notmyduck

Our au pair has been in touch with a local (ish) English school offering four hours of English classes each week for ?100 a month. Having been to one class, they have told her they will offer two hours of class time and give her a workbook to do at home because the Covid restrictions mean that they are limited as to the number of people in the class. However ... the school is charging the same price for only two contact hours, hasn?t offered any Zoom or other virtual contact and the class has only three pupils (they say the maximum is six). Our au pair has asked the school if there are other classes she could join for more contact hours but they are not being helpful. We are in correspondence with the school but can I ask others with more experience than me: - does this sound right!? I haven?t dealt with English classes before but it seems unreasonable to charge for four contact hours and only offer two - does anyone have a recommendation of a local(ish) alternative? Thanks

If you're prepared to give birth at St Thomas hospital you can register directly with the hospital and ask for a caseload midwife. They either visit you at home (if you're close to their catchment area, maybe round Myatt's Fields) or you go to them at Manor Place near Elephant - again, whether that's convenient depends on where you live/whether you mind a bus ride.

You can order them online. Not sure where. I googled it when I needed them. I think they cost ?10-?20. I found they were pretty easy to replace once they arrived.

Ah, yes just to clarify, we are using a travel potty too (tippee toes with potette liners as they fit better), not pouring wees or similar anywhere I the street! I used an ordinary shopping bag with kitchen paper once but there was at least one tiny little hole and that's enough for a mess so have gone for the made to order style.

I read this thread, bought the book and decided to bite the bullet of potty training myself. I found yeknomyeknom's 'real life experience' very encouraging so I thought I would share mine too as the weather will soon turn properly bad and it will be even harder to think about this next step! My son is 25 months. We started potty training nearly two weeks ago following the 'oh crap' approach, albeit with a top on to protect from the sun (we were away on holiday, why not let him poo on someone else's floor!?). We talked the night before about saying good bye to nappies and then off they came in the morning. Day 1 - 5-6 wee accidents and a poo on the floor Day 2 - he told me "don't poo on the floor". He had two small wee accidents and did two poos in his nappy overnight and during nap time. He also asked for a nappy during the day but we discussed having said good bye to them Day 3 - 2-3 small wee accidents and a poo on the floor, while he was jumping around so ended up well distributed! Day 4-6 - 1-2 small dribbles but told me he needed to use the potty Since then, largely very good. A slight tummy upset on day 8 or 9 meant he didn't have great control one day and that was a bit of a shock to him but we talked about it and I explained that sometimes sore tummies mean these things happen. Small wee today in the park (day 12) but he stopped as soon as he realised and did the remainder in the potty. The most difficult part, I found, is responding to him promptly in a public place. I've ventured out to various places inclufing out for a couple of meals. Some discreet potty-under-the-table (outside) was needed at one place. Yesterday, he announced outside Peter Jones that he needed to go, so we crouched round the corner on Symon Street and hoped the taxis and Chelsea fams didn't mind/notice. I figure, like so many baby/toddler issues, it has to be done and it's more important that we get the right outcome and not embarrass him with an unnecessary wet pant than worrying too much about what passers by are thinking (assuming I can be reasonably discreet). I took a similar approach with breast feeding in public though I think I'm a bit more militant about that being socially acceptable. How have others found the challenge of needing to 'go' in public and not wanting to risk a long dash to an actual toilet?

For anyone not yet in the Facebook group, we're planning to meet any time from 6/6.30 tonight at franks in Peckham. Some people are coming later after a visit to to Kings if that's too early. I'm aiming to be there for 6.30 so please someone else turn up not too long afterwards! Thanks Victoria

I noticed a sign for this place when I drove by on the weekend. http://www.lenidchildcare.co.uk/edg/welcome/ Supposed to be opening in September though the website is fairly non-specific. Has anyone done any investigation/ know anything about it? Would be nice to find somewhere good without an already long waiting list! Thanks