IN her weekly column, the mother of four discusses the delights and disasters of family life.
Today Peta, who is married to Olympic cycling ace Mark Cavendish, talks about navigating the new “normal”.
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DAY (It doesn’t Matter As There Are No More Days) in the Big Brother house . . . I was speaking to a friend and we were saying these four weeks of lockdown have gone fairly quickly.
Each day, however, has seemed long and drawn out.
I can’t remember ever having days unpunctuated by school drop-offs, work, Mark’s races or dinners with friends before.
And I realised after chatting to my friend that I have never actually spent so many consecutive days with my husband.
In ten years, this is the longest time we’ve had together in the same house without him racing or being at a training camp.
Maybe that seems odd, but it is lovely, too.
For the first time, Mark can go on a bike ride with the children without worrying about tiring too much for training or a race.
He can get up early and give me an extra half-hour in bed with no fear of compromising his form.
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‘I’m only 99 per cent perfect to live with’
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I can now go for a run in the evening to clear my head once the kids are in bed because there’s another adult in the house.
Running has made me feel mentally lighter during this time.
These little changes are odd but valuable.
People often joke about what we will do once Mark retires and is around all the time. How will we cope?
Usually I joke that he will be roly-poly in two weeks, and he rolls his eyes in jest.
But in truth I think we both worry a little as it has never been our normal.
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As much as I would like to pretend that I am an absolute joy to live with, I know I am not.
I am moody, I overthink and I sulk.
But I’m not wearing these traits like badges of honour.
I just know I am only 99 per cent perfect to live with, give or take.
I would like to say that during every moment of lockdown with the tribe I am cherishing family time, as bird song becomes a soundtrack to our 9 to 5.
Of course the reality is that it is not always that easy.
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SLEEP DREAMS
Scientists claim lying with your kids until they fall asleep is good for them
Sometimes, the pressure to feel grateful or productive only makes you feel a bit deflated.
In truth, I think we will only really appreciate our extra time together, and the slower pace of life, when we look back on this strange period while the world is ticking on at a million miles per hour again.
For now, I am going to take my short days, my sunny lunches, my smiley children and loving husband, and use them all to pull me through when we’re bickering, when the news gets too much, or when the skies are looking a little cloudier.
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