Friday 24 September 2021

This week my Word of the Week is: Stress! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Stress

What a week, it has been full of little stressors, nothing major just things which have caused me worry. Thankfully just about everything has been resolved now and those things that haven't been resolved there's nothing I can do.

A few weeks ago I noticed I wasn't getting the child benefit money for both of my girls. Silly me had forgotten to tell the child benefit people that Becky was still in full time education. I thought that telling them last year that she was doing a two year course would be enough, it turns out it's not. After a phone call and filling in an online form I waited and waited. It took them 4 days to receive the form, a week for the process to be complete and then I had to wait again.

Online child benefit form

I was signed up to receive paper letters, not online one's. Ugh so I am still waiting for a letter but on Wednesday I checked my bank and money for the last 3 weeks has been paid. Phew! It was such a relief. £14 a week child benefit might not seem like a lot but not claiming that would have a knock on effect. Becky wouldn't be able to have the cheap bus pass and finance from college, child maintenance would have been stopped and we would have lost any other money we claim for her then she would have to claim Universal Credit as she would have been classed as not in our care or something like that, I'm not sure how it works. I am so glad it's all sorted now.

We have been getting updates about the virus from the school most days and they have been stressing me out. This time last week when 13 more cases were confirmed at school I was thinking I'd rather not know! By Monday it was back masks worn around school, daily lateral flow testing, all assemblies were cancelled and the return to class bubbles which don't really apply to years 10 and 11 as they all go off to different classes depending on which subjects they have chosen to study. It's no shock the highest cases are in those years. On Monday we got a message for all the kids in years 10 & 11 to book a PCR test as soon as possible so they can identify anyone who is asymptomatic and that will help to reduce the spread of infection. Our nearest testing centre is 2 bus rides away so we had one delivered.

Home test kit

Ellie is just about at the end of her tether with all of the tests and is showed on Tuesday. There were tantrums and tears. I think it's because she knows that the PCR test is more serious than the lateral flow test and everyone who she knows who's taken one has had Covid. Despite my reassurances she was not happy.

Last night Ellie's friend rang to let me know that one of their close friends has tested positive and to do a lateral flow test. We did and thankfully they were all negative and late last night we got Ellie's PCR test results. It was negative! Phew! Ellie has spent time with the person who tested positive every day this week, I saw the boy today and he didn't look like he was ill in any way. It's such a worry. I'm going to try not to stress about it. It seems inevitable that Ellie is going to catch it and it seems it will be sooner rather than later at the moment.

The whole debacle with the energy crisis was stressing me out but it turns out we're on a fixed tariff until December so there shouldn't be an increase in our bill just yet. I checked on other tariffs and usually there isn't much difference in the tariff I'm on and a different tariff but looking now the best one is an extra £584.92 per year. Ugh! It's not good. My dad was with one of the companies which went bust but he has sorted it now. I know British Gas can be more expensive than other companies but at least I know they're not going bust anytime soon.

One thing I am still stressing about is Christmas! It's been all over the news about supermarkets struggling and there could be food shortages. It's just going to encourage panic buying. Last year we couldn't spend Christmas with friends and family and had all the food to eat and this year we can spend time with anyone but we'll have none of the Christmas treats to eat. I struggle to get a grocery delivery slot most weeks still so I am not holding out much hope of getting one for Christmas. lol

How's your week been?


5 comments :

  1. Wow! Some stress is good though. It keeps the ticker ticking. I'm not really worried when kids get covid, but I'm worried for the adults in their family that they will pass it on to! Hopefully this Covid thing will stay clear of your family.
    Sending love and wishes for a smoother week next week.

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  2. It does sound like a stressful week. I'm glad Ellies PCR test was negative, we have to take Boo for one this afternoon. She has symptoms but I'm sure it's just a cold. The school, however, have insisted she can't go back to school until she has had a negative PCR test. Thankfully we have a testing centre just up the road. The Child Benefit thing sounds like a faff, I'll have to remember that next year if Star stays in college. I hope you have a stress free weekend xx

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  3. We're feeling most of the same stresses here! Well, not the child credit one but communications with the school, the Covid rates and the ever changing/ unclear protocols, and grocery shortages are definitely playing havoc on me as well this week. We just changed our power supplier last month and can only lock in rates for a few months at a time so I know they'll go waaay up when winter hits. *sigh*

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  4. Sorry that you've had such a stressful week. The energy supply issue and the Christmas panic buying is all quite worrying isn't it? Glad you got Becky's child benefit sorted out and that Ellie's Covid test was negative. It's a worry with the increase in Covid cases in schools - we've had one positive case so far and no doubt there'll be more. Hope Ellie and you all continue to stay well x #WotW

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  5. Oh dear that is a stressful week. I try to avoid the news as much as possible and ignore the tales of shortage of this and that. The kid's school is going back to masks in corridors. Hope everyone stays well

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