ladywotlunches

Also at Surrey Quays is the bowling. They do birthday parties and lay on food (full on nuggets and chips stuff, but it IS a party!), and the prices are very reasonable. Sunday mornings is family day too, so there's plenty of kids playing, with the gutter fill-ins (which makes the whole thing much easier).

link way cars in Honor oak park are always good for us. Went to City airport a couple of weeks ago with a booster and a stage 1 seat - both in excellent condition and the drivers were great with the kids.

She's going to be in the baby room - turning one next week....

My daughter is starting there next week. So I can't give you any thoughts on how it is, but I was very impressed by my visit, and like you say, the Ofsted is outstanding. Nurseries are very much a personal thing. Ofsted is a good guide, but as long as a nursery is considered Satisfactory/Good, then the rest is down to the feel you get when you visit. When my son went to nursery, I looked at 2 on the same morning. On paper one stood head and shoulders above the rest. When I visited, I went for the one with a lower Ofsted, because the feel and staff were much better. Book a visit and see what you think. Good luck with it all!

I was on BA a couple of weeks ago. LO was find on the way out, but tired on the way back and was wriggling and screaming the place down (much to the horror of the other passengers who were mostly business people, I'm sure!). But the crew were lovely. They bought me some water for her before take off (she's not BF any more), and not once did they mention the facing forward bit. In the end by the time we had finished taxi-ing (it was Schipol!) she had fallen asleep on hubby's lap, facing sideways (with belt on). Still not a problem. I don't get why they need to face forward anyway. I'm sure I've read before about it actually being safer to face backwards on a journey (trains/planes etc) its just not practical/as pleasant for most people so they don't do it. You'll be fine, I'm sure.

We used the slope on the Rye outside the cafe. Then, when it all got too much we could stop for Coffee/Ice cream (or if things get that bad, even beer/wine if need be :-) )

Sorry it's actually called malm - here's a link to a White one but we have it in a wood veneer. Perhaps they only do them in the store: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S89897981

We got a malmo bed from ikea. It's quite low, with a wide frame round the edge, so falling out situations have been minimal!

So, how's it been for everyone? Maybe I'm looking through rose tinted specs, but the general atmosphere seems cheerier on here today.Could just be the sunshine I suppose.

With weather like today, its got to be get out in the sunshine and enjoy long, lazy lunches with friends. When you get back to work you won't believe how short an hour is (if you're lucky enough to get a whole hour!)

I'm so glad I'm reading this while having lunch :)

Indeed. But sometimes I think that rather than offer advice, criticism is given instead. Like Fuschia said, I doubt very much if anyone would criticise parenting decisions face to face in the way they do here. Sometimes its good, and I do think the FR is useful. But other times I just think "play nicely, people"!

I used to love the Family Room - a place to go and meet up with like minded local parents, share thoughts and ideas, chew the fat, and not live in fear of those "non-parents" on the other sections who feel we have invaded the area! But increasingly, I find that the FR is a place for whinging, bickering, criticism and oneup(wo)manship. I still find it useful, but I wonder for how long I can carry on without my blood pressure going too high. I'm certainly not whiter than white on the above, but with everyone so online now (phones, iPads etc), its easy to put in little remarks without really thinking (and even easier when we can't see/don't know the person we are addressing). So, to make us stop and think about what we post, can I suggest that tomorrow, Monday 1st August is a day that we keep our gripes/criticisms to ourselves? Advice can be sought, chat can be had, but perhaps stopping and thinking a bit more before we post will help spread some peace and love ("man"), back to the Family Room. And who knows, with the sunny weather forecast for the rest of the week, we might all be in better moods and can can continue the love-in for longer. What do we all think? *Runs for cover* LWL

I've just come back from a early Sunday run, on which my 5 year old insisted on joining me. So we ran down to the rye and round to the one o clock club to check it out. His eyes lit up when he saw the new space! I agree that the water tap should have been put outside the fence, but to me that looks easily fixable - literally turn the 2 fence panels in the corner 90 degrees each, and hey presto the tap is outside. But I disagree that its necessarily been detrimental to the one o clock club. when the existing play equipment is put back, there will be the same facilities as it had before, but cleaned up and with better play surfaces. The far end of the space was never really used much before anyway. As to not being able to see the whole area, I remember that on busy days when my son was younger he often went out of eyeshot for a minute. I didn't like it but hey, unless they are strapped to you every minute of the day, there are going to be those moments. I also have a 10 month old. At this age, she is in enough of a routine that I know when she is going to need feeding, so I perhaps wouldn't be somewhere where I wouldn't be able to control my older child at that time. So that really isn't an issue. So on the whole, I'd like to say thank you to Southwark for yet again improving our local outside spaces. We are really lucky to have such great play areas for our kids and those of you who feel 'depressed' should perhaps be grateful you have so much around already.

Ooh - what a lovely surprise. As well as the stylist, can you recommend where I can find a husband like that? ;-) I have a friend who does the same thing, also based in South London. She'll also break things up to just do the wardrobe revamp, or the personal shopping etc. Feel I'd be a bad friend if I didn't add her details to this mix, so her website is FeronClarkStyle.com

Jim_the_chin, I'm sure q-bot is the way to go, but ?15 per person ON TOP of the already outrageous prices (?41 for adults and ?31 kids) just seems like daylight robbery, esp for the younger kids (under the 130cm limit). AND it extends the waiting times for those in the queues. Several times we got to the front, my son was all excited, and we were told "hang on, sorry, we've got some q-bot guests". I know that Legoland is always heaving, and obviously they can charge what they like, but the q-bot cost on top of the entrance just seems a bit greedy. A fiver maybe....

Great advice JessM - I think that's the way to go. And don't worry too much about your son. If he's keen already, he's going to love it!

Yes, that's what I meant by "variations by term along the way". And not all LEAs have had this option. Fact is, if you have a child in September, it is long established they will be the oldest in the year. If they are born in August, they will be the youngest. What I'm saying is that it has been like this for a LONG time, and it all comes out in the wash. There really isn't much point in adding to the anguish that goes with being a parent by worrying too much about something that just is.

My son is on his last day in reception, and it has been a revelation for me, he's done so much growing up in just a few months. All of it enjoyable. Yes they do get bumps and knocks, and pushed around sometimes (and viceversa!), but I think its part of the journey of growing up. Social skills can be learnt in the classroom from other 4 and 5 year olds - indeed, like any kind of language, they will be picked up quicker by being immersed in the environment rather than just taught the theory. The OP, I think, wanted to know thoughts on an 80% week at school, rather than deferring completely, which is a different decision. My thoughts are based on seeing the relationships emerge at school, and that's why I said I think its probably better to go completely full time, rather than just take one day at week off. One final thing. The school starting system, with joiners essentially in September (with variations by term along the way) has been the same way in the UK for as long as I can remember. We have all grown up just fine. My other half is a late August birthday, went to school when he was 4 and a few days, and left when he was still 15. He did vocational training, went on to get a degree, post grad qualification (which is more than me he delights in telling me!) and is doing very well in a professional career. He had no problems at school (other than his birthday being in the holidays when everyone was away!). There does have to be a cut off at some date. My second child is a September birthday, which at first I thought was lovely as it's seen as 'good' to be old in your class. But now I wish she'd been a bit earlier - I've got a whole extra year of her at home, and I know she'll be desperate to go to school as she'll see her brother going every day!! :))

I had this decision a couple of years ago as my eldest was tall for his age, and at 3 looked too big for the stage 2 (?) one. I spoke to both John Lewis and Britax direct whose seat I had, and they both said the overriding factor on the car seat is weight, not age. So if your big one is on the upper limit for weight, I would move them up. Re: comment about the seat belt - my 3 year old had already worked out how to get the 5 point harness undone (once on the M40 - eek), and actually the seat belt was harder for him as the buckle was further away. If you have access to the Which website, they have some good overall advice on which seats are best.

Although it may technically be possible, I agree with Chantelle that trying for an 'a la carte' approach to school might not be the best option for Busymum's daughter. Probably every other child in her class will be starting on a full time basis, and doing something different at this young age may make her stand out from the crowd when she doesn't want to. My son is always very aware of when children in his class are away - and of those that are sick more than others!!! BM - you mentioned it would be easier for you to do a 4 day week. Yes the school run takes some getting used to. With a small baby myself I know what you mean about fitting in naps/stuff for them, drop offs and home times. But that's just school life and it will be that way for the next 12 or so years! I think, if there really is no way she can go full time, it would be better for her to defer fully until you feel she is ready to go to school. Maybe while everyone else is still settling in, you could do slightly fewer hours still and spread the settling in over a longer period? That said, talk to the school about their settling in process. Fairlawn does have a very extended settling in period, over 3 weeks. Again this isn't the most convenient for families, but has resulted in everyone in the class loving school. (or helped anyway). Edited to say - which school is your daughter going to attend? Someone may be able to help with some specific info ...

My son is also a June birthday, but has just turned 5 so started school in January this year (as they still had the 2 intake policy). Last year I had the opposite problem as I really wanted him to start in September as he was so ready. But there was no flexibility that way. I don't know about 4 days a week, but if the school is happy then try it. All I would say is that if your daughter is the only one in the class not there one day a week, it might break the continuity a bit. At my son's school they do have some specific things to do on certain days (PE, French etc) and it might be a shame if she misses out. Finally, I would say that my son has loved EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of his first year (he's at Fairlawn). He just got a glowing report, and in the 7 months since January, has learned to read, and his writing is unrecognisable from when he started (when he could just about write his name and letters, but didn't really know how to put them together) Do what you think is best, but do also take some guidance from the school. In this year I have realised that while I do know my son best, the teachers do this kind of thing year in, year out, and can give an invaluable second opinion which I don't think should be discounted. Good luck.

So Red1, any update, or have the littlies next door been perfect angels today and not got on their parents' nerves?

We have one, and had one with our first too (had to change it because of the lingering whiff even after countless antibac cleans and 4 years!!). My LO is just 10 months now, and after several trips to Sainsburys to find that they are still out of stock of the 3 packs (which at the moment are just slightly more expensive than a single wrapper) I've given up for a while and are using sainsburys basics nappy sacks at about 7p for 100! Much cheaper, and I'm just slinging them in the the sangenic bin, so it still holds the same number of nappies, and keeps the smell contained. So maybe try it, (like someone said they are pretty much free as they make their money on the wrappers) and if you don't get on with it, you have a slimline, high capacity bin with lid!

So, OP, have you been able to spend time in your garden on this fine day, and experience first hand what is going on next door? Until then, there seems to be lots of speculation as to whether something bad is happening (both next door to you or, it seems, in other forumites houses, according to their fellow forumites! :) )