Share a story – Alice

My name is Alice, I’m eleven years old and I’ve been a young carer for my mum for the last four years. My mum has ME and POTS.

A young carer is someone who helps someone else in their family. This could be a parent or a sibling. A young carer could help with household chores, help the family member with getting dressed and help lift or carry items too. They can help out in the house but also help out when out, for example help with shopping.

I help by mum out by helping around the house by doing things like the washing up and vacuuming. I also help my mum out by making drinks or help getting her medication.

The best part of being a young carer is knowing I’m helping my mum out to make her life easier. I am also part of Gloucestershire young carers so have made new friends and I go to a group and play games and do crafts. It’s nice to be around others who understand what it’s like being a young carers and having a relative who isn’t very well.

The worst part of being a young carers is when other people don’t understand what a young carers is or about my mum’s illnesses. People don’t always understand when we can’t go out or can’t do the same things some of my other friends do.

Lockdown as a young carer has been up and down. I’ve got to spend more time with my mum and have enjoyed home schooling but we haven’t always been able to go out as my mum hasn’t been well enough and she can’t drive very far without getting very tired. We have enjoyed doing things at home though like arts and crafts, puzzles and playing in the garden.

Now we are coming out of lockdown but we still need to be extra careful as if my mum catches covid it could make her even more poorly.

When Mum has a rest I like to play with my Lego or on my switch.  I know how important it is to let mum rest so this is part of our afternoon routine.

Me and mum are a team and life as a young carer is just normal to us.