millsa

Hello Merry Christmas to all! Can someone recommend a local place for a drink and a boogie for this Thursday night? Not a club but maybe a bar or pub with music where people can dance if they feel like it? East Dulwich, Forest hill, Crystal palacem. Thanks!!!

sorry posted in this section by mistake, now reposted in the family room classified section

We moved from goose green (which i can't rate high enough!) to Eliot bank because we left ED. Eliot Bank is brilliant, very high standard of teaching and lots going on, fantastic school trips as also the setting is great: off the main road, hidden in the trees and with a pond. PM me if you have any questions and I will be happy to help.

Hello, I have just PMed you as we are looking too :) If anyone else help and put me in touch with any potential au pairs please PM me. I have tried aupair world but you need to pay to log in as a host family so I'd rather explore other options first. many thanks!

Hello, We are actually looking for an au pair but we only need help in the evenings (about two - three evenings a week). We have two kids 5 and 7, in school all day. We have had au pairs before and are very relaxed and flexible I will email Valentina from the post above but if you could please ask your au pairs if they know anyone that would be great! please PM me, many thanks!

Hello, The Philosophy Foundation (www.philosophy-foundation.org) is running free philosophy sessions for nursery and reception children (3-5) in June in Sydenham. I have signed my child up but the organiser has just told me that they are low on numbers and might not be able to run these sessions. They need to get a few more kids signed up by Wednesday. I have no idea what these sessions will be like as I have no connection to the Foundation but this sounds like an interesting idea to enhance the development of our children and it is completely free. Please have a look at the info and link below and contact Emma ([email protected]) if you would like to sign up. Thank you in advance! Free philosophy sessions for ages 3-5 (http://www.philosophy-foundation.org/media-centre/upcoming-events#free-philosophy-sessions-for-ages-3-5) The Philosophy Foundation (www.philosophy-foundation.org) is offering nursery and reception children, and their parents free philosophy sessions for 4 weeks from Tuesday 2nd June. What's the big idea? At the age of 4 and 5 children?s ideas about the world are just forming. They are exploring new things, meeting new people and there is a lot to think about: fairness, friendship, pretend and real, fault and blame, happiness, to name just a few. Our sessions help young people to think through these new ideas and problems as a group. They come together and listen to their peers, developing vital thinking and communication skills that are fundamental to learning across the curriculum. Play and exploration are at the heart of every young child?s learning and we take this approach to all our sessions which incorporate games, stories and child-led learning. Where and when? We will be running three groups - 2 for 3/4 year olds and one for 4/5 year olds at Here for Good, 17 Sydenham Road, SE26 5EX. Pre-school group (ages 3 and 4) Tuesday 2nd June - Tuesday 23rd June Group 1 9.30-10am Group 2 10am-10.30am Reception group (ages 4 and 5) Thursday 4th June - Thursday 25th June Thursdays 3.45pm-4.45pm Booking is absolutely essential as we have only a limited number of spaces. To reserve your place for the 4 week course email [email protected] giving your child?s name, age and which session you would like to come along to. These sessions are also a chance for parents to watch their children tackle some big questions, and to learn how to question them at home, we therefore recommend that you stay with your child during the sessions.

I've git two kids 6 and 4 and v interested.please keep me posted, best via PM as I don't follow the forum discussions often. Thanks

many thanks! general share. No business-related. I want to start blogging about sustainability issues to share and deepen my knowledge on the subject. would you go for wordpress then? I am an absolute beginner but will soon have the time to get more involved. many thanks

hello, what platform (wordpress or blogspot) would people recommend for a personal blog (I am just starting), and what are the pros and cons for each? I am thinking of starting with a free account option and if the blog kicks off, I may move to the premium account. I have never run a blog either so have no experience. Any advice would be helpful. THANK YOU!!!

thanks for all encouraging PMs and for a good chat Nicky! Will let you know what we have decided :)

We are also thinking of moving (Y 2) as he has just been offered a place at Elliot Bank (will brave the hill I reckon :) MOving house or schools is always scary and we love his current school so much, but the commute from Sydenham to ED is dredful in the morning and we have had enough. Thanks all for such positive comments, it is very encouraging! Verds - it looks like we are in a very similar situation (move and school-wise) so I will be in touch :)

Hello, we have just been offered a place at the Ofsted-outstanding Elliot Bank. Are there any forumites' kids who go to the school, and can share your thoughts? Much appreciated! You can PM me if you prefer. many thanks in advance

Thanks all - very helpful! Bethielethie - thanks for the honesty that she might be too young for voice lessons, yes four seems very young. We will try your first lesson and take it from there :) Thanks again!

A choir for 0-3 sounds surreal ladyruskin :) Thanks for the info - anyone else please?

Hello, we met a professional singing teacher on a holiday abroad who told us that our four-year-old daughter can sing pretty well and it might be worth signing her up for some professional singing lessons. She is only four so we don't want to push her into anything, but considering she sings all the time and seems to love it, we could give it a go. Can anyone recommend a professional teacher who works with young kids? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Hello, our 20-year-old Polish au pair is looking for friends in ED/Forest Hill/Honor Oak/Sydenham area, preferably other au pairs who speak quite good English already. Please PM if you/your au pair would like to get in touch. Many thanks!

hello, I have just posted something about our au pairs wanted to meet friends and now saw your messages. Will PM you both. Also thanks for the tip about the FB group, how very organised :)

hello, our 21-year-old Polish au pair is looking for other au pairs in the area to hang out and improve her English. I remember seeing various posts about au pairs get-togethers so wonder if anyone could give us more info/details? Any help would be much appreiciated, please PM me, many thanks in advance!!

we moved to sydenham last Dec from east dulwich and really like it here, we are on the forest hill side. great transport links and very functional high street which is improving pretty much weekly. Anette wrote: 'Sydenham Road is never going to be a dazzling high street but it is functional' - if you had seen Lordship Lane ten years ago you would be surprised - it was much grottier than the sydenham high street currently is. Just wait for Foxtons to open a new office here ;-) good luck with the move! PM me if you have any questions :)

Hi, we moved to sydenham just before Christmas from east dulwich and I agree with the posts above - it is great! yes the high street isn't lordship lane but it is improving (and we remember lordship lane ten years ago, it was much worse than today's sydenham high street) and it is actually very useful - great butcher and fish manger, great fruit and veg shops and the unbeatable 'the penge food shop' on the high street which has just about everything and it s always open. And sydenham is very green, transport is great and you are so close to crystal palace park or to beckenham with its great shops and the spa. We moved without knowing the area at all but found a house to die for, and within the budget which had proven way too small for any east dulwich poky cottage. I'm still slowly unpacking and getting used to the area so if mrsbee, or anyone else would like to have a coffee on the high street or mayow park please PM me :)

Another vote for Mummy laid an egg. Bought it when my 4-year-old started telling everyone that he really wants mummy to eat him because he wants to be in mummy's tummy again :)

Nice to see my thread being renewed, I remember saying big thanks via PMs to your responses and thanks again to those who I might have missed, your advise was invaluable. We ended up in Sydenham so quite nicely in the middle between Dulwich and Beckenham which works great for us. If anyone wants to get together in Kelsey Park etc please get in touch :)

hi Lochie, RuthN and others, we have just moved to Sydenham from ED and are really enjoying the area. Haven't had time to meet any new mums yet so if you ever fancy getting together in Sydenham or Beckenham (and moan about horrendous house prices in ED etc) give me a shout :)