Fuschia

It's a normal stage. Mixture of urge for independence, and in terms of evolution, once a child can walk it needs to be cautious about what it puts in its mouth, so it's natural for a toddler to insist rigidly on "food" vs "non food"

Smiler Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >> > Dully and fuschia, wow, that must've been tough, > it is a disgrace that there still isn't support > for kids with heavy caring responsibilities, > services being cut etc. Sounds like both our families tried to keep below the radar... Made me quite independent, but put me off having children and being a "grownup" for a looooong time. My mum died when I was just 22... so my children missed out on having grandparents .... sad > > Should we resurrect the recipes thread? And rename > this one the good housekeeping thread! good idea

i dp find online shopping is a great help for events like xmas meal, childrens parties, half term requiring packed lunches. makes me feel prepared

I use tescos, because the vouchers for days out you get with the points are good... used to be x4 voucher value, is now 3x still enough for trips to legoland, hope farm and paradise wi;d;ofe park each year

I'm afraid my menus are much more mundane, Pickle. It's a bit awkward as well having two omnivorous toddlers, a fussy veggy 7yo, me being a veggy and MrF being continually on the Atkins diet plus all he really likes his curry!! But I do like to do family meals at the weekend where we all eat much the same (MrF usually has chicken or salmon and i force him teat the veg/salad, lol)

pebbles Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >we annoyingly quite often have just meat or > something cos i haven't looked in fridge to > makesure that there's veg or salad!!! Frozen carrot, mashed potato, peas/sweetcorn and the little steampacks are all useful for when the fridge is bare. Also frozen blueberries or summerfruits (nice with greek yog or mine eat them frozen!) and natures choice pear or mango slices handy for when there is no fresh fruit.

littleEDfamily Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >> kids antipasti with carrots, hummus, bit of ham, > cheese, cherry toms Yes, we do this a lot, also with cucumber, cold omelette, hard boiled eggs, breadsticks, philly, left over chicken... or chicken goujons, cocktail sausages. I have one veggy child and 2 none, plus they all like different things best so this is easy. Esp if you buy pregrated cheese.

I am not very on top of meal planning atm, rather too much stuff just from the freezer since i got pregnant. But in theory what works I think for us is to plan a couple of family meals for the weekend, plus lunches. We usually have wraps with our dinner on Sat night (meze sort of meal) so also have toasted wraps for Sat lunch. If you are doing something like making mashed potato, you can note to make extra and then recycle the next day. left over dinners also makes good lunches for the next day (Spare pasta with sauce, add in soem veg and grate cheese on top then reheat) I look at days we have things like swimming, days I'm working, plan sensible meals for those days (omelette very quick for after swimming) and consider what days I will eat early with the children and what days I will eat after them. It works well to rotate a series of meals, bit boring but easy to plan around and children like familiarity anyway. At least you don't end up with eggs 3 days on the trot, say. If you cook something like a bol saUCE, chilli, stew, do 2x and freeze some for emergencies. Once you have a plan, do the shopping list to go with it. If you do 3 or 4 weekly plans and they work for you, then use them as the basis for the next 3/4 weeks.

littleEDfamily Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I may as well just kiss any shred of residual > coolness I have goodbye.. I am twitching with > excitement about these organised-mum planners. > Credit card at the ready!! Lol I have the big monthly planner and also the weekly menu planner with tearoff shopping lists

This keeps me sane: http://www.organised-mum.co.uk/Home-Planner-Calendar-p-16.html

Dully, hugs. I hade the same situation with my mum from when I was about 13... oldest of 3, mum in hospital and dad awol. Though a friend of my mums would come and hoover

Think, my mum had 3 under 4, didn't drive, no freezer, top loaded washing machine, terry nappies.... We did meet up regularly at her friends houses, and went on holiday with them and their children. I had lots of exctra aunties and cousins...

Small room at Goose Green Centre?

I was broight up in Herts, always playing outside, in the woods, bike rides etc

My mum was like ClareC's. We also had less STUFF... not huge nos of toys for eg

I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom floors first time in a fortnight today...

SB: my no 1 child is the fussy one so I think there is truth in that. Twins seem to benefit from the approach that everyone gets their favourite meal sometimes.. but not every day... and if you don't et it someone else will pinch it and anyway mummy isn't really watching you but she doesn't really do puddings.

Gussy, I do morning stuff in pjs (clothes don't get dirtyu with breakfast/stained with bleach etc) then get myself and the twins showered and dressed as soon as DS1 is gone.

I have the same experience, Gubodge. Twins both ate peas and corn at one point, then stopped. Carried on serving it up as DS1 loves them, twin II now loves them too. Twin I chucks them on the floor.

When pg with the twins I once accidentally did the pickup in my my pj trousers. Like flylady too, used to do it when DS1 was a toddler. Morning and night routines and 15 minute declutter have stuck with me. also huge organised mum calendar with pocket for school letters etc

HH: there isn't really evidence as to whether lower than optimal levels of vitamin D in toddlers is a problem, from what I can gather

Govt sites suggest vit A,C and D from 6m http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/HavingABaby/AfterTheBirth/DG_078330

Moos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Fuschia, I'll check - yes vit D but think also > iron. With the twins we were given vit D (I didn't take) as apparently in Southwark some babies are deficient (dark skinned?)

what ages?

Moos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My HV has given me vitamin supplements for my > baby, saying that 'they' were now recommending all > exclusively breastfed babies be given supplemental > vitamins because of iron and other vitamin > deficiencies. Is that not standard across the > board these days? isnt that vit d? rather than iron?