“I’m Freya, and I’m five. I live in a remote part of Shetland with my mum, dad, and little sister. There’s lots of space around us, and everyone knows each other. It’s friendly, but sometimes it feels far away from everything.
My parents both work, but I know it’s hard and things cost more where we live. We only have one car, and Dad needs it for work, which makes things tricky for Mum.
Sometimes I go to work with Mum at the café. I sit quietly and draw while she works. I like it, but she says it’s stressful trying to manage everything at once.
We own our home, but it can get very cold. Heating is expensive, so we use different things like wood, peat, and even paper bricks. Sometimes the weather gets inside, and we all sleep together to keep warm.
School holidays are hard because there’s no childcare nearby, and Mum says that makes work difficult. I know my parents worry about money and planning, even if they don’t talk about it much.
I feel safe and loved, and I like my home. But I can tell my parents are always trying hard to keep everything working, like they’re always balancing something just out of sight.”
