Jeff Brazier has explained the reason why he increased son Bobby Brazier's rent, as he opened up about his biggest parenting challenge.
EastEnders star Bobby, 20, who is currently wowing audiences with his impressive moves on Strictly Come Dancing, previously joked his devoted dad Jeff, 44, had put his rent up in a "moral" move.
Speaking to OK! on the red carpet at Sunday's Pride of Britain Awards, he said: "He's been cooking us lunch recently, in big portions, but on the other side of that he's just upped my rent, so it's sweet and sour!," he laughed.
"I think it's a moral thing." Although Bobby was quick to add, the increase was "not much".
However, Jeff, who also shares son Freddie, 19, with the late Jade Goody, has justified the move, explaining that it's all "just part of parenting".
Speaking exclusively to OK!, the dad of two said: "Am I actually helping my kids, If I still allow them to live like they're 16 when they're 20?"
He added: "But that's a personal decision, and it's for every household and every parent to decide what they think is the right level of reality for their kids to experience."
Jeff also opened up about his biggest parenting challenge, which he didn't realise would come so late in life.
"It's never ending. I thought there was a chequered flag at 18, but as a parent of Gen Z youngsters, you're really just getting going.
"I don't know when these two are gonna move out, or if they ever will, I'm not in any rush for them to do so, but I guess there's a pressure on me to make sure that I am increasing the reality for them so that they're prepared for when they do."
He explained: "So that means, you know, making sure as much as Bobby's a dancer on Strictly these days, when he comes home, there's a wash in the tumble dryer that I want him to fold up, or I want him to help me to make dinner.
"These things just keep him grounded. I definitely feel like that's a big, big role – I need to make sure Bob has a balance and doesn't necessarily let himself float away.
"Although things are great, and we celebrate that, we also make sure we come back to being humble and and making sure that as a family, we're all there for one another."
Jeff has teamed up with Sky Mobile to help guide parents and students on keeping connected as a new term at university starts.
The I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star headed to the University of Hertfordshire, where he was schooled on all the "texting tricks" of the younger generation.
"What I learned as a parent is just carry on doing what you want," he concluded.
"I think sometimes we bend a little bit too much to what we think we need to be for our children and as a result, they can always see that coming and they don't think it's very cool when we might use some of the lingo.
"I certainly won't be that parent that tries to keep up with them by sort of adopting new phrases and terminology, like 'boujee' and 'bare'.
"I always think it's just better to just be yourself. They appreciate it more."
Jeff Brazier interviews students about common text and phone blunders with their parents as they head back to uni. New research reveals most parents keep their teens on their phone plans to ensure they always have enough data to stay in contact. Sky Mobile rolls all unused data into one Sky Piggybank for all on the account to share, giving students access to the Piggybank of mum and dad when they need it.
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