although I doubt it).

The most difficult decision that we have to make as parents is to try to work out what is best for our children. If you can afford private school, then it is an option that you have to consider, even if only to reject it. My views have changed since I had children. Before I would have been worried about whether it was fair - now as a parent I know that I want to do what is best for my child, whatever that may be, and even if it is unfair. The thing that I find most difficult is making sure that I am looking at what is in their best interests. Is a child better off just "being 6" and playing, or is he or she better if they are being pushed academically? I think that that depends on the child's personality as much as their ability. Some children need to be kept fully occupied, engaged and challenged, whereas others are better being left to grow at their own speed. I find it is easy to find that I am applying my own ideas of what is best generally, rather than looking at the child's interest. But I also find this difficult if that means different answers for different siblings. My siblings and I had a variety of types of education, and there is still a great deal of bad feeling about who got the better oppotunities - "It's not fair" is still alive and well, 30 years on! So, I would say judge each child as a separate person, and work out what would suit them best (ignoring any inbuilt prejudices), but if that means taking different decisions for different siblings then be prepared to justify the decisions you made for the next 40+ years!

Before you shell out, it is worth checking that it is actually cheaper than a monthly train season ticket to London Bridge and using your oyster. I worked it out that that was actually much cheaper for me than the travelcard. Only a thought!

I agree Jo. They also often show that a train is delayed or cancelled there long before any announcement is made on the boards at the station. So the information is in the system, it is just not being passed on. The other bup bear is when they announce the platform for the first time just before departure as a "platform alteration" - which sort of implies that everyone but you knew what platform the train was meant to be going from. I am afraid the information at London Bridge is terrible. You sit on a train that is going nowhere, not sure whether to stick with it or try and find the later train. Why can't they simply make an announcement that says "sorry to everyone waiting on the train on platform X, we will let you know what is going on as soon as we can but if you want to travel to A B or C you might want to get the train from platform Y instead".

Does anyone know what has happened to Gill Holland in Dulwich Village? Not somewhere I dared go into very often (even touching the clothes felt too expensive!) but someone was saying that they had started stocking more affordable clothes - it looks as if it was too late - shop empty and closed on Saturday.

what about Brockwell Lido - I think they have a sauna and spa there.