Crokes

Done. Most interesting survey I've completed and very useful to. Thanks!

Agree with the recommendation for 007handyman - Vic is very reliable and does a great job.

Mrs TP - yes, you really would have thought so. My BIL is pressing the police for progress and was hugely concerned that it didn't happen to another child/family. Newboots/Tiddles/Carbonara - the aquarium staff didn't call the police (the police have said that the aquarium security staff should have done as soon as they were alerted that the child was missing, because the police have set procedures for dealing with this (as you'd expect). My BIL called the police as soon as he found his son. He told the aquarium security staff to keep the group of adults there (the security staff wanted to let them go) but by the time the police arrived the group of adults had gone (great security work huh? and yes, it's totally bonkers). The family is frustrated, shocked and disappointed by all this as you'd expect. As I wrote above, my BIL is pressing the police for progress; unfortunately it doesn't seem to be getting very far. TBH I can't believe more hasn't been done.

D of D - yes, it sounds they are looking at CCTV. Thanks for the thought.

I'm not sure how to start this, but I guess I just wanted to give other parents/carers a heads up..... My BIL and his family were visiting London for a daytrip at the weekend (as they have done many times), they visited London Aquarium and unfortunately had a horrible, horrible experience. I just wanted to alert others, because it could have been far worse and could easily happen to someone else. In brief, their younger child (2yrs) appears to have been enticed away with sweets/lollipops by someone in a group of middle-aged adults. The child normally sticks to their parents like glue and it happened when his dad glanced away. The father of the child immediately told a security guard and then went looking himself for his son (the mother and a sibling stayed where they had last seen their missing son). It was very busy as you'd expect and and a woman said she'd seen a group of adults acting strangely with a young boy (matching his description). The father went to wait at the aquarium exit and fortunately that's where he found his son (just approaching the exit, mouth stuffed with sweets and holding lots of lollies, accompanyied by a group of adults). The adults claimed not to understand any english so weren't able to explain what had happened. The child is fine. The whole family is shaken up. The police are investigating this but it's useful to know that the they said that the aquarium security guards should have called them immediately (the father of the child called the police once he'd found his son). I don't want to scaremonger and the group of adults could be entirely innocent, but I know lots of family room users enjoy visiting London attractions so I just wanted to alert others (it also made me think what I would do in this sort of situation as I'm not sure I would have thought to go to the exit).

See what M thinks when you visit... but it sounds perfect for him (if you don't mind the extra drive-time).

We use one of these as a more instant/temporary measure: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003BZSV20/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=diy It's ideal for our nearly 5 yr old to see in the bathroom to use the toilet and wash hands afterwards. It uses batteries, and can be fixed to a wall or free standing. You might want something more sophisticated than this, but we've been very impressed with ours and the brand (we plan on looking at their other motion/light sensitive lighting for other areas). HTH.

We had the same problem with a 14 month old, so totally sympathise (it was so bad with ours that when we gave it by syringe he closed his the top of his throat/back of his mouth up and waited to spit it out!). Eventually had some luck with more novel methods of giving it to him - a tiny medicine cup with a cut-to-size straw in it (making a song/game out of sucking it up) was the most effective, but it still was hard. This was the 2nd course of antibiotics as we didn't get enough in him the first time (the pharmacist and doctor both said just get as much of the doses in as possible) and the 2nd course also had a different flavour (I think the antibiotic was a different one as you can't choose flavours). Good luck and hope she feels better soon.

The Fisher Price Stride to Ride toy is great (the wheels are angled so it doesn't move as fast) - we have one of these, it's been a hit with ours and visiting little ones learning to walk too. It can be used as a ride on toy when they are older. Ours was 2nd hand as I'm not sure they make this exact model any more: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FANTASTIC-FISHER-PRICE-STRIDE-TO-RIDE-WALKER-RIDE-ON-ACTIVITY-/121189469943?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&hash=item1c37748ef7

Agree with saffron's posts too (Saffron, you talk a lot of sense... ever thought of going into politics?!). We were offered a place in a school nursery that said children needed to be toilet trained (including poo) and that a parent would be called if there was an accident/problem where the child needed cleaning up. Better than the child being left to it, but still makes a big deal out of it, so we declined the nursery place (We were lucky to have an alternative that worked for us and didn't have a problem with poos!).

I used Katie Sedgwick on Landcroft Road for the same thing (following recommendations on here). She was fab, all sorted in a few sessions. Also used the OCC for my first child -they were great but further afield so less convenient for my 2nd child. Good luck!

Third the hippychick mattress protectors - best prices I've found is on the nappy lady website (and quick delivery too).

Lovely post (thanks for another mum) and well done too (although it's no surprise that you managed this week so well, you're very competent and brilliant with kids).

There's a couple of threads on this that are useful (search blood tests). I went on a Wednesday around 8.45am and only waited 20mins. It seemed very quiet compared to other visits.

Thank you all - great tips and yes, it wasn't as bed as expected. Ate loads the night before, discovered savoury oatcakes, took food for after etc etc and I LOVED the ice cream tip!

Hello family roomers I have been to the doctors (so I'm not asking for medical solutions) but I'm hoping someone has some useful tips! I have one of those 'fast for 12 hours beforehand' bood tests. I understand the reasons for the fast (and that a good time to do it is overnight) but are there any tips for good things to eat just before the fast starts that will keep me going when I get up in the morning? (I'm currently on a high calorie diet so it's going to be a bit of a shock to the system!). Thanks in advance.

It's making me itch just reading about it... we've used the nitty gritty comb (used shed-loads of hedrin 15min stuff which definitely made some progress, but combing every few days with the nitty gritty comb made sure the last stragglers were gone.) I also continued to spray with the nitty-gritty spray and made sure long hair was tied back to avoid getting them again and again! I've also heard that neem oil is effective (added to shampoo and then combing + as a deterrent). Good luck!

seemster Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Try seeking out the lovely Sergeant James Hathaway > aka Laurence Fox, I said hello to him recently on > Stories Road, just off DKH. Possibly in the area to visit his sister who's married to (earlier mentioned) Richard Ayoade (they live in SE15 I think).

Good luck everyone.... just logged on and results showing. Very pleased with 1st choice. Hope others are as lucky.

I was in Asda just over a week ago - they had plenty in stock (look at the party aisle up near the chemist counter).

I confess I am a former fussy eater - as a child if I had a playdate, my mum would send me with a pot of jam or tub of dairylea because I hardly ate anything! I also had the same sandwich filling almost my entire school life! My mum spoke to a doctor about the lack of variety/healthy food and quantity but he pointed out that I was happy and running around with lots of energy, so not to worry, I'd grow out of it. I'm not sure if this is helpful or not, but whilst the list of foods did increase/improve, my fussy eating stage was quite a long one. I was in my teens before I really 'got into' veg and readily tried things but now I eat nearly everything and LOVE veg! I vividly remember my parents trying to get me to eat/try things (with no luck at all really). I think the worst thing was their efforts/battles to get me to eat things - it made me more determinded not to (even if I was curious), so I agree with Fuschia - letting them choose to have small bits (or letting them think they are choosing) is much more likely to get results. Best of luck to any of you in the same boat with your little ones!

We went yesterday (to Croydon branch) - just inside the entrance they had some trolleys that you hang the yellow bags off which had a child seat in (even with the seat straps it was not suitable for a baby who can sit up, as there were as no sides around the seat). Further inside by the restaurant area they had the trolleys like sainsburys with a child seat (probably only suitable for an older/larger baby that can sit up on it's own). Good luck! PS. Their marketplace section is being refurbished till the end of March - so they possibly had some things missing.

We looked at cars recently and noticed that the Renault Scenic has 3 isofix points in the back (so has the potential to take 3 car seats).

Do you drive there? if so, where do you park?

Brilliant suggestions, thank you. All went well!