mazjam

Well I have some schools to look at now, thanks all ! re home schooling... I don't think her interpersonal skills will ever be lacking. She spent the first 4 years of her life on a uni campus, interacting with students, staff and their kids and certainly knows how to make herself heard and understood. The problem would be that she just wont listen to me and argues the toss... too alike I'm afraid, though I will be in touch if we decide it is our only option. Looking at selective state schools too, particularly Heckmondwyke, where our teacher friend works. Not sure we would be willing to commit to a move just yet though, and with LEA closing dates looming in October..... We have sooooo much to do !!! eeek M

Cheers. We have a list of schools to visit, and a wish list for the LEA form, but most are out of our area and we can't realistically move until we know she has a place... usual story of chicken and egg. The tutor thing is causing the biggest headache really.... paracetamol at the ready. m

Luckily I haven't yet met with any serious anti-private school grief...though I am careful who I tell about our plans locally. I am looking wider at state funded grammars with entrance exams, but although we are willing to move, and plan to anyway, it will still mean we are shunted down the list, being 'out-of-area'. Hopefully, results will speak louder than anytrhing else, which is why we are looking at tutors. I am sure we will get there, or at least somewhere satisfactory. Alternatively I start home schooling, lol. M

That is reassuring to some degree, Thanks. I just can't send any child of mine to a comprehensive school getting 16%-30% of pupils with 5 A-C passes when private schools can get upto 99%, even if I believe she would be in thet 16-30%! Doesn't make sense. We are frantically looking for reasonable comps too. M

I know she could, and probably would pass, but feel as parents we should give her every opportunity to do so. Finances are also under dispute at the moment as I had to stop working for health reasons and getting a scholorship / bursary would obviously help matters. If that means parting with smaller amounts of cash now to hopefully give her the best chance, then that is what we are willing to do. I have concerns over technique in examinations as she has not been in that position and a teacher friend has said they way they present the questions is different than in SATS, with different ways of working through the questions to come to a good answer is therefore following a different logic than she is used to. As for which schools.... we are looking at a few in Sheffield and South Yorks in October. We are certain she won't be going to a comprehensive in our area (not mentioning schools, as others may see it as an attack on their choice for their children, which it is not !) and will probably move if she doesn't get into a private one. Obviously a lot of pans are in the fire, and we just want to do what we can. Am I mad ? M

Hi, I am looking for a tutor for my daughter, who is 10. They must be EXPERIENCED in tutoring Y6 pupils through entrance exams specifically. I am willing to buy materials required, and pay going rate to the right person, who must also be CRB checked to work with children, and able to provide references I can follow up on myself. Weekly lessons at our home would be ideal, preferably weekday evenings, excluding monday and fridays as she has commitments these evenings. Weekends would be OK except that she is away around one weekend in three. My daughter is bright, and we are not wishing to put undue pressure on her, but would like to give her the best chance she has of doing well in entrance exams for private secondary schools as we believe she is capable. We also accept that on the day she may not perform, and that not getting in isn't the end of the world. We would tutor her ourselves (and have tried!) but unfortunately she can not learn from me, being a determined chick as she is we clash , and my husband can not commit to regular time slots to do it, which I believe is important. That said, she isn't disruptive but like most kids takes advice and info better from others than her parents I would also appreciate any info from individuals with experience of tutors in the South Yorkshire area, good or bad. Many thanks, Marianne

Hi, Anyone make their own craft items, looking to try their toe in selling at craft fairs but struggling to find an outlet which isn't too daunting ? I feel like that and wondered if anyone else was interested in discussing setting one up somewhere in Sheffield? Obviously location, publicity, and public liability insurance would need to be looked at, but how hard can it be ????? Post if you have any ideas, or have tried and failed before ) Marianne

every health area has a PALS (Patient Advice Liaison Support) group who can override decisions re treatment and are there to get things done http://www.sth.nhs.uk/patients/2-7.php My brothers baby almost died (admittedly in Nottingham) through lack of care when they went out for lunch (they did most of it themselves as it was due to lack of staff etc and had been trained to do so!). The PALS service got a massive change in attitude from staff, improvement in service and one mad nurse suspended for lack of care of a patient. It is worth a try but if no one lets them know they cant change anything. I for one am already on the verge of contacting them and Im only 7 weeks gone ! Good luck x

Boy, did i have fun with this one.... my daughter, now 10 refused to use a potty or toilet for a poo. She had been dry for months and was at nursery and I tried EVERYTHING. She basically would hold it until she had a nappy on, even three days or more if i let it go that far. Eventually she would have to go and would put her hands there to catch it, then wipe it over the walls and toilet at nursery. I used to put her in a nappy for a few hours a day just to get a poo done ! The health visitor suggested all the usual, treats, praise, cutting the bottom out until the nappy resembled a belt (what !!! how odd!... it didnt work) All failed, and im afraid once I gave up and the issue was not longer an issue, she just started using the toilet / potty. just like that. She was an only child, and they say it occurs more in only children, but I just think it was one of those things. I am cartain for one thing.... she did not feel her insides were falling out or that she was losing part of herself. I think it was more awareness of poo as a smelly dirty thing and nappies were the easiest, cleanest way for her to get rid of it ) I would just recommend making no fuss of it, stick a nappy on for the regular poo time each day and it will go when it goes! Good luck all

With my daughter, 10 years ago I felt I had a virus. my doctor was constantly saying he thought i was pregnant, he was one of those. We had been trying so I did a test before I went. it was positive. I started to bleed the next day, was sent for a scan, and was 7 days pregnant (TV scan showed a 2mm cystic space!). This time my boobs were sore at what I consider to be 2 weeks after conception (unless my last period occurred whilst i was pregnant). the continuing symptoms led to a positive test at 3 1/2 weeks. WARNING you may not be taken seriously until 8 weeks, so don't expect sudden responses from a doctor or midwife if something goes wrong before then. I an 7 weeks, have been bleeding since 3 1/2 weeks and have only just got a scan date to check things are OK. Good luck all

I am sorry but i feel 6 months is mad! When I had my now big girl, Rowan, who is 10 they said start weaning at 4 months. at 3 months she was watching me eat, mouthing, and crying if i moved the food i was eating out of sight. after about 2 weeks of this I gave up and started her on baby rice. it didnt impact on the milk she drank, and she gained weight as she should so I carried on. The health visitor went NUTS! i really dont know why. to me it was my instincts, and her obvious interest in more solid food, which made me decide when, not some healthvisitor whose advice will be different in a few years time. Unless there is an allergy issue, I think trust your instincts. I would let your health visitor know tho' just incase something does go wrong, so they know the score ! That said, family with young kids have said it saves a lot of food prep as they can handle more than mush at 6 months, and there is less concern over what foods they can an cant have, so they eat what everyone else eats ! less work!

Question.... how did you persuade them to scan you at 4.5 wks?? i am 7 weeks and have has to fight for one at 7.2, and have been bleeding / aware of pregnancy since 3 1/2 weeks. I actually feel they don't care at all, and have put me out to pasture til the baby goes away. What area are you ??

Not necessarily. I got a home positive at about 3 1/2 weeks, and have been bleeding on and off ever since. No one will look at me seriously until I am 8 weeks 9they even said it!), expecting me to lose it anytime (the doctor even said at 3 1/2 weeks that it would all be over in a week!!). i am still going, still pregnant, still bleeding and at just under 7 weeks have JUST managed to persuade them to scan me next week (at 7 +2). Basically you need to do a lot of shouting to get seen before 8 weeks ! I am still not officially 'booked in' with anyone. I feel I have just been left out in the cold. I understand very early pregnancies often end before 8 weeks (if I hadn't done the test I wouldn't know any different, i guess) but the stress of not knowing what is going on is crippling, and my hubby (1st time parent, unlike me) is having kittens with the worry. i had a scan at 7 days with my daughter (who is now 10) in Shrewsbury where i then lived as I was bleeding on a positive test. it is very difficult. The moral of the story, if you think you are pregnant ignore it and dont do a test until 8 weeks. Will save a lot of stress and heartache. Otherwise, don't expect much sympathy

Hi, if you are still looking for an accordion teacher, have a look at Murray Grainger, search Google or send him an email on [email protected] Murray is one of the finest players in the UK and I know he currently has some slots available for pupils!

The cheapest I have found are £2 each to hire on Ebay. I am inviting 100 guests, so have settled on buying some cheap fabric (curtain lining) and making them myself... comes out about half the price but a boring job.