catgirl

We've done it a few times and I think it's a brilliant family holiday. It's perfect for the children with great swimming pools, playgrounds and lots of other children to play with all on site. Lots of the sites have bike hire, horse riding and other activities too and restaurant / take away for when you can't be bothered to cook / bbq and don't want to eat out. It's fab being outside in the fresh air all the time and we find it a really relaxing and fun way to holiday. We book direct with the campsite - all the big sites have their own chalet / mobile homes for hire and is usually about 2/3 of the price of a Eurocamp mobile on the same site. Some sites also have their own tents for hire if you'd rather that than a mobile home. The Eurocamp website is useful for choosing campsites though and if you're looking at France then the 'Castels' chain of campsites are all apparently excellent (we've stayed in 2 of them, both fab) We've stayed in several sites in the Dordogne - all fab including St Avit Loisir recommended above which was lovely. Also a few in the Loire and a lovely one near Nice - let me know if you want more specifics. Another tip on price is that the French schools go back mid august so the last week or 2 of the UK summer holidays are usually much cheaper if you are booking direct with the French site (very possibly the same case for other european countries but am not sure).

Deptford are strict on ratios. Have been told by them we'd need 3 adults to take our 3 there (aged 7,3,1) But we take all 3 to dulwich no problem and called to check the first time and they said it was fine. Maybe as one of them is over 5? Was also told at beckenham that 2:1 was fine as long as any non swimmers under5 had sone kind of flotation device on.

Gosh you poor thing. I've got a copy of the no cry sleep solution and a Millpond clinic sleep book that you're welcome to borrow although you're probably too tired to read them! I guess initially you need to try and work out why he's waking so often - you say he's only being fed 2ce a night so presume is not waking for the comfort of feeding or could that be it? How do you settle him when he does wake? When you put him down initially at night do you put him down awake or asleep? I know from bits I have read and my own and others' experience that is much better to put them down awake so he learns to get himself off to sleep and thus more likely to be able to settle himself back to sleep when he does wake up later on. I know this is easier said than done but I've found it easier to deal with helping them settle at 7.30pm than at 2am!

There's a diddi dance class at the bread of life on Barry road on Friday mornings.

I doubt if many people ask for presents based on income of the giver but more what they want within what is historically the value of presents exchanged between them, providing the giver can afford. For whatever reason, I guess your in laws think ?50 - 60 for a present for a big anniversary is what you'd be planning to spend and so have asked for a present accordingly. Maybe they also felt they didn't want you buying them something for all that money which maybe not exactly what they want so better to ask for something specific so money is well spent. Also, I know my parents are more and more keen to be given things like meals out, cinema vouchers etc rather than endless 'stuff' which they already have lots of. As you say, it depends on different families and the way they do things - I guess in their family it is normal / expected to give a big present on such occasions so wouldn't seem greedy or out of the ordinary to them although may seem so to others who have different traditions.

Ah fair enough, indeed an expensive and strange choice to go to cp if only one baby between you!

I do get the feeling that your in laws can't do anything right. You're complaining that they chose a trip to center parcs for a previous celebration, a place which is totally geared around families and children and having fun and presumably chosen with the children in mind rather than them. I know a few people who have gone to CP with grandparents for a family celebration - birthdays etc and all seemed to think it was a great idea. Of course I get that if you don't get on with them, it's not going to be your ideal holiday but then, short of not seeing them, what would you suggest? The anniversary meal does sound a bit of a chore but it's obviously a big deal for them and of course they want their family there. If it's such a slog to do the journey both ways in one day can you not make a weekend of it and stay over somewhere? and it may not be ideal for your daughters usual routine but surely you can work around it for one day? After all, lunchtime is a pretty usual and reasonable time to have a meal. Presumably if they'd chosen an evening meal instead that would be even more of a problem as your daughter would be in bed. I do think the prsent request is a bit over the top though. Could you pretend to misunderstand which War Horse they meant and get them odeon vouchers?!

Both my (excl breastfed) babies started off high centiles (75 and 98) and both came down the centiles rapidly. I suspect no 3 is doing the same but have not had her weighed since shortly after birth. As the others have said, if your baby seems healthy and happy and is feeding well, sleeping well, wet and dirty nappies, seems alert etc then don't worry. As someone else has said, may be worth seeing your GP as well, if just to set your mind at rest. In my experience, health visitors often seem unduly obsessed with babies following the weight chart, despite the fact that breastfed babies don't follow the same pattern of weight gain.

We went to Longleat which was great but quite hilly. We had bikes and a trailer and our chale4t was a long way from the centre but we loved cycling through the park and so I'd say the distance was a plus for us rather than a minus as we enjoyed the cycle rides there and back so much. And another piece of conflicting advice from me = I'd say don't book too much. We didn't book anything in advance and just did a couple of activities which we booked when there. We went swimming every morning for a couple of hours, then for a bike ride / playground / wander around, back to the chalet for lunch / nap / tv / chill out and then back to the pool again mid afternoon. It was really great not to have to be on any schedule for once. A friend of mine went shortly after us and pre booked loads and said they regretted having so much booked as they were constantly having to plan around the booked activities and race around from A to B rather than just go with the flow. And yes, def take some food with you as their shop is expensive and not great as are all the restaurants.

Butlins camber sands? Not sure if they do one night stays though. Or find a b and b in whitstable or somewhere similar? Playing on the beach is fun in all weathers with children Or a day trip or overnight to Brighton? Drusillas theme park near there is great.

I've got a copy. Bought to try and gently sort out my almost 11 mo who is still a terrible sleeper But currently too tired to read it or implement a plan so you're welcome to borrow it until I feel stronger!

I've been to a fab veggie cafe called Tibits just off regent st which has a play area downstairs. My fsvourite in east dulwich is the bread of life in Barry road.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions. Canj - I did look at Ickworth house and it looks gorgeous but that was one of the places that gave us a quote of ?1100 for 2 nights which is over our budget! Norfolkvillas - thanks for those suggestions, both look fab. I actually called Mr and Mrs Smith today to ask them about these and any other suggsetions / offers they might have. The guy said he'd have a look for me and email me later - have not heard back yet but hopefully he'll come up with somethihg - I'll let you know!

Thanks a lot for the suggestions I looked at Calcott Manor and at a couple of the luxury family hotel ones (Woolley Grange group)and they all look wonderful but they all came up as ?1000 for 2 nights! I'm obviously out of touch as this was way more than I was expecting or willing to pay, especially for a weekend in March, hardly high summer or holiday season. We've just paid less than 3/4 of that or a whole week in France in the summer holidays.(albeit self catering so obviously a different thing) I'll have a look out for any special offers or maybe we'll need to forget about the childcare bit and just look for somehwere where we can all have fun together...

Have a look at: http://www.kinderhotels.com/uk-index.htm but check the blurb for each hotel as some only offer childcare from 2 years. Rooms all have separate bedrooms for children so you dont' have to sit in the dark after the children are in bed! But if you just want evening babysitting rather than daycare, you can probably get something cheaper. Try the baby friendly boltholes website or just do a google search on family friendly holidays - there are lots of family resorts where you can get babysitting and where food is included. (have not stayed in any myself so can't reccommend but have defintely seen lots when I've been researching holidays in the past)

I'm sure there was a thread on this once before but have not been able to find it. We want to go away for our wedding anniversary in march with our children. (7,4,1). Can anyone recommend anywhere which is within a couple of hours of ED, suitable for children but also lovely for adults? Somewhere with a creche/ kids club would be great. We don't want to farm the children out all weekend but a couple of hours here and there would be good! Much appreciated.

Is anyone going to this and able to take a bag of stuff from me? I can't make it but could drop my bag off to someone this morning. Thanks.

Ah ok. I bought my board in 2008 so is probably a newer model. What a pain to have a board and no fixings!

My board is a lascal and the clips were fine if none on kiddicare at the moment try amazon

I bought a set of clips from kiddicare recently

Which apps are good? There are so many? Just downloaded a free one but seems pretty rubbish so far, can you recommend any? What's the spelling one? Thanks

How terribly sad. How much of the road is closed? Just therapia down to dunstans?

There's a pale ginger tabby that I see frequently on friern road, near underhill. In fact he's run into my house several times as I've been coming in or out and he's waiting outside. This is despite no encouragement and always turfing him out quickly. He runs straight upstairs and it's very annoying having to chase him to get him out. Not sure if the same one but if it is I can understand how someone may think he needs looking after. Also that it's possible he's run into someone's house without them noticing (I didn't realise once as was busy getting pram over doorstep but my daughter saw and told me) and possibly got shut in a bedroom or something? Hope he turns up. Will keep a look out.

Haha sorry. Calls. Will edit post!

I wasn't suggesting they collected the actual recycling, just took the old containers away (presumably as they unloaded blue bins would then have room to stack the much smaller boxes.) I just meant if old containers already had recycling in they could transfer. Or in fact why not just follow recycle trucks on their rounds and change over once recycling taken and all containers empty. Just seems ludicrous that they've created a situation where everyone has to call individually to arrange collection of old boxes. Must create huge problem dealing with calls and emails, not to mention the logistics and van miles when going out again to collect them all.