Inapproriate touching at school? Claiming ex’s pension? Bertie and Boo closed?

Last Updated on : 11th September 2018

Dear NappyValleyNetter,

I spent most of yesterday at a fete.

I returned to find the house empty but evidence that the children and Mr NVN had washed up, tided away all of the old newspapers and even managed to scrub our very dirty decking.

Suspiciously pleased, and when I couldn’t find signs of any wrongdoing, surprisingly pleased, I started to eat my lunch.

Five minutes later they returned home. My youngest looked at me, looked at my lunch and then asked where I had found the spoon.

“By the kettle,” I replied.

“I’m not telling her she’s using the slug spoon” she said to Mr NVN and then walked out.

I didn’t even know we had a “slug spoon”.

I can barely write this without gagging, but it turns out the “slug spoon” is the scraper they use to remove stubborn “bits” of gunk and dead snails from the decking.

After tidying up, they’d left it by the kettle and then gone out to play football.

Here is what you’ve been talking about on NappyValleyNet…

Which local high street is so polluted it’s going to breach EU regulations this year? (read more).

An old post has been restarted by a concerned mother. She’s concerned about inappropriate touching amongst children at school. How does one communicate what’s appropriate, she asks? (read more)

LLT. writes to ask if anyone else has an unconventional child? (read more)

M. has posted a link to the Met’s website where you can acknowledge your concerns about the recent spate of moped muggings and other similar robberies (read more).

A. is looking for help with their four children over the weekend of her sister’s wedding (read more). Could it be for a ROYAL WEDDING? Perhaps A. is Princess Beatrice in disguise?

KH has found a Whitgift Blazer on Tooting Common. For every user we have, bar one, this post won’t be useful. But for that one family who are blazer-less… (read more)

A. would like to know if anyone has tried the new pizzeria on Northcote Road? (read more) I LOVE pizza. But not the Hawaiian. That’s just weird.

On a similar theme, SW12 asks if Bertie and Boo has closed? Not sure if this relates to the cafe/Island or Northcote Road but any clarification would be great (read more)

P. is writing a piece about maternity leave and would love to interview any mums about their experiences – whether just 3 months off or the full year? (read more)

And, again, on the same theme, M. has asked for advice on getting back in the swing of work after maternity leave and managing to juggle everything, and has had a really helpful response (read more).

The Reignite Academy has been founded by six major law firms, a pioneering venture to provide opportunities for experienced lawyers who have stepped away from the field for a while who would now like to return to their careers (read more).

B. asks if anyone knows how to go about claiming the fair share of an ex’s pension(read more).

Au pair nights out are all the rage! One planned soon for SW18 and another for SW17 (read more).

And J.’s au pair’s boyfriend is looking for a room to rent in the area (read more).

O. is looking for electric guitar lessons for her son, possibly in a group. Duran Duran got any space? (read more)

And H. is hoping to hire a piano teacher for her/himself and their 9-year-old (read more).

Talking of music, C. has posted to let us know that tickets are now on sale for Carmen at Wandsworth Prison, part of the Prison’s Choir Project, the same production that received rave reviews when it was put on in Dartmoor last year (read more).

C. has found a great barber at a great price for children under ten in Earlsfield (read more). First name Sweeney?

S. is looking for local orthodontist recommendations (read more).

And M. would love to know which hairdresser you use (and love!) (read more).

L. asks if there are any other cycling mums out there who know of a beginners’ group? A few circuits of Richmond Park, perhaps? (read more)

A. has posted about a brainstorming meet-up in Streatham tomorrow for any women in business (read more).

And on a cheerier community note, there’s an Indian summer-full of get togethers going on. The Bellevue Summer Fair is on Sunday with stalls, live music stage and the brilliant Dog Show (read more).

The Balham Food Festival opens with the Balham Banquet on Hildreth Streetlater this month before a week of delicious discounts in SW!2 (read more).

And Royal Trinity Hospice’s Family & Fun Day is coming up too with the choice of a 2, 5 or 8 mile walk before a BBQ and fun in their amazing garden (read more).

We have a more House & Garden posts than September has children back at school!

Portico has written a great advisory piece asking whether you are adequately insured if you’re offering your property for short lets via Airbnb and similar sites. Well worth a read (read more).

N. asks for your recommendations for good builders to carry out a full renovation (read more).

On the same theme, Flower needs a builder/decorator?(read more).

But M. has posted to warn about a particular building company who did their loft recently (read more).

B. is looking for a reasonably priced wallpaper hanger(read more).

H. thinks they may have a ‘rat passage’ in their garden. Who’re they gonna call…? (read more)

M. asks where to buy a sofa bed (read more). T. is after a local company that makes aluminum sliding doors (read more).

And W. has some old sliding timber doors which need some work – who to use? Or maybe you need some new ones – see above! (read more)

F. would love to talk to you about the possibility of using your house as a film location. Wonder if they need any extras…(read more).

N. has a 3-bedroom flat available for rent in Clapham Old Town (read more).

We have a TON of School Open Day Posts!

You may have seen our epic round-up of school open days in Thursday’s What’s On. In case you missed it, here it is again and we’ll be running weekly reminders of imminent dates in regular What’s On emails (read more).

Wimbledon High School reported a brilliant collection of results with the new GCSE grades (read more).

The Laurels School, Clapham is delighted to have been named in The Telegraph’s list of Best Small Independent Schools in the UK (read more).

Ernest Bevin is delighted with a great raft of GCSE results with 82% receiving grade 7 or higher in Computer Science and 63% in Physics (read more).

And an economy cabin full of Travel posts!

Julian has posted a list of bike rides (and we’re not talking Wandsworth Common to Clapham Common!) which he’d love to do and will arrange a trip if there is enough interest (read more).

Lots of great tips for N. about where to stop with little ones to break the journey to Cornwall. The holiday starts en route, it seems! (read more)

And Blue Monkey reminds us that September is a great time to get away with your babies or toddlers as everyone else goes back to school! (read more)

End of holiday blues? Get planning the next one with our great piece on top European destinations for families. Oui, s’il vous plait! (read more)