dully

Thanks for all the kindness, excuse me if a little shy on the subject I rarely think on it. littleEDF I have exactly the same weekly menu in my house. I tried to branch out with the economy gastronomy book but it just seems I pick up fads and drop them.

I was bought up in london. My mum was really ill and my dad was gone so I, being the eldest, was left in charge of the household. I was 10 with 4 siblings to look after and a mum to support. I used to clean the whole house, cook all meals from scratch,do the weekly shop, go to the post office to pay bills, spend quality time with my siblings, either go to hospital to visit my mum or care for her in an evening. I had to present my family as perfectly looked after or social services would've nabbed up and split us up. I also did my homework and proceeded to university. its really not that hard, its just tedious

I think you have limited knowledge and should be aware of it. If you are going to call people up on their comments without actually knowing yourself. Supposition and assumption are not reasonable things with which to have shot down previous comments and more so your comments come across as ignorant and then a little worse than that. You don't know everyone and everything about these countries to turn your opinion to fact. There is the Queen for one who only (questionably) employs english maids and much lower down the line my in laws are english with an english maid in dear old dulwich. There are plenty of people employed at a respectable rate, fully legal and not being exploited.

wod, I think it depends on who you are not where you are. Why Dubai? I've never seen anyone refer to australia and western europe in the same sentence, either way the act is not beneath them but subject to motivation and money. I know plenty of people with maids and various help. If money were no object, I think most people have indicated they would love the extra help.

I thought one of the pleasure of being a SAHM is that you get to try all these things out? I've perfected my cake making after realising it cost the same to make a whole lemon and poppy seed cake at home as it does to have the one slice in a nice cafe these days. Since being at home I've learnt to crochet, knit, make shag pile rugs, clean the house compulsively, make sushi, expand my recipe knowledge all things which are completely pointless and unappreciated in this day and age. My cake only tastes as good as one from m and s, it was easy to just buy the baby puree and spend more time with the baby and the house just gets messy again. No one thinks all these things I do are worth the hours they take and I tend to get belittling comments about being a housewife. I did enjoy these things because I was bored in an evening and needed something more to do. The world it seems wants women to spend as little time with the kids, in and on the home because it supports the economy more in every way if everyone just goes to work.

does anyone know anything about forest schools camps in this area? They've always had a big east dulwich following

LL has a pretty impressive set of shops that do not need the diversion from their income. They are already up against a massive sainsburys.

I would make sure you get one that is going to fit your baby for a while. My son is on the 98th growth line and he was too big for the ikea chair, all the basic chairs that are suitable up til 15kg. He is 15 kg now at 20 months. We have a fisher price highchair which was the only one we could find that was under ?100 and takes children up to 22kg. It is great.

A massive thanks to everyone who helps me with my pram up and down stairs - it is really nice of you. A general thank you to everyone who smiles at the children when they are grumpy on the bus, catches the little devils when they run away and bring them back. I try to do it all myself but sometimes it is a bit beyond me. Thanks for your tolerance and support from one frazzled mum and her grumpy son.