Lousylu

Surely the whole point of camping is that you leave all such accoutrements behind? we've been camping loads of times with both ours and never used a high-chair once - we have a small folding toddler-sized camping chair (?5 from every good service station / Deacathalon) that we can plonk the youngest in with a tea-towel around the arms as a strap - or the safest, easiest is just sitting on the picnic rug with rest of us / clambering over laps as you mis-fire food in their general direction - if they're hungry they'll sit still long enough to get all they need down them ...

WE moved our son out when he was almost exactly 2 - and no, he went to sleep as per normal & didn't get up and out at all - he could obviously get up in the mornings and then come through - but no ealier then he would have woken and shouted for us anyway ... that said, my ousin had a nightmare with his eldest boy just refusing to stay in the bed at night - so, like everything, it depends on the individual child. Trust your instincts and suck it and see!

My husband is a very happy "survivor" of the Waldorf education system as is his sister. We looked at the Greenwich Steiner school for our son and I have never been in a more lovely learning & nurturing environment. Had we lived closer there would have been no contest. True they don't suit everyone - particularly every parent - but I'm not sure I'd view Steinerism as any more pernicious an educational philosophy than those embraced at a faith school. Other than, of course, it doesn't have the advantage of cultural hegemony.

Yes, our son is at the nursery now and has a place for September. We like it and - more importantly - he loves it!

Does anyone know of any football / other outdoor exercise classes for tinies - 2.5 up? Peckham / ED area. thanks

The worst thing about the ward I was on was the other mothers! Some moaned constantly about everything - one at the top of her v irritating voice to her equally irritating partner - and others huffed at the slightest noise from another baby. The staff were brilliant and just on the right side of bossy - didn't interfere but were very willing to help & direct if asked. I was knackered and on no sleep for 7 consecutive nights by the time I left but none of that was Kings' fault - it's just child-birth! Recovery was nonetheless speedy afterwards - in body if not in mind, that took about another 9 months to get back to normality when I finally started to get enough sleep.

They are a middle-class parents dating service - and work very well as such. But you can get the content elsewhere and I already had lots of friends who had kids and had been a nanny myself so didn't find much use in that - plus depending on the teacher it is all a bit over-blown and precious. But if you are new to an area and feel you need "parent" friends then they will be worth the not-inconsiderable expense.

I breastfed myself and was totally happy doing it - even after I went back to work. However, I know many people who couldn't, didn't, wouldn't and I don't feel they are any less a good mother than me. It is far more important that the mother is relaxed and happy than they force themselves to breast-feed. I was formula fed as my mother had severe mastitis and I've always been healthier than the average bear (touch wood) so I don't think it has much bearing on future health of babies at all - it's just what works for you and your bairn. That's what the message should be.

I've heard bad things from a couple of friends about the Sainsbury's one - plus it has v little outdoor space and loads of fumes from the busy road nearby to boot. Mine has been going to Peckham Rye Asquith nursery for 18 months and I've always found it brilliant. Staff are fantastic - my little boy loves them all, talks about them at home and misses them when we go on holiday ! They have a brilliant outside space and really encourage the children to be outside as much as possible - a big, big plus in my opinion especially in these over-protective modern times. Moreover my mum who often goes during the day to pick him up and has consistently been very impressed (much to her surprise I think) - and she's much harder to please than me, particularly when it comes to hygiene standards - safe to say he is in a much more protected environment cleanliness-wise there than he is at home. But more importantly is just the love and care - I was so impressed when I went around that they knew every child by name & talk to them all in a non-patronising way and just hug & kiss & flirt with the babies in particular - and that still holds true.