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LETTER OF THE WEEK LIFE LESSONS
Terri White’s article (9 July) rang true for me in so many ways. A few weeks ago I was doing my weekly shop in Aldi and bumped into one of the parents from my school – I am a headteacher – who said they assumed I’d shop in Waitrose. Having been brought up on a council estate, the youngest of four and very aware of our lack of money, it was my mission not to let it stop me in life. My family are amazing, my parents both worked in low income jobs, we never went abroad, hand-medowns were my everything, so now being able to afford things is still sometimes weird to me. I am very proud of my background, I think it makes me the best possible teacher I can be. Wendy
STRONGER ALONE
I wanted to say how touching and heartening I found ‘I chose to be a single mum – and it was an excellent choice’ (9 July). I am also a single mother and it has been the making of me. Bloody hard, yes, but also the best and most beautiful thing I will ever do. Emma’s comments on the wonderful ways in which your family and friends rally around you – making your child feel just as loved, and just as much part of a family unit – felt so true to me. The fact that parenting can be easier alone than in a couple, too, really resonated. I would consider having more children alone, knowing they will feel as loved, wanted and complete as any child in a conventional family set-up. Tessa
AN INSPIRATION
Positive NHS emergency nursing story (9 July) just in time for the 70th birthday celebrations. Keep up the amazing work senior nurse Holly. @holly_ may
KEEP IT REAL
In a magazine that generally takes mental health seriously and uses its platform to help break the stigma, Have you got cultural anxiety disorder? (9 July) appeared to mimic and minimise some very real diagnosable conditions, like OCD and autism spectrum disorders. As a reader with these disorders, to have terms such as ‘suffer’ ‘recovery’ and ‘cleanse’ in an article regarding a made-up illness left me frustrated. It was as if my, and other people’s, daily struggles were being used to add weight to an otherwise light-hearted take on current culture. I hope that you continue with more of your positive stories championing mental health. Ailidh
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