Jo Wicks

So during these 3 months of lockdown I have been looking after my two children and homeschooling them, this means printing off work-sheets, setting up zoom sessions with their teachers, creating lessons and topics, helping with research and quizzes etc

Every morning I would write out a timetable of what I would be doing with my son and he would then be able to tick the box when completed, and we would always start every day with PE With Jo Wicks.

So while sitting with my boy I drew on a timetable.

I thought about how this lockdown had given us these rainbows. Rainbows of hope that people have put up in their windows, painted by the children and some (by the looks of it) finished off or done by the parents.

These rainbows are everywhere and have been adopted by the NHS. They are also symbol of togetherness and community so when you go on your allowed exercise you could spot them in peoples homes.

As a parent, I felt a kind of pressure to get my kids to create these symbols, and even though these are signs of happiness, are they masking whats really happening inside?

The feeling of being trapped, stuck, tired the pressure to be a teacher/parent/playmate whilst dealing with the anxiety of keeping safe, cupboards stocked, toilet roll, hands sanitised. The guilt of drinking too much, eating too much, trying to work, the feeling of no room or time to yourself.

These rainbows are fading in the sun, these bright colours are worn out, worn down by the kids crying, comfort eating and frustrated shouting by the parents.

So the above doodle could be human pipes spewing out rainbows, the pressure of all that lockdown brings being flushed out through skins holes, orifices and openings. These rainbows spraying out through unlimited pressure.