Lindsay Woods: 'After booting the apples of my eye down the school drive, I returned home to that often revered yet rare sound of… silence'

WE NEED to talk about storage. In particular, toy storage. Because it has gripped me. Feverishly. Yet, I appear to be not alone in this particular affliction, says Lindsay Woods.

The first day back to school after Easter break is a joyous one. For all parties. But, particularly for parents. I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the levels of joy measure far greater on the ‘Joy-o-meter’ than the return after the Christmas break. Primarily because it’s brighter in the mornings/evenings, there is the promise of spring in the air (note the word, “promise”, as spring seems to have gotten herself a smidge lost at the arrivals gate this year) and you don’t carry as much excess load as directly after the festive season. The back to school post-Christmas is grim; it’s dark, dreary and warrants cajoling your offspring into umpteen layers of clothing to fend off the biting weather. I would persuade a seal into some bodycon with more ease than wrestling hats and gloves onto my children.