Verity Rushworth has admitted that she joins lots of other mothers in suffering from "mum-guilt".
The former Emmerdale star, who shares Amelie, four, and Ethan, 22 months, with her husband Dominic Michael Shaw, has admitted she felt bad about leaving her eldest child when she worked when Amelie was a one-year-old.
She also confessed that she sometimes cried in the shower when all got a bit much during lockdown when she was homeschooling.
Verity, 35, told OK! magazine : "There was always mum-guilt when Amelie was little. I was in Kinky Boots and felt so lucky to have that opportunity but I also had a one-year-old baby at home and needed to be a mum.
"I had to juggle the two, which was exhausting. But it came down to remembering that I didn't set out to just be a mum – I wanted a career too.
"I wanted to be a role model and show my daughter that she could do both."
Verity also admitted that she struggled during lockdown as she found homeschooling difficult.
She added: "I want to send a big high-five to all the parents out there who’ve been homeschooling in lockdown.
"Some days are great but there are times when you need to have a little cry in the shower, and that’s okay. We should all be allowed to vent and say when it feels hard."
Verity went on: "It was brutal. I went into full military mode to get through it.
"I think Amelie enjoyed it though. The only problem was Ethan would rip up her work. He likes the sound it makes!"
Verity played Donna Windsor from 1998 until 2009, and returned for a few months in 2014.
Since then she has starred in Doctors and been in a number of shows, including Hairspray, The Sound Of Music and Chicago.
Verity said she'd be open to doing other soaps including Coronation Street and EastEnders.
The actress also shared that she'd love to do Strictly Come Dancing and would like Aljaz Skorjanec to be her professional dancing partner.
She told the magazine: "I'd love to! I'd want Aljaž to be my partner. I’m obsessed with him!
"I also went to see Kelvin [Fletcher, ex-Emmerdale star] perform in 2019 and was so proud. Who knew he had those snakey hips?"
