DOING IT FOR THE KIDS!

We always think about passing on valuable lessons to our children. But these two women changed their lives because of their little ones

- SARAH WHITELEY, JANET TANSLEY

‘I WANT HER TO KNOW 

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE’

Sofia gave Kayleigh a purpose

‘Spending time with Sofia is the biggest reward’ Kayleigh Greenacre, 37, lives in Bedford. Giving a final wave to my students, I closed down the Zoom call, then looked over at my daughter Sofia. It was during the lockdown in 2020 and I was working as an assistant headteacher from home while looking after my daughter Sofia, then three. She’d been begging me all morning to play with her, but I’d been so busy with work, I’d not had time. Now, as I watched her hunched over her colouring book, her face serious with concentration, I felt a pang of guilt. In that moment I knew I wanted so much more. I wanted to show my bright, beautiful daughter that she could do anything she wanted. But to do that, I had to lead by example.

ALL CHANGE

My whole life, I’d been a people-pleaser. I’d done well at school, got married, worked my way up my career ladder as a teacher – all the things expected of me. But there was always a part of me that wondered if it was enough. I just couldn’t help feeling that there was something missing. At the end of 2019, I made the hard decision to end my relationship and sell our family home – and that’s when the pandemic hit.

Suddenly pulled out of the humdrum of everyday life, I had time to sit and think about my next steps. And spending every day with Sofia, I knew I wanted to do something to make her proud. I wanted Sofia to chase her dreams and to follow her passion.