Knomester

Agree with PeckhamNicola here. WHYC is an excellent local charity helping the most disadvantaged children in the area. We met Katie who runs it recently and she works so hard with her team to give children experiences and opportunities that would otherwise be completely out of reach.

Dani from family Feasts does this and her food is fabulous. She has done a few 50th birthdays recently. https://www.familyfeastslondon.com

It may be a bit far for you if NCR is your local pharmacy, but Day Lewis on Forest Hill Road has always been excellent for us.

Llewelyns in Herne Hill.

Honestly? Nothing works for us. I have tried stuffle bags, separate containers for sets, bags / boxes for spare pieces, keeping the original boxes and recently a huge underbid storage box with a lid. It still ends up all over the floor / house / everywhere. I have lost count of the number of times I have offered to lend my services with a black bin bag... If you find a solution which works for you and your children please share!

Someone looking for a new scooter after their son's was taken in Dulwich Park has posted in the classifieds section. Perhaps that's the person you need?

Thanks for the link to the old thread Bellenden Belle - a great reminder. We're still loving Christmas on Exeter Street and my youngest should be ready for that one this year too. I think I may have to dig our Christmas books out later today...

My 6 year old has Cool Kids Cook by Jenny Chandler. Really well written, real recipes and approachable language.

***UPDATE*** There are a few places left in the Traditional and Alternative Mince Pie categories which we would dearly love to fill to reach our target of raising over ?500 for Peckham Foodbank. If you, or anyone you know, likes baking please join us! We also have quite a few places left in the Children's Bakes category - great prizes to be won including tickets to Picturehouse Cinema. Email [email protected] to register.

Thanks so much esme and for your PM. I'll be in touch today.

Thanks so much for the offer DulwichPianoFestival - so kind! I think we're OK for prizes at the moment. What we would be really grateful for (from anyone reading this!) is help in spreading the word locally to see if there are any children aged 12 and under who would like to get involved. The adult entries are rolling in, but we need more children to take part so that we can run the children's bake category. We have raised over ?250 already for Peckham Foodbank but we would love to at least double that. If children have other commitments that day, they (and their parents) don't need to be around all day - just drop off some time between 10am and 1pm. Then they can come back for the prize giving on Northcross Road at 4.15pm (which is conveniently just before the Little Kids Disco!). Thank you.

A couple of additional prizes which have been added: - champagne breakfast for two at Toast E.D. (not a prize for the children's category?!) - ?20 voucher for ed on Northcross Road There will be lots of activities for children of all ages on the day so it would bee great if you have any young budding chefs who would like to join in the festive baking fun and enter the competition. Every single penny raised is going directly to Peckham Foodbank, so it's all for a great cause. I realise the Christmas Cracker clashes with some school fairs (and concerts), but bakes can be dropped off from 10am (or earlier by arrangement) and the winners announced much later in the day at 4.15pm. So plenty time to charge around and fit it all in!

***UPDATE*** There are a few places left in the Traditional and ALternative Mince Pie categories which we would dearly love to fill to reach our target of raising over ?500 for Peckham Foodbank. If you, or anyone you know, likes baking please join us! We also have quite a few places left in the Children's Bakes category - great prizes to be won including tickets to Picturehouse Cinema. Email [email protected] to register. ----------------------- Hello. I've posted this in the What's On section, but as we have a children's category for children aged 12 and under we thought it might be of interest here to. http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?6,1597694 For more details visit our website https://bandofbakers.wordpress.com/2015/11/07/mince-pie-bake-off-saturday-5-december-2015/ or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bakeclubselondon/ If you have any questions feel free to message me here or email me at [email protected] Thanks

Both of my boys have dolls. Eldest took his everywhere (along with a random collection of other cuddly toys) and baby is just starting to play with his now. They both have boy dolls from Imajo (I think you can buy them on Amazon): http://www.imajo.co.uk/sections/1/anisa_collection/ They're lovely simple rag dolls which you can dress, cuddle in bed, etc.

Agree with Goldilocks that you may need to check the movicol dose. Usually a loading dose followed by fairly high amounts to get things moving and then you can adapt to find the right level for your little one. Also, we found that we had to stick with movicol for probably a couple of years.

W have a pocket sprung mattress from Warren Evans too. It cost more than the bed frame itself! But, we sleep brilliantly on it and have done ever since we bought it 7 or so years ago. Definitely worth testing them to see which sort works for you. We also bought a mattress from John Lewis a couple of years ago for our eldest's single bed and again we tested them in the shop. Pillows are another matter altogether...I change mine regularly but still really struggle to find one soft enough that doesn't just completely collapse after a few weeks. Doesn't help that I like the king size ones which many places don't sell.

Hello Becca. I am putting together another bag of baby stuff which I would be happy for you to take. It will mostly be 3 - 9 months as the new baby stuff has already gone to the salvation army and my second baby is still wearing the 9+. Do you just want clothes? I may be able to dig out other items too. Please feel free to PM me.

It's easy to say after the event, but however he gets there doesn't really matter. Some children 'get it' and others just don't. It's like everything, different children, different day. It can take weeks or months. We waited until around 3 too. One lesson I would take from our experience with our eldest is don't worry about the wet pants, wet clothes, wet floors. Have buckets and wipes to hand and as much 'pants off' time as possible (if only for less washing...). Day 1 was horrendous. Day 2 was pretty much the same. By the end of week 1 I had probably supped an entire bottle of gin. If there's no trauma, perhaps persevere. But if it becomes stressful, don't beat yourself up about stopping and picking it up again days, or even weeks, later. (Convex - you sound like lovely caring parents).

Perhaps you could try contacting either the Peckham Food Bank or the Salvation Army in Camberwell. Both take donations of other items and may take extras at Christmas time or, if not, know of a charity that does. They have been really helpful when I have wanted to donate items in the past.

Ah I'm so pleased we've shared some love for Christmas books! We've just started on the Michael Morpurgo book this morning - just half way through the first story. Perhaps a touch advanced for my 4yo but lots of wonderful vocabulary for him to grow into!

Cazbee - I agree with Monkey that Christmas in Exeter Street is a lovely story about giving and sharing.

So many wonderful recommendations to choose from! I've bought the Michael Morpurgo one for eldest son's stocking and also picked up a second hand copy of the Story of the Snow Children. Definitely on the look out for Alfie's Christmas too now alice32! Redmonkey - my mum is a bit obsessed with Harvey Slumphemburger's Christmas Present so we heard a lot of that last Christmas.

LVWT - I'm the same with The Night Before Christmas!!

Lucy & Tom's Christmas sounds great bluesuperted! We'll have to read it at your house... Is this the 1001 things to spot book you have bluesuperted - http://www.amazon.co.uk/1001-Things-Spot-at-Christmas/dp/074609793X/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416837394&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=1000+things+to+spot+Christmas We're looking forward to the Jolly Christmas Postman which is coming as a Christmas present from Nana K. I've ordered the Michael Morpurgo one now hazelnunhead! I love his books which I've read as an adult and have bought our nephews all Morpurgo books as part of their Christmas presents this year too. I'll take a look at the others thanks Fmm, bst, hazelnunhead.

Still a touch early I fear, but in anticipation of 1st December (when Christmas festivities are officially allowed to begin in our house) I just wondered if you and your children have any favourite Christmas or winter themed books that you like to read at this time of year? I have a 4 year old (and a 7 month old who might just about be ready for That's Not My Reindeer!) and am on the look out for some new Christmassy books for him, particularly longer stories which he is really getting into now. From previous years we have: The Night Before Christmas (2 versions) Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jane Ray Babar & Father Christmas Christmas in Exeter Street by Diana Hendry & John Lawrence The Gruffalo's Child Stick Man I've a feeling there may be a couple more packed away with the Christmas boxes too... What do you enjoy reading around Christmas time? Does anyone have this by Michael Morpurgo - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Morpurgo-Christmas-Stories/dp/1405268956 Thanks