COLUMN: Juggling one car, two careers and one child is proving difficult in this country

During the pandemic, we decided to get rid of one of our cars as we were both working remotely and after a few tax renewal reminders it was decided that we would sell on the poor, auld Skoda.

With the lifting of restrictions and more of a hybrid format creeping into most workplaces, the need for a second car again is getting stronger.

We’ve already had to pony up for a second car seat.

We “borrow” Audrey’s parents’ car on occasion when we’re desperately stuck for a creche pick-up or drop-off. Or when Audrey has to go to her office, she takes the parents’ car and leaves me with our own Audi.

Juggling the one motor is becoming rather painful and we’ve decided to now go and get a second as the one car, two careers and one child was proving very difficult.

It’s over two years since we both had to do our commute and a lot has changed since.

Fuel prices have gone through the roof and people are being advised to not sell their cars and invest in the ones they already have as opposed to buying new (of which there is a supply shortage).

Buying second-hand has also gone up (the price of which is increasing as a consequence of the supply issues around new cars).

Global market trends eventually trickle down to ordinary households and we’re no different.

After two years of the cosy atmosphere working from home, one where I actually worked more hours than I ever did when based in the office, it’s hard to adapt the body and the mind to going “into” work again.

I’ve actually enjoyed the few trips into the Thurles or Clonmel offices as I wean myself back into it. It’s nice to see familiar faces and interact with people in person.

But the impact on the home life can be hard and old routines, adding in a nearly two-year-old child, will have to be resurrected.

Dinners will have to be prepared at different times, creche pick-up times will be amended to allow for commutes and that’s just the start of it.

Households will adapt and it’s worth noting that for many professions nothing changed and they still had to go in during the pandemic - whether that was into a hospital, a garda station or any other workplace or job where staff were needed on site.

For those who did have the privilege of remote working, those people will have to get used to “new” routines and it will have to quickly become the “new normal” to use that awful and over-used pandemic phrase.

Certainly though, the cost of living means the return to office working is going to impact households across the county and country.

Behaviours have changed, but people will adapt, however the cost of living/commuting increases will have a huge impact on family budgets.