VALFR59

thanks so much Bonfire 2010!!! very precious informations. I'll definitely have a look at the areas you mentioned and visit them during my october trip in Sydney. ah ah I see now why I found on website such as "Domain" (seems to be a kind of right move) very cool designed houses in Mosman :) will pm as well thanks to the 2others people who kindly pm me to share some experience people's experience are better that any expat or touristic guides! Val

Hi After almost 5 amazing yrs in London/Dulwich, I have soon to decide if we go or not for another move (from FR), in Sydney this time! .... Hubby has been offered a very exciting mission by the french company he is working for here, and the futur oceanian's headquarter of it will be located in Sydney ... I am medium enthousiastic as it is sooo far away!! but quite tempting by the idea of sun and beaches lifestyle for 2-4 yrs! :)....on another hand, it is perhaps the chance of another great cultural experience for our family. We are both french at home but I am not looking to put my child into the french school of Sydney, "lyc?e Concordet" as we prefer to live in an English speaking area as we chose when we moved in the UK , to provide him an international/ british education for the time we are leaving away from France. I found it is a good way to be more open minded to other cultures and I like the fact that he is totally bilingual although none of us are british. I read that state school are very good in Sydney but I am more thinking of a good private as it is paid by my husband's employer there in the package, so I'll go for it. but will see on site. My son is currently in a boys school in the area. I have a discovery travel to plan for mid-October , and my husband is asked to start from January there. (which apparently correspond to the beginning of a shcool year for Australian kids) I am looking for tips from Australian people living here/anyone who has lived in Sydney with a family, about family Life there such as: - What are the greatest schools ? ( prep boys or co-ed too) with cool spirit and quite international twist( with families from various nationalities if possible). - Areas to live? maybe similar of Dulwich/Crystal palace area spirit ... if it exist!!! ideally close to a family friendly beach. So looking for a family friendly, residential,but not showing off/pretentious, cosmopolitan, not inner central Sydney ideally (I prefer a house with space than a spot location flat for a good outdoor life with the kids) I saw online Mosman, northern beaches , Bellevue hill...(but want to avoid to live in a touristic spot) Are there some Areas to avoid? - Any Ideas of which part of Sydney to stay to connect easily to all the areas/suburbs during our "discovery trip " in Ocotber? (we'll probably hire a car to be able to travel and visits outside Sydney suburbs too) - Is it as difficult as it is sometimes in Dulwich to find a space in popular nurseries/ waiting list for schools? nanny as expensive as in the UK? easy to find an Australian babysitter? Australian students good with kids? etc - informations about Australian culture and people (i.e compare Londonners/English culture) to try to integrate ourselves and to adapt to the new environement in the respect of the locals habits, in the best way! you can kindly contact me via pm if you find a bit of time. As I know that writting message can be time consuming, I would be also happy to invite you to have an informal chat around a coffee or glass of wine in the area, if you are up to. Thanks in advance for your help cheers Val

Yes I would recommend too to go in any pharmacy.Depend where you are in France, they might not have a great English speaking but they are usually very professionnal. They will find you the closest french formula according to your usual English formula milk. In France we have a much bigger variety of formula milk as women do not breasfeed as frequently as women here or not for so long as maternity leave there is usually for 3 months only.. " Gallia " is an excellent brand and you can take a sensitive digestion one if you fear your child can be disturbed by a change . Milk there are categorised by group of age too. Guigoz is an excellent brand too ( https://www.guigoz.fr/ ) You find those brands in supermarket too, but in their basic range of milk. If you prefer to go for the specific ones or some with higher digestion sp?cifications, they are sold only in pharmacy (such as the ones adapted to food allergy, anti-dhiarrehea, colic treatment etc) In supermarket, "Bledilait" offers ready mixed bottle of milk for group age 9-12 mths and others age groups up to 3 yrs old.(as french kids do not drink normal/adult milk before 3 due to pediatrician recommandations) Good luck and have a nice time in France! Val

post moved in the right section of the forum...

Hello, Last Sunday we had Miss Danni from GDND academy and she did a great Entertainment for my son's 5th birthday party IT was a street dance/dance game party She entertained 22 kids at my place, mainly boys, (only 3 girls)... so challenging! 19 kids followed the entire entertainement (1hr) totally amused and captivated!! My son is used to attend her street dance class at StBarnabas Parish Church every Wednesday. She is furthemore also much more affordable than the others entertainers we've had over the last 3 yrs .... where all those others was AT LEAST ?100 per hr! Here are her details if you want to have a look! Miss Danni GDND ACADEMY School founder & Principle www.gdnd.co.uk 07904 424 504 With her good price, I've been able to also hire a face painter (I've used Sue, recommanded on EDF and she was amazing too!she is childminder over the week so has a great approach of the kids and is using very good brand face painting products as I was very concerned by that due to my son's extremly sensitive skin) Finally, I extended the budget package of the party by using a very nice local photographer recommanded to me after a post on the family room discussion section...called Tricia (can give you her d?tails if you want to) It was a fantastic party and all the kids (especially my son) had an amazing time! Definitly a great souvenir for my boy! Good luck!

Go for Decathlon, it is very good value for money and a nice trip for the kids to discover all sort of sports /try bikes etc. A new one is opening in Croydon Purley way the 18th of Dec otherwise you have one at Surrey Quays shopping center or online Decathlon.co.uk!

I would suggest, to change a bit if ED/village - Dulwich wood house (SE26) very nice and warm atmosphere gastropub From there you can have a pre-lunch walk in the Dulwich/Sydenham wood (you have a gate in the same street, further down ) - The Crooked well in Camberwell? Or perhaps if weather is good, a trip to Surrey or Kent? Amazing pub in term of decor and quality of food , nearby Godstone farm (Surrey) (nice treat for the kids) calle " the Bell"

Thanks for your recommandation. I'll try my chance!

Anyone knows or is a photographer student/ Semi-pro/amateur to come to my son's party this sunday (with example of your work done) I realise we'll have 23 kids /drop off party...and not sure my husband or I will have any time to take pictures of them. I don't want to spend a fortune, as I alredy booked entertainer and babysitters to help me...so no need to top models/fashion photographer. Just someone good at it who have his own semi profesionnal materials. Party is this sunday 11.00 to 13.00 pm (very probably too late to find someone now ....but I try my chance!) Thanks Val

Come on! leave this poor Meg meg alone.... you are not going to judge her education now!!have you never been a teenager, and have you always been perfect in your way to express yourself as a young person! for sure she'll remember the experience of using a forum... good job! Some of the omnipresent EDF users who can be read in most of the thread of this forum's section, are often sooooooooooooo mean themselves,accusing most of the time other users to be! how narrow minded to not accept others point of view /way to speak/ others aspiration for the area from local people... Just hope you don't do it on purpose to make appeared this forum more and more tyrannical every month... Such a shame as it was a very usefull and good spirits place to have efficient informations on the area...it has heped me to settle in this country/area when I arrived 4 yrs ago...now I feel it just good for selling/buying things (if you writte the appropriate post!) I'll be very probably verbally attacked right now, but please yourself... or not... I'll not reply anyway. A spontaneous though from an bored but loyal and occasionnal EDF user.

Hi, We moved from ED to WD, 2 yrs ago... Where we live in WD, I discovered that we would not be in the Rosendale's school catchment . We belonged to another SE21 state, called "Elmwood school" (nearby clive road) A good friend of us living on Dalmore road had her son sent to St Julian's school... and the streatham branch, so not so local (there is one branch in SE27 but it was full). She didn't have any of her choices...(DVIS included) In our personal situation, we went for private as I didn't like that much the school we belonged to. Good luck!

thanks for your replies! I will ask LAnd registry then.

Is it possible to avoid to have the price you've bought a property published in this country? Can I do something to keep it not visible for few months? (I bought a flat in April) it has been already published in Zoopla and RightMove.... If you know how to proceed, please let me know or Pm me. Thanks for helping Val

French house is very nice. Nice bilingual staff , good simple food. It definitly change a bit with the large choice of pizza,indian restaurants , pubs etc. And decent prices for Lordshiplane Best of luck to them!

Oh mon Dieu, incroyable! A place for sure I'll bring my mum next time she visits us in the UK!" les y?y?s", her student life ...so my childhood music :)

I imagine your feeling and how upset you might have been, especially if you are part of the "good nannies"... just hope those mums are "staying at home"/ wife of leisure and not managers in companies or poor associates! On the other hand, I was few months ago in the opposite situation, observing " A parents bashing " by a group of 3 nannies in a restaurant of the village, apparently not English native speakers,in front of the kids's employer... I was thinking "poor hard working mums" (because not all the mums can stay at home, and some has to sacrify big part of their income to pay for the nanny!...if they known how behave the person they trust the most to raise their children is talking about them, in front of their babies/toddlers not able to repeat yet!...shame! So I think there are spudids narrow minded mums (quite often "nouveau riche/ high level income husband hunter, I've observed it from my son's boys school. Weirdly those few mums are often characterised by a fair lack of education when they don't give reply to the basic politness "hello" to some mums not enough valuable or brisish looking or to the children's school nannies, perhaps not enough valuable to their social network!lol)... as either you have "money makers, not reliable nannies too. I strongly beleive in this rule : "in business, you have the client you deserve!" so when you think you are unlucky, bad considered, think what can be the wrong choices you did to be in this situation :) Personnally, I am always very straight foward with my nanny and my cleaner but in a one to one chat, with nobody around to embarassed them (and espcecially always carefull that my son is not listenning as it's not his business, neither want to give him the impression he can be bossy with them, but just to obey to them when I am not in charge!). I respect them and their work is very precious for our family, so I prefer to say quickly what worry me when something I don't appreciate happens , to open discussion/negociation. Also, I accept in return the same treatment to me by my employees and encourage it from the moment it is done with courtesy. It's an healthier Relationshp, but perhaps it's because I am a non brit and in my country we don't "beat around the bush" in the name of good manners, and to avoid conflicts. For me you can say clearly your though with politness and good manners. but it is very personnal and I deal with it evry day and totally respect the other aprroach as I am the foreigner in this country. You know, no worry, those mums will soon or later suffer for having a sharp tongue against people close to them, and will just be surprised and in panic when one day, their nannies will let them down once they'll find a better family! for their poor kids you qualified as not very well behave, they will have an hard time when it will come time of strict discipline applied in some local schools here(because I do suppose they'll try to send them in the best private to make a part of the educationnal job done for them :)!) Don't give up, there is also nice family employers who love their nanny!!

Thanks for you post! We are in a process of buying in that area, so will try to go this saturday!

HI I've bought a lovely wood one at ELC, when my son turned 2...but it was lovely just for me and my house decoration!lol My son never played that much with it... and a bit bored to see him playing like crazy with the huge, ugly plastic garage toy my in laws have for the grandchildren in France (where we more have a plastic toys culture, wooden toys are more accessories to decorate kids bedroom, not to play with).... I've bought one in plastic too on this forum and I've sold the ELC one ! Now he is 4 and loves all the Hotwheels garages/playset too! The plastic one I've bought on EDF was an old one, but maybe new generation exist! it's "ferrari garage from fisher price" Hope you'll find the perfect compromise for all the family :)! good luck

I've bought my son's ones on that website (stickers too but they do some to iron ) I liked because you can personalised them! https://www.mynametags.com/?

Circus is a great experience for kids! and it's a nice experience to share in family. I am glad one of those is stopping here! It was among my best childhood memories each time my parents brought me to see the excellent , very professionnal Arlette GRUSS circus when it came in our city. The big posters hang up everywhere for few days are part of the circus folklore as it is with fairs. Perhaps you should think to remove the words "De la France" from your named picture on your post, who knows... :) From what I've saw with those kind of shows, the companies always removed their advert after the period of representation in an area. Best of luck!! Val

if you take the shuttle and don't want to drive for ages, a nearby nice destination (IF THE WEATHER IS OK! but same for Normandy/Brittany ...)is : LE TOUQUET Paris-plage. 45 min driving from Calais Massive sand beach. Woods are lovely offering nice walk among beautiful houses, when it's too hot to go to the beach. You can do a lots of activities there (amazing golf, poney for young kids from 3 with short ride in the woods, water park called Aqualud on the seafront, lots of water sports clubs...). From Le Touquet, you can go to NAUSICA, one of the biggest European aquarium in Boulogne, visit Cap Blanc-nez go to the wild resort "Wissant" famous for windsurf, etc. it's without saying there are lovelies restaurants , nice/fresh seafood and great shops (usefull when the weather is crap as often it is in this part of France! it's the same kind of weather than we have in the UK). We really well know this resort as my parents have a property there ,so if you need any advice for nice restaurants, ice cream stop, etc, you can Pm me! My son 3,5 yrs old , just came back from 1 week holidays in Le Touquet with his grand-parents and they had a "french riviera" weather!

I like Number 5 :) HERE IT IS AGAIN and AGAIN .... It's always something English are talking about, the french way vs English way to manage a baby/ toddler... after 5/7yrs old, no difference between a french child and a british one... children are the same in both country,just that our french schools are not dedicated at all for "educationnal polite behaviour", so all the job need to be done by the parents in France, that's why we are stricter from the youngest age. The funny thing is that in France, people have no opinions about the way English parents raise a child...nobody talk about it. They would be surprise how polemic the comparison is here between our 2 diff?rents educationnal culture:)!

Depends where you are thinking to move in WD.... We've done one year ago the move from ED (Beauval road) to WD and we have NO regrets! I don't miss ED at all, and if I need to go there, finally...it's just 5/10min driving, so not a big move! It's more convenient for us to connect to central London, you grab the tube in Brixton,, or in 3 stops, 12min, you are at Victoria... From westnorwood station, you can go to London Brige, Clapham junction in 11 min, etc. I have to agree that I weren't a big fan of Lordship lane in term of shops and variety of restaurants, etc..... our closer park is Belair park, Wilder than Dulwich park, but quieter. and I continue to at Dulwich park sometimes, but I also can be in 6/8min by bus N?3 at Brockwell park. WD Probably less full of mummies activities (music lessons, babies group etc). but we have good nurseries (among them, the 3 excellents Nellys nurseries are in SE21 and SE27 residential part). The shops in WD are very efficient, smart and better value for money than in ED. but obviously less numerous. you find all you need and we have the excellent catering frozen food shop called "Cook" if you are a busy mum and/or a bit lazy to cook healthy/yummy dish every day, as I am :), a bakery (not worst than Lucas, and in 5 min you are in the village with Gail's). But WD is more expensive in general(on the opposite of some ED people think ) . The houses tend to be bigger (not all of them) and currently, you can't expect something Under 850 000? for a 4beds house, (and it would not be in the "hot spot" of WD where prices turn more around 1.0000/1.200 000? or much more). In term of schools, depend on what you are willing/wanting to do....it is sure that for state schools, ED is far better in term of choices/quality as it seem that WD people tend to send more easily the kids to locals private (which are at walking distance from the a lot of the SE21/SE27borders Streets). When you live in WD, you are close to nice restaurants based in Gipsy hill as Joanna's, nice pub etc, in the up and coming Crystal palace triangle. good luck in your decision!

whouah 6 languages....congrats! I am already struggle by speaking two .... So by interest, Did the kids speak in french togethers , over your first french language play date? I am asking that because I observe with my son who is 3,5 yrs old, that if he is with his bilingual English/french friends, their language tend to be English over the games, even if most of the time, we tend to speak in French between mummys ...but it is also true that in most of those families, the frenchy is the father , and the mum is English with a good french speaking/understanding . (and mums tend to speak in englsih to their kids). The only kids here with whom my son speaks automatically in french are 2 kids who both parents are french like us. I have to agree that even if my son is 4 days a week full time at the nursery and will go to an English school next year,if you ask him which language he fancy the most, for example for watching a cartoon DVD, he will always answer that he prefers to Watch it in french (in "coucou" as he said) if it's possible with the DVD...and the same with story book, but again probably because we are all french at home.... You have a french summer holidays camp at Rosemead school this summer (it's full immersion in french language for English, even beginners speakers, and french kids). by the way, all the best for your good idea of french speaking playtime! X val?rie

A tour in the Dinausores room of the NHM and to the Science museum (perfect all for all ages). You can borrow for free an explorator kit at the entrance (very fun for little ones and for bigger, they can be dectectives!) Finsih by a nice treat with an afternoon tea at the Amperstand Hotel (very good value for money! very nice venue, nealy new boutique h?tel and afternoon tea for 17?). After Tea, if you all have again energy and the weather is nice, a nice tour in South Kens gardens changea bit ofour lovely Dulwich park. (nice playground for kids) From WD station you are easily there (you go to victoria and take the tube to South kens) or relatively easy to park around the WE...it takes us door to door 25min when we go there. Only thing is that it can be busy over the WE! we are used to go on Fridays, and when it's not school holidays.... anyway just an idea My sons loves both of those museums since he has 2yrs and my nephew ( 9, 13 , and 17 ) had loved it too when I've brought them there.