Laura Hamilton faced furious backlash from fellow mums for sending her two kids back to school earlier this month.
The A Place In The Sun star, 38, has two children with her husband Alex Goward but their decision to decision enrol them back in class after lockdown raised eyebrows of other parents.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Online about the mixed reaction she received following her decision to send Rocco, five, and Tahlia, four, back to the classroom, Laura admitted she felt as though other mums disapproved of her parenting.
The blonde beauty explained: "I’m in all the parent WhatsApp groups at my children’s schools, and the groups... you've just got to have them."
She continued: "I've got one for my daughter’s class and one for my son’s class and it was really interesting when the schools reopened...
"The amount of parents that sounded each other out on group chat."
Laura said the group chat conversation quickly turned into private messages, as some parents couldn't fathom why Laura and Alex felt it was right for their kids to head back to school.
She continued: "They sent messages, and on my daughter’s group - she’s in reception...
"I immediately said ‘Yep, I’m sending Rocco and Tahlia back to school’ and everyone came back and critiqued my decision.
"They said ‘Yep, we’re not sending our kids back.’ And I was like oh my word. 'Are they disapproving of me that I’m sending my kids back?’"
She added: "There were parents that were direct messaging me because they were afraid to admit on the group chat that they were doing the same."
Despite her choice to send them back, the telly star urged her fans to only send their kids to school when they feel its right to do so.
The mum-of-two said that she was forced to homeschool her kids every day from 9am-12pm, admitting she feels parents are being expected to instantly become teachers in a sense.
She explained: "There’s been a real expectation of parents becoming teachers as well as having careers and businesses has been tough and so full-on.
"I sort of think 'Well, have I let my children down a bit?' That’s the mum guilt coming in."
Laura also touched on how her lockdown experience made her closer with hubby Alex, as they continued to instill a sense of normality for their kids amid the pandemic.
She explained: "It’s been a really interesting time in many ways. In so many ways, I feel a bit guilty for saying it’s actually been enjoyable.
"I just feel so guilty for saying this but I've actually really enjoyed being at home with my husband and kids.
"It’s made my relationship with Alex stronger because it could've gone one of two ways really - either baby boom or divorce. But we're not going to be doing either of those," she joked.
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