Mellors

Husband has informed me stocking presents must also be wrapped (note: he does no wrapping!) *sigh*. We never had stockings as kids, so I had no idea how the what we've bought/what FC has brought thing works, but have settled on FC bringing stockings, and family doing tree presents. Fish pie Xmas Eve (fish is traditional on my side - Russian) Homemade Norwegian cinnamon rolls for brekkie (just cause they are yum). And Quality Street. Roast for lunch (beef this year) Cold cuts, baked pots & ham thereafter. Trifle, mince pies, Xmas pudding. :O)

"snipping" - pair of scissors + any magazine = hours of entertainment for my daughter. They also fight over any bits of leftover wool from my knitting.

I was 500m away from Heber last year (which was also my nearest). As they have now removed the priority for those for whom it is there nearest community school you are just in the same pot as everyone else. I was 29th or so on the waiting list! In the end I got offered a place at a school further away which had a bulge class this year. In short: who knows, it will depend on where/if there are bulges in the year you apply I suspect, and the knock on effect of siblings taking more and more spaces from the pupils in previous years bulges. I completely agree with whomever said that choice is illusory unless you can afford to go private. You just get what you are given, and there is no guarantee that will even be a school on your list, and certainly not your closest unless you are literally on the doorstep.

Naughty Baby S! Temporarily use travel cot (much deeper) until you can sort out proper one this weekend?

Also Metanuim here, even though its stinky. If its thrush it'll have a white ring round it and be really hard to shift, if so trip to docs for steroids as Fuschia said.

I've had a gazillion different buggies, but for #3 I bought a Bee. I'm all about practicality not looks and its a dream, I absolutely love the fact its light, nippy, easy to fold etc etc. I also love being able to clip the car seat straight onto it - anything to avoid waking a sleeping baby! Its the old style and cost me ?180 on Ebay - given I'll use it many, many times a day for c. 3 years I think thats a bargain. Also bear in mind if you buy a good brand like Bugaboo secondhand you can often sell them on after for what you paid for them, so net cost zero. Not breaking the bank at all.

Cook in West Dulwich do similar homemade meals/kids meals/cakes etc and deliver in the area, so definitely check out the competition first. Good luck to you though!

There are half term holiday camps that do full days at both Crystal Palace Sports Centre and Beckenham Spa.

You also need to consider what age you want them to start nursery. School nurseries only have one intake - the September after their third birthday - so theoretically your child could be almost 4 before they start. Independent nurseries take them younger. Also competition for school nursery places is high. Siblings of children in the school get first priority, and it is not unheard of (this happened at Heber for example), for no "non-sibling" places to be made available. Re costs - all children aged 3 and over get 15 hours a week of free nursery (at the moment, whether this is cut by the current Government remains to be seen), so you will have the same "free" element at an independent nursery. To a degree this can also be more flexible as you don't have to take it as 15 hours per week for term time only - you could have, say 10 hours a week year round (i haven't done the maths, but hopefully you get my drift). Finally - there is no guarantee of a place at that school even if your child has been to the school nursery, so I wouldn't bank on it helping with "settling in" to Reception. I would look round lots, put your name down with the ones you like, see what you get offered, and take it from there!

Nanny worked out at c. ?100 - ?120 all in for a standard day (extra for babysitting/time beyond normal working hours), plus you have to provide food, car (inc. insuring), petrol, float money for day to day activities and any lunches out etc, annual cost of paying a company to work out the tax/NI, holiday pay, sick pay etc etc. A luxury for one child, but more economical if you would otherwise have two full sets of nursery fees (as I would have done). When working 12 hour+ days lie WOD I also really appreciated the "extras" our nannies offered such as running the odd errand, post office, dry cleaning, doing all the family washing, ironing putting away, tidying up, making enough food so there was some left over for my supper etc, although not all nannies would do this I don't think. You need to check at interview. Nanny share gives you many of the benefits but you split the cost, so may be worth considering? I noticed the other day that The Glades in Bromley are doing a free "personal shopper" service. They might be able to help you find things (at a reasonable price), and it seems less intimidating going there than to, say, Selfridges?

I had to have a nanny as nursery hours were too short for line of work - a nanny will stay until whatever time you choose/be flexible if you are running late or have evening meetings. If they are at your home they can always put the children to bed for you. Also none of that running about in the mornings. Much less stressful, although jolly expensive. I just invested in a really good black suit - skirt, dress, trousers, jacket, a decent pair of shoes, new tights and a few shirts. Job done. The hard bit is getting interviews in this market!

I think the main adage that kept me sane during weaning was "until they're 1 its just for fun". If its not fun, then don't do it. I really wouldn't expect her to eat much at that age. She is tiny still. My daughter didn't eat reliably until 8/9 months and even then would take it or leave it. Thankfully she was my second child, so I wasn't stressed about it. She is now a whopping 3 year old who eats her own bodyweight in food on a daily basis, so no harm done. I think you are doing brilliantly. Just carry on offering a variety of things (and not necessarily three times a day - they dont do proper "mealtimes" for ages). If she won't eat take it away without fussing. If the preparation is pissing you off, stick to easy things like mushed bananas, avocado, Plum baby or Ellas Kitchen pouches etc that you wot mind throwing away as you haven't slaved to make. Chin up, it does get better :))

Peckham Pulse has soft play.

Also even if you plan for home birth do have a back up. With No 3 I was all set to go, handily went into labour at midnight and we all thought I would be done and dusted before they woke up. Cue baby getting stuck, blue light ambulance to Kings and husband frantically phoning round to get childcare in the early hours and then cover during the day until the in-laws arrived from Deepest Suffolk (and typically not on a nursery day, although am very grateful that they stepped in at the last minute). Have plans, and back up plans, and back up, back up plans.....

None I don't think. As the big kids only move up to Reception now in September there will only be movement in pre-school in September as well. The only exception, I would guess, is if a single space becomes available for another reason e.g. a child moves away, and then it will depend where you are on the waiting list.

Me too - was it a ladies or a mens bike?

Anybody interested in two humongous marrows? I am all chutney-ed out this year already!

I let my nanny use my car and paid for the additional insurance costs.

Oh my goodness - I also assumed he had diappeared and the mother was frantic. My then 3 year old once slipped out of the picnic area in Peckham Rye whilst I was dealing with the youngest and it was the worst time of my life whilst everyone was trying to find him. It makes my blood run cold just to think about it. I really don't understand how somebody could send such a young child out on their own, and so near the main road as well :(

We are off to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea with the free kid's tickets :)

new mother Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- . > > Mellors, I think you are trying to be ironic but > it didn't quite come off. Not at all, I am being serious. I don't do public transport ever, if at all possible. I will always try to work out another route. I mainly drive, or walk, or avoid going. Three under 5s + busy bus = hell on earth.

This thread reminds me why I never, ever get public transport with the children. I even detest it on my own. L'enfer c'est les autres and all that jazz....

Surely the "London Kiss" is what most people use for a parking sensor?

Me me!!! baby, 2 year old and 4 year old = mummy on Gin by lunchtime. Sydenham Wells park also good if water is on. Crystal Palace 1 o clock (already mentioned) is super as there are things to do even if its raining, its completely toddler/escape proof, you can get tea/snacks easily and its open all day (bar lunch). A massive thumbs up from us. Beckenham Spa softplay also good if its raining. Much prefer it to Peckham.

Or you can donate by text: Text HELP to 70000 to donate ?5 (DEC receives full ?5).