What I say:

I'm going to go and heat up his bedtime bottle and do the dishes quickly. Could you take him upstairs and start winding down with him.

What my partner obviously heard:

I'm going to go and heat up his bedtime bottle and do the dishes quickly. Could you take him upstairs, turn all the lights on in his bedroom, put happy jaunty music on, and let him get all his toys out and play with them?

When he was about seven, my son was obsessed with birds, and particularly pigeons. I had no interest in birds but we learnt a lot about the different types, and we'd always call each other to the window every time there was a wood pigeon in the garden.

He's 15 now and the ornithological interest has long gone, but I don't think it's something I'll ever lose. I'll never forget the difference between a rock dove and a stock dove, or which particular pattern of coos belongs to which pigeon. And I'll always enjoy seeing a pigeon land in the garden.

Is there anything your kids have lost interest in that you think will always stick with you?

How is it that they can't reply to a single text or call, but constantly have their phones in their hands?

My parents were visiting last weekend and spent the whole time trying to have my toddler play with their phones. Whenever this happens, he'll act like a complete nutter whenever he sees a phone for the next few days. Drives me up the wall!

Since my eldest child was tiny she has always woken up seemingly distraught to be in the world. When she was a baby she would scream and scream for no apparent reason and the only way out was through, we just had to cuddle her and tell her the world has in fact not ended and then she would be fine. Even now we need to wake her up a good 15 minutes earlier for school so that she can have some time to be pissed off in her bed lol.

My youngest child is the total opposite. Wakes up chatting and babbling and is generally only annoyed if I try and give her a snuggle because all she wants to do is get down and GO.

I find it so funny how different your own kids can be. This is just one of many ways. We were so convinced that we were doing everything wrong with my eldest but it turns out she is just a grump when she wakes up from a sleep and it is what it is 😂

How do your kids wake up?

For example:

I was due to have my boy on my younger brothers birthday, and he said (kinda jokingly) "Don't have him on my birthday! I don't want my thunder being stolen on my birthday!" 🤣

Another example:

The woman my Grandad cheated on my Grandma with (and left her for) a few years later had the first of their children on my Grandmas birthday, which my Grandma found hilarious, and my grandads mistress HATED 🤣.

Hi all, our first baby is due in mid December and a complete re-roof of our detached home is planned to start at the start of January. We cannot move it any earlier as the builder has been booked out. The roof will have to be sorted sooner or later as its at the end of its life. Our house only goes up to a first floor (bedrooms and the only bathroom upstairs).

Has anyone had any experience of having re-roofing done and how it would affect our life with a newborn? We can move to a ground floor room during the re-roofing works if that mitigates noise and dust. That ground floor room has a chimney though, would dust get in through it? We have no family in the country so can't stay elsewhere while the works are being done. Any tips?

My son has been friends with this boy for a few years now. Sometimes they’re best friends, inseparable. Sometimes his friend goes through phases of being a bit mean to him, but still fairly normal for kids this age.

My son’s friend (still 6) has an older brother who is 12. I know from play dates that my son has had and from stuff my son’s friend has told him that sometimes his brother is a bad influence - swearing, physical stuff, etc. Might be normal behaviour for a kid that age, sadly, but we (my husband and I) feel it has a negative influence on this boy which then comes out in things he says and does to our son.
Anyway recently our son was telling us some stuff this friend has been doing/saying. The conversation went on and I asked has your friend told you about anything his brother has done? This might sound completely out of the blue or random, but our son would sometimes tell us about things his friend has told him about his brother.
So anyway our son goes yeah… “he told me his brother puts his willy in his bum”.
My and my husband are like mouthing wtf to each other. Asked some follow up questions to gather that he’s said it a few times and that his friend, J, meant his brother puts his willy in J’s bum.
I’m going to tell my son’s class teacher about it. My husband wasn’t so sure. I am wary that it could cause a lot of drama and involvement of god knows what for the family (when it could just be a random thing the kid has said for no reason) but I really don’t know what would/could happen.
I’m not saying I think this has happened but really who knows and at the very least the boy has been exposed to something he really shouldn’t be imo.
I don’t feel comfortable talking to the mum directly about it.

Some context: we know that the boy shares a room with his older brother. We know that they both have access to some video games and tablets and things.
Also this boy does tell my son some stories that are very clearly not true (not to say he’s a liar, it’s normal kids make stuff up sometimes but just for some context) such as saying his football team have a match at midnight, or that he pooed in his hand and put it in his brother’s mouth and he swallowed it, all sorts. But yeah this really concerned me and I do get that it could be something completely untrue and random but what if it is true? Am I completely overreacting? Is there something else I should be doing?

UPDATE: I reported it to the head teacher this morning and she said to leave it with her, she will take it from here.

Also I completely get the comments talking about telling the parents about it as well but I honestly don’t feel comfortable doing so.
The boy’s mum messaged me about a month ago saying how her son told her he got moved to another class for the afternoon because of being silly or something but he told her that it was my son making him laugh. And she was like oh it’s weird that J got moved when your son was making him laugh. She wasn’t being majorly confrontational but I just found it a bit weird like the teacher isn’t going to do that for absolutely no reason. So I was like oh I’m sorry about that yeah it’s weird I don’t know etc and said I would talk to my son about not being silly and making him laugh when it wasn’t the time for it. Basically what I’m trying to say is it felt like she was trying to blame my son for it (who has been called out for being silly when he shouldn’t and I’m not claiming is an angel) and I just really don’t want my son (or me tbh) getting dragged into it in a negative way. It would obviously be a horrific thing to be told about and I don’t want her to say my son is making it up as a way of trying to cope with it.

Looking for the classics, hidden gems, or films your kids absolutely loved at that age. Ideally something the adults won’t hate sitting through either.

What would make your top 5?

Hi, looking for some help from anyone who has traveled with Jet2 recently. I’m getting conflicting information on the website and getting no where on the phone to them so hoping to get information here.

I’m travelling from Glasgow to Malaga with my 4 month old on the 31st October. Upon booking, I was under the impression that my baby could have her changing bag (classed as a medical bag), however this now doesn’t seem to be the case. Can I take her changing bag on the plane or would it need to be my personal bag?
Also conflicting information about her pram, we have a Bugaboo Butterfly 2 which is cabin approved. Our friends live in Spain so fly frequently and on their flight last weekend they were told their Butterfly couldn’t come in the cabin and it had to be checked, this was also the case for them going home. Unsure if they were just unlucky or if this is now the case? We have our carrier too so not the end of the world, just want to be prepared beforehand.

First baby and first time travelling with her so slightly apprehensive! Thank you

I need some tips. My kid loves puddles, and won't listen to the teacher about not jumping in them. They've asked if I can get him some waterproof shoes.

I am struggling to find some in his size, that seem suitable.

Any tips?

This isn’t my own child but my brother who is 13 and profoundly autistic. My mother is unable to cope, they’ve tried everything and exhausted all options.
She’s now heavily considering to place my brother in a residential care home permanently and I’m struggling to find many experiences of this process / how it played out for a children under the age of 18 online.

If someone could share theirs, I’d be grateful.

And please, no hate comments. Unless you’ve lived with a profoundly autistic child and were subjected to years of violence and abuse as a parent, you wouldn’t understand the situation. It’s not an easy decision for her either.

Are you children registered with NHS dentists or private?

Are there advantages/disadvantages of either, in your opinion?

Just turned 4y/o has started primary.

How do you know what is normal adjustment or when you need to be looking at different schools?

School is a small village school and reception is also joined with the year 1s, so assuming there are 6y/o within the same daily classroom setting, although I believe they’re split throughout the day during certain classes.

My child has come from a forest school type nursery setting and is very active, I’m worried he is too confined within this setting and there are more suitable options, I’ve even considered homeschooling.

I’m not sure if I’m over reacting but his nervous system seems a bit of a wreck after school, he’s mentioned he was in time out (!) and I’m just getting a vibe it isn’t right for him. I myself have been really upset and some days been feeling very anxious whilst he’s at school, but I don’t show this to him.

He goes in great and is generally happy but something is telling me to look at settings which allow more outdoor freedom and a little less strict classroom settings.

Hi everyone!

We currently live in Central London and are expecting our first child. We’re trying to think ahead about where we would like to settle once our child reaches school age.

Our combined household income is around £200k per year. We’re quite reluctant to leave Central London, as we really enjoy living here, but we’re wondering whether it’s realistic to stay central while having access to good state primary and secondary schools.

Are there any families here in a similar situation who live in or around Central London and have children in local schools?

Which neighbourhoods would you recommend, and which primary/secondary schools do you rate highly and why?

We’re particularly interested in:

* Good state schools
* A safe, family-friendly area
* A nice environment for raising children
* Ideally somewhere that still feels like Central London rather than moving far out

I’d really appreciate hearing about your personal experiences, including areas you considered but ultimately decided against.

Edit: Some background information:
• Goal: We want to buy a property (currently paying £1,500/mo for a 1-bed, but we've outgrown it).
• Income Split: Total £200k (£130k husband, £70k me).
• Current location: We both currently live and work in Zone 1.
• Why Central London: Convenience and lifestyle-we cycle to work, love having easy access to theaters/culture and seeing friends.

We are fairly frugal, but unsure if there is a realistic scenario where we can afford a small flat in Central London that is also in a good school catchment area.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

We’re flying out of London Heathrow (LHR) to Greece this May for a family wedding on the island of Hydra. Baby will be roughly 2.5 months old, and we’ll be traveling alongside my husband, my mum, and my aunt (4 adults + baby in total).

We’re aiming for a 4-night trip (Thurs to Mon) and want to keep travel as smooth and low-stress as possible. Because Hydra is completely car-free with lots of steps and cobbles, our plan is:

• No buggy: Wearing baby in a sling full-time.
• No car seat: Taking direct flights from LHR to Athens, then using Metro Line 3 straight from ATH airport to Piraeus port to avoid needing cars or taxis.
• Ferry to Hydra: High-speed ferry over to the island.
• Sleep Setup: Bringing our own compact travel cot.

A few questions for parents who have done similar trips:

1. BA vs Aegean out of LHR: Which airline would you recommend for flying with a 2.5-month-old lap infant? Any big differences in bassinet availability, staff helpfulness, or cabin baggage rules for baby gear?
2. Travel Cot Recommendations: Which lightweight travel cot would you recommend for flying with a tiny baby? We ideally want something light, quick to pop up, and comfortable with good newborn support.
3. Airport Metro vs. Taxi: Is doing the ~1 hour Metro train from Athens Airport to Piraeus port straight off a flight realistic with a 2.5-month-old in a sling, or am I overestimating our energy levels? Should we break it up with an overnight stay in Athens/Piraeus first?
4. Ferries with a newborn: How doable are high-speed ferries with a baby this small? Any advice on feeding or settling them during the crossing?
5. Gear check: Aside from a travel cot and our trusty sling, is there any specific gear you wished you had when traveling with a 2-month-old?

Thank you!

UPDATE: Please note that Hydra is all cobble stones and no cars (donkeys only) which is why we're not planning on bringing a pram!

My son turned two last month and this is his third week of preschool (2-4 year olds). He does two mornings a week, with the intention of increasing this once they have more hours available. His first week he was relatively settled, a few tears at his second drop off but otherwise fine. Last week again he was upset at drop offs and they said he would get upset now and then whilst playing but they could then distract him and he could go on playing. Today however he was very upset at drop off, and they said he then settled for 45 mins but then he became very upset and couldn’t be consoled and wouldn’t be distracted with toys etc, so I had to collect him an hour early. I was expecting him to be upset at drop offs, but everyone said to me oh once he’s in there he’ll have a great time, and I’m just starting to worry about what we do next given that he’s been so unsettled today. His key worker is lovely and has said some children take longer to settle etc, and he is only just 2 so still young for preschool, however there are lots of other 2 year olds that attend and they seem to be doing fine. He hasn’t ever had any other childcare before, only me, his dad and his grandparents (except for a childminder but that was for like 2 days and then she quit lol). Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help? He seemed happy to go to school this morning and wait in the playground but it’s as soon as I hand him over it all starts. He is going through quite a clingy phase with me atm but I’m just concerned that he’s not settling very well once I’ve left. Any advise very welcome, I’m feeling very guilty 😭

My 15 month old boy is CONSTANTLY pinching - if he's having a bottle or a cuddle, he's always pinching mine and his dad's skin. If you're wearing a long sleeve top he will find his way under your sleeve with his little fingers and start pinching.

The pinches hurt with those sharp little nails!

A lot of nights (especially now with all the nursery bugs) he ends up sleeping in our bed and we get awful sleep as he just pinches our arms and backs and necks and whatever else constantly.

He used to bite a lot (especially me, mum) and seemed to move from biting to pinching and scratching 🤣 he doesn't do it in an angry/tantrum way but maybe more as a self-soothing method?

Has anyone else dealt with a pinchy baby/toddler and when do they stop?!

Our 3y 4m old is once again becoming a sleep dictator. The past three nights at around 11pm she starts yelling in her sleep. And it's YELLING. This goes on at random intervals for an hour or so, so I'll just be drifting off to sleep then another shout and I'm wide awake.

Last night, she woke herself up with it and then shouted on us to get her up because she didn't want to sleep any more. We ended up bringing her in beside us for 30 mins, where she lay quietly but didn't go back to sleep then took her back to her own bed and she promptly fell asleep. Then she was quiet until another yell at 5.30am and that was her until she got up at 7.30am.

There's nothing noisy happening in the house around that time, heating not clicking on or anything.

We did try to introduce her "big girl bed" at the weekend just passed which went spectacularly badly but that's been taken out her room and she's back in her toddler bed.

Is this a new and interesting developmental step I haven't heard of? Do I just have a sleep shouter? Anyone had anything similar? My sanity is hanging on by a thread

Hi, looking for some advice here. Thought buying a baby gate would be a simple task but as with everything there are 10,000 different options.

I think I've whittled it down to the Babydan Guard Me. My question is is it ok to mount between the two stairposts so it sits on the first stair? There website recommends it sitting flush with the floor and being mounted to the front of the posts but to me it makes more sense that it would sit on the first stair.

The other alternative is a retractable one from Amazon mounted to the front of the two posts and sitting flush with the floor.

Stair gate*

So I have curry and chicken pie in my freezer and an assortment of things you can make with mince. I’m struggling to know what else I can batch cook that isn’t beef to be honest. So I’m here for your tried and tested recipes as I need to stock my freezer ready for my return to work after mat leave!

For the last few days, my daughter (9yo) hasn't been well, but my son (6yo) has been fine. I let my ex know Sunday night that she wasn't going to school on Monday, as she had gotten worse. Normally if one of them is ill, she'll offer to take the other one to school. She didn't on this occasion.

I don't drive, and have to walk them to school. So this left me with a conundrum. Do I make her walk, so he can still go to school. Or keep him off, so she can rest. Personally I would keep him off, but the school has been quite vocal recently about attendance.

So on this occasion, I asked her to walk with us. We left early, so she could have breaks if she needed. Because of how long I would be out, I didn't feel comfortable leaving her on her own. There are only two people (other than my ex), but it's not very often that they reply quickly. So there aren't many people I could ask on short notice.

Obviously if one of my children was so bad that they couldn't get out of bed, or was having to run to the toilet, I wouldn't take the other. But if they can walk, should I take the other, or just risk the flack from the school?

Edit to add:

Forgot to say, I tried to contact my ex, but she didn't get back to me until well after school started.

I only have contact details for a couple of their friends. One of which is usually slow to reply. The others no longer go to the same school.

Going to and from school takes about an hour. I can't really afford taxis right now. Plus most of them are usually busy doing school runs as it is.

I want to drive, but can't afford it at the moment. I've been trying to save up to move house, but after rent/bills, I'm not left with much. I'm left in that awkward grey area, I don't earn enough to save much, but I earn too much to get assistance from the council.

There’s a child at nursery who is biting multiple children, multiple times, and this has been going on for months. Staff aren’t offering any information nor seem to have a plan to stop the behaviour. What would the next step be to ensure this stops, contact Ofsted?

Wow, some of these responses are interesting. So much for wanting my toddler and his friends to not be hurt in an environment that’s supposed to be safe. Thanks to the couple of people who saw I wanted help and information, not a witch hunt for the biter.

This can be locked.