largeginandtonic

I'm just at the end of interviewing for our new au pair to start mid-September (um...cutting it a bit fine!) and will definitely want to put her in touch with others once I've chosen her. WE use au pair world too - normally get hundreds of applications!

Thanks very much - I'll get in touch. I think I've found one in Battersea as well. I guess its best if she tries out a few to see which she feels most comfortable with!

Our new au pair is a keen volleyball player and wants to find a local team! Does anyone know of one - or have any suggestions as to how I might find one?

Thanks Sabrina - well, yes, she seems very sociable and friendly! Let's hope she makes some fiends. I have thought it a bit of a shame that our current au pair hasn't apparently made any friends with anyone apart from other Germans - I thought partly the attraction of London would be the melting pot of nationalities and cultures! But she is only 19 and I guess it's easier to stick with people from the same country and background.

We are changing au pairs in March and we're going to have an Italian girl - I don't suppose there are any local families who also have Italian au pairs? Our current au pair is German and seems to have only, or at least mainly, made friends with other Germans so I'm thinking I should perhaps be identifying a few possible Italian friends for our next au pair!

I'm afraid I haven't got any recommendations but I just saw this and couldn't resist saying that I spent all my childhood holidays in Swanage 30+ years ago and they were honestly the best holidays in the world. The beach there is just perfect for kids. I only remember one day of rain - I curled up and read The Borrowers from cover to cover. Happy days.... We stayed in a hotel called "The Pines" which I think still exists but hasn't moved on since the 1970's so that's probably not a good thing.....

Hi Working mummy - I have 2 kids at DKH - we ended up choosing DKH over Lyndhurst but I think both are really great schools - happy to chat via PM tho insanely busy at the moment with work and home so I might not reply very quickly. I remember being frustrated about the same issue with the DKH tour and the fact that you don't encounter any teachers - it makes it really hard if you don't already know parents at the school!

Ooh I didn't know about this, despite living in Camberwell! But I have a 3.5 year old. If I turned up with him this Friday would there be anyone else with kids of a similar age? Or is it mainly younger kids?

Hello. This is largeginandtonic's other half. I have used a Trail Gator for about three years now and absolutely love it. I've used it to pull my daughter from shortly after she learned to ride aged 4 and now she is 7. We don't have a car so cycle everywhere, mainly on roads but also on dirt tracks occasionally. Until recently I also carried my son, now 3yrs, in a seat on the front of the bike at the same time. The ability to pull your child and then unhook them so they can ride themselves is really really useful. My daughter and I both found the Trail Gator really easy to use. I'm an experienced cyclist but not at all fit. So long as your child actually pedals I don't think you need to be very strong. I also don't think it is difficult to balance when using it on a road but I do go very carefully and quite slowly on dirt tracks with mud or loose gravel. It is very quick and easy to attach and unattached the child's bike and now I only pull my daughter up big hills. You do have to make sure you fit it very tightly when you first put it on the adult's bike (which you only do once). I didn't do it tightly enough first time and my daughter ended up leaning at quite an angle. You can't use the Trail Gator with either a rear child seat or a rear rack. I would recommend it to anyone. We ordered it over the internet I think so I can't recommend a stockist.

Hope you both had a good time! We got there late Thursday night in the pouring rain... but I thought the weather wasn't too bad for the rest of the time. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone else with kids - very family friendly festival, great atmosphere and even my fussy 7 year old girl admitted that the loos were absolutely fine.

Just wondered if anyone else is going to Latitude this weekend? We are going with our two kids and a hired camper van!

Just to add...our German au pair has now just arrived and still wants to meet up with other au pairs - please get in touch if you are an au pair or you have an au pair who might want to meet her!

Hello - I have a red silk oopa that might do - I have PMd you!

Thanks to both of you - I've sent you both a PM! If anyone else knows of any good language classes, please let me know!

....can I ask what you do about language classes? Are there any good local classes? And is there still an au pairs group who meet up regularly? We have a very lovely German au pair arriving at Easter and she's keen to make new friends and start language classes.

Hello! We have a German au pair starting at Easter - our kids are 2 and 6. I know she's keen to meet with other au pairs. Shall we PM each other and put them in touch?

Hi - has anyone had a chance to check out if the Horniman slope is open? On the link which Fuschia posted, it says something about meadow field being closed, but I don't know if that's the slope or not! Maybe the first person who checks it out can post on here? (It's a long trek for us!)

Don't normally get involved in complaints but.... We phoned them on Thursday morning to make an appointment for my 2 year old, who has recurrent bronchiolitis and was clearly having another bout plus complaining of a very sore ear. He had spent the previous day lying on the sofa, obviously quite ill. They offered us an appointment on Tuesday (i.e. in 5 days time). I can't even be bothered to complain again. This time I am definitely going to move surgery! (I had the same issue with telephone consultations ClareC - they actually attempted to conduct my initial pregnancy appointment with me over the phone on my office number and refused to book me an appointment until I complained. But they seem to have relaxed that system now and it's easier to bypass the phone call and get an appointment - but it's generally with a nurse)

Hello Snowboarder - just popped on to the forum for a bit & saw your post! As you know, I'm no Gina fan and am firmly of the lentil-weaving persuasion, but I do remember that when babyginandtonic was 5 months, his big sister started reception year and I effectively made him drop down to two naps per day because it was the only way I could really manage with the two of them - I used to do a morning nap after dropping his sister at school so 9.15-10.15ish and then a big lunchtime nap from 1-3pm (had to sleep with him, use sling, buggy or have in my arms to keep him going this long!). Then he would be desperate for bed by around 6.30pm - 7pm and I used to take both kids into bed, and feed babyginandtonic to sleep in my arms whilst reading stories to his sister and then staying with her till she fell asleep. We did that routine for ages and it was the easiest I've ever had bedtimes - much easier than now - although it did involve trying to persuade babyginandtonic to keep going a bit longer than he really wanted to and his big sister to go to bed earlier than she wanted to! Anyway, I know you're not looking for my kind of hippy love bedtime solutions (heaven knows I wouldn't recommend them!) but I'm just trying to say in a long-winded fashion that you might be able to go down to the 2 naps per day. Good luck - I always think you are doing an amazing job with a highly spirited toddler as I'm sure everyone else on here who has met you would agree! xxx

How old is your child? Playdates often fall more easily into place when they are at full-time nursery school I reckon. I have a nanny for two kids - 1 & 5 - Wednesday to Friday and we live in Camberwell (off Grove Lane) if that might interest her?

Hi Fuschia - Are congratulations in order?!! I am totally obsessed with slings and have about 17 different types. I've carried both my kids constantly and in fact very sadly have just invested in a second-hand bugaboo for my 1 year old in anticipation of our new nanny starting next week... Baby Bjorns are not great for baby's posture apparently, although many babies don't seem to mind them. In my experience, the best for newborns is a stretchy wrap - or a gauze wrap if it's summer. I use a mei tai now for my 1 year old but might get a structured carrier soon. But my all-time favourite sling is a kangaroo korner stretchy fleece pouch - I use these all the time, they are great for newborns but also for hip carries with older babies. I'm also happy to let you borrow some slings if that would help?

Great - thank you so much!

I have called her! And left messages but she hasn't got back to me - that's why I wondered if a quick post on the forum might solve the problem! But I can call her again.

No, I mean Dulwich Ballet School - it's run by Sally-Ann Hodge and they do classes in St Faith's centre and other locations around here.

I've lost the information about their term dates and can't find it on the website. Does anyone know whether the classes are running this week and when term starts after Easter? Thanks!