Mumsnet Little Italy 6

[Rosa]

Ciao , Hello , Welcome .

vegging there for the whole day. different swimming pools/jacuzzi/sauna if I remember well.
have to go. 2 weeks in 4 schoolruns I'm already exhausted

Ciao bella(s)

Haven't popped by for a while.

Hi Mars. You wanna come to our spa too?

Spa? Spa? Did someone say spa?

What, when, where, how much?

Central Milan in an old bus driver's social club. 45 euros for a day's lounging around apparently.

Excellent! When are we planning on going to the spa?

Whenever you like, just let me know when you're over and I'll book a day off.

I wish I could come!!! In desperate need of some pampering.

I am going to be controversial DD1 has just had her second swimming lesson. it's 1/2 an hour once a week and I think it's great. it's great fun for the kids and by the end they learn to swim without armbands.
obviously I agree that not all children might like it or be ready at 3. however all the one I've seen seem to enjoy it loads.
I thought it's great as dd1 is a bit of a nutter in the water and it's better if she learns to float. also cheap: 70pounds for a term.

I'd love DD to have learnt to swim at 3, unfortunately she doesn't seem to have taken after me wrt to water confidence so I might have to postpone official lessons for a while. But then there is the private lesson option that Rosa mentioned and I hadn't thought of.

So, when are you next in Italy Pippi?

Ciao Marslady

Well I met a teacher at the gate who remarked how happy DD seemed this year and seemed surprised she'd been crying. She said DD was playing and communicating with the other kids.

Anyway, tomorrow she is off at SIL's house doing pottery and stuff, we'll see how it goes next week.

Sputnik, great news that she's been playing during the day happily, this is very important, imo. It's worrying when they are sad throughout the day, I think.

Pippi, I agree, I think if they show enthusiasm towards water it is always a good idea to take them to swimming lessons. Mine didn't seem too bothered when little, and it saved me just a lot of fuss waiting for a few yrs. Ds in these two months started from being in the water to jumping from the trampolino without braccioli . He is now ready for it.

MARSLADY, where've you been?? come on, get thee on a ryan air flight and come for a weekend to milan...

I was dreading the faffing bit of it but luckily it's not that bad as you do not go in with them but wait at the side. so dd2 and I just sit and clap . I mean dd1 is a true copy-cat and she'd do anything other kids do: like taking the braccioli off and jumping in (and not coming back up) while I am breast feeding, going on massive slide etc. so it more like prevention than anything else. mind you dh is convinced she'll be the first kid to swim across the channel !

brange I should be going around october/nov to udine to my dad but tbh I have been flying every two months since before dd2 was born so I'd quite like to stay put for a while. but one threads on thin ice when a child of divorce so might have to go. (going to my dad with two kids under 4 in winter is suicide as there's nothing for them to do!!)

I'll let you know if I go maybe we can try to do that meet up in venice.

I fogot what mnetting does to your house- I am surrounded by 'casino' and I am sitting here boring you...

QUESTION: what would you do in this situation:

my friend who lives two minutes away has got a terrible kid just a year older than my dd1. when such child comes to our house he/she is very disruptive, gets bored immediately and then finds way to entertain him/herself by either bothering the sibling or my dd1 or doing something naughty.
eventually my dd1 cries - either because she is hurt or locked somewhere or a toy snatched etc - and when we intervene he is quick and clever to invent that is my dd's fault and blame her. the mum does not see it (or if she does she never 'rimproverare' him). I am aware that you should not rimproverare someoneelse's child when they are present. is that true? I never say anything but today, as it was obvious I had to tell him that I would not accept lies in my house (I know I know...). I am sure they let him/her get away with a lot at home but I am not here to criticise theor parenting (which is very good) I just want to know what/if I should do.

what would you do?

Oh my house is a mess, plus I have a million things to do (mainly concerning the children) and yet I waste hrs on mn .

It is a difficult situation. It is pretty usual in my group of friends to "rimproverare" someone else's child. I don't have any problem with friends telling (gently) my children off, even if I'm around. Often me and bf facciamo fronte comune when they play up.

My place is usually a chaotic mess. I saw a prospective cleaner today but she didn't inspire me, she was a bit of a cold fish and very bossy, never let me finish sentences. I don't think I'll hire her, she looks like she would have shares in Cillit Bang.

Pippi, I too rimprovero other people's children, even strangers if they are doing something mean or dangerous. I just point out in a neutral tone that what they've done is not very nice and to stop doing it/not do it again. I'd expect others to do the same to my DD if she was ever out of order. The sneaky ones get gently told that I know what they're up to and I give them my "don't mess with me" sguardo. It usually works, it used to work a treat with drunks on the tube so I don't see why it shouldn't with small children.
Pippi, I'd say in your house you'd be able to get away with it more purely because you can play the my house my rules card. It may be more difficult when out somewhere but chez toi you can terrorise him.

I think I'd have done the same. Today I couldn't help myself and said please don't do that to dd's compagna d'asilo who slapped her nanny's hand, when she was trying to help her cross the road

That is very very tempting Franca but I wouldn't bring my children. I'd hop over on my own to be spoilt with Italian delicacies!

Of course Mars! Children and weekend in Milan don't go well. Especially if you wish to visit the spa... or to go shopping

Blimey missed a bit here.
MIL coming out of hosp tom am - with instructions no walking or putting peso for 2- 3 months ( bye and thank you !). So after flapping / mega concern a friend who has a big house and only 4 steps up has offered to have her for a bit ( PHEW !!!) As she will be able to have a wheelchair there. We are going to buy one Eu200 against EU 3 a day to hire! So Dh can go and get her and push her round a bit and also there is an easy bridge to get over to shops etc. Am amazed at no after care no evern considering that she might not be able to go home. DOn't think we can impose 3 months but its a start until we come up with something else. I even offered to have her here ( saintly expression) but we could not get a wheelchair in our bagno and I certainly can't lift her.
Spa book me in you guys can do the jacuzzi etc I will paddle my toes in!
Hurrah dd 1st cold from nursery and its friday - I just booked a apt with paed to get her certificato to say she is sana- have visions of taking her with hacking cough etc !

Rosa, you don't need a certificate for a cold or flu anymore, only for things like varicell etc.. At least in Lombardia you don't, it's all autocertificazione here.
Am impressed by your saintliness at offering to take MIL in, in your condition too and with imminent arrival of new little one. I'm not sure I'd have dared offer in case she took me up on it. at 2-3 months. Is there no physiotherapy available?
There is no aftercare at all it seems, friend got sent home with pulverised leg, no wheelchair and having to change her own dressings every day. She eneded up having to stay with tosser boyf she had tried to leave just so she had someone to help her with the dressings. When I had whiplash after my motorbike accident the collar was whipped off me while I was signing my dimissione form and I was left to walk home alone (had no money on me for cab or even bus) with my head spinning. It took me all day to find a farmacia aperta to buy a new collar as it was a Sunday.

Brange, I think Rosa needs a certificato di buona salute, as her dd is going to a private nido. I had to provide one as well last year for the private materna the dc attended (a proposito, can I say how I am of this certificati di buona salute business? they are 40 bloody euros and you need them for everything. Never needed anything like that in the UK, not even for the dc's gym club)

Rosa , she is out already!!!?? Yes, no after care. This country is really going nella merda . Don't they arrange physio? I think my aunt had a physio, but tbh I can't remember if it was on asl or private.

Today I went to collect ds from school (he is out at 13.30 on fridays) and started to chat to over anxious mothers who are all panicking because a math teacher hasn't yet been found. I might be too laid back. Plus the children exited the gates and they proceeded to open their kids' exercise books (the children are starting doing all those A, and E and other hideous things) and they were all neat and smart. I got home and ds's is a mess

I never had to do one. The Asl here says autocertificazione. DD went to a private nido too. at 40 euros! I've only ever needed a cert for the time DD had varicella. Move to Monza, it's easier here (surprised that the Brianzoli haven't caught on to the 40 euro scam yet)

Lol at the messy exercise book! Remember, other children's books are neater because they were so crap, the teacher did it for them. I've never worried about stuff like that myself, but I have been secretly getting a bit het up about the fact DD seems to have regressed in her drawing. She hasn't really, is currently experimenting mixing up colours, but I'm sure to the teachers it just looks a backwards mess of indiscriminate scribbles and they probably think she's a bit backward. I'm being neurotic, aren't I?

Yep, you are being neurotic.

I've never been "ordinata", always thought that substance is more important than form , but unfortunately it takes a very good teacher to see through this. Plus at the beginning is just writing A and E, the ability of writing them neatly is more importnat than your brain cells. He is doomed (paranoid)!!!!

Yep it is a certificato di Buona salute I need ( I was just saying that as dd is going down with a cold I am taking her to the paed to get a cert of buona salute she won't be !! Thankfully our paed is pretty chilled out and also we don't call him for every cough sneeze and piccolo febbre )and at Eu40 I hope I don't need too many. Is it 40 EU every time she is off sick for 5 days with one of the list of things they put on the forms - febbre,stomach virus etc etc ?
I am relieved that MIl going to friend as I think it will give dh just some breathing space. Then they can think long term. A ASl physio will come in once to show mil exercises to do with strong leg but thats it . We are going to get a private physio to go and give her some massages of the good leg and exercises to strengthen her upper body. ( Oh and we are paying !)

Buy him a set of timbrini.