Jane's Q&A

What did you think about spending time away from your family?
One of the lowest parts was being away from my family without any contact because I’ve always phoned them every single day when we’ve been apart before.

How did you find doing the swap?
Interesting! I wouldn’t say it was entirely enjoyable but I wouldn’t have not done it, for the experience alone. The opportunity doesn’t come along that often and it doesn’t do any harm to take a long hard look at ourselves. You’ve got to be prepared to find out things about yourself that you might not like, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as you can use that to make improvements in your life.

What bits of the swap did you enjoy?
Meeting another family and getting the opportunity to experience a different way of life. I didn’t enjoy their lifestyle but I enjoyed the chance to see it. I also met some amazing people: the film crew were fantastic and I had really good fun with them and enjoyed chatting with them. I found the other family's divided parenting very bizarre and I got a lot of cuddles from their boy as he was crying out for motherly attention. I hope it’s made them look more closely at their relationships.

What bits of the swap did you find the hardest?
I didn’t enjoy spending time with the other partner as there was no communication between us. If we were the last people on the planet I wouldn’t want to communicate with that man - there was nothing we could have a conversation about. We both had different opinions on everything!

How did your family cope with the swap?
They felt the same as me. The children just thought the whole thing was hilarious. Bill struggled being apart from me. We tend to stick with people we feel on a level with so it was a good lesson in stepping out of the comfort zone.

Do you relate to your family differently now?
I’m trying not to be so overpowering, especially with the children. I’m trying to listen to what they say and make more compromises through proper discussion. For example, with snacks I let them eat crisps and chocolate when they have friends over so they are sharing with them. Now we compromise instead of arguing.

Has it changed you?
In some ways, hopefully it brought me more confidence. I’ve always valued my family but I value them more now and I value my life more. I wouldn’t go back to the mainland if you paid me.

Would you do it all again?
Yes, I would actually!

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