littleEDfamily

Explosive poo is one of the more amusing aspects of having a baby, for sure. I didn't realise it was normal for breastfed babies to 'save up' their poo. After a week of no poo, we'd start to notice our daughter getting irritable and we'd get very excited about the 'exorcism'!! We even have a couple of photos to remember the force that was unleashed. Ok, I have probably crossed the line now.....

I would love to send my child to an exceptional state school like the one I went to as a primary school child (I went to private school later on as the local secondary school was so appalling) The reality is that living in East Dulwich there are simply more children than there are places at decent schools, so you either concede that your child may receive an education at a lower standard than you may like, move out (which we may yet do) or resign yourself to crippliing yourself financially and going private. For now, we have decided the latter is for us, and we feel completely comfortable about that decision. Apologies for labouring the point, but the issue is one of personal choice - I support parents who stick with the state system and try to improve things (and often end up paying for top-up tuition to bridge the inadequacies). I would rather spend my time earning an income to pay for a private school which I know will provide quality, than invest my energy in propping up schools that for what ever reason fail to reach appropriate standards. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, but it would be nice to know my taxes weren't being used to fund schools that my child is prevented from attending due to our religious beliefs (of lack of). The duty of the government, is in my opinion, not to provide parents with 'choice' (whether it be religious schools, single sex schools or whatever) within education (and where I believe the Labour Government has missed the point), but to provide a consistent levels of high quality, secular education for all.

I'm not sure the moral high ground here is really appropriate - the reality is that the vast majority of Catholic schools' funding comes from the state, and yet schools such as St Anthony's are all but unavailable to non-Catholics. I'm not Catholic bashing here - my view is identical for all religious schools. By your rationale, I should be giving myself a pat on the back for educating our child privately (i.e. that we are relieving the state's 'burden'). Although I am hardly in favour of faith schools (for the reasons already given), if Catholic Schools were wholly funded by the church and parents, the issue would be more one of personal choice (which I am in favour of), and less about the ideological hypocrisy and fundamental unfairness inherent in the current system.

I'm sure you would be hard pushed to find a parent who isn't happy with the school - they're all practising (or pretending to be) Catholics! It's an interesting point you raise on private schools being discriminatory on the basis of financial means, and it's impossible to convincingly argue against the point that private schools can be divisive. But there is a difference between an individual exercising their right to spend their money to buy their child what they believe is the best education available, and the government institutionalising and legitimising discrimination on religious grounds. I feel a lot more comfortable explaining to my child that certain opportunities are available to people due to their economic circumstances than I would telling them that that only children who believe 'x' can attend a particular school.

Firstly, sorry Ratcliffe, we have highjacked your thread. I hope you find some good recommendations and am sure you will love living in this area. I have no issue with children being exposed to a Christian 'ethos' - do unto others as you would have done unto you, and all that perfectly sensible stuff. However, de-prioritising children from attending a state funded school on the grounds that have not proven they are suitably indoctrinated is just plain wrong. I am totally against faith schools for many reasons, but one of the primary reasons is that it legitimises the idea of segregating society on the basis of religious ideology. If find it totally distasteful to expose a young child to the concept that certain people are 'special' or 'different' because of their religious beliefs, or indeed that they are superior because of theirs. As a society, we are encouraged (and forced by legislation) to embrace diversity and not practise discrimination, so for our government to fund schools where such discrimination is fundamental to the school's ethos and practises is totally hypocritical. And personally, I find the whole 'fire and brimstone' thing of which the Catholic Church is so fond (and I was raised a Catholic so feel qualified to comment) quite unsavoury not to mention totally inappropriate to exposure a 5 year old to. I'd be very peeved, if in order for my child to attend the state school closest to us (assuming we could even get in), I would need to expose them to concepts which I find medieval.

So true about the joy of a savoury drink. Now, how much iron is really in Guinness? Can I get away with this as a genuine treatment for my anaemia? A daily half (or even 1/4 pint) would I am sure make me a better person / mother / citizen....

Love it, love it!

I am a real dog lover. Even love Staffies, but I even I get freaked out my some of the dogs I see out and about nowadays with moronic owners (heidihi, I know the German Shepherd you mean - it's shifty). As lovely as many of the staffie breeds are, the reality is they have very powerful lock jaws and you don't stand much of a chance once they do lock on, so I think a healthy sceptism is necessary and not neurotic. I tend to avoid Peckham Rye Park as there seems to be a higher concentration of them there. Drives me mad when owners are clearly unable to control their off lead dogs - dogs, in my opinion should only be allowed off the lead if they do what they're told and show no aggression to other dogs or people. Even benign labs and spaniels shouldn't be allowed to bound up to strangers (even though we personally love it when they do). But having said all that, I think as dogs so much a part of our society, we have a duty to help our kids develop a wary affection for dogs and some idea how to behave around them (ie don't bound up to them, poke them, try to be calm etc). Saila - my instinct is that it is unlikely that a dog would attack a baby in a buggy, but I like the idea of Belle's bit of kit and the standing in front of buggy. Walking around with an pre-schooler, I sometimes feel a bit vulnerable too, but if we have to walk past a dog I don't like the look of, I try to get my daughter to walk confidently next to me, telling her that dog is 'busy' and we shouldnt' disturb him.

ryedalema Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Our daughter started at the south london dance > studio (Herne Hill next to the local Sainsburys) > when she was 2.5 last Jan. She absolutely loves > it. She wears the obligatory little pink tutu > leotard and wrapover cardie, they have 45 min > lessons with 'Miss Laura' and they pretend to be > Australian animals, do choo choo train congas read > about Angelina Ballerina and have learned first > and second position - so far. Quite relaxed and > they change the activities lots to take account of > their attention spans. > > Very cute. Our daughter is probably in the same class as yours, ryedalemama (Saturday morning?). I too can vouch for how great it is and how much she loves it. I am constantly amazed how Miss Laura keeps them all in line, while giving them an experience that clearly stimulates them - you see them really concentrating. And better than anything, my husband and I get 45 minutes on our own to have a coffee and an end of week catch up in peace! There is a really cute boy in the Sat am class.

prm: If only I had gone off alcohol. I have the odd sip of my husband's various alcoholic drinks and it is like nectar from the gods (esp beer)!!! I mustn't have enough of the maternal 'baby protecting' gene. KateW - funny you should mention the iron, as apparently I am pretty anaemic (forcing meat, fluoridix, and preg supplements down my gob in desperate attempt to sort it out!). I suppose maybe diverse range of cravings (although citrus does seem a common one) is a highly sophisticated individual response to lacking nutrients. I am telling myself I am lacking salt. I must give my body salt (dipping fingers into stash of Maldon).

James Nesbitt AGAIN today. I think he's stalking me. I may have to tell him I am holding out for Alan Davies.

Bonce - I'm with you. It has to be the big oranges. Satsumas and the like just aren't the same. Unfortunate about the orange allergy.....if mine turns out to have the same, I am going to deny all responsibility.

Ok, since we're at it, during my first, I once ate a few dog biscuits. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted more. I suspect I could go there again but fortunately, we no longer have a dog. I once also wanted to eat one of the bath balls in Lush. Or just lick it. So wrong.......

Oh that's just one of my cravings. I also eat Maldon Sea Salt as is (for a little snack), and could virtually live off those Organix kids' crisps. Oh and popcorn (with salt of course) for morning, lunch and dinner if I could get away with it. Anyone know any science behind salt cravings? I could go a donut right now too..........

I actually watched a whole documentary about John Lewis at Christmas time (I'll watch anything), which included them showing the creative process they went through with the ad agency to get the Xmas ad right. It was a small agency. I wish I could remember the name. Their (John Lewis') branding guy seemed very very good. We are good little consumers aren't we!!!

We were good with Moltex too. And ours was prone to explosive poos as well, but I agree some leakage is par for the course. Main reason we stuck with the ecos if that I can't stand the smell of Pampers et al when 'used' - don't know what they put in them (gels etc) that just doesn't seem right to me. Whereas there is something quite nicely earthy about Moltex. Speaking of exploding poos, I remember the time I took my daughter to get weighed at the baby clinic and just as I was putting her nappy back on (no spares with me), a week's worth of poo came flying out of her, straight onto me, the wall behind me (really!!) and all over the change table. Just as I was trying to contain wave 1, wave 2 hit. I walked home with her in the Bjorn covered in poo, her naked except for my cardie draped over her. Aaaahhh... the memories.

Anyone else out there who is pregnant and craves oranges like some sort of citrus lunatic??? I could easily polish off 5 or 6 a day, and my reflexologist said it is a craving to counteract the metallic taste in your mouth that the surge of estrogen can cause. Seems plausible, or is it just that I am odd?

taper Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It is so depressing that the state funds a school > with entrance criteria like that. Agree 100%, taper. In my opinion, the state should only provide a secular education, and if parents choose to educate their children according to their faith, it's a choice they should pay for, as you would private school. But - I am off topic, again. If you're in SE24 and would consider private, I can recommend Herne Hill School. Welcome to the area, Ratcliffe!

I do like that song, But I really liked their Xmas campaign with the remix of 'Sweet Child of Mine'.

Aaah, good tip on the pureed pea and pesto (by the way, BEWARE the wild rocket pesto I bought by mistake one day. Vile stuff). I am going to try the Hoisin on noodles. I am a devotee of soya and sweet chilli combos, but it's hardly the healthiest option. To my delight I found out recently my daughter will eat plain brown rice - how exciting is that!? I think it's the sweet nuttiness they like and you can substitute it for spuds or whatever your default carb side is. Wraps used to also be a favourite. Grated carrots and hummous inside (or whatever). Sorry to have gone off track (this was meant to be about vege mummies eat, wasn't it), but I do love a kids' recipe thread.

My daughter is a raving carnivore, but LOVE LOVE LOVES green pesto with wholemeal penne, which if you add an interesting salad makes quite a reasonable meal for a grown up as well. If she's not in the salad eating mood, I give her a couple of carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes as well to help me feel better about her veg consumption. We also make a lot of bean/ chickpea and tomato stews, which she has eaten happily since very small, and we like too (not to mention uber cheap). I know peanuts are controversial, but in my mind it's a great sandwich filler and protein galore (so I tell myself). Also, you can't go wrong with scrambled egg on wholemeal toast. Quite possibly the world's best veggie fast food, and ideal if you have had a big lunch and want a quick nutritious dinner for all. I'm keen to hear anyone else's veg ideas as often my mind goes blank in the barrage of "I want sausages/ ham/ fish fingers for dinner, mummy!!!" And my instincts tell me a lot of meat ain't good for little ones (anyone, really). Meantime, I am going to try Fushia's noodle idea - what do you put on the noodles?

I slightly regret having our daughter BCGed, as I agree with GWOD that TB is pretty difficult to contract, and (completely superficial I know) I hate the scar it has left (hers isn't even that bad - I've seen some corkers!). At the time as a sleep deprived new mum, I did feel pressured into it - these decisions are especially hard when in that 'newish baby foggy state'. Of all the vaccinations, she cried the most at this one (but that's not why I might not choose to do for future babies - helps to be prepared though!)

The Cheeky Girls! Pure reality TV gold. Definitely Heat worthy and definitely the best celeb spot so far in my book. That could only be trumped by Kerry Katona - long shot, but anyone seen her - do you think she could be enticed here with an Iceland platter?

Not a huge selection, but I adore what this UK brand does: http://www.belleandboo.com/clothing-c-46.html For older little girls with a vintage feel, http://www.ilovebreadandjam.com/ But, my personal absolute fave is Aussie brand Oobi - you can get them via this Aussie online shop but I am sure there are also some UK based stockists which a google search may uncover: http://www.littlestyles.com.au/store/pc/dresses-and-skirts-c15.htm If on more of a budget, Zara does some fabulous stuff, as does H&M.

The John McCririck (or however it is spelled) post made me laugh. You wouldn't expect anything less. How disappointing if he'd have actually been well-mannered. We seem to do well round these 'ere parts for 'serious' actors, comediennes etc, but what about pure 'Heat' type 'celebs'? You know trashy glam types - or is ED not that kind of 'hood?