Ellie78

Thanks for the recommendation! sadly she was booked (and it was short notice) but v glad that I got in touch and will use in the future!

Having a social distanced picnic for my Ma?s 70th on Saturday. Looking for someone to make some extra special cupcakes, which I thought would be better than cake to handle etc. Looking for c. 8 - all different preferably. She?s not got an amazingly sweet tooth so anything unusual in the fruit/veg dept was what i was thinking Anyone who could do this? Or any recommendations?

Hi JRK Whereabouts are you? I have a couple near me that does mornings and/or afternoons, but that might not be near enough to you

Mine is ?1200 per month 8-6pm Gov tax assistance on this, which you?re eligible for if don?t earn over 100k, brings it down to c 1050 per month. This is still hefty but better than 1500! Don?t just look at your immediate area, investigate other options that you can tie into the commute too. You may find something better/cheaper that way.

Yes, I wouldn?t expect them to open it up in the day for parents perusal whilst they are teaching. But I would expect them to allow you to speak to the reception teacher (or head) to address worries you might have or clarify a few things about the school.... What is it particularly that concerns you?

My son is at the htgfs at the top of the hill. He?s in year 2. That school had a great community ethos and we are very happy with it. I know folks at temple grove and they speak very positively about it. It was taken over quite a while ago so that feedback might be out of date. For us, though, the benefit of the automatic secondary allocation was a minor consideration: I?ve got no idea whether the school will end up being a fit for an 11 year old I don?t know yet, and schools can change very quickly. If I were you I?d definitely make the choice based on what you see in front of you now, rather than future considerations. Also might be worth asking if you can come in to talk to reception teacher? It sounds like you need further information, and you might as well do some research whilst you wait for your number 1 to come through. I?m sure they?d be happy to have a chat and you might get another view of the school and address concerns.

Thanks for the recommendation re the foam. We are going to make small window seats and use the online site - what does anyone recommend re covers for those. For such a small job (and these are v small window seats - it seems a bit ott to get from angel upholstery although I do agree they are fantastic.

Thanks digbina Good to know. It?s a shame that their offer is so limited- only one week in april and one week in August on their booking page, and we can?t do either.... but may be very useful in future so thank you!

We had a long holiday planned with friends of ours but my work has kyboshed it. We want to find an alternative, a shorter holiday, close to London if poss. Thinking maybe 3/4 nights. We both have two crazy 6 year olds who need constant play and energy burn We both have two smaller ones (toddler/early walker) so need to keep that in mind.., One family are adaptive and practiced campers, one family isn?t (us). Any advice welcome. I?ve googled stay farms Kent etc and not found anything particularly inspiring.

And pp is right I think. Au pairs can?t look after children that young, legally.

Have you tried sitters.co.uk. They?re CRB checked and I think have the recommended childcare background for age. You can book quite last minute for a few hours at a time. Worth looking at?

Thanks for this - really helpful. Alleyns and DC are a massive pain for us to integrate with other childcare and work. But needs must! Starting to dislike this full time working routine. Wish I could afford a nanny. Grumpy.

Hi - sorry if this is duplicating. Haberdashers has a 2 week half term and none of the clubs we usually use are running on that second week (Oct 29-Nov2) We are trying to suss out other childcare scenarios so would appreciate any advice in this respect! If anyone knows of another club that's open that week or could recommend a childminder who might take our son, who is 6 (sorry, edited out the scary face - he isn't that bad! ha ha) for the week that would be excellent.

Have pm?d you.

Oh that would be so nice!!!! No idea about venue tho. But so nice!

Oh super - thank you!!! I didn?t realise that deliveroo might deliver to Hyde park (or any park for that matter!) Definitely worth a thought, although I?m guessibg the queues might get a bit long: we are used to going off peak to the memorial playground so I?m thinking that might not be the same experience on a weekend. But you?re definitely on to something!! Thank you.

So it's the big 4-0 this year. I have 2 children, my daughter is 8 months. I don't want a massive knees up (I'm in bed most nights by 9 ha ha), but I don't want it to pass. Looking for somewhere, long afternoon affair on a weekend. Late August....(yes, last minute I know) Would have to be somewhere to bring kids to, as most of my close friends have very small children. Has anyone done something similar? WAs thinking about having lunch at Wahacas in Canary Wharf, which has that outside space in front of it and the potential to go off to Docklands Museum and soft play. But I don't think that would lead to a particularly relaxing lunch, will babies trying to crawl around etc. I'm sure there's a trick I'm missing here.

Posting because of relevant recent experience - though not exactly on a par with the op. I had a tough first labour (slow progress, 72 hours with no sleep, liberal use of induction drip, bad tearing from assisted birth) and recently my pregnancy went to 42 weeks. I was with St Ts (hoping for a Home birth) and they wanted to induce me. I had to talk to 2 consultants (Midwife and dr) and explained to both why I wanted an ELCS instead. They were both very respectful of my decision and my reasoning - obviously I had the leverage of them wanting the baby out in the first place, but I never experienced any pressure to do something I was absolutely dead against doing. Not that this is a contest, but I know from talking to you midivydale how hard the labour was (harder that mine!). And I wouldn?t call what you have ?tokophobia? because that suggests to me something irrational or devoid of real life context - you have very sound reasons to want to avoid what happened before and any further impact on your physical health. If you are treated with anything apart from kindness and understanding id be surprised - that?s what you should expect. I know elcs has its risks etc but I found it an absolute walk in the park compared to my previous experience. Not starting life with a newborn with severe sleep deprivation (i was hallucinating already from 3 nights of no sleep when I was packed off with my son) was a good start, let alone the rather brutal damage of an assisted birth....at 7 weeks on I am still recovering (ie I still have pins and needles around the middle, and I?m reconnecting with my core muscles!) but I feel more capable and confident in my body than I did before. Sure, it?s not the answer to everything but it certainly beats what happened before, and had limited the damage to my pelvic floor. Good luck with it - we don?t talk enough as a society about the long term damage that women experience in childbirth and that needs to change. But I felt - from my recent experience - that the nhs is beginning to become more sensitive to these things.

Just to note - remember it's you (not your husband) that's been called. So I don't know if you would be able to claim the fraction of his income as expenses, he'd be paid for childcare (at their rate). So make the point that the loss to you is far greater. But focus on you and YOUR reasons for not being able to do it.

I think with such a young child you stand a very good chance. Put it all in writing and apply. Are you still breastfeeding? I'd emphasise the sole carer of child first - and refer to her/him as a baby (they are) rather than child. Make the argument it's not in the baby's well being to be upset by short term care scenarios when they aren't used to anyone else but you. Then raise the family's sole income aspect. Think about whether you'd be prepared to defer and says so (although if you don't go back to work you might just be in the same situation in 12 months)..,. In my experience they are understanding and reasonable...

How is that in any way equivalent to the examples offered? No - I wouldn't offer my advice on that situation. I'd call the police.

I'm not a lawyer but a friend of mine has part owned a property due to similar inheritance. Obviously it's been an amazing investment for him but it's been harder to get a place of his own (tax, mortgage) and still keep it so I guess you also need to think about how fexibje you need it to be in terms of a payout: is this for uni fees? To give them a desposit? Will you need to get large lump sums pus for them in nearish future. Or would rent income be fine. Knowing what you want it for is key here. Because having it in your name might then work better. Wonder whether you actually need a financial advisor - you are obviously going to need a lawyer anyway to sort out purchase legal stuff and they can implement your wishes re the kids.

Buggy pitstop seems to work well with most models. I know some people have advised local bike shops (see recent thread on Bugaboo bee plus for useful pointers!)....

Did I say chicken twice?? Sorry - that enthusiastic

Ah, Tandoori nights!!!! I love their chicken red chicken handi... Please tell me they still do it. Haven't been since the boy arrived 4 years ago as they don't deliver and we'd moved beyond easy pick up distance... Don't go near it Sophie - its nuclear and will mess with your insides but God I love it.