‘Having A Son Who Has Spent More Of His Life In Lockdown Than Out Of It Is A Minefield’: Amy Jackson On Finding Balance Between Work And Motherhood

‘My son started walking and talking in the latest lockdown so it’s been full on. He definitely needs some playdates, and so do I.’

Amy Jackson is sat opposite me, on Zoom, so fresh-faced and bright you wouldn’t believe she’s running on reserves thanks to the tireless energy of her now 18-month old son, Andreas. ‘He’s constantly rummaging through everything, he doesn't sit still,’ she laughs. ‘It keeps me busy, but it’s a bit mind-blowing.’

If anyone could take the hecticness of motherhood in their stride, it’s Amy. The Liverpool-born actor - with near 10 million Instagram followers - started working when she was 15 years old and until lockdown, had never really took a break for herself. Even after giving birth to Andreas, she only took two weeks off before returning to set.

Now, she’s working with OPPO, a leading global smartphone brand, for the launch of OPPO’s new Find X3 Pro series – which with a cutting-edge quad camera and one billion-colour immersive screen, captures images as true-to-life as possible. It’s a fitting campaign for someone like Amy, even just by the look of the artwork on her walls at home – pops of bright colour splashed on white backgrounds, bringing life to an otherwise neutral and ‘calm and collected’, as she calls it, home.

We’re sat talking about how necessary those insertions of fun and optimism feel these days, after a year in and out of lockdown. For Amy, brightening up her home interior is one of many realisations she’s had since the world grinded to a halt. But mostly, she’s learned a much bigger lesson about how she wants to live moving forward.

‘Lockdown forced me to take a step back for my family and myself, because I was running on empty,’ she explains. ‘I would be traveling like three, four times a week on planes, different countries, different time zones, and you get wrapped up in it, you live off the adrenaline. But you actually don't take any time for your self care, mentally, physically, emotionally.

‘I didn’t realise until I was forced to take a step back because the whole country was locked down, it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Just living in the present, not thinking too far into the future, you take a step back from the rat race in sense.’

Growing up in Norris Green with ‘next to nothing’, it’s not surprising Amy felt caught in the rat race as she calls it. When you experience financial instability as a child, it instils in you an urgency to work as hard as possible to improve not just your life, but your families and those you intend to bring into the world.

‘I wanted to work as soon as I could to help out my mum, and that gave me a strong work ethic I’ve always kept,’ Amy tells me. ‘I’m very independent in that way and now having a son, I want to support him. I want him to know he has a strong female force, whether you’re a man or a woman, pregnant or a new mum, you still have the same desire to be a breadwinner.

‘I really want to prove to myself I can do both, and I want Andreas to be proud of me. It makes children realize the sacrifices you make for them and teaches them ambition, that nothing comes easy in that sense. I want him to grow up with that mindset I had, to have a strong work ethic.’

It’s not just for Andreas though, working hard has always been something Amy prides herself on and a part of her identity she didn’t want to lose in becoming a mother. ‘You've got to have your life outside of motherhood so that there's no resentment,’ Amy explains. ‘You're living your best life in all different sectors and in turn that makes you the best possible person and mother.’

That’s the biggest lesson she’s taken from motherhood, to never lose yourself. ‘Yes, you brought this beautiful little person into the world but that doesn't mean you have to change who you are. You just adapt and you take each day as it comes. And that way, it's the best of both worlds and you're taking care of everybody including yourself.’

Of course, it hasn’t been easy – and in a sense, lockdown helped her find that balance. ‘My emotions have been here there and everywhere,’ she laughs. ‘Initially it was terrifying because having a six-month old, we weren’t sure if kids could catch Covid and everything was so uncertain. But as time went on, I’ve learned to accept the uncertainty and make the most of the situation we’re in, to take each day as it comes.’

Having a son who has spent more of his life in lockdown than out of it has been tough though. ‘It does affect the way that they communicate and their development so it is worrying,’ Amy says. ‘It’s a minefield trying to think outside the box to keep them up to speed. Whether it’s six months or 18 months, each and every stage is very different and difficult. But I’ve tried to adapt it in a way that he doesn't lose out and he doesn't get left behind.’

That’s what she’d recommend for other mums in similar situations to her, but mostly, she hopes they all just realise how strong they are getting through this period. ‘Any mum raising a child and working in lockdown, they're all super women.’

Amy Jackson fronts OPPO’s Colour Counsel in an iconic photoshoot, captured by Emma Summerton, on the new Find X3 Pro. To view the portrait collection, visit www.oppostore.co.uk/colour-counsel

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