Bellenden Belle

Saffron - that's a pretty rude post. I don't think there is anything wrong with caring about how my child spends his week - most parents choose their child's nursery pretty carefully. I am sorry your life doesn't allow you to do so. And practically - it involves sending my child to nursery in his 'favourite' Frozen costume - that's what the letter home states. And actually as a busy working mum sourcing an outfit over the weekend is the last thing I need.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > intexasatthe moment Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > "It may be that the staff are not very well > > educated and therefore have to resort to this > type > > of thing." > > what a patronising ,offensive and unintelligent > > comment . > > > > And yet probably true. I'm inclined to agree. The staff are lovely and warm and caring, but I'm not convinced they are experienced or particularly well educated. And most of the time that doesn't bother me - I don't need my child hot-housed aged three, I just want him to be happy. But watching tv on a computer (which has started happening - it's how my son now recognises some bits of Frozen) and this kind of rubbish just irritates me. We're not an anti-Disney family. My son is allowed to watch Cars at the weekend (god knows I'd rather Frozen than that interminably dull film) but it's strictly a weekend thing. He asks about it every day and I think it's really important to have a balance where kids do a variety of activities and learn to be engaged in different things. Otherwise you're just laying the foundations for kids who think school and learning are boring at a young age since it's not them doing exactly what they want. He drew a polar bear at nursery last week which they put on the wall. He was so proud and told us all about it and showed it to us. Kids can be engaged so easily with a bit of encouragement / no need to wrap it up in sugar-coated Disney fodder.

Am I being totally unreasonable to be irritated by a nursery-wide themed week based on this film? I have a three year old boy. He hasn't seen the film and quite frankly I don't think he needs to. I don't see why themed weeks couldn't be around a book or a traditional tale like Three Little Pigs. Am I being a killjoy? Or should nursery offer something more than commercialised fodder?

This was one of my favourite news stories last year: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/30/travel/emotional-support-pig-booted-flight/ I think dogs are okay - as long as they have been trained in the same manner as guide dogs. Not just some over-pampered pooch in a handbag - whatever happened to good old fashioned valium? But I would draw a line at a pig!

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > DulwichFox Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > The Clique are a small group of regular posters > using Asides, In-Jokes and Masonic Style > > Handshakes that are meaningless to most other > EDF users. > > I don't know about anyone else, but I feel rather > crushed and devalued by that. Is Colin the cat-flap fitter in the clique?

Just to give a huge thumbs up to theatre503 in Battersea - so easy with the orange line to Clapham junction now. Again this is not an amateur theatre, but instead an award winning theatre that is The smallest theatre to ever win an Olivier award and had two West End transfers this year. 2015 is looking fab including the debut play from Phoebe Eclair-Powell, a local girl (some might make a link from her surname. And the Latchmere where the theatre is based had had a makeover and a change of management - now owned by the same guys who own the Rosendale in Dulwich. www.theatre503.com

For anyone wondering why I put pants on under a nappy it was so that he could feel the sensation of being wet. It's why toddlers in cloth nappies train quicker apparently. Poor little man remained oblivious to being wet so that theory didn't work.

Just to say a huge thank you to everyone for their posts and pms. I am going to wait until Easter, but we'll keep on reading the books and sitting on the potty. Will definitely be investing in Fushias step/ toilet seat combo and possibly the 'oh crap potty training' manual. And will pack him off for his two days with granny armed with a smile and all his little panties.... just in case she can work miracles. :-) Thanks all x

Yep - had two fairly recently. Two and a half hours if you get there after 10am. Get there at 8.30 and you should be out in an hour. The doctors are all lovely there though.

Ah Anya I was hoping you might post as I found your posts asking for advice whilst doing a forum search earlier today. I am so glad to hear you got there eventually - it gives me hope. It's interesting that you say to persevere since he's not stressed as yes, that did strike me as different to your experience. I think tomorrow I shall let him wear pants under his nappies so he might start at least recognising the sensation of being wet and then maybe have another go on New Years Day (yay!) when daddy is home.

Current nursery haven't mentioned it but we were keen to move nurseries as we have moved to Penge and I didn't want him turning up at a new nursery still in nappies. Oh and the mother-in-law :-) Otherwise, no other pressure.

So today was day one of potty training my little boy who will be three in eight weeks. He has shown no interest independently. But he was pleased to buy pants and happily read a book about potty training and sat on his potty and I honestly think has wanted to try. But watching him today I honestly don't think he has any idea when he is actually going to the toilet, never mind knowing beforehand. After ten minutes of sitting on the potty and nothing, two minutes later he's soaking but completely oblivious to the fact. He's not bothered by being wet at all. So I'm not experiencing any meltdowns. My gut feeling is that he isn't ready and I should give it a few more months. But should I persevere this week? He doesn't seem stressed or miserable by the process but nor does he seem to be likely to make much progress. Is it likely to change overnight?

The Albany Theatre has a brilliant production of We're going on a Bear Hunt. Not as expensive as many theatre shows but superb quality. We're also going to treat ourselves to lunch on the Big Red Bus on Deptford high Street afterwards ... Pizza, pasta and other options.

In the interest of balance, I would say that actually, after reading great reviews of this event last year, I was really quite disappointed with the offering. The opening introductory session was essentially a local author trying to flog his book to a bunch of fairly disengaged children. Not a natural performer, we really were faced with a middle-aged man dressed in an elf costume. The "craft" session consisted of leaving mums and dads to bang nails into bits of wood to make trains that had already been half made, scribbled on, by the previous group. Too many children, with the organiser rushing in to try and hurry us on to the next "biscuit decorating" event. These biscuits were cleverly kept til the end of the experience so that you had to pick them up in the "shop" - ahhhhh, yes, a chance to buy that oversized elf's book.....and other things. Santa was great, and I thought for younger children the sensory room upstairs was a good idea. But I wouldn't recommend.... a good Christmas show and a visit to a free Santa will be on my wishlist next year instead.

Actually surely the interesting thing would be not to search out other academics in here but instead to see if you can make your ideas engage the wider audience that the forum offers. This might itself prove an interesting exercise for you, with the need to examine your choice of language, how you place your ideas in a populist context, and how academic theory can find a relevance in everyday discussion. Just a thought.

Lovely cake to be had at Alexandra nurseries' gorgeous cafe. And there's a cute little cafe on Maple Road too - not Blue Mountain (though that's fine too) but another independent. Great butchers as well - similar quality to William Rose.

Actually a good sourdough is hard to find in the area. And good cheese.

Kent house to Herne Hill is a doddle. So much so that I go back every week to a toddler class there. Get in touch when you move - safety in numbers as we hunt for sourdough and craft beers together.

Srisky - we moved to Kent House three weeks ago after eight years in Peckham Rye. Kent House is a very calm area. I come out of the station at Kent House (past the million pound plus houses) and actually do feel I have space to think and breathe. It's quite visually pleasing. And I like to kid myself I am actually in Penge - in other words, still in London! It's actually only six minutes to the heart of Penge - where there is plenty to offer - from a brilliant Turkish food store, to the recently opened goldsmiths pub. Not to mention all the usual suspects like lidl and Sainsbos. And you are within walking distance to Beckenham (albeit 20 minutes). Which has a great doctors surgery, an Odeon and a very busy well established high street. But Beckenham for us is too towny (I have been horrified at being on late trains heading in that direction) - for nights out we much prefer being close to Crystal Palace. Better eating and drinking and quite frankly not as many idiots larging it.) Lots of very good primary school options around Kent House too - there are about four we would be happy with. We still use Clock House station all the time to get places and I have even been known to run down there when a train is delayed at Kent House. The transport links at Kent House are extraordinary - so much choice from Kent House, Birkbeck, Clockhouse and even tram links.

Also... As an alternative, do consider becoming a volunteer at Foodcycle's latest hub which will be based at All Saints directly opposite Peckham Rye. hubs collect surplus food that would otherwise be wasted from supermarkets and others grocers and prepare a delicious three course sit-down meal for people at risk of food poverty and social isolation. It's great fun too - every session is like Ready Steady Cook - and it feels incredibly satisfying serving a meal you've prepared. www.foodcycle.org.uk

There is a part of me that agrees with dollydaydream. I think if the main meal is healthy, then an old-fashioned pudding, if it's a small portion size, is actually okay - particularly if they are going to be going outside to play (which I would hope they would). I definitely remember school dinners in the 70s with chocolate custard and sponge puddings. My little one only really gets those puddings at nursery (and occasionally at grandmas) and has to put up with yoghurts and cheese at home, so it doesn't bother me. I think a lot of it is down to how active children are. If they are likely to be kicking a ball and running about after school, rather than coming home for an evening of cbeebies, then there is little harm.

The cheese block has an amazing selection but like Seabag it does leave me a little cold at times. They are so popular they just don't seem to have to go the extra mile. For pricey but superb cheese but served with charm and warmth I do like the General Store on Bellenden Road, though their selection is small. But sometimes small is better - you get to know the cheeses and your favourites and build up your knowledge gradually.

Actually Jamster Battersea does welcome visitors and even provides a cafe and gift shop to support this facility. As their website puts is 'We have over 180 dogs and 100 cats onsite at any one time and, even if you aren?t planning to rehome a moggie or mutt, you can sniff out our caf? and gift shop and get to know more about the Home, our history and our plans for the future.' Just keep expectations low.

Never has any trouble with our 18 month old last year.

Penge is too far out to ever be the next East Dulwich or Peckham. A few nice restaurants and pubs will suffice for me - otherwise I imagine it will continue to be what it is now - the place people move to when the kids arrive.