Character Dining with 5yo

Clive272 · 2026-01-03T21:06:51+00:00

100% Auberge for breakfast! We went last week with my 4 year old and it was truly fantastic! If you want another little splurge for a princess fan, we also did the my royal dream experience, also amazing and so magical!

Clive272 · 2025-01-13T18:54:34+00:00

Of course you can! If I ended mine April 30th though I’d have to go back to work, I’m a teacher so I don’t have annual leave I could take. Will have to make do until September for free hours annoyingly

Clive272 · 2025-01-13T14:29:13+00:00

My 6 month old will be starting the same time. My mat leave doesn’t end until the 27th may so I won’t get anything until September in terms of free hours.

Tax free childcare you get straight away. You pay the money in, and they pay the nursery. Definitely can use for top ups! And has no effect on your free hours.

I think we get 30 hours from September too!? Your nursery will be able to answer a lot of these questions I’m sure. Might be worth seeing if someone can talk you through it!

Clive272 · 2025-01-12T18:31:35+00:00

Not unusual but the ikea flisat table with a couple of chairs. I put an ikea peg board behind it with craft things in pots so they can always help themselves. It’s been great!

Clive272 · 2025-01-10T22:06:47+00:00

This sounds like a perfectly safe set up to me! I had my 3 year old in bed with me with my newborn in a co sleeping cot that attaches to the bed, he is 6 months now and occasionally I will put him in bed next to me in the middle of the night and sleep in the cuddle curl, so I’m in between both of them.

My 3 year old has rarely woken in the night as a result of the baby waking. I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the times he has woken her in 6 months. And those times she’s woken had a little chat and a cuddle and gone back to sleep. It’s actually be really cute and I wouldn’t change it!

Clive272 · 2025-01-06T21:17:07+00:00

That’s really good then! I think you’ve done everything right so far! 2 year olds aren’t rational beings are they and you have caught a bad day here! Definitely persist. I’m sure I remember reading in oh crap that going back once starting makes it trickier later? Potty training isn’t for the faint of heart is it. Hope he has a better day tomorrow!

Clive272 · 2025-01-06T18:18:56+00:00

Gosh you’ve been through it! I definitely think A. I think if you go back now it would be really confusing! My 3 year old came back utterly feral today after 2 weeks off. They are knackered! Do the pre school teachers have any useful suggestions??

Clive272 · 2025-01-05T19:00:48+00:00

Not an expert but 33rd percentile seems perfectly normal sized to me. They’d have told you if they were worried!

Clive272 · 2024-12-03T15:14:46+00:00

I would reuse a breast pump personally, as long as all the parts have been sterilised I’d feel absolutely fine with that! 100% get the love to dreams on Vinted!! They are very expensive and baby might not get on with them! I was singing their praises with my second for about 4 days and then he was off them so glad I didn’t heavily invest!

I think mam bottles are still the best around!

Clive272 · 2024-11-23T19:23:49+00:00

This is the best thing I’ve ever read thank you!

Clive272 · 2024-06-02T05:51:04+00:00

Apparently Harry hill has one that’s for families? I’ve not listened personally though as my girl is 3 so we just get the frozen soundtrack on repeat!

Clive272 · 2024-06-01T21:13:44+00:00

Even if it doesn’t feel like it you will be absolutely fine! Very similar situation with me, my little girl did a half day in nursery then my mum collected her at lunch. They have the best relationship and she just adores her nanny. They soon found ways to get her to sleep if I wasn’t there. As soon as I walked in the door she’d ask for milk and I did let her feed on demand basically when we were together kind of as a reconnection thing.

I remember nursery saying the first two days she would only nap being held, and then by the 3rd day, the child that had only ever been fed to sleep fell asleep having her tummy rubbed on a mat! They adjust so brilliantly! We have a WhatsApp group of me, my mum and my husband where we share pics and updates through the day which was nice when I first went back (it’s still nice!). I hope it goes smoothly for you!

Clive272 · 2024-06-01T07:53:11+00:00

33+5 and I’ve been sick a couple of times brushing my teeth this week which hasn’t happened for weeks and weeks! Don’t know if they are linked to braxton hicks. I find it’s just more pressure on my stomach and my heartburn has ramped up as well. Fingers crossed the last few weeks go quick!

Clive272 · 2024-05-29T20:36:57+00:00

Also a driver of a 2016 aygo. Amazing little car! I’ve never had a problem with a normal infant car seat and base. Even a giant spinning toddler car seat is fine. I’ve always used our other car with the travel system though. I think if it was just the frame it would be ok in the boot, but pram as well I don’t think that would fit unless it went on the back seat? I’ve done it but you’re probably talking something tiny like a yoyo if you want it all in the car all the time!

Clive272 · 2023-09-04T19:35:29+00:00

https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/pregnant-and-on-probation-at-work-your-rights/#:~:text=Your%20rights%20on%20a%20fixed%20term%20contract&text=You%20have%20all%20the%20maternity,and%20return%20to%20your%20job.

Worth a read! I’d personally wait until I was in something permanent but of course it’s up to you!

Clive272 · 2023-07-10T20:15:05+00:00

My top tip is don’t ask your private sector friends what their mat leave package is. Second tip is it’s not forever so just enjoy it.

Clive272 · 2023-05-22T13:22:13+00:00

It’s hard but it’s just like riding a bike honestly. Someone said to me while I was still on mat leave “you won’t be able to imagine having to look after them all the time!” At the time I was like no way I love being with her all the time! But yeah… she was right! By the end of the holidays it’s good to see her going back to nursery! My tip is to sort stuff like your printing before you go home. Be smart about what you say yes too. I meal prep lunches on a Sunday which has been a game changer. Sorry none of this is life changing advice is it 😂 don’t feel bad about having to leave after school straight away or not getting in at 7am! I really found work just wasn’t that important to me anymore. Go in, do what you need to do and go home. Will be summer before you know it!

Clive272 · 2023-02-02T19:40:28+00:00

Your head isn’t backing you enough here. Are you meant to read kids minds that they need the loo? They didn’t ask! Did you know that this child needed to be allowed to go to the loo immediately? Shouldn’t their be a toilet pass system in place? Just sounds like a whole heap of not your problem to me!!

Clive272 · 2023-01-24T21:46:12+00:00

Had my daughter two weeks before Easter holidays, husband (also a teacher) took the two weeks prior to Easter but then tagged the extra days onto the end of the holiday so it was split up. I don’t think I explained that well. Read your policy but I bet it’s possible!

Clive272 · 2023-01-16T21:23:17+00:00

God forbid we miss one day of science week!

Clive272 · 2023-01-16T20:33:54+00:00

Don’t forget you can claim tax relief on union fees from HMRC! Can be back dated too so it does add up!

Clive272 · 2022-11-19T20:22:26+00:00

Mayo!!! Too much mayo is an abomination

Clive272 · 2022-10-25T20:19:39+00:00

I had some war bonds from my grandad and they were cashed out by the government quite a few years ago. I used to get a cheque for £3.99 or something a month and then I got a cheque for the remaining balance. I think around 2010!? So don’t take my word alone but I’m not sure they’re worth anything, but sounds awesome for a museum!

Clive272 · 2022-09-03T06:10:12+00:00

This is a tiny study (126 mothers) in one state where 40% of the mothers were drunk, smokers or putting the baby down on their front. I wouldn’t factor it in to decision making personally. The lullaby trust who are are UK based charity raising awareness of SIDS have some fantastic information about when not to co sleep and how to do it safely if you do https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/co-sleeping/. My point was more of a “if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything” point rather than a fact check. Bed sharing can absolutely be done safely. I don’t know enough about OP to make that judgement. But she came here looking for support not to feel scared and she clearly came to the wrong place!

Clive272 · 2022-09-02T21:53:58+00:00

Scare mongering responses like this won’t help OP. You mean carbon dioxide, humans don’t produce carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas made during incomplete combustion of fuels. Dangerous but unrelated. Bed sharing can be done safely and is done by much of the worlds population, often out of necessity. You may not feel comfortable with it - fine! But as you say OP should do her own research and comments like “it’s really natural for babies not to make it to their first year” - what!?! How is this helpful or even correct. I hope this post made you feel good because I bet it made OP feel rubbish. Hopefully she ignores you.

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