Lockdown taught us parents a very interesting lesson… that we are no good at lessons. So for schools to re-open was a big deal. When I told my husband the joyous news, he made a noise that would likely shake you from the deepest sleep. It was a cross between a hyena, guttural grunt and a small yet noisy plane taking off.

As adults, Christmas is very much a time for some decent food and late night bonding (read drinking). But as soon as you have children, the tinsel-clad road to Christmas takes a rather sketchy turn.

As 2020 begun, none of us could have predicted the extraordinary and testing situation we now find ourselves in. None of us would have guessed that a previously unknown virus would be declared a pandemic by the WHO, and that nearly everything we knew as normal, would effectively grind to a halt.

No matter what age I am and despite the fact I am a parent, the inner me will always be a child. I didn’t realise when I was younger this now very obvious fact – that the outside case of you grows old and wrinkled, whilst the inner one remains silly and childish.

Here’s to all you snack bearing parents out there – I’m right there with you. It’s got to the point where I now wait for their snack requests to dial up from sort of quiet asking to EAR-SHATTERING SHOUTING…then I start negotiations. I’m a sucker for a tension bed.