Thanks January. Yesterday was a very very difficult day. My anxiety is all over the place. I’m paranoid about the press as if it doesn’t get reported now then it definitely will when it goes to the teaching council. I wish I was anonymous but I live and teach in the community and there has been some malicious gossip already - people have embellished and actually made things up. I’m too embarrassed to venture out but I know that mentally I’m struggling and this is not good. My boss is supportive and has told me to take as much time as I need but not working isn’t helping either. I feel completely lost and that there’s no point to my life apart from my two children. I’m a single mum and don’t have a partner to help with lifts etc but I do have good close friends who have been by my side since it happened. If it wasn’t for them I couldn’t have coped. I just want it to be this time next year so I can look forward to getting my life on track. The punishment isn’t just the ban and fine you get, it is all encompassing and life changing. Not looking for sympathy, just struggling with the situation atm xxx
I thought I had got away with the press or a small one line as no press in court but clearly a slow news day & it came up in the court report & for whatever reason the reporter checked my name on their data base.
I was thrown in the deep end day after press was first on bus & then had to work not on main base but with people in the area who would have had the free paper. Support of colleagues was amazing & a dear friend who kept me on the phone until I walked into the building.
What helped as like you I’m on my own
A) making myself face things & people such as hairdresser ( who knew as. She & I always spoke re cars & she has never asked since) & shops
B) the photo in the paper had a very distinctive outfit I was wearing - gave to charity shop
C) got my head around transport routes bus & trains etc
D) on line shopping well post covid that’s the norm now
E)work I needed to keep busy is there anything you could do or can’t you due to investigation- if so any prep for next term or cpd just to keep busy
If not try to plan house jobs each day - those jobs we put off — just to get a routine
F) for me it took me a long to to forgive myself & at times it rears it’s head but I found journaling, looking at gratitude & going for walks all helped - I wrote a lot of letters I never sent - cathartic
Sadly it’s the crime that keeps on giving as you find things that are barriers to face
But, you will find out who true friends are, you will re-evaluate your life & walk tall
A day at a time, try to develop new interests & plan ahead.
You made one mistake - haven’t other people
