As a working from home parent I do feel slightly consumed by everything that’s going on, trying to juggle many tasks and keeping things moving. I’m aware of how easy it is for our working day and home-life to merge into one and to be honest, I have often forgot that I’ve got teenagers especially when I become so engrossed in the creative ideas that are being offered up in this remote world we have found ourselves in. It’s a good job I also have a working from home husband, who generally remembers!
I’m not usually overwhelmed by change or stuff in general and therefore I’m trying to put the Covid-19 Global Pandemic (perhaps the biggest threat since the Spanish flu in 1918) under the heading of ‘Stuff’ Me and my Teenagers have so far survived 3 weeks of lockdown and so far we’re ok.
So as a working from home Mam (because that’s what I am now?) and part of our Children’s Mental Health Leadership Team I’d thought I would put a few of my thoughts together. I can promise you that only some of this is recommended by WHO or approved by NICE but at the minute it seems to be getting us all through! During lockdown two of the main things that I have questioned.
Top of my List has got to be Physical Activity
For me running and weights is the biggest factor in helping me maintain wellbeing. When I’m ok you’re ok….and so is everyone else come to think of it…..Going for daily runs outdoors (keeping within my 30 minutes and the 2m social distancing of course!) helps me process the day’s events and has helped separate work from home in what has been a very busy 3 weeks. Although, I don’t claim to have got this bit right, as Unfortunately I haven’t quite persuaded the kids to join in. Apparently they ‘wouldn’t dare’ be seen running with mam?They prefer to, when they eventually roll out of bed, kick a football around in the garden, play PC/X-box or torment each other and me in the process!
Routine & Structure
Working from home can be rather empowering, although it does take more self-discipline and demands a lot more structure and new rituals, doing that with teenagers in the house is much more challenging as I’ve found! Having a structure for my working day, getting up early, getting dressed, brushing teeth, brushing my hair is kind of working out rather well for me, but for the kids…this is a different story. I tend to approach things in a calm and controlled way, tackling things as they arise and although planning is a big part of my role, I’m taking each day as it comes, for the time being that is!
Humour & Connecting
I’m finding our newly set up Children’s Mini Cobra WhatsApp groups hilarious in sharing light-hearted and witty banter that can be uplifting at 8 in the morning or 11 at night! Alongside all my other WhatsApp groups and attempting a ‘House-Party’ at the weekend. Although yet again my teenage sons find this horrifying and have told me about all the flaws in this and personal data issues. I definitely need to connect more and listen to young people!
Sleep Hygiene – Give Ourselves a break.
Good sleep hygiene is important we know that for both ourselves and our children, however I certainly am not getting that bit right just yet for me or for my teenagers? What’s the worse thing that can happen if my 13year old stays in bed until after 2 in the afternoon? Given that he may not have closed his eyes until 2 in the morning that’s 12 hours sleep is it not? Ill give him some credit, the mornings he has got up at 7, showered, completed his Edmodo tasks and I’ve thought great stuff only to find him flat out in my bed at 11! The adolescent years during Covid-19 are certainly one for them to remember!
Be creative and let go a little
“Let’s be creative and use this as an opportunity to develop, in a way that we haven’t been able to before” I hear myself saying to anyone who will listen! Not usually a phrase for the home but in my home this has so far fell on deaf ears! Although I must say work colleagues and parents themselves are doing just that, going above and beyond, going the extra mile….getting very creative…. innovative and pushing some of their own boundaries, all whilst trying to do the same and parent!
Off The Wine!
I’ve been alcohol free for around 9 months now, a life choice. My wine intake would have most definitely increased during this time and my mental health taken more of a hit! Although im very tempted especially in the run up to a sunny Easter weekend, with no real sign of this lockdown lifting just yet.
Finally, for me I feel fortunate and above all am grateful! I know there are many parents struggling with financial difficulties or who are experiencing much pain and loss. Parents with difficult home situations or where relationships might be abusive or parents who have difficulties with their own mental health struggling to cope in this further anxiety provoking time.
Here’s to all of us as parents/carers in Alliance long may we continue to ‘Wash our hands, Stay Safe and Keep the Teenagers in bed where they can cause no harm!
Here’s just a few of the hundreds of self-helps/guidance or links going around!
Stay In and Work Out https://www.sportengland.org/stayinworkout
Young Minds – Talking to your child about Coronavirus and 10 tips from their Parents Helpline to support family wellbeing: https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/
BPS guidance – https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/talking-children-about-coronavirus
BACP guidance around managing anxiety – https://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2020/28-february-coronavirus-anxiety-how-to-cope-if-you-re-feeling-anxious-about-the-outbreak/
Anna Freud links – Supporting schools & colleges: A guide to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils and students during periods of disruption There are also three videos, one for school staff, one for parents and one forchildren and young people which may be useful.
And not forgetting our *BRAND NEW Alliance Website* www.alliancepsychology.com
where we will be adding lots more resources and useful tips to support all of us.
Barton House, 24 Yarm Road, Stockton-on-tees
General Enquiries 01642 352747
Email info@alliancepsychology.com
Follow Us 
Monday: 8:30am - 8.00pm
Tuesday: 8:30am - 8.00pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 8.00pm
Thursday: 8:30am - 8.00pm
Friday: 8:30am - 5.00pm
This website uses cookies, or tiny pieces of information stored on your computer, to verify who you are when you are logged in to the administration area.
We use the following types of cookies:
| Provider | Cookie name | Purpose | Further information |
| Website | ir_test | This tests whether the device is suppressing cookies | |
| Website | cke | This cookie is used to remember whether you wish to view the cookie notice or not. | |
| Google Analytics | _ga _gat_gat_oxRollUpTracker_gat_UA-***** | These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the website. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the website, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited. | Overview of Google Analytics privacy |
Cookies are used by WooCommerce in a variety of ways.
Cookies depend on specific features that are enabled on a store. The cookies are active when a user interacts with one of these features or to allow admin functions to be performed from within the store’s dashboard (/wp-admin).
Details are provided in tables below, listing various cookies that are set for users of stores with the WooCommerce plugin installed.
| COOKIE NAME | DURATION | PURPOSE |
|---|---|---|
woocommerce_cart_hash | session | Helps WooCommerce determine when cart contents/data changes. |
woocommerce_items_in_cart | session | Helps WooCommerce determine when cart contents/data changes. |
wp_woocommerce_session_ | 2 days | Contains a unique code for each customer so that it knows where to find the cart data in the database for each customer. |
woocommerce_recently_viewed | session | Powers the Recent Viewed Products widget. |
store_notice[notice id] | session | Allows customers to dismiss the Store Notice. |
No personal information is stored within these cookies.
/wp-admin):| COOKIE NAME | DURATION | PURPOSE |
|---|---|---|
woocommerce_snooze_suggestions__[suggestion] | 2 days | Allows dashboard users to dismiss Marketplace suggestions, if enabled. |
woocommerce_dismissed_suggestions__[context] | 1 month | Count of suggestion dismissals, if enabled. |
tk_ai | session | Stores a randomly-generated anonymous ID. This is only used within the dashboard (/wp-admin) area and is used for usage tracking, if enabled. |
What it does: This cookie is used by the Wordfence firewall to perform a capability check of the current user before WordPress has been loaded.
Who gets this cookie: This is only set for users that are able to log into WordPress.
How this cookie helps: This cookie allows the Wordfence firewall to detect logged in users and allow them increased access. It also allows Wordfence to detect non-logged in users and restrict their access to secure areas. The cookie also lets the firewall know what level of access a visitor has to help the firewall make smart decisions about who to allow and who to block.
What it does: This cookie is used to notify the Wordfence admin when an administrator logs in from a new device or location.
Who gets this cookie: This is only set for administrators.
How this cookie helps: This cookie helps site owners know whether there has been an admin login from a new device or location.
What it does: Wordfence offers a feature for a site visitor to bypass country blocking by accessing a hidden URL. This cookie helps track who should be allowed to bypass country blocking.
Who gets this cookie: When a hidden URL defined by the site admin is visited, this cookie is set to verify the user can access the site from a country restricted through country blocking. This will be set for anyone who knows the URL that allows bypass of standard country blocking. This cookie is not set for anyone who does not know the hidden URL to bypass country blocking.
How this cookie helps: This cookie gives site owners a way to allow certain users from blocked countries, even though their country has been blocked.
To enrich our website content, sometimes we may embed video content from other social media websites such as YouTube or Facebook. As a result, when you visit a page with content embedded, you may be presented with cookies from these websites. This website has no control or liability over these cookies set, so you should check the relevant third party’s cookie policy for more information.
We also offer a ‘share page’ widget on some of our web pages, where content can be shared easily on the following sites – Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Delicious and Digg. These sites may set a cookie when you are logged into their service. This website has no control or liability over these cookies set, so you should check the relevant third party’s cookie policy for more information.
Some links and resources are provided below to assist your understanding of the types of cookies you may encounter.
| Provider | Cookie name | Purpose | Further information |
| Google maps | NID PREF khcookie | These cookies are used by Google to track how many people are using their maps | Overview of Google privacy |
| YouTube | use_hitbox VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | YouTube may still set cookies on the user’s computer once the visitor clicks on the YouTube video player, but YouTube will not store personally-identifiable cookie information for playbacks of embedded videos using the privacy-enhanced mode. | Google Technology |
| lang pidmetrics_token | We have the Twitter Share widget in place on the site which makes use of cookies. May include targeted advertising cookies. | Twitter Privacy Policy Twitter Articles | |
| PREF NID | Cookies related to Google. May include targeted advertising cookies used on our social media hub. | Google Cookies Google Types | |
| _bizo_bzid _bizo_cksm _bizo_np_stats | Targeted advertising cookies from LinkedIn. | LinkedIn Cookie Policies | |
| CloudFlare | _cfduid | Identifies a single machine as safe to connect behind a shared IP so challenges do not have to be reissued. | Cloudflare Cookie Policy |
This website will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you. However, should you choose to disable, reject or block our cookies, some parts of our website will not function fully, or in some cases, our website will not be accessible at all.
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them please visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/.
For detailed information on the use of cookies within the WordPress ecosystem please visit https://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Cookies
Any changes we may make to our Cookie Statement in the future will be posted on this page.
Last Updated: 12/02/21
We regard your privacy as important and any personal information you give to us will be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulations.
We do not store personal information about individuals who visit this site except where they provide contact information via our contact us page and contact forms available on various pages throughout the website.
Any information you provide will only be used for the reasons specified and it will not be shared with any third party without your consent, unless required by law.
Your contact details are kept securely and are only accessed by authorised members of staff as part of the provision of school services. If you do not wish us to keep this contact information please tell us.
This website uses Google Analytics which provides statistical data about the usage of the site. This information is not used to identify individuals, but is collected to provide us with an understanding of the areas of interest on our site and how our site is being used.
If you are connected to the internet you will have an IP Address. This may take the form of a figure, such as 333.333.22.1. The address will be automatically collected and logged as part of the connection of your computer to our web server and may be used to determine the total number of visits to each part of the site. This data is not collected and used for other purposes.
This website contains links to other websites. The School is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites or organisations and recommends you consult the privacy information on those sites.
This policy will be reviewed and updated versions will be posted on the website.
If you have any questions about the use of your personal information, the Information Commissioner is the independent regulator for both Data Protection and Freedom of Information.