Lockdown diaries: 'It's like the novelty has worn off'

Vicky Price runs her own marketing business and says she is feeling the pressure to juggle life this lockdown

Throughout lockdown single mother-of-four Vicky Price has been juggling running her own marketing business from her home in Henleaze in Bristol, while home-schooling her children in the evenings and dealing with general day-to-day matters. This lockdown she says she is "feeling the pressure" to keep all the plates spinning.

"It's like the novelty has worn off.

"The first lockdown was full of a lot of anxiety, and a lot of fear and the unknown. But it was spring, we had the summer coming and there was no knowing how long it was going to be.

"So I adapted, but I had less work at the time.

My girls are more chilled out this time with nowhere they have to go or be, Ms Price says

"At the moment schools have adapted to remote learning and are doing really well, but there is now a pressure on parents to meet the needs of their children.

"I will admit I couldn't do it the first time. I really struggled with it. And here we are again and it's no different, only it's slightly more intense.

No school runs means a saving on petrol expenses

"Because I run my own business I'm part of a large network with other business owners and there is a lot of support there.

"I'm not alone as a single parent doing what I'm doing with my children. No-one has got quite as many children as me, but people get it.

"I've noticed both of my girls are a bit more chilled out [this time.] There was no FOMO and no-one was anywhere else so they didn't have to be anywhere and they weren't getting stressed about it. I noticed that last lockdown they had calmed down as well.

"My teenager walked into the kitchen just after I was having this thought and said how much they're loving lockdown, that there's less pressure and they can get their work done.

"Right now I don't miss the school run and it means I'm saving money on petrol. There are some things that I do appreciate at the moment, like how things are on the one hand slower and yet more intense on the other."

Homeschooling and working can be a challenge