I hope social distancing continues after the pandemic | Rick Jackson

I know for some, this brings more hardship and worry and I do feel for them.

But as a customer, table service at a pub is the best thing since sliced bread. I’m not sure how I’m going to feel once social-distancing stops and pubs and restaurants are packed again.

I’ve felt sorry for all the kids who have not had birthday parties. My son Freddie hasn’t had one for two years in a row, but I’m apparently not the only dad who enjoyed not having to go to them. Thinking about packed trains, heaving football stadiums and sweaty nightclubs – personally social distancing has been the only bonus of coronavirus.

Mum and dads will always differ on the sports pitch

The difference between mums and dads is never more evident at the sports field and as we roast in the sunshine, those differences are loud and clear.

On the Wave 105 breakfast show, Kate Weston often regales stories of her 13-year-old son Greg, who is turning into a bit of a sportsman.

Cricket, rugby, football and athletics – he seems to be doing the lot. As Kate has been working from home since the first lockdown, I hear plenty of conversations ‘down the line’ before he heads off to school.

Like the caring mum that she is, I often hear her shout down from the loft where she is presenting to Greg downstairs, making sure he’s got the right kit for the sport he’s doing that day.

Even more amusing is the fact she still calls him ‘my little baby’ and ‘Gregory’ rather than Greg.

It makes me chuckle at the thought of Greg’s overwhelming embarrassment!

He’s certainly no ‘Kevin the teenager’ but he’s also no baby anymore. A strapping lad, taller than his mum and wearing large shoes, I can imagine he’s not too keen for mum to appear on the touchline.

He’s been moved to the 800m – a race he’s never done.

Rather than some words of encouragement, Kate told Greg not to ‘blow himself up’ trying to keep up with the other boys who are used to running such distances.

I also see it with my kids, even though they are much younger at seven and five. But the caring mums and competitive dads are already making themselves heard.

At a recent football club for seven year olds, you could hear plenty of encouragement for the boys playing football. Being older, it’s not so much a bun-fight around the ball.

Some kids are really good footballers by seven but mum is still on the sidelines, shouting out ‘be careful’ or ‘don’t run too fast’. You can see some boys getting embarrassed.

In complete contrast, one competitive dad shouted ‘hack him down, son’ from the sidelines. He and his son have since been excluded from the football team…

I have good memories of England winning football

I’m sure there will be many drunk people come Friday evening as England face Scotland in the football.

It reminded me of similar situation back in 1998 when England played Columbia in the World Cup on a Friday. We had to win or we’d be eliminated.

I was hosting a ‘Power Party Cruise’ to Cherbourg with Power FM on the P&O ship Pride of Bilbao. We hugged the Isle of Wight coastline to keep the TV signal going as we watched the match with the beers flowing.

Can you imagine if we lost?

More than a thousand 20-somethings on a booze cruise overnight to France?

We won 2-0 and the boat rocked all night, even though the seas were flat calm!