Anna M

Thank you sunbob!

Right, if THAT's how it works, I'm cracking on with toilet training my second RIght now!!

So happy to find this thread - sorry Susyp, I don't mean that how it sounds! My DS is 4 and still in night-time pullups which are usually utterly sodden in the morning, so it's reassuring to hear the different noises about how normal it is, as his cousin was dry at night within a couple of weeks of being dry in the day. I've tried the limiting drinks thing but whenever I do, DS seems to be desperately thirsty and needs to drink a gallon of water or two VERY URGENTLY before bed. We've had the occasional success, but I'm not sure whether that was accident or design. Saffron - that's a BRILLIANT tip about layering the bed! THANK YOU!!! It has made the idea of trying again more bearable. Of course!! I have said if DS has three dry pullups in a row, we'll try without for a night. But I'm hovering about whether introducing stickers is a good idea because I don't know if it's a readiness thing, and if he's wetting himself while asleep he really can't help it, sticker or no, no?

Post office on forest hill road do it too.

I gathered on my potty-training learning curve that a regression is part of the normal run of things once the initial glow of having got it is over. And then another regression which is to do with not being bothered further down the line. Just keep going in the same way you have. We used stickers, chocolate, and praise and sticker chart for rewards- everything we could all at once to get it sorted!!

Thanks Renata! Anyone else got a child starting in September? We missed the parent meeting on Tues unfortunately but are going next Tues with our little'un to introduce him to his class... We don't know anyone else who's going, so we're keen on arranging some playdates over the summer (even just meet ups in parks and such) so that he will know some faces when he starts in September... anyone else in the same boat? Maybe see you Tuesday? Thanks

We use Mother Goose on Waveney Avenue and love it.

I had a baby bjorn for my first, and I didn't really like it as I found it a strain on my shoulders. I had an ergo for my second, and absolutely loved it. I could wear it all day without it being uncomfortable. You absolutely can't turn the baby to face outward in it, which may have been useful when he was a bit older, but you can put it on your back which he liked when he was older (although I haven't quite figured out put him on like that very well on my own.) When he was teeny he even breastfed very discreetly in it which was useful with a rampaging toddler.

Hello - has anyone's child got a place at St Francesca Cabrini starting reception this September? We have, but we don't know anyone else going, and would really like to arrange some playdates over the summer so our little boy will know some faces in his class.

We went to Forgewood with a bunch of other two year olds and it was great fun. Camping in the woods with campfires and lots of space between pitches. http://www.forgewoodcamping.co.uk Kids had such fun just pottering and exploring around the tents in the woods - banks to climb, little dens and rope swings around that people have made. Freedom!! The shop/cafe does food if you need some in an emergency but cooking on the campfire is great fun. I would say hotdogs (as they can just warm them on sticks on the fire) and buns, camp chairs for around the fire, although logs are good for the kids to sit on too. Good stove for cuppas and egg butties in the morning. Marshmallows are utterly essential. Lanterns (battery powered) are a good idea, especially if you want to have a little comforting glow in the tent for them while you sit outside around the campfire. Or headtorches or torches. We had blow up (toddler and adult) beds and blankets (and we always take our duvet camping for us, although I think kids prefer sleeping bags). I think ours had a toddler ready bed with an extra blanket.

Oh yes, number 2, that is true, and I guess I think it would be nice to have a wider space for a train table or something, like they do in the Asquith a couple of doors down from it. The construction area is a bit long and thin. My little boy doesn't seem to mind (and spends a lot of time in that area as well as outside)...

Hello there. My son was with a nanny (in a share) until he was two, and then I started him at Mother Goose Waveney as I felt it was time for him to have a bit more of a structured environment with more kids. I loved his relationship with his nanny but it was just time! He absolutely thrived there from the start (with a week of settling in). I really love the nursery. It's a warm, loving environment with lots of personal attention given to each child. I like the mix of ages - the 1-2 year olds are upstairs but come downstairs for mealtimes and are there a little in the mornings, and play out in the same garden. But all the 2+ are mixed, and I think that's quite lovely as they all seem to get on really well together. The garden is fantastic with lots of different areas and the kids go out there as much as possible. They give good feedback in your child's book, but I always chat at the start and end of the day anyway - it's really friendly and they're always available and willing to talk about anything to do with your child. Because it's quite small if feels very family-ish and everyone knows everyone - I get feedback from everyone about my son rather than just his key worker, and he talks about all of the staff too, showing he's interacting with all of them during the day. I haven't had any bad experience with it at all! The only thing I'd say is that because it's quite small, the number of older kids whittles down as they approach school age (with some leaving to take up school nursery places when they are three) - and I was going to say perhaps they aren't stretched as much by this time, but I don't actually think that's true, as my son is doing writing practise and number recognition and all kinds of good stuff at the moment. However much someone else loves a place, though, you have to go and see it and see how it strikes you in the gut...that's the most important thing. You can even take your little one, and see if they warm to it too?

At the end of my maternity leave, we took a 9 month old and 3 year old for six weeks to Kerala, in India. We rented a house for 4 weeks with a housekeeper (who did laundry, breakfast, other meals if we bought the ingredients and asked her to, and tidying/cleaning) and a manager (who visited several times a day and nipped out for eggs, the paper, beer, and booked taxis or trips for us). For two weeks we travelled around with our own lovely driver and a funky old Ambassador car, which he filled with incense every morning and hung fresh flowers inside. I thought we were being very brave but when we were there, I realised it was much easier than I'd imagined. We had a great, great time. I would hesitate to take such young ones to other areas in India, having travelled there myself when young free and single, but Kerala was unhassley and very clean. Employing people to help is very cheap there, so you can live quite well and feel quite supported, if you see what I mean. Also my friend went for a couple of months with a 5 month old and a two-year old to Thailand. They rented a house too and stayed put (while looking for jobs on that side of the world). They rented out their flat here which paid for their accommodation and their nanny there. At the time, her hubby was out of work and she had unpaid maternity leave past 3 months, so it was a brave lets-put-ourselves-out-there thing to do, I thought. Even with the nanny!! Days on the beach with their little girl, who had a daily routine of poking a stick in a hole to see the crabs pop out, and watching the elephants go for baths in the sea... Thailand's lovely with kids I think. Just some ideas. Go for it!!!

I heard that the waiting list 'goes to the school' after 31st August. I think you may have to re-list yourself on the waiting list with the school though after that time (after the school year begins)...I need to check that. But at the moment you accept your place for now (unless you have another option) but you automatically stay on the waiting list for all schools above yours and will be offered a place further up your list if one becomes available before 31st August. There's a lot of movement between now and August, as people might not need their place after all, or decide to go private, or homeschool, or accept an independent school place outside the system, and so free up the places that had been offered. Tben everyone moves up the waiting list, if you see what I mean. I fear moving 40 places up the waiting list in our case is extremely unlikely, so am wondering now whether there is in fact some cosmic force at work which is pooh-poohing all of our six choices and opting for the faith school... Rather than just the council at work scrabbling around to find places that don't actually exist for local children.

Pancakes! With blueberries, cheese and chopped ham, mashed banana, grated sweet potato. Potato cakes - left-over mashed potato with enough plain flour added in to make it stretchy and not too sticky, roll into balls and squish flat, cook on dry frying pan until lightly browned on each side, butter and eat straight away. Great with grated cheese or chopped ham in, or mashed other veg. Fishcakes - mashed potato, and a roughly equal amount of tuna (tinned) or salmon (steamed or tinned), a beaten egg and a spot of flour, or you can make them more floury and lose the egg. If you can be bothered, you can do the whole dipping in flour, egg and breadcrumbs thing, but moulded with a spoon or hands and floured a little on the outside works fine too and seems to go down well in our house. Chunky roast veg. with hummus or sour cream to dip them into. Chunky fish like mackerel is good finger food. Or salmon steamed and left in biggish pieces with potatoes and broccoli, maybe with creme fraiche. Frittata - with any left-over potatoes or veg fried a bit before you add the egg, cheese, even frozen peas (I found this was the easiest way for my baby to eat peas before he mastered pincer fingers!) Hope that helps. My tummy's rumbling now.

Hello I'm looking for opinions about St Francesca Cabrini from parents of children who already go there - especially parents who didn't choose the school based on faith please. Are you happy with the school and the teaching? Are your children happy there? Does it seem like a positive and inspirational environment...? Has anyone else been offered a place there for this year's intake (perhaps, like us, without it being on their list of preferences) - and what do you think? Thanks

Hello there Our son has been offered a place at a faith school which is close to us, but wasn't in the six we applied for. Our other six were largely the next closest schools to us - all community schools. If we want to hold out for waiting list places at other schools, how do we proceed? Do we just wait without doing anything and see if we are offered places from the waiting list (will this happen automatically?)? - And who do we contact to find out what position we hold on the waiting lists? Thanks for any help. I guess this info might be in the letter in the post but I may have no nails left by the time the letter arrives... A

I can't imagine why anyone would want to oppose it. HOP is now a major transport link around here and 63 is major bus route - it makes sense to connect them - especially when it is a four more stops.

Hello I've just had a second baby - Jan 15th - and was wondering if anyone would mind me hooking up with them at some point for a play in the park or a cuppa? I'm around with toddler too on Mondays and Tuesdays, or just with my baby on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mornings tend to be good for us, 10-30ish onwards, or any time really (it's just I have trouble rousing my afternoon-sleep-adoring toddler for afternoon plays when he's around. But then I probably should try harder...). Please can we come and play? Another Anna