The reason Emma Bunton lets her sons skip homework (sometimes)
Spice Girl Emma on her house full of boys, endless party invites and sacrificing homework for family time…
We all feel like we know Emma Bunton, right?
After all, she's been on our TVs for ages. She's a Spice Girl, co-founder of baby brand Kit & Kin, Heart breakfast radio presenter, and so on…
But how much do we really know about her as a mum?
We caught up with the pop superstar to find out a little bit about the challenges she faces with her school-aged sons, 9-year-old Beau and 5-year-old Tate...
On her house full of boys:
I love it. I remember [my partner] Jade saying to me when I fell pregnant with my second, “You are gonna be so well looked after” and you know, they really do. We all look after each other.
They’re very open at the moment, we chat about everything. So, hopefully it stays that way. I think my eldest might have a girlfriend at school, but he hasn’t told me just yet…
On the school run:
I always like to do pick-up, even today I might have to leave at 3! I want to pick them up because I don’t do the morning.
I love our afternoons – we maybe have football or swimming, and we always sit down to dinner together.
It usually all works calmly, but other times it’s a bit mad, like “I wanna watch telly! I’ve had enough! I’m not hungry” – sometimes it can end up in chaos.
On navigating endless party RSVPs:
I’m constantly driving my children to parties. Or telling them "I’m so sorry, we’re gonna miss this party". Buying presents.
I’m taxi driver for my children most weekends.
On sometimes skipping homework:
As a mum, there’s a huge responsibility of making homework as easy as possible, or helping. It’s a challenge for us as well.
Sometimes I think it’s too much, and I’m really juggling the fact that I want them to be children and play the whole time. Then, of course, they’re in school where they have to keep up with other children.
You want to have family time as well. I must admit I have been known to say, "OK, alright, we’re not going to do this tonight, we’re going to have family time" and whether that’s right or wrong… it’s making us work as a family.
On sleepover rules:
My 9-year-old is having a couple of sleepovers and that is quite unbelievable, because at 9 and 10 they wanna watch movies, they wanna stay up, and have a midnight feast. And you’re like, “MIDNIGHT feast?!”
I would try to make it a rule that they actually get some sleep.
On 5-year-old Tate loving his dolls:
He still loves his Little Mix dolls. I’m so pleased [that it hasn’t changed since he start first school].
When you’re younger, you’re not corrupted by what’s cool and what’s not cool. He just knows that he loves music, dressing his dolls up…
On her morning mum make-up routine:
Everything [skincare-wise] should be as quick as possible. And oils [like stretch mark oils] have always been quick and easy.
I always do my make-up in the car. If I’m coming into town, I’ll do it on the train or in a cab, travelling.
Make-up is for travel. I haven’t got time to take loads of time over anything anymore – I spent most of the time on my children.
On her new baby & mum product range, Kit & Kin:
Both of my sons had eczema, but my youngest suffered more with it. I found it frustrating being in the [supermarket] aisles trying to find something that didn’t have a lot of other rubbish in.
I just wanted some natural products – that’s why I decided to do this.
You can check out out the Emma's latest venture, Kit & Kin, or watch our preview video below...
Images: Instagram/Emma Bunton
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