I was in Marbella old town a few weeks ago and saw a lovely smallish bag with a long handle to be worn cross-body or to hang at hip level.

It was leather (or at least looked like leather and the price indicated it probably was real, but could easily have been fake leather as I didnt have time to stick around and check) and had a kind of flap over the top in a brown/tan colour that made it look kind of like a mini longchamp pliage.

There were a variety of colours inc a lovely green and a yellow. It cost 69.

I couldnt buy it at the time (time restraints with family and I dont spend 60 on a bag on a whim) but have been regretting it ever since. I have tried googling to find something like it online, but cannot find anything remotely similar. I suspect it was a local maker/supplier. I cannot remember the name of the shop or the street it was on, other than it was one or two doors up from a wee jewellery shop (Cheap jewellery - my teens were in it), and it was on the left hand side as you walked up the street towards the heart of the old town, with the main road behind you.

People who are good at these things - is there any way to find it?!??

What was the moment the lightbulb came on for you and a mad crush just died?

Ive posted about this before but the moment that killed a totally consuming crush was he developed a fixation on keto, raw food and intermittent fasting, and I saw him eating dinner that was just four plain very soft-boiled eggs and then lick the yolk off the plate and I nearly threw up. He also called it the keto protocol with a serious face like he thought he was in the army, in some ways that was even worse.

Do you find it a compliment or a form of harassment?

I saw a discussion with a woman saying people need to get a grip if it bothers them because whistling is harmless. I think if I got the odd whistle every now again at this age, I wouldnt mind, but back when I was a teenager/early 20s I didnt like it. It was usually never just whistling. Its usually shouting crude comments too and so found it degrading and embarrassing. But some seem to think it should be taken as a compliment

So I have grown up kids but thought I could throw something in the mix here.
My kids DSD50, DS45, DD41 are all childless and for the most part the ship has sailed.
Dare I say I'm hugely grateful.
The world is turning into a really dangerous place. I fear for kids growing up in society that seems to have lost its moral compass with the exception of a few pockets here and there.
I occasionally look after my Goddaughter who is 2. I was asked to be Godmother because there was pretty much no one else who could and I do a bit if childcare occasionally.
I find it exhausting and boring.
I wondered if there is anyone else out there who is hugely grateful not to have grandkids, or am I weird.
For info Stepdaughter is a professional athlete and chose her sport over children.
Sons wife is older, also 50 and has never been interested in kids, she is a highly respected academic and my son is so far away with the fairies he would forget the kid on the bus.
Daughter has a highly competitive and responsible job and she and her husband agreed that no kids was the key to their lives, which are enviable.
I support them all in their decisions.
I'm interested to know if there are others out there like me.

Welcome to Thread 4!

And here we are again! A huge thank you to everyone who's been sharing spoilers, links, bargains, discount codes and enabling each other over the first three threads.

As agreed, we're taking it in turns to start each new thread null this year. If this thread starts getting close to the reply limit, please post to let everyone know you're happy to start the next one so we can avoid duplicate threads.

A few festive housekeeping notes;
This thread contains spoilers.
Please be kind and respectful to one another.
No judging anyone for their purchasing choices (or how many calendars they buy... we're all enablers here! ).
Feel free to share spoilers, offers, discount codes, GWPs, delivery updates and stock alerts.

Available Now

Liberty 285 (Beauty Drop members receive 25 off). Full contents revealed and available to order.
https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/beauty-advent-calendar

P. Louise 250. Available to pre-order with payment instalments available.
https://plouise.co.uk/collections/wonderful-world-of-p-louise-advent-calendar/products/what-glows-around-2026-advent-calendar

John Lewis Available on pre-sale via the app for MyJL members.
https://beauty-detective.com/john-lewis-beauty-advent-calendar-2026/

Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar Now on pre-sale.
https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/p/harrods-of-london-the-harrods-beauty-advent-calendar-2026-000000000000284475

Harrods 12 Days of Hair & Body Now on pre-sale.
https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/p/harrods-of-london-the-harrods-12-days-of-hair-and-body-advent-calendar-2026-000000000000284465

Harrods Fragrance Advent Calendar Pre-sale currently sold out. Expected back in-store during September (date TBC).
https://beauty-detective.com/harrods-fragrance-advent-calendar-2026/

Vogue Festive Calendar Available to pre-order. https://shop.vogue.co.uk/products/vogue-festive-calendar-2026

Fortnum & Mason Beauty Advent Calendar Available to pre-order.
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/fortnums-beauty-advent-calendar-2026

Anthropologie 24 Day Beauty Advent Calendar Available to pre-order.
https://www.anthropologie.com/en-gb/shop/24-days-of-beauty-advent-calendar5

The Fragrance Shop - Available for pre-order
Women's Advent Calendar https://www.thefragranceshop.co.uk/the-fragrance-shop/the-fragrance-shop/gift-box-advent/p/76306
Men's Advent Calendar https://www.thefragranceshop.co.uk/the-fragrance-shop/the-fragrance-shop/gift-box-advent/p/76307

Coming Soon / Waitlists

Cult Beauty
https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/c/advent-calendar/

Harvey Nichols
Beauty:
https://www.harveynichols.com/harvey-nichols/harvey-nichols-beauty-advent-calendar-2026-75896-258491/
Fragrance:
https://www.harveynichols.com/harvey-nichols/harvey-nichols-12-days-of-fragrance-advent-calendar-2026-75906-258490/

John Lewis Fragrance
https://beauty-detective.com/john-lewis-fragrance-advent-calendar-2026/

Space NK
https://www.spacenk.com/uk/gifts/beauty-advent-calendars/beauty-advent-calendar-MUK200063764.html

Elle
https://beauty-detective.com/elle-advent-calendar-2026/

Fortnum & Mason
Spoilers:
https://beauty-detective.com/fortnum-mason-beauty-advent-calendar-2026/
Waitlist: https://www.fortnumandmason.com/beauty-advent-calender-sign-up-2026

Boots (including the new fragrance calendar) https://www.boots.com/christmas/advent-calendars/advent-calendar-waiting-list

Sephora UK
Spoilers:
https://beauty-detective.com/sephora-uk-advent-calendar-2026/
Waitlist: https://www.sephora.co.uk/c/beauty-advent-calendar-waitlist

Selfridges (Beauty & Fragrance)
https://beauty-detective.com/selfridges-beauty-advent-calendar-2026/
Fragrance https://beauty-detective.com/selfridges-fragrance-advent-calendar-2026/

LookFantastic Beauty
https://www.lookfantastic.com/c/waitlist/advent/?srsltid=AfmBOoovzs9M5Kt8-RM_31Q3_-JOa6N51uGggpe0hglvZbxC5Of7AFTH

LookFantastic Fragrance
https://beauty-detective.com/lookfantastic-fragrance-advent-calendar-2026/

Glossybox
https://beauty-detective.com/glossybox-advent-calendar-2026/

OK! Beauty Box
https://beauty-detective.com/ok-beauty-box-advent-calendar-2026/

Fenwick Loyalty members null 20 August | General release null 25 August
https://fenwick.co.uk/blogs/daily-muse/fragrance-beauty-25-day-advent-calendar

Next spoilers
https://beauty-detective.com/next-beauty-advent-calendar-2026/

Debenhams waiting list
https://www.debenhams.com/pages/beauty-advent-calendar

More Calendars & Spoilers

Rather than making the opening post a mile long, here's a brilliant roundup of lots more advent calendars and the latest spoilers, including Charlotte Tilbury, Jo Malone, Elemis, Lancme, Tatcha, NEOM, Neal's Yard Remedies, Holland & Barrett, YesStyle and many more as they're announced.

https://beauty-detective.com/category/beauty-advent-calendars/

Happy advent season everyone!

Here's hoping for lots more spoilers, bargains, discount codes, and maybe a little self-control (although that's already gone for some )

I met dh 16 years ago when I was 30. He was 25 and had a girlfriend of 4/5 months at the time.

I met him on a Friday night at a gig, we chatted for a few hours. We swapped numbers. The next day, we arranged to meet again on the Monday. He finished things with the girlfriend the day after we met at the gig, telling her that hed met someone else the night before and that he wanted to finish their relationship, which they did.

I had no clue about any of this, until we met up on the Monday and now dh told me that he had been briefly been seeing someone else, but that hed ended things with her the day after we met. For what its worth, Id also been dating someone for a couple of months, I broke that off too.

His sister did not take it well and 16 years and two children later, she still wont be in the same room as me. She will literally up and leave her parents house when I walk in. Dh has had it out with her a few times over the years, but she just says hes a cheater and hes a bad as me. PIL have told her to grow up and stop being so ridiculous many, many times. As has her now husband, who is lovely and who we have a good relationship with.

Shed met dh previous girlfriend once, briefly, when they bumped into her. His parents had never met her, they were just seeing each other, it was 5 months when Dh was 25, not serious at all.

According to MIL, it was all very childish afterwards, with declarations of youll always be a part of my kids lives! on social media (her children were toddlers at the time and had never met Dh girlfriend). MIL tried her best to shut it all down at the time, telling her she was being ridiculous.

Dh hasnt really had a relationship with her since as she was so awful about me. Theyve only really said hello at a couple of family funerals. We also lived 300 miles away from dh family until a few years ago when we moved to the area they are from.

Long story short, its my lovely father in laws 80th birthday next week and all he wanted was to go away for a few days to a holiday cottage with all his family.

SIL will not go if I, the homewrecking scumbag is going.

I have offered not to go. I love my parents in law dearly, and dh can take the children. PIL wont hear of me not being there. But SIL wont listen.

I know she has issues of her own as just be before I met dh, her husband cheated on her with her friend and left her with two small children. I get it, I really do. Dh has tried to reason with her that seeing someone for a few months and breaking it off as soon as youve met someone else is in no way comparable to your husband having an affair and leaving you.

I just cant believe something so stupid has ruined their family relationship for the last 16 years!

DH is working from home today and Im on maternity leave with our 11 month old DD.

DD had been napping, so I was sat in the kitchen with DH while I had a call with my employer about my return to work. The internet was playing up, so he suggested I go into the living room, but I said I didnt really want to be sat on the sofa for a call with HR. I never asked him to leave the room.

DD then woke up from her nap and needed some lunch, so I set up her highchair in the kitchen. DH asked what I was doing as he had a call and needed me to be out of the kitchen.

I said to him that I was going to feed her in the kitchen because thats where we eat. He suggested I feed her in the hallway instead.

For context, we only have a kitchen diner & living room downstairs and we dont eat in the living room. The hallway obviously isnt somewhere we would normally feed DD either.

I understand that he needs the kitchen to be quiet for his work call, but I also had a baby who had just woken up and needed lunch. He ended up going into the living room as I refused to feed DD in the hallway.

Was I being unreasonable here?

After a long, painstaking and expensive search I have finally found some knickers I was happy with. The right type of fabric for my preference, the right style and they fit! don't squish me in on the waist band, don't have my little belly fat sticking out at the bottom. Don't give me a wedgy. And only 22 for a pack of four (Victoria's Secret from Next).

Alas, my joy was short lived. After one day, I am back to the never ending drawing board of finding pants I can wear. All the above reasons stand, they're perfect on paper - BUT - feminine items will not stick to them! Not even a bit. It's so weird. I like to wear a daily pad, just to feel hygienic through the day in case of small leaks (thanks kids), but they will not stick to my new pants at all. OK, I thought, I'll just hold the pad in place in while I pull them up and then they'll just stay there. WRONG. Not only did they not stay there, the otherwise super comfy pants somehow turned the back half of my pad into some sort of bum floss which I was then constantly trying to unwedge. And when I went to the toilet and lowered them, the pad was nowhere to be seen. Oh wait, there it is dropped out onto the floor (thankfully not in the toilet bowl!).

There's absolutely no way I'm chancing that with with a sanitary towel when I get my period.

(btw, I did think maybe after a wash they'd stick better. Made no difference)

So that's another 22 down the toilet (pun intended) and I have to consider the perfect pants just don't exist.

Is it just me that finds buying basic every day pants so bloody hard!

I promised DD that she could get her ears pierced after primary school. Her new school doesnt allow earrings. Ive been told that studs need to be left in for eight weeksso basically she cant have them done until she leaves secondary schoolor sits in isolation room for a fortnight after a summer holiday (another child and parent were told this). Transparent earrings or plasters over them arent allowed either. Its a school that seems to pride itself on going further on petty dogma than other schools in the borough, but not going as far where more important stuff (clamping down on bullying, standard of teaching) is concerned.

I have always been short, which my in-laws have always found hilarious. Whenever I see them there are comments on my heights, comparing me to the children, jokes etc etc. sometimes I laugh it off, sometimes I roll my eyes, but on a couple of occasions I have actually made it clear I dont find it funny. One family member once asked me if I mind it and when I said I didnt like it they stopped. The others havent (the children now join in).

I didnt go to the last family occasion because Im getting tired of it (its been over 10 years). I told DH and said I was happy for him to go and to take the kids too, but he said he didnt want to (its a 2 hour drive and theyre not particularly close). When he told his SIL (just said we couldnt come) she expressed some disappointment. We have one of the kids (teenager) coming to visit soon and I dont know how to respond if any comments come up.

Id love some advice on how to handle future comments. AIBU to be irritated to the point of avoiding them or should I get a thicker skin?

I have had no luck finding a permanent job for almost a year and I am starting to lose hope I will ever find anything.

I seem to be getting regular interviews so I assume my CV/statement/application forms are of a good standard and the feedback is always very generic: usually that I was good at the interview but that they went for someone who is a better fit for the role, so nothing tangible I can even improve on.

This week has just been the worse: I was asked to have a chat with an employer I interviewed for last week (so got my hopes up) but it was only to be told that I was there second choice if their chosen candidate did not accept the job (which they did). Today I was ready for another interview, got a call that HR had made a mistake and sent the candidates the wrong location and could I travel to another town 45 minutes away. Just as I was about to start my journey another call to say that actually the interviews would be rescheduled because too many people could not make the new time/location...

And on and on it goes, one soul destroying experience after another and this is affecting my self-confidence.

All I have done in the past year are some freelance contracts which at least kept me in contact with the workplace but that is not enough to keep me going financially and I am now facing having to claim benefits if nothing comes good in the next couple of weeks.

I am 55 and I have a long term health condition, which means I can only work part-time. So I know this goes against me but there is nothing I can do to change that.

I have applied to job in my usual area of work (comms, marketing, website management, fundraising, project management, copywriting for charities and small businesses) but I am also applying for pretty much any part-time role going where I could transfer my skills but nothing seems to be working...

Anyone has been successful finding new employment in their mid-50s and has any advice?

Good morning all, Im not sure if im being selfish or fair so please be honest.

Context, Im 62, I have some health issues but Im generally able to get on with most parts of life, I do find somethings quite overwhelming though.

Last night my DD messaged me, she has 3 children, twins who are 2 and a 4 year old. I love my granddaughters, I love spending time with them and Im happy to have them occasionally. Currently they come for a sleep over every other month on a Saturday night and I may provide some ad-hoc childcare if and when its needed.
DD was asking if I would be happy to come to hers on alternating Sunday nights from 7ish to 9:30ish in the evening. She and her husband want to go to the mixed doubles group at the local tennis club (they already go to ladies and gents night but obviously the other just stays home with the kids).
She said her mother in law has offered to do every other Sunday.
She told me she would make sure the girls were bathed and in bed and they wouldnt leave until 7:15 and it continues until 9pm then they would be back around 9:15-30.
I live 10 minutes away, DD said she would make sure either she or her DH be able to drive me home.
She said likely the girls wouldnt be asleep just yet but the twins would be close and I could sit with her eldest and read with her then it would just be manning the house from about 8 onwards.

I said sorry no I cant. Mostly as I have work at 8am on Mondays, I tend to be in bed for 8-9 most evenings and tbh I just dont think it would be as easy as she is selling it, I imagine the children would be out of sorts since mummy and daddy were away and its a school night for the eldest so I would feel awful if I wasnt able to get her down to sleep on time.
I do have 2 children, but there is 11 and a half years between them so I never had a phase of caring for multiple very small children and while Im happy to do it on a Saturday where bedtime can go a bit off plan and it not matter, Id worry on a school night.

When my mum called this morning I mentioned it to her and my mum has made me feel awful saying considering all they do for me (drive to appointments, cut my grass etc.), it would be a nice small way to say thank you and if son-in-laws mum can do it and shes in a whole different town, why cant I.

So AIBU to say no? Am I being selfish and ungrateful since they do things for me? Should I say yes and just see how it goes?

Ive had NHS eye surgery in the past and know that the time stated on the appointment letter is when youre expected to be there and not the time youll be called in.

If you have eye surgery which is privately funded (the surgeon does both private and NHS at the same NHS hospital), and it has been scheduled for a particular time, is it reasonble to be called in at approximately the time mentioned in the appointment letter? Or do NHS patients have priority over the private one?

Ive always used standard, cheap ones. Is it worth paying hundreds for a Dyson or similar? Do they really make any difference?

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone can give me a bit of advice. I'm stagnating in a band 5 admin role. I like the job well enough but I've reached saturation point of what I can learn. After a lot of badgering, my manager has given me band 6 work which I can now say I've got experience in but ultimately I'm still on band 5 pay. There's no movement in my team and I'm limited to a specific geographical location.

What other adminy roles should I be looking at? I'm currently in knowledge management and have an information systems management degree. I've got a bit of project management experience but no Prince qualification or money to obtain it.

I can't afford to go back to uni but I don't really want to leave the nhs. I've looked at OD but there keen on a Mentoring qualification ILM Level 5 which I don't have.

I have a cipd diploma in HR which is classed as a leadership qualification but I'm not overly keen on being in management.

Any suggestions or experiences people have had would be greatly appreciated.

Im driving myself crazy trying to make sense of my bfs behaviour. I am trying to figure out if he is stingy or just a bit unusual (or perhaps Im expecting too much).

For context: Weve been together 2.5 years. We dont live together. Neither of us has children (its too late for us now). He is reliable, honest, non-confrontational, gentle and non-critical. He earns a good salary, which is double what I earn. We both have disposable income but I have to be careful wirh my spending all the time.

My boyfriend organises events for us and pays for them, but these are mostly for things he wants to do. So overall he spends more than me on our relationship. I never ask to be taken out at his expense, and I never suggest expensive hobbies. I organise things which are cheaper or free and which reflect what I can afford. For example Id cook a nice meal to reciprocate for him taking me out to an event.

Some behaviour I find unusual:

For our first Christmas together (just the 2 of us), I hosted and paid for all food and drinks from X Eve to Boxing Day eve. I cooked/organised everything. When he asked what to bring, I said two bottles of Bucks Fizz as I forgot to buy them, and that is literally all he brought. No extra treats, no festive gestures other than a jar of cranberry sauce which he wanted and knew I wouldnt have already bought.

For our second Christmas together (Xmas eve to Boxing day eve) which I also offered to host because he cant really cook, I asked him to contribute financially. Given that I had paid the bill in full the year before, I hoped he would offer to cover the entire bill this time. Before I even placed the supermarket food order, he randomly transferred 60 into my account towards the food bill. I do appreciate that 60 not a small sum and one can reasonably assume that it covers more than the cost of food and drinks for one person over the festive period, so maybe he genuinely thought he was being generous. But I found it odd that he transferred the money without asking me how much the food costs.

When I calmly asked how he came to 60 or why he didn't ask what the bill actually was he became defensive, deflected, and I didnt get a straight answer.

Another example:

If I organise a party with friends or a nice dinner, hell ask if I need or want him to bring anything. I tend to say no, because I dont need anything. So he doesnt bring anything. But it would be nice if he brought something, in the same way me and my friends bring each-other wine, flowers or chocolate if we visit each-other for dinner (despite also telling each-other that we dont need anything). At the same time, if I gave him a list of things to bring, he would 100% do it.

On more than one occasion, he brought wine or beers to a dinner/ party at my house but kept it hidden in his bag the entire time, never offered it, and took it back home with him the next day. The first time I randomly discovered the bottle in his bag I told him I found it weird but he has since done it again. Of course I asked why he bothered to bring the bottle if he didnt plan to give it to me or didnt even tell me he had it in case it was needed, but I could never get a clear answer out of him, regardless of how I approached the issue.

When we meet his friends he organises nice meals out and fancy cocktail bars.

What is actually happening here? Why bring a bottle of wine, keep it hidden and then take it back home? Why repeat the behaviour after being told him that I found it so weird?

Could his actions come from a calculated, transactional kind of stinginess that perhaps he is not even aware of? Or is he just wired differently and doesnt have the necessary emotional intelligence to know how he should act?

Equally, is it possible that the issue is a non-issue? Am I being hypocritical in calling out what I perceive as his stinginess when, although I would bring a bottle of wine and chocolates to his special dinner, he spends more than me overall on our holidays and activities (because he has more expensive taste)?

I cant figure him out at all, and I am normally so good at figuring people out. The issue is not about the amount of money but the gesture and what it symbolises and I am desperate to know if he is calculated or just a bit clueless. I cannot stand stingy people, its a massive turn off for me.

I am so confused.

New thread and it's welcome to the roaring twenties beauty addicts!

It's been a little quiet on the exciting edit and beauty releases front what with all the advent malarky but summer is drawing to a close and soon those autumn/winter releases and holiday edits will be popping up to tempt us.

If you're new here welcome and hello and for everyone else nice to see you back on Mumsnet's most tempting thread series that you cannot ignore even if you want to.

Our 5 year old has frequent accidents. Used to be both wee and poo, just wee now.

We've tried regular prompting to go to the toilet, we've worked with an incontinence nurse who ruled out any underlying issues, we've tried a reward chart, we've tried talking to him, we've tried "soft" discipline in the form of the naughty step, removing certain toys/devices etc. We've tried to encourage sit down wee's, given him bubbles to blow on the toilet and small puzzles to do, nothing seems to be working. Sometimes he says he's going to the toilet, then he has an accident shortly after and says he lied and didn't go when he said he did. We've also tried sitting outside the bathroom to ensure he goes, to which he started refusing to go because he didn't have privacy. We've tried telling him that other kids at school might not be nice to him if they notice him having one.

Every time he has an accident at home we tell him he knows what to do, he takes his wet pants and trousers off, cleans himself up, puts fresh clothes on and brings them down to put them in the washing machine.

Recently we sat him down for a chat about it and he said he just couldn't be bothered to go, so thought it would be easier to just go in his pants instead.

At my wits end with the endless washing. He looks ashamed and says sorry every time but then does it again and it just cycles over again and again. Every time we go out we have to pack a bag full of clothes incase of accidents.

He is currently still wearing a pull up at night as we don't see the point in night training whilst he's still having accidents during the day.

Has anyone got any advice please? Everything we've tried so far just isn't working.

I have bought a shoulder of lamb on the bone and plan to cook kleftiko at the weekend. Firstly I plan to put waxy potatoes, red onion and lemon wedges with plenty of garlic and oregano. A little lamb stock which I can top up if needed and cook on a low heat 4-5 hours. Does this sound right? There are so many recipes on line. One said take the lamb out to rest and whack the heat up with the potatoes uncovered to finish.

Next, what to serve with. There will be spanakopita, salad, bread, olives, tzatziki. Maybe some griddled courgette with chilli flakes. Do I need anything else? 10 people.

My son is severely autistic and non verbal. He has always tried to escape since he was 5. We locked all the windows and doors to prevent this happening but unfortunately a few years ago, he managed to open the downstairs window security latch and climb out

He had never tried this before and from what we thought we knew, he couldn't open it but he did and was wandering around in a shop. DH went looking for him and he was with one of the teachers. A report was made to SS and we received a call but they were understanding a closed the case a day later.

I cannot believe I am writing this but it has happened again today. I was hoovering in the kitchen. DS was with me but whilst my back was turned he took the keys out the drawer. I asked him to wait in the living room while I finish up. A couple mins later I started calling for him, when there was no answer I walked out of the kitchen and saw the front door wide open

I grabbed my toddler and ran out but I went the opposite way thinking he has headed for his favourite park. In this time, ds crossed a road and was wandering near the shops. As I ran up I saw him stood with some people and thankfully not hurt, a kind lady walked us back home. She told me the other people had called the police so I went back a few times incase they showed up but no one arrived. I have left my name, address and number.

I called Childrens Services / Social Services to explain what had happened and to ask for advice regarding the eloping and also if there is any respite they can offer. They said they'd have to call me back as no one is available currently. They said they don't know if i'll get a call today or even tomorrow.

I have now ordered a key safe, and bought a camera to detect motion in the front garden. Have also positioned the door sensor lower down now and within reach so I can see what setting it is on, it wasnt on the blaring setting (I thought it was) so I didnt realise the door opened. Dh put it high up to avoid ds taking it off.

I was speaking to my neighbor about what happened and she said it was really silly to call SS and invite trouble. She said as it's happened before they can consider removing both children. I hadn't even thought of this, I just wanted some advice from them and also wanted to let them know as soon as it happened, how it happened etc. These are the questions they asked me before.

Now I am stressing over losing my kids. I really don't want them to think we are neglectful. I was so shaken up and needed to tell them what's happened hoping to get some support. Now I feel I have made a mistake by calling

We have never had SS involvement or any concerns apart from DS eloping a few years ago and now this. What is likely to happen?

My mum is making a will and mentioned that she is going to leave everything to the grandchildren only, nothing to my sister and I. Her stated reason is inheritance tax. However, bequeathing everything to grandchildren doesn't mean less IHT will be due on her estate. It means that money that came from her doesn't then face tax on my estate and my sister's once we die. It is of course her right to decide and do as she wishes here, but on the emotional level AIBU to feel shocked and a bit abandoned? I am not wealthy, and nor is my sister, and when my father died (divorced from my mum) we were left nothing as he had faced bankruptcy due to mental health issues.

I think it is more usual to split money between children and grandchildren if people want to definitely include grandchildren? She has been a very withholding, and at times emotionally abusive, mother through much of my life, and caused a lot of hurt, so I guess it's hard for me not to experience this latest decision as hurtful to my sister and I, though of course it's nice she wants to support our children.

A friends kid described school like a prison. He is likely to be a school success story set to get really good grades, but sees school as something to mainly tolerate. AIBU to think the school system itself is at least a significant partial reason why teenagers report lower levels of happiness at schools in England? Schools seem increasingly punitive and restrictive, pressure seems high, some children are even made to feel guilty if they have a day off sick.

Most MN know that a chicken can feed a family of 6 over several meals. What is your record?
Our chicken fed 8 of us when the kids were young for two meals. We sent it to the chip shop after the stove broke down.
Other MN legends - washing being darked on because it was left out overnight.
Any that you've heard on MN inthe respect if your heard them said irl you know the speaker is an MNer?

My dd14 was supposed to be sleeping at a friend's tonight. They have had an argument and she said let's just leave it and go to sleep her friend told her she had to leave so she's walked home and just come in the door at gone 10pm. I can't believe the mum didn't step in and do anything or let me know and I would've got her. I've said to dd why didn't you call me but she just shrugged and said she was fine walking and didn't want to stand outside waiting for me. Its about a 10 minute walk. I don't let her out on her own at this time of night. As a parent i would have stepped in and can't believe this other mum did nothing.

We have pigeons nesting under our solar panels. They are noisy and make a mess. DP will not listen to me about trying humane methods to get rid of them eg I bought a fake hawk, but he just rolled his eyes and cast it aside.
I saw him this morning putting his air rifle in the car and said he was taking it to have the sight aligned. He wants to shoot the pigeons!
My question is - what do I do now? Im not sure Im tough enough to call the police on him.
He knows my feelings and opinions on the matter, but he just wants the pigeons gone.
WWYD?