Covid 19 coronavirus: Forestry worker making the most of lockdown with family

(From left) Harley Pomeroy with his daughters Jasmine, Rhyana and Amber-Rose. Photo: Supplied

By RNZ

A Whanganui father says he is rapt to be spending so much time at home with his kids, after years of working 80-hour weeks.

Harley Pomeroy has traded his 3am wake-up and trudge into the dark forest for a "sleep in" and cuddles with his three young daughters.

"I have been in the bush for 23 years and I work 70-90 hours a week and to actually wake-up at half past five in the morning and have my kids in bed with me - you can't beat it," he said.

"I am not used to giving them breakfast, making them lunch, and seeing what they do day-to-day. I have never seen that side of things because I am never home for it."

Pomeroy said his work commitments as director of Pomeroy Logging Ltd meant he missed a lot of his two teenage sons' growing up.

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He is relishing the opportunity under alert level 4 to have quality time with his daughters Jasmine, 11, Amber-Rose, 6, and Rhyana, 4.

He admits, though, the reality of spending 24/7 with his children can be a "nightmare", albeit a "good nightmare".

"I am not used to being home and seeing the girls actually physically do what they do during the day. Trying to keep them entertained is like a bull at a gate, especially three of them!"

Pomeroy said he had a huge appreciation for his wife Jennie, who usually worked from home and tended to the girls. A lot of mothers did great work for their families, he said.

"I am blessed to have a perfect wife like her who does everything and just lets me go to work - you can't beat it, or I can't beat it anyway - it is just awesome what she does."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

He intended to make the most of the time he got with his girls under lockdown.

"Go for a walk with the kids, have fun - that's how I see my day. 'Okay, what are we doing today kids? What can we do together?' And enjoy it that way."

But Pomeroy still worries about his workers, two of whom he had to lay off.

He is uncertain how the company will fare after the lockdown, but he said the government's wage subsidies had eased some pressure.