A Family Classified section in SF?

[Maria]

This issue has been raised before and has just now re-surfaced: following from Gill's recent querie about facilities for children in the area and my tentative reply to her (am quite new here myself...), there has been a deluge of mails recording similar interest and need.

It seems that there is a significant number of us wanting to know where to take our sons/daughters or the kids we look after; it would be great to exchange experience, form informal playgroups, perhaps even sell/give away unused toys and clothes.

I believe there is a separate section on the East Dulwich Forum with exactly this brief; are there enough of us interested? Admin, would it be possible to create it one for us if so?

Let us know what you feel about this idea - many thanks - maria

[Columbus]

Yep, would be a good idea.

[mosy]

Marta, just as an add-on re toys, I used to visit the Toy Library just off Rushey Green which I found great for borrowing toys, like books from a library. Smaller children get bored with toys very quickly (however much they cost to buy, lol), so was a godsend to borrow a new toy each week and, from reaction to the the toy, then be able to assess in advance whether a toy was worth buying from a shop "for keeps". I don't know if they accept secondhand toys for their stock, perhaps ask? Link: http://www.lewishamtoylibrary.org.uk/howtofindus.html

For excess toys, Lewisham Hospital (also just along from Rushey Green) used to welcome toys. Toys which stay together, so no small detachable (dangerous) pieces, are of course preferable. Could check with both as I'm not up on current H&S about what might be acceptable now.

[KM]

Absolutely agree Maria - great idea! Particularly as the cuts in Lewisham and local areas have greatly reduced the amount of Surestart sessions available - Lewisham stupidly have got rid of the Kelvin Grove Stay and Play and the Sydenham Hill Baby Gym, both of which were great and always well attended.
With a new term approaching having a section such as this could be a great way to share family /children's activities' knowledge within the Community.

How about it Admin?

(And...can we delete the 'News' page too, as it's not current??!)

Thanks,
Kate

[admin]

The Town Cafe section was created to cover topics such as these.

There is an issue that to many sections (sub-forums) makes it harder to browse and find what you want, leads to duplicate threads and may lead to fewer posts. However certain topics do have increased significance at certain times. What to do with kids during the summer hols is a perennial and as a parent I sympathise.

Would stickying a thread of this topic during the hols do the job? Or even a Global section (though I can only do one of those at a time and that is currently occupied by the riot threads).

Admin

[Maria]

Admin: thank you for responding.

I was motivated by a high number of PMs received after the thread on activities for babies and todlers (or something to that extent) - but of course I suspect this was a bad time to post this message to you: with so many families currently on holiday and bearing in mind the political and economic events happening all around us at present, this must seem the least of people's worries...

What I will do, and I hope that is ok, is to "bump" this thread in October, say, and then see what other parents/carers say.


Many thanks again. Will write again later as explained.

[Angela S]

I also agree with Maria. It would be very useful to have a seperate section in the SF as discussed. Something like The Family Room on the East Dulwich Forum would be great. I hope that this will be seriousy considered.
Angela