I’m a working mother & feel guilty all the time – all mums probably know what I mean, says Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh
AS with most mums, parenthood is one almighty juggling act for Kimberley Walsh.
But the former Girls Aloud singer has a new trick for balancing her various work projects with looking after sons Bobby, eight, Cole, six, and two-year-old Nate, who she shares with hubby Justin Scott.
The 41-year-old star says: “As I’ve got older, I’ve learnt to say no more.
“It’s definitely a talent. I used to feel guilty saying no to plans, but in the same breath I’d feel guilty if I said yes, as it’s going to affect the kids.
“I want to be able to work and do things you can enjoy, but everything I decide to do has to work around them.
“Everybody is constantly juggling and trying to make the right decisions on what to do and what works for your family.
“It’s all about learning to make the right call on each particular job.”
Despite prioritising her kids, Kimberley, who lives in Surrey and co-hosts BBC One’s Morning Live from a Manchester studio, still struggles with “mum guilt”.
“I don’t think the mum guilt will ever leave any mum,” she says.
“Even mums that don’t work still probably feel guilty if they are doing anything for themselves. It’s the nature of being a mum.
“Some days are more manic than others as now I’ve got to be away, presenting live in Manchester every other week or so.
“For me, it’s trying to make sure you’ve got enough hours in the day for all of the kids as well as everything else that you’ve got to do.
“There are often times where I’m like, ‘OK, something’s got to give’, so that child might not be able to do their homework tonight.
“You have to drop the ball sometimes in order to have a happy family.
“I try to offset the mum guilt feeling by knowing that I am definitely a better mum for doing things for my life — and work, for me, is considered something for myself. I have a job which is fun.
“It’s a break and a change of scenery for me, so I see it as a form of self-care.”
But as a result, Kimberley has found her relationship with singer-turned-property-developer husband Justin, 40, is no longer her main focus.
The couple, who have been together for 14 years and married for seven, know their relationship has taken a back seat since having children.
Kimberley says: “That’s the thing we are really rubbish at, because we put the kids first to such an extent.
“It’s funny, because if Justin and I suddenly decide that we are going somewhere, the kids are like, ‘Umm, what!?’.
“I’m like, ‘Nah we are, without you’, and they are like, ‘No, no, no’.
“So we haven’t done much of our own date nights, but Nate is two and it’s hard to leave them at that age.
“I think the first opportunity we get, it will be nice to do a few days away, just to kind of remember who we are.
“But thankfully, we love our kids a lot and so we find each other in that. We will get our time again. I’m not going to moan about it.”
Asked if any more kids are on the horizon, Kimberley replies with a firm “no”, adding: “The baby stage is done. I have got a lovely hat-trick and I am quite happy with that.
“I think when you know you aren’t planning on having any more, you just want to savour it because you know it’s not going to last long and that’s it.
“I’m definitely more relaxed this time round and the kids can probably sense that too.
“Also, Nate’s got two older brothers that help and want to play with him. My older boys are brilliant.”
Kimberley has also been busy designing her own shade of paint, Blue Haze, for Wickes.
“I am all about interiors,” she says. “I’m not afraid to do any hammering, if need be.
“I think it’s the way I was brought up. My mum was a single parent.
“I’ve always seen a woman doing all the handiwork. When I got my own house, I was like, ‘Oh, my mum does it, so why don’t I?’ I don’t find it daunting.”
Kimberley’s even got a hack or two to make decorating easier.
She says: “A lick of paint is the easiest way to complete a transformation. I have three sons running around the house with sticky fingers and we moved into our house ten years ago, so it’s at the point where everything needs a bit of attention.
“Doing woodwork and things like that gets a bit tricky, but painting walls? Anybody can do that and it completely changes the look of a room.
“I paint on wallpaper as well. I’m not sure if that’s the absolutely correct way to do it, but it saves a whole load of time and usually works out absolutely fine.”
The juggling act is now part of her life and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
“What I love about my job is I literally never know what’s next,” says Kimberley, who has also starred in West End shows, including Shrek and Big.
“I’m already prepared to never stop working. I have a passion for it.
“No doubt I will be in my sixties pumping out a song on the stage.”
- Kimberley Walsh’s new paint colour Blue Haze is now available in Wickes stores and online.