Mrs TP

Yoghurt traditionally for thrush (am I actually writing this with my hangover still spinning) but will cool burning ... Good luck, hopefully she over the worst by now :)

Natural yoghurt - dab on with cotton wool. Sudocreme - fab all purpose. Keep the water up as you say. I think this not too rare for young girls and hopefully she soon better.

Why not go the whole hog and get the child to book the sports class and drive the car there too!

Classic - do not leave anything in the hallway. No coats over the stair post. Alternatively, if your house is easy to break into leave a few things downstairs so the buggers don't come upstairs whilst you sleeping.

Little children love their mummy's (and / or daddy's) fussing over them and helping them. All of a sudden they are thrust out into the big wide world of nursery / reception where they are expected / teachers pray that at least some of them can do something for themselves and so the whole day isn't spent doing shoes, putting coats on etc. I think it's not a big deal if they want help to get ready in the morning (even if you know they get on with it in school) as long as you know they can do it but are choosing not to. They all get there in the end and it speeds your morning up and reduces stresses if you take 2 mins out to dress them - that is as long as they don't decide to get undressed before you leave the house ... We have plenty of time for more ridiculous / tedious family arguments than our 3yr old not dressing herself - she is all ready whilst I bicker with the older ones over packed lunches, homework, missing cardigans etc ...

Lovely but slick and I see an advert for Fiat but still well funny, thanks for sharing.

As an occasional car driver down Lordship Lane, the Goose Green end has become particularly clogged with all the new crossing points and I now tend to use Barry Road instead to get up to the top end of Lordship. As a pedestrian I love all the new crossing points!

Cheers Renata - was idle nosiness but gosh was situation for them, good for them being ahead of the game.

Am I being a bit dim - how does the school know already exactly how many siblings are due next year? Closing date for applications is a way off or have they pre-surveyed the parents? Just a curious wonder at how they have calculated it.

The bulges are one-offs at the moment and most (if not all) of the local primaries have taken it in turns over the last few years to accommodate a bulge class. Fair enough there is the need and demand but it does put pressure on 2/3yrs later for those standard gap siblings. Mae not many of the 2013 intake will have siblings for 2014 but it depends on how many there are from the other years. It all works out in the end though.

If only being a parent was so simple as: a) do this and it will all be fine. Also I hate the way these discussion programs often present it as a choice. I would be interested to know what percentage of mums have actually been able to choose whether or not to continue working after bubbas. Not many I bet, most just have to do what their economic and support circumstances dictate. The most important things are loving and looking after your kids and if that involves an element of paid childcare so what we don't live on Waltons Mountain.

They are selling out fast. We got our 6ft plus few inches tree from Homenase Catford yest for ?45.

Pengui you must be really feeling this dreadful situation and heightened by the fact you can identify with it so strongly. Does your child have the same strength of identity with the situation? I would be tempted not to discuss it with your child, at this age, unless they pick up on it. I doubt such young children will be talking about it in the playground - but you don't know. It is also possible the school may discuss it with the juniors but (I am guessing) only if a significant number are obviously aware of it. It is an awful situation but it will not get the continued coverage here that it will in the US. Perhaps if you were there it would be necessary to talk openly about it. However, if you need to be honest do - always the best policy. My older two were little when Madeline McCann disappeared, 3 and 6, and it was difficult to shelter them from the news. The 3yr old took it really badly and I had to go over it endless times with her and reassure her. For up to two years or so she kept asking me if she had been found.

We do http://www.tennis-4-kids.com/ My little one is almost 4 but we have been doing it for a good while. It is a mixture of games - chasing hoops, chasing / catching sponge tennis balls, football control on the ground with a small racquet, duck duck goose, tennis racquet and balloon all leading to tennis racquet and sponge tennis balls - great for fun but also listening to and following instructions. Not hoping to raise a mini Venus Williams just organised fun. Gordon the teacher is fab and v. experienced with all ages.

As a parent of girls, when they were young I was always thankful for clothes. Little children get loads of pressies they don't play with no matter how lovely they are. I have 3 girls and we recently sold 18 baby dolls at a car boot and still have a house full of them. Us only ever having bought 3 the rest all being presents. Books always great though.

There's a weird phrase 'rising 5' and it means the child will have their 5th birthday in the academic year in which they start school. So between 01 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 new primary school starters will turn 5. As for half days it is standard to do half-days at state school nurseries. However, the first formal year at school, which is called reception year is usually normal school days. I think the councils are slack sending out their letters reminding parents to register their children for school so late. We got ours a couple of weeks ago. If you are not in the school loop with older children it can all be very confusing.

Too funny. I asked my 8yr old tv addict and she knew what you meant but couldn't name it but gave me a slightly more detailed description, which helped me do an Amazon (oh no tax avoidance issues thread) search until she picked it out. All the while she was saying 'well how old is she? it's not for little ones'. Good luck!

Is it this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Adams-Toy-Brokers-3248/dp/B002KKBURA/ref=sr_1_31?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1355084449&sr=1-31

I don't think it ever changes if you see my post on here: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1009090 My eldest is 11 and still comes to me first. My hubby was also upset when they were little but finds it hilarious now as his days are relatively uninterrupted whilst I am all but handing out those number tickets that you get on deli counters so that the queue of things they come to me with is dealt with fairly. The youngest (3) also kicks off if her Dad is to look after her but they always have a great time and she is the only one who runs off to help him in the kitchen, as he does most of the cooking. Much as we live in a very modern world with equal opportunities and hands on Dads, kids still (generally) prefer Mummy's nurture. That is an observation and not a mantra I was born with or ever thought I would particularly adhere to.

Yeah the grass is always greener and mummy redundancy is lurking on the horizon ... But no payout for all those years of service or a retirement party. There are some things that I insist only Daddy can do (gluing broken toys) but they just don't hassle him to death until they are done, instead just quietly resign themselves to the 'Daddy queue' and said toy is left for months behind the food recycle bin in the kitchen until one day it is miraculously repaired and he is treated like the prodigal father and it is all hail the new king of glue ... Not bitter really just wishing they would occasionally say 'Dad blah de blah ...'

I ended up having an emergency cesarean with no 1 as she was presenting her forehead and they couldn't do forceps or ventouse so I would say my pelvis had opened but I did not suffer the final vaginal bit. Just under 3yrs later no 2 was a 'normal' (according to the hosp) forceps vaginal birth. Quick but bloody at the end with cutting and stitches and I remember saying to my hubby 'what the f**k was that?'. He said it was like something out of Pulp Fiction and we were both shaking and in shock. No 3 almost 5yrs later was fine all v. rapid, pelvis ready, undercarriage ready and v. minor tearing. I had been terrified after no 2 but it was truly fine. I think all births diff but it does get easier.

I am a full time mummy to my 3 beautiful girls and two crazy cats who I swear can also miaow the word 'mum' when they want something. I was out all day today at a Christmas craft fair selling my hubby's beautiful photos (http://marketprints.co.uk/ - shameless promotion, sorry) whilst he was on full Daddy duty with the girls and cats. I had just finished setting my stall up and was enjoying my last cup of tea before the mad rush when my eldest daughter (11) texted me with a very minor problem from home - err 'speak to your Dad about it' was my reply. I love'em to bits and am there for them 95% of the time but my goodness why can't they ever ask their Dad whatever it is and give me a break, arghhhhhhhhhhhhh .......

Also if there is a massive queue at the front of the museum go in via the side entrance, which is on the right hand side of the building if you are looking at it from the front. Parking also in that road but don't know the name of it.

As well as the food think about the table itself: is it big enough, is it in the right place / does it need moving? Do you have enough chairs, crockery, cutlery, serving bowls, table linen & decoration, glasses? Great tip from Fuschia - does it all fit in the oven? Quiz your guests (much as you have the final say) what is Christmas dinner for them - sprouts / bread sauce / cranberry / Queen's speech? Also think about later, what will you have for tea? Good luck and have a fun day.

Brilliant thanks.