Sept 2008 - no witty title as we're too busy dealing with stroppy 3 yr olds.

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Hello all. Couldn't see a new thread so thought I'd do the honours. Sorry for rubbish title, I'm no good at witty! :)

What preferences change, Kagey? London is the same as the rest of England I think - schools can't tell or discriminate against you if you don't put their school as first preference, so you can safely put 4 great schools you're unlikely to get into, followed by the 2 OK schools you should get into, and it won't reduce your chance of getting into the last two.

Friend down the road and I have agreed which order to put the two local schools in, and I filled up my form with the next 4 easiest schools to get to, just in case a new housing estate opens somewhere and shifts the last admission distance of all the othe schools sideways. Hopefully A and friend will get into the same school and we can share the school run a bit.

Thanks NC, that's good to know. There are a few good primaries local to us, but I really want Erin to go to her nearest which is 0.2 miles away. DH preferred a school 1 mile away but generally you have to live within 0.6 of a mile to be accepted. Oh well it's all done now .

I should have added I put our nearest as 1st preference, so fingers crossed for April!

Its time to teach DD double entry book-keeping...we went back to the enuresis clinic this morning and they've come up with a new behaviour-modification strategy for her toiletting as star charts don't work for her.
So she'll earn points each day for finishing drinks/taking herself off to get changed after an accident/staying dry etc, then she has a variety of rewards that cost different numbers of points, so at 10 points for example, she can choose to have a treat like eating popcorn while watching tv, or keep saving up to 20 points which is having ice cream for pudding.
A good thing about this system is that even if she has an accident, she is motivated to go and get changed rather than stay wet. Lets hope it works...!

Sorry haven't read all the posts, hope the hearing test went well NC and that mediation wasn't too awful ninja?
Hope the new idea works well carrie. Star charts have never worked for my two...I remember trying one with Tom when he was about 3 and when I explained it to him he gave me a look of total disgust and bemusement :)
I sort of saw his point.
Toby will happily do most things for chocolate :)
Seems ages since I have posted....very busy couple of weeks coming up as I am sure is the same for lots of you...school plays, church etc...
We are planning to be at home this year for Xmas.
Pils on Boxing Day.
Will try and see my nephews before they leave in their hols on 30th.
That's about it really :)
Health is still rubbish :( Toby still coughing - 4 weeks now :( Tom tired out as its nearing end of term. Dh just back form yet another trip but he isn't going away again before Xmas, thank god.
Hope you are all well x

Star charts never worked for us either. The kids just give me a "you think I'm impressed with a poxy star sticker" type look. We had a couple of weeks success with pasta pots, but even that was hard going the second week, and dismissed by the third.

However I have recently discovered they are motivated by money. Luckily for me, their idea of MEGA BUCKS is 1p, 2p or 5p . Much cheaper (and less cluttered) than comics or even Lego minifigures.

Star charts not used here either. DD1 had a similar system as Carries when she was 7-9. Her main treat was horseriding and if she was dry 20 nights a month she got to go. If she was dry a full week she got a different treat. It meant that she could fail her weekly treat but still earn the big treat. bedwetting can be a horrendous habit to get them out of but they get there in the end.

Just been th Cinderella on Ice with all 3 dd's. It was a great show but I had to leave at half time with Lucy as she was a complete nightmare. She wouldn't sit still, she wanted to jump down the stairs, she screamed at everyone. Even chocolate didn't keep her happy. Luckily the rink is only 5 mins drive away so i sped her home and gor back 10 mins into the 2nd half. Robyn was a total star watching the performance and now wants ice skating lessons.

Bookmarking

bookmarking.

No, I haven't told my family I want to spend Xmas on our own this year yet . I vaguely asked DS if he had a preference (without letting on) and 'bigged' up my stepmums house saying other people will be there, but he said he would like to spend the day at home.

Bookmarking

badvoc its only 12 days to go now...!

Today I have blubbed through DD's nativity, spent two hours with a double glazing surveyor, had an emergency dash to carphone warehouse when my mobile stopped working, been to the most surreal school christmas fair, and ferried DD and her chums around for the Rainbows Christmas party! Then mum produced Hotel Chocolat rum truffles

Only two nights til DH is back, and will get me through!

Carrie...I know....squeee! :)
Wow, you are busy! Didn't know dh was away ATM..my dh was away last week but isn't going away again til January now, thank goodness.
Next week is a bit full on for me...church stuff..school plays x 2, family stuff, school parties x 2....sigh.
Toby is a king in his play :) he wanted to be a fairy but when his key worker showed him the bling the king got to wear he changed his mind :)
He does love the bling bless him :)
Also doing Sunday school in Sunday and have a Sunday school Xmas par to sort out!...
Car failed its MOT yesterday :( needs new brake pads. Conservatory roof is leaking again :( oh well.
Toby still not in top form but seems better than he was.
Ds1 just very tired. End of termitis I think.
Will be glad when they break up next week tbh. Lots of mooching about in pjs coming up :)

meglet have you told the family your christmas preferences yet...?!

I worked out how to not blub through DS1's first nativity today. I just didn't engage with away in a manger. Didn't look at DS1 and def did not try and sing along. Eyes were moist but not overflowing ;)

DH back tomorrow, woop woop!

carrie no . I'm a ball of stress and anguish over it.

LOL at not engaging with 'Away in a manger'. It's lethal isn't it.

badvoc we plan lots of mooching over Xmas. I was going to take the DC's to a nice Living Rainforest place (nr Newbury, v.good if anyone is local) at some point (it's warm and undercover) but apart from that we won't do anything big.

My mum was rushed to hospital last night - just got back from visiting her.
They don't know whats wrong but she has an infection somewhere and is on oxygen :(
Meglet...wrt Xmas. Just don't go. Life is too short. I don't normally advocate lying but cases like this a case of a non emergency illness could crop up at the last minute? Yes?
Am knackered. Was in a and e with mum til 10pm last night and didn't sleep well.
Hope you are all ok x

Carrie Away in a manger gets me as well.

Meglet Yes to Badvoc's suggestion. Life is too short to have another Christmas you won't enjoy. Are they still asking you when you are turning up or do they just assume you will go?

Badvoc I hope your mum will be ok soon.

I had my works Christmas night out last night. It was good but I only stayed just over 2 hours. My lift was on call and didn't want to stay out late and I am still recovering from Robyn's cold so it was just long enough for me. If I had stayed I wouldn't be home till gone 2am. They managed to get kicked out og the club and then went on to a karaoke bar till the wee hours. Can't wait till next year

badvoc Your poor mum. I hope she is better very soon.

I can't really fake an illness as my stepmum is local, I'm just going to have to man-up and say we'd rather be at home this year. When I did mention I'd rather stay at home she came up with desperate attempts to get us to go to her house as normal (she'd pick us up, we only had to stay for Xmas dinner etc)

Thanks meg.
I Sort of had this with my mil a few years ago....The boys wanted to stay at home and so did I.
So I told her with lots if notice that is what would be happening.
She didn't like it.
But they came on Xmas morning to see the boys, I made breakfast, we exchanged gifts and then they went off to church and it was lovely.
The sky didn't fall and the world continued to turn :)
You have to out yourself and your kids first. No one else will.
I hope you have a wonderful Xmas at home this year x

Meglet I've just finished my Doula training and am 1 term in my Access course, only another 5 to go.

Robyn is still poorly. she is lethargic during the day then by evening she is burning up and overnight she is boiling and coughing. She wakes up most nights coughing and last night she threw up her water all over our bed. I think it was all the coughing that made her sick. She looks fine now, just a bit snotty. Thing is she looked like that on Friday and Saturday. She is having calpol and ibruprofen to keep the temp down but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

Debs - wish I knew.
Toby has been like that for weeks.
Was so worried last night took him to ooh go and she sent him to hospital for chest x ray but it was clear, so we are no further on.
Things we have done:
Seem antihistamine before bed.
Raising head of bed.
Humidifier in room
Didn't help last night tout has helped on previous nights...

debs my uncle's little boy was this last week, and they took him to the GP as he wasn't shifting it (high temp, then normal during the day) and it was a chest infection. It might be worth a quick visit to the GP?

Dd2 had a lurgy 2 weeks ago but luckily was only poorly with a high temp for one day.

Dd1 had her nativity play this week and she was a snowman - I'm a big wimp and sniffed throughout their class song .

Badvoc I hope your mum is better .

Aagh I should proof read - was like this, that should read ,

Think Toby has whooping cough....:(

Sympathy badvoc.
meglet - tell your mum you're staying home, apply stuck record technique, and rnjoy it.

A and dd both have nasty coughs and colds, first time A has been properly ill in 20 months, but fairly sure its nothing too serious.

badvoc You are having the worst time of it aren't you . Have you seen the GP to get it confirmed, I know it's going around.

We have colds in this house too. They've both been snotty, although DS has had a rotten cough the last couple of days, no temp though and otherwise he's fine.

You will all be pleased to know I've stopped fretting and I told my step-mum we're staying at home on Xmas day, so it's done. My step-mum and sister will pop round here at some point during the day, but it will be nice to work to our timetable for once. I've informed the children they are going to have to help me make Xmas dinner and we will be going for a brisk walk after lunch.

I feel totally useless this morning. I've had bad nights sleeps all weekend, too much news watching and the children kept waking up earlier than usual. Roll on thursday when I finish for Xmas.

kagey you have to cry during nativity songs. I'm not a big cryer at all, but they are my downfall.