hazelnunhead

It was a while ago since I did this, but I remember it being common to give ?20 to ?30 to put your child's name down. I didnt register with one nursery that asked for a ?100 non refundable fee (not in this area i hasten to add!)

That looks great .... Thanks for passing on.

Thailand ..... We went there and it was the right mix of relaxing, wonderful food, rented a bike, diving, walking and daily massages on the beach. Would go back in a heartbeat. Bangkok is fun for the exciting part!

I am going glamping (a yurt in suffolk) over easter ..... i can send you details on how it was!

Becca thank you for that - its good to know about it not necessarily being an outside loo for nocturnal visitors! The other options are just going to work out too expensive i think ...... can you tell me if you got the bark chip nuggets or general play bark (which is a little bit cheaper) The tip about weed-proof membrane is helpful. At the moment, it is concreted, with the slates bits on top, would we still need a weed-proof membrane? I might well take you up on your offer to come and have a look do your children find it easy to play on? soft?

We have an area in our garden 6m x 4m which is presently covered in chips of slate (I think thats what they are). This area is to be "transformed" into the play area where my daughters trampoline is to go. I need to get it covered in something soft / durable / My options at the moment are Because of a big tree / shaded a bit etc, a gardener i got in said that to lay lawn would not work - so that leaves me with .... Bark (chippings) - which is cheap (I think?) and easy - but i am worried about the local cats and foxes using this as a toilet! Anyone got bark and any thoughts on this? Artifical turf - however the quotes come in around ?1200 - ?1800. Still a bit unsure of this, never had artificial grass before, but it sounds good for terms of playing area, but expensive Some for of rubberised mats - i have contacted a an eco type company that do this and they think it will be around ?1000 to have this fitted .... (like the surfaces they have in outdoor playgrounds) Does anyone have any experience / ideas / names of suppliers that they could suggest. Have you done something that you loved and would recommend? Desperately looking for ideas, all gratefully received ....

You can try the artastic workhops - my (almost) 5 year old daughter has done two of these and really enjoyed them. They are in the Scouts Hall on Bellenden Rd, and have quite a few dates allocated over the Easter period ... if you need i can find their website if that is useful ...

Happy to support this - looks wonderful ......do keep us updated ...

I think its ?2 - and they have a timed session. Not usually too crowded ...... (except for school holidays etc!) They also have a little cafe to the side and the library is next door if you need to fill up some time!

Thanks for this. Will take my daughter there with hers

I wanted to add, that I am sure they will be put in touch with SANDS, but groups like that, where you can meet people going through what you have, and help support counsel you, i think are vital. So at some point you could see that they had that information.

I would definately drop off a card - I would let them know that you are there for them. i think that in times of such despair and sadness it can be easy to say "i dont want anyone to contact me" - but cards etc do have a place, that you are thought of, that it is real. I would just pop it through the letterbox and i would understand that they might not be ready to see anyone. I would ask a family memeber if you know if they would like a donation in terms of flowers to a charity etc. I would ask the family memeber if you should or could attend the funeral. I believe that support is needed on day like that, and alhtough probably a blur for the person, will later be remembered. I would in a few weeks time, drop another note/text/ to the person to ask if they felt like a coffee etc. My friend who lost a child at childbirth was able to speak about this after some months and we did take time to talk about it; many tears, but also within time just the ability to speak about her son / what he looked like etc. I would remember the anniversary - i helped organise a very low key one year anniversary picnic lunch for a friend If they have any other children offer to have the child so that they have some space ot grieve I would stay in contact - in a low key way ... your friend will need and value support as time passes. Thoughts to you ..... I know how numb I felt when I heard similar news (although quite awhile ago), and i think your instincts of reaching out are right .... If you want to PM me please do, i dont want to write to much, as i am aware how painful this subject is ...

Corbella I know colour box nursery off ivy dale road do Spanish once a week. Perhaps you could ask them about joining. Ivy dale school also does after school Spanish. Perhaps these tutors know of other groups around.

Thank you so much Enjoy - Pm'd address

I know this a long shot but i need a few receipts for Lidl in peckham. Why? I received a parking fine at the beginning of the year. Rushing to take my duaghter swimming, car park full there, went to Lidl carpark which was a quarter full, as it was dark I didnt notice the strategicaly placed signs saying there was a two hour limit! We went swimming, did soft play, had a burger then went to lidl! when I recieved a fine i wrote to them stating that I had being spending money in the area etc and was asked to send any receipts I had from lidl - which I did, (I had the cash receipt from that day) and it got lost! I know have to come up with other receipts (any dates) but after a massive recycling from me a few weeks ago i have no receipts anywhere in the house. So if anyone has a few receipts please could i have them! I will happily donate some money to a charity rather than pay a private parking company money!

The Albany (Deptford) have a wonderful childrens production on The Forest which is on until Thursday - there is a 11.00 show .... great threatre, space for lunch afterwards ..... http://www.thealbany.org.uk/ Other than that (and easy to get to on overland) is Childrens Museum (Bethnal Green) and Geffrye Museum, all usually have activites over half term ....

MrsMc I hope you get some help - my duaghter had excema from when she was a baby and is gradually growing out of it. I found trial and error what worked and what didnt. I found a book in the library which helped me understand it more, and also taught me how to apply creams etc. I did find that as the weatehr changed, her excema got worse. When she has flare ups I keep her out of the bath - i find the hardness of London water only aggravates her skin further. If you can putting lots of salt in the water can help (I found this out when swimming in salt pools in europe how her skin improved). I use Aveeno in the bath, and that is about all - she ususally only baths in water. My sympathies to you as it is something that I had no knowledge of before, and I had no idea that it would be so difficult. Ours is finally under control with patches here and there, but from what is what like at 1 and 2, I can deal with that! Good luck .....

I have enjoyed taking my daugther here - I would have loved a place like this when she was younger. It is also helpful that most of the things to do are made / created / so there are no "fights" over toys etc! - if you buy things on amazon, and go through their website, (click on Amazon link from TDLP webpage) they earn some revenue as well Although teh cafe is small, they do a good coffee; some nice snacks available. (You can just turn up - they do have themed events for Christmas; Halloween and those have to be booked)

Hi Rani We have had two holidays in europe that we loved. One was in italy, very near florence (Montevarchi) .... stayed on a lovely farm in little self catering cottages. They had a big pool (all salt water) on the property and we had loads of fun. Loads of fruit trees, vegetables, grapes, chickens. The owner would leave bowls of fresh fruit and veg outside on our patio. There was lots to do and although we could catch the train etc to Florence, we didnt do that many trips as it was so hot! Went in July. However the farm was beautiful, we were so relaxed, and would go for beautiful drives in the afternoon (aircon on, daughter having a nap) [www.campiglioni.it] http://www.campiglioni.it/ The other holiday was in portugal, (Verdemar) same type of thing, stayed in a place with lots of little seperate bungalows, in big grounds - however this time we ate / had meals cooked for us ... also beautiful, would drive to beach every morning, and then spend most afternoons around the pool. Dinner was a highlight as would sit with about 10 - 12 other adults, wine would flow and lots of laughs. [www.verdemar.net] http://www.verdemar.net/ Both holidays were extremely family friendly...... (plus quite easy flights over ....) If you click on the links, the pictures will do more justice than my attempts to describe the beauty of both places .....

HiPebbles I guess you will need to make the decision on the cable car - we were there on a bit of a windy day and i just didnt want my daugther refusing to come down on it!!! However loads of children go on it. I think they will be fine. If you can take your car seats then do - i have often found with car hire that we have being given really old seats (I used a friends car seat in south africa, so cant comment, just a general comment about car hire!) If you dont have to pay for it as luggage take it, as it will still cost you an extra ?30 or so to hire it. If you do do the train - catch it from Kalk bay to Simonstown (not from cape town central) ..... but if you want to drive on to cape point from boulders you might want the car (just a thought, but i always loved that train ride) I use VAUGHN WALKER from TRAVELWISE; TEL: +27-21-6854138 FAX(direct): 0865 015 337 [email protected] If you want he can help you with all your local car hire, etc If you are interested in sport - and want to watch some cricket or rugby or play golf you can try this webiste (its like groupon, but for sporting deals) - FLOOK SPORTING DEALS SA Have a great time ..... dont forget to buy some peppermint crisps and chocolate logs!

Hi Pebbles Cape Town used to be my home town - so here are some of my favourite things to do ..... Kalk Bay is really lovely - it is about 20 mins drive from central cape town, it has a sweet little strip of shops (including old antique shops; second hand book shops, ice cream shop, interesting clothing shops - the wonderful Olympia cafe known for its breakfasts, as well as the Kalk Bay Harbour for food and the Palano - which both have great views of the sea, waves crashing up onto the restuarant glass windows and delicious sea food - palano upstairs is more upmarket and Kaly Bay HArbour more bar food like - recommend either. You can take a train from Kalk bay - or drive to Boulders to see the penquins (definately recommend this). The train ride hugs the coast line so is quite fun. Boulders beach is good for swimming and alot warmer than camps bay! You could in the same day go from Boulders (Simonstwon) to Cape Point, which is a beautiful drive through a nature reserve where you will see beautiful fauna and flora (rooibos or redbush is grown here as well as lots of natural bushes etc) In cape town i would definately do table mountain - i decided not to take my duaghter (4) this year on the cable car, but you can decide on that .... put you can still drive up to table mountain and enjoy the views of the city - a drive along Signal Hill is also great and a good way to get good all round views of cape town from camps bay to the city I love the seapoint area - and something i enjoy doing is going to the old seapoint baths - it is a lovely art deco faced building and includes 4 large salt water pools, all with views of the sea - lovely place for lounging around. There has being alot of investment here from the world soccer and seapoint now has a great park where you cna take your kids out on their scooters / bikes or just go for a walk ..... lots of cafes from moile point along seapoint .... I have always loved kloof street in cape town, it has tremendous views of the mountain, loads of little coffee shops and restuarants and little boutique like shops. There is the lovely Melissa's where you can buy food and jams and preserves and a whole host of wonderful places to eat and relax. The waterfront has an aquarium which is quite fun for children Kirstenbosh gardens are wondeful, a good place to picnic, often music concernts on a sunday ..... forest walk near there as well if you are finding it hot and want to find some shade. wine farms always a treat ,,,,,, You can do Groot or Klein constantia if you dont want to drive out stellenbosch way .... Hout bay has opened a new food market (and other stuff to buy) on the weekend, great food - also good beach here, and a great place to buy fish and chips on the harbour. The drive from camps bay to hout bay is absolutely stunnning. I would absoutley recommend if you drive to hire a car, otherwise difficult to get around. I can recommend a local travel agent in cape town if you want. I picked up my car at the airport which was great. If you are flying (internally) their are cheap airlines such as Mango, Kulula and one time (or else use a travel agent) One of my favourite things to do is visit the Kruger National PArk (granted this is JHB way) - but if you are thinking of doing a safari, then you can think about his - although in feb it might be too hot (and you ened to check about malaria) There are so many great restuarants in cape town, i can try and rustle you up a list if you want .... Camps bay for cocktails is always good, and of course watch the sunset as much as you can ..... there are often picnics on teh beach as the sun goes down. There is a lovely art museum which has some of the famous south african artists (Kentridge etc) and the Jewish museum. Mount Nelson hotel for cream tea - go hungry and expect not to eat again for a day or so! A good walk from Mount Nelson down to Parliament buildings in central cape town. Labia - old fashioned cinema Long street - good for food; bars at night; interesting shops .... if i think of more i will add on - there is just so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Annama - I have used Liz who advertises on this forum as well .... she has helped me out at short notice, and is excellent. Lis is a university students so able to do some babysitting for you during her holdiays. If you do a search you should come up with her details, or else send me a PM and i will dig out her number for you.

The Albany Theatre is showing "The Magicinas Daughter" - which may be of interest. There is a swimming pool (Deptford) about 3 minutes walk from the theatre so you could do both. (The pool is lovely and warm with a large shallow area for toddlers / children)

Firstly, could you have a chat with them and let them know that you need the space; as the bin collections have changed to evry two weeks. Paint your number on the bin in large letters. Lock it - i would as this would annoy me! You could also think about using resuable nappies which would cut down on throwing them out! Of course this might not be for you, but it is easy to do; their is a local grant to get you started; and will save you quite a bit of money in the long run .... or as townley green suggested, just call, get them bins, put their number on it, they should get the message!

If you are worried in any way about the jab then take the time to speak to your nurse / or doctor. For me the decision around giving or not giving my daughter her jabs was a really difficult one, but I found our nurse and doctor very open to speaking about it. Aks you sister to clarify for you? I am not sure if she means that she wished she hadnt got the jab; or at a specific clinic?