Every parent’s worst nightmare is losing their child when out and about – and Helen Flanagan knows exactly how that feels.
Following a fraught trip to the supermarket, the former Corrie star tells new she’s taking extra precautions when it comes to her children’s safety.
Helen shares Matilda, seven, Delilah, four, and Charlie, two, with their footballer dad Scott Sinclair, who she has split from after 13 years together.
Revealing why safety is a priority when it comes to her kids, the 32-year-old gives us an insight into motherhood, how she finds co-parenting, and what fans can expect next from her…
Hi, Helen. We hear you had a terrible moment, losing track of one of the children. What happened?
I was in a supermarket with Matilda and I must have turned my back for one second. I just remember having that horrible, sinking feeling [when she wandered off]. I always keep my eyes on my kids, but I couldn’t see her for about one minute.
There’s nothing worse than that – it is the worst, worst, worst feeling in the world. I can’t explain it.
Did it feel like the longest minute of your life?
Absolutely!
You must have felt so relieved when you spotted her again. Did it make you more alert and keen to put steps in place so it doesn’t happen again?
Yes, I drill it into my kids. I say, “You do not run away from Mummy,” and, ‘You always stay with me.” They are good with that. I think you always need eyes in the back of your head when it comes to kids – that’s part of your job.
A study has shown that dads are more likely to “lose” their child. Do you think mums might be more aware when it comes to children?
Oh, I don’t know if I want to answer that in case what I say is controversial [laughs] but, yeah, for me my children are just so precious.
How do you approach topics such as on and offline safety with them?
I’ve had a close chat with Matilda, but they just know what I’m like. I’m not a strict parent but I am strict when it comes to their safety. They know to never, ever leave my side, or the person that they’re with.
They’re either with me or with someone I trust. I have a few people that I trust with my kids – my childminder, their dad, my mum, sister or their nana, for example.
They also know what I’m like and my style of parenting, so they know to encourage the kids to stay by their side.
What else do you do to keep your children safe?
I don’t let my kids go online, except when they use their NickWatch. They love it as it is like a smartwatch for kids. I think because they see Mum and Dad using theirs and being on the phone, it’s like their own version of it.
They can voice note, call and send messages, but I have total control of who they are speaking to. My eldest two can contact me, their dad, my mum, sister and their childminder on it.
It’s also great because it doesn’t have access to TikTok and has a GPS tracker, which helps give me peace of mind.
Do Matilda, Delilah and Charlie get on well?
Aw, they’re great – they’re super close. But of course they’re kids… they like to bicker! It is mad sometimes. I’m not that young, I’m 32, but sometimes I think, “How did I have three kids?!”
How does the term “supermum” make you feel?
Oh, I definitely don’t feel like a supermum, I just feel like I’m surviving. I won’t lie, it can be really hard but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I really do love my kids so much.
Obviously it is full-on the majority of the time, and their dad works away a lot. But I get on really well with his mum. She lives in Bristol and I’m in Manchester. She can’t come all of the time, because she works as well, but when she does it’s the best help ever.
She’ll look after the kids for two weeks at a time and it gives me a nice break.
Are the children close to both sides of the family?
Yeah, they’re very close with both grandparents. They also have a great relationship with their dad.
So, what’s next in the pipeline for you on the work front?
I’d love to get back into acting. I’ve had some nice auditions come up, and I’m just focusing on that at the moment. Acting is where I want to be, but I also need to make sure that works around the kids.
I love working in social media, I feel really passionate about that, but I’m also really busy with my kids.
Would you go back to Corrie or move on to something new?
I’d love to do some theatre – I’ve always wanted to do that. I’d like to do a drama and something on Netflix. In fact, there are loads of things I’d like to tick off my list. Theatre is my top goal though.
It was great to see you on I’m A Celebrity South Africa. Was that a confidence boost?
Totally! It really was and I enjoyed it a lot. It was a brilliant experience and it was amazing to finally be able to overcome my fears.
It seemed like you were a completely different person compared to your first stint in the jungle…
Definitely. I was 22 when I first did the show. I’ve changed so much, with being a mum and just growing up. I was a girl when I first went on and I’m a woman now.
Did you miss the kids while you were away?
Absolutely. It was hard not seeing them for a full month, but I really wanted to make them proud. And I wouldn’t have gone to South Africa if my childcare wasn’t so amazing.
I had my mum and my nanny look after my two girls and then I had Scott and Scott’s mum look after Charlie. I knew everyone would be taken care of and I could go and relax.
Is it hard to juggle it all?
We always manage, every single day. It is busy though, but I think my life has always been like this.
The NickWatch, a new connected smartwatch for children aged six to nine, with built-in GPS tracking and Nickelodeon-inspired interactive games and tasks, is available at nickwatch.com. The linked Caretaker App is downloadable on all app stores.
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