WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - OCTOBER 2006 - EALING, ACTON, CHISWICK, KEW, RICHMOND, ISLEWORTH, KINGSTON ETC

[MrsBigD]

Here's the general chit-chat thread for October

Synopsis please on what I've missed last week! Too pre-occupied for various reasons to wade through all threads. Thanks

thanks foxi!!!!

Nanou

ff dan just called and he's trying to get in contact, with you? He's at home do you want his home number

Quokka - yes please!!

just texting you now!

What a discussion...it's taken me ages to just catch up! I've come to the conclusion that we should set-up our own school just so we don't all end up on valium!

I apologise in advance but this is long winded but I HAVE to tell you all this - I would strongly recommend that no1 send their child to Teddies nursery in Twickenham! My husband thinks I should report them to OFSTED but I doubt they'd do anything seeing as they are still open despite being featured in a documentary exposing how rough some children are treated in day care and one of the other Teddies nurseries was in the news a while back when one of their members of staff was charged with GBH after a baby suffered severe head injuries.(I only found this out today after searching the net to see if anyone else had bad experiences with Teddies). Anyways here goes: I went there to have a look around with their deputy manager. All seemed lovely and she was saying exactly what any parent would want to hear...loving environment blah blah. Then as she's talking away, my eyes are on this member of staff who pulls an 18 month old baby girl out of the way by her arm and raises her voice at her JUST because she was trying to join the snack table when it wasn't her turn yet! The baby was obviously crying badly but was ignored. The lady showing me around didn't see what happened so just said "ah poor baby, what's wrong". I told her well, she's actually just been told off horribly to which the lady replied "well, she must have done something very wrong". I told her actually it was just because she didn't wait for her snack, to which she replied that she should have waited as all the children know they must wait! She's an 18 month old baby for God's sake...there are other ways to discipline a child other than resorting them to tears by shouting and pulling! Another member of staff held the baby until she calmed down but the culprit carer couldn't have cared less. I was shocked that if this is how a member of staff behaves when a parent is visiting and the manager condones that sort of behaviour, God only knows what happens when they're alone with the children. Then as I was leaving with DS, the same carer raises her voice at another girl because she sat on the trike before it was cleaned (it was wet due to rain). She pulled the toddler off the bike by her arm while telling her "look at you! You're all wet now!" I'd seen enough. They're ofsted report is great but what I've realised is that doesn't mean much. I'm going to ring Teddies head office just to let them know what I saw then it's down to them if they look in to it or not.

Hope you're all still awake after that....Feel very disheartened after my little experience today and DS was also a bit startled by what he saw.

PC - Congrats to ur DH!

Nanou - Happy birthday to ya!

SJ - Great news

My choice of nursery was not totally based on the OFSTED report....but on the attitude of the members of staff I met who were in charge, the carer to children ratio, the daily structure of their nursery programme.
Yet to see if I am right..but I have a good feeling when I take DS there, and he is very happy so far..really - follow your instinct- and that of your child.

2cute, your near me aren't you? Ds1 goes to Park Place Nursery. They didn't get a good ofsted report, but ds had been going for a year and loves it. I met the lady doing the report and I think she got out of bed on the wrong side - she was evil. They have appointed a new nursery teacher and a new assistant, who are lovely. The previous nursery teacher (owner) is now pregnant. The nursery is small so the lo's get lots of attention and it's away from a busy road and is surrounded by playing feilds with parking. Also they play and learn together so they interact with all ages. Most nurseries don't have nursery teachers so I think its great. I pretty sure thay have spaces at the moment so let me know if you are interesed?

hELLO ALL: JUST FOUND THIS THREAD (SORRY). also got locked in caps.

anyway - morning all!

2cute - sorry to hear that about Teddies. You're doing the right thing chasing it up with a phonecall. I recently complained about an after school group near me, as the children were allowed to hang over the back fence and shout at passers by. Apart from the nuisance they caused there were some real safety issues re. falling ober fence or being groomed by perverts, as they were allowed to chat with passers by. I called the Chair of their management committee. Initially she was quite dismissive, so I said, "if I see it happend one more time I am going straight to Ofsted". She then dealt with it and the problem has been sorted.

After your advice, I'd certainly advise any friends to avoid Teddies.

morning oxo, I don't think your name change is going to stick!

But it's so easy to remember.[sad)
Won't be getting it tattooed though!

Morning. Have decided to go to Lollypop club this morning or I'll throttle kids. anyone Interested?
have also put this on daytime thread. But have put it here too just to pee off the working mums

out all day in chiswick - sorry. Got to get ds1 ginger frizz sorted out, have been meaning to for ages but he hates the hairdresser!

ha ha. enjoy!
bribery works for my ds. dd (2 and a bit) has never had her hair cut - in fcat brushing is a rare occurance. she's a curly top so it's really easy.

The reason I go to the hairdresser is I scared him for life when I tried cutting it with clippers

Quokka - spoke with Dan again last night, he sounds very sweet. Is coming over Fri/Sat or Sun to look at my damp patch

Have you been to Trotters in the King's Road? They have a children's hairdresser's there with a humumgous fish tank, so LOs don't even realise they're being snipped as too busy watching the fishes. DS used to have a real phobia about hairdressers but he loved Trotters. We used to go on Sundays so we could drive and it gave me an excuse to cruise the King's Road too

lol quokka - poor ds.... hi all !!! wish i was not at work today when it is such a lovely day . teddies sounds horrible and you are right to want to report it 2cute. i'd do the same just because i would appreciate it if bad stuff was reported by other people at our creche... very lucky with our creche; loved it and best choice i've ever made. all kids are laughing as they get in so can't be wrong can it?! will be nice to catch up properly next week btw, do any of you know a good hairdresser for me and dd? merci buckets!

morning all, i am shirking from home!

supposedly sorting out wep encryption on my wi-fi router so i can connect to work's VPN. feel free to jump in anytime anyone!

Oxo, give it up and accept it gracefully my friend. am still keen on your childtableseat thing but can't visualise it. how much for it anyway?

2cute, i am seriously shocked. which teddies in Twickenham? staines road or the other one? who was the manager you saw?

we had an appointment there the day we interviewed our nanny and promptly decided not to go after falling in love with nanny. they rang me the other day to re-arrange appointment so now i would like to call her back and say i won't be looking around due to a personal recommendation from a friend that they do not provide good care.

talking of haircuts, i need one so can anyone recommend a good but cheap place? i am also in desperate need of a good waxing!!! all recommendations gratefully received.

PC666p

ps: i am hiding out in bedroom whilst Grandma and DD play downstairs. i feel oddly like an ofsted inspector waiting to see how noisy/upset/naughty dd behaves LOL

i like your thinking foxie!!!!

PC - I have a friend who does waxing, she's a properly trained beauty therapist who's set up her own business. Her website is www.nickysbeautyroom.com . She's based in Brentford - that's not too far for you really is it?

PC and nanou - The Ginger Group in W5 do good haircuts for grown up women (£40-£45).

Coralee at the Richmond Salon in Kew Road (near Escale) does funky doody haircuts for boys (£15)

If you want a cheap trim for grown ups , Hairpinbend in St Margarets (£15)

Also meant to add details about the hairdresser I go to - Jeffrey's in Brentford. £35 if you ask for Ross, but I'm not sure how much it is for the other hairdressers.