Ganapati

Spadetownboy--aren't you being a bit harsh? Anyway, forget her son being disabled, what about Ibo's treatment upon returning to the store? Surely, the store manager could have found a better way to handle the situation?

Actually, I don't go to this store anymore, because I find them rude and arrogant even without being disabled! I was buying fruit and despite the display being full of beautiful, firm ripe apples, the person tending the shop that day went out into the back and returned with a bag full of old ones they were obviously trying to get rid of. Same with the other produce I bought. I then asked for organic bananas, but they gave me regular ones. When I did complain, they said that's all they had. Meanwhile, another customer asked for organic bananas too and the other person helping out went in the back and got some! I know they get busy, but to me there is no excuse for this. I have never returned. I'd rather go to the organic produce store on Lordship Lane. Those guys are very friendly and very helpful--and incidentally very nice to children.

I thought schools banned sports days because it was the parents and not the children who were being overly-competitive. See the Guardian article. http://education.guardian.co.uk/schoolsports/story/0,,1516993,00.html. Anyway, Chav, I know you're upset, but surely it's not as simple as posh parents are for academics and non-posh parents are for sports?

So what exactly constitutes an ED yummy mummy?

Wait--so there is no exhibitionist breastfeeder on the loose in ED?

Keef--All I am saying is that there are many things women do to be trendy--they buy certain clothes, handbags, get certain styles of haircuts. Most women I know when they are to have a baby, do not sit around thinking I will give breastfeeding ago because they want to be trendy. They do it because the health services now make no bones about how it is best for your child and if you don't want them to suffer from a whole number of illnesses/lowered IQs etc then you had better do it. Breastfeeding, strangely, is not as easy for all women as some would assume. A number of breastfeeding women I know have had to be "taught", have had to have a health visitor educate them etc. It's not like chucking on a trendy spangly belt because "yummy mummy" liz hurley is doing it. I get the point you are all for it and I hope it goes smoothly when your hippie wife to be does give it a go. And will someone answer me why a load of topless women on a bus driving around London does not elicit as much disgust as a breastfeeding woman? Is it because we are living in an age when breasts are such sexual objects that seeing them used in any other form is too shocking? FInally: The original Cafe Nero breastfeeder would probably have a good laugh at all of us reading this thread.

Well said James!

Thank god! Was wondering when you were going to shut up on the matter. Starting out, I actually agreed with your original point, but now I hope all breast freeding women just let it all hang out. Why not? Don't we see enough skimpily clad women? Don't see anyone being offended by them, or at least no enough to spawn such a vitriolic thread. Wonder what the William Rose boys would have done if a woman wearing a revealing top were to walk in--bet you your house they wouldn't have been shocked and offended. Case in point, the Topless Bus thread has 4 posts, this one has over four pages. You're frightening because of your amazing viciousness of tone on the subject--why not aim abuse at more worthy transgressions? For example, people who drive with their mobiles and cause accidents? You come across as very cynical and rather sad--as if all the world were just made up of sheep like people following fashion trends to get in people's faces. Ever thought that people might want to have children? Might want to have a house in nice area? ED wouldn't exist as it is today if someone hadn't heard from someone else that it was a nice area to live. Just a thought--maybe it's time for a holiday? As a point of amusement, people might want to check out this story in the New York Times. Written by a British woman who is uncomfortable with the American mothers getting their tits out for their babies--and I always thought it was the Americans who were the prudes. http://tinyurl.com/2zryhp

Domitianus--your posts are beginning to frighten me, you really need another hobby. And Keef, seriously, how can you think or even imply that women breastfeed because its "trendy"??? Do you know how difficult it can actually be, and what a pain in the arse it can be for some women. Mothers seem to get no end of abuse these days. If it's not the medical community exhorting women to breastfeed because breast is best and making those who do not feel as if they are poisoning their children with formula , then it's members of the public comparing feeding a child to feeding a dog, or to taking a shit or pissing and criticizing them for being exhibitionists or trendy yummy mummys. And can we stop with that silly phrase? WTF is a yummy mummy anyway? It's some ridiculous media-made label that applies to perhaps .01 percent of the real population. I hope this woman doesn't stop--let her breasts hang out and her baby eat/drink away. Some men make me laugh, they really do, they want boobs on their own terms. But once it's out of their comfort zone, then somehow that woman who has dared to "expose" herself is an exhibitionist nutjob.

Actually you'd be surprised how many people still object to breastfeeding in public. Strangely enough, it's usually women. Men seem to get either sheepish about it, or try to cop a quick look; kids for the most part are curious, and women seem to have sharply divided opinions on it.

Have you seen what you can get in ED for 850K these days? If I had that sort of $$$ I'd definitely choose this house over its competitors.

Look, I just asked my husband who is a journo. He basically said no one will report this because it is sadly small potatoes. Seems like no one cares till something actually happens!

As my husband pointed out to me the other night when I said--Imagine the cheek of someone trying to do this in broad daylight--this is *exactly* how several young girls were kidnapped in Belgium (where we used to live).

I second the Rye Hotel--lovely garden and your friends with children will thank you for that. The garden is big enough and safe enough where children aren't too much in the way. Plus the food is really good.

Oh Louisa--must you be so nasty in this situation? Really don't see how Asset's comment warranted that remark, given that one of the girls was actually snatched. Why do so many people dislike children?

Wonderful. As if we don't have enough to deal with! Sounds like it may be the same guy. Thanks for this info. I for one definitely want to k now about this stuff.

Sorry has to be said--this thread has gone to the dogs. Asset--didn't mean to offend. Just bemused by comments about parents making their children fearful of dogs. I actually love dogs (certain breeds aside) and was saddened when my oldest always shrank away in terror from them. But that English bulldog she had a run in with really did sneak up from behind. Dogowner--I wish more dog owners were like you!

I'm still keen--they are pretty much my ideal of a dream home.

I really think they are too busy for their own good. To be fair, I do think the staff is very helpful if you have children, which is probably why all the mums flock to it and why they will do good business no matter what. But the food! Gahh!

Asset--Can you please do me a favour? Do a search under "dog attack" on BBC News. You will see that when dogs attack their victims are typically children--ranging from infants to teenangers, and many of those attacks were unprovoked. There are even quotes from a dog trainer in several stories saying that dogs should not be trusted around children period. (I also wonder since you so adamantly believe parents are to blame for causing their children to fear dogs, that if you take credit for every "flaw" that your children might have...)

Asset--who exactly is "freaking out"? My daughter sees plenty of dogs--both sets of grandparents have them, but when she sees one she does not know she is still very fearful of them. Is it irrational for a 3 year old to fear a creature bigger and stronger than herself? What am I supposed to do--force her to confront them each and every time? I don't think it's "freaking out" to walk away from a potentially bad situation. Besides that, I've seen DOGS being roughed up by other dogs off leash. Just the other day I saw a woman walking her three King Charles spaniel--one was a puppy. A staffi came sniffing at them and started snapping at the puppy. I made a sharp exit with my 2 children and all I could hear behind me was the woman swearing at the dog and her puppy yelping in pain. Anyway, should this law come into effect--who is actually going to enforce it? The council doesn't have enough manpower to police this sort of situation.

"Unfortunately it is usually the attitude of parents that makes children scared of dogs, scooping them out of the way whenever a dog comes near." Asset--Do you actually have children? If I see a potentially dangerous dog coming my way and I'm alone I STILL get out of the way. Rottweillers and dobermans and staffis scare me, and I am sure many others. I do not do this if I see a lab or a golden retriever. It's called risk assessment. As for making my children scared of dogs, I suppose its better to wait and see what these dogs potentially do to them? The dog that put my daughter off all dogs was an English bull dog that I myself thought nothing of. It seemed to me I was being a responsible parent taking them out of the path of dangeorus dogs, rather than waiting for the dog owners to do so. As with all things child related these days, seems as if you're either damned for "wrapping them up in cotton wool," or having some appalling sense of entitlement that your offspring can and should do anything. But I digress.

I have to say as a mother of 2 young children it can be intimidating going to the park and having dobermans, rottweillers and staffis off leash running at you. I'm actually a dog person, and when I see such dogs coming I try to round up my children to get them out of the way, but I've had dogs sticking their face in the pram and jumping on my oldest--she's now terrified of ALL dogs. There has to be a balance, but unfortunately this is a situation where you depend upon the sense of the owner--which in some cases is totally lacking.

I know that the Blue Mountain is something of an ED institution--but surely it cannot be because of the food. I have eaten there a few times now, but aside from the breakfast plates all of it has been awful, not to mention the coffee isn't even that great. Why is it always so packed?

I completely agree--we got the same visit. So this week, I put out all of my cardboard boxes in a neat pile. Did they take it? NO. Why? Because I hadn't cut the boxes down to fit into the blue bags. Bollox!