Giving up my family home of 22 years was one of the hardest things I've had to do. The cost of living crisis, coupled with the inability to afford childcare when my son was born, meant that I had to return to work early after maternity leave in order to find a new home for me and my newborn.
The biggest challenge for me was being made homeless. Having worked for 15 years straight since leaving school, the timing of my house being put up for sale couldn't have come at a worse time. I was preparing to go on maternity leave, and it was a struggle to find a new home for me and my son. I was then placed in a hostel, which completely took me out of my comfort zone. All I wanted was to have something that I could call my own home while feeling safe and secure.
It is so heartwarming to know that there are people who want to support me by giving my son and I a new beginning. It has allowed me to have the time to settle, liaise with work about my working hours, and source childcare. When we move into our new property, it will be the biggest sigh of relief.
I think the vulnerability and anxiety that I've felt whilst pregnant and then once my son was born will finally fade, and we will finally feel at peace. In two years' time, I hope to see myself having progressed in my career as a Department Manager, as I'm also on a study break to get a foundation level degree in Business Management, all while being comfortable in what I hope to call my forever home.