I have three children, now aged seven, 10 and 11. In raising them, I’ve experienced first-hand how – from NCT and playgroups through to the school gates and sports sidelines – parents must constantly recalibrate to new social contexts. The merry-go-round is always moving, and with so much to contend with, I understand Amanda’s struggle to forge connections to help her through it.

Loneliness is more prevalent in new parenthood than in the general population, with 43% of mothers under the age of 30 feeling alone all of the time. Parents are also more stretched than ever, balancing parenthood, children, relationships and work with an attempt to fulfil their own needs. According to a recent Bubble survey, nine in 10 parents don’t get to spend as much time with their partner as they’d like, the consequences of which ripple through family life.

Amanda’s endless attempts to make friends and impress strangers make for toe-curling TV, but they strike an all-too-familiar chord. As parents, we don’t just navigate our children’s evolving needs, we also wrestle with our own sense of belonging. Entering into parenthood is very much like walking into the playground for the first time. We must work to find our strengths, our style and our tribe. We all want to be loved and popular, but just like in childhood, this can’t always be the case, and we often get it wrong.

It took me about eight years to let go of preconceived notions of the ‘perfect mum’ and to focus on what worked for me and my family. As soon as I did, life became infinitely easier. I’d imagined I’d be the mother who read the classics to my children. Instead, I’m the one enthusiastically discussing manga and spending weekends being the hype man at karate.

Amandaland: why we all identify with Amanda now (sorry, Julia)