“I just felt such pure and utter love for all of them, I wanted to clean for them, to cook for them and to just see them happy,” says Rhona Cameron of her time spent looking after four children for a new Channel Five documentary series. She’s one of three celebrities picked to take on a parenting role in SO YOU THINK YOU CAN BE A SINGLE PARENT! (airing Weds 9th January 8 pm).
Rhona gave DIVA her perspective on the experience...
“I found looking after the four children of the Robarts family to be a profoundly moving experience. I hadn't doubted that I would be good with the kids, but was very surprised to feel so maternal towards them.
I had always envisaged myself as a more paternal figure, but it turned out I was a mum for the week. Delighted that I had been placed with a family with three boys, aged five, eleven and fourteen that all play football or rugby, I was looking forward to a good kick about. However when I took them to their football training, I spent the entire time worrying about whether they had enough warm clothes on or not. By the middle of the week I felt like a different person, devoid of my usual neuroses, instead so busy caring for the children that I had little time to think of myself. The thing that meant the most to me was getting them to eat breakfast for the first time in years. They had lost their mother in 2002 and David, a wonderful father, had to give up his work and become a full time single parent. Although he would get up every day at 7.30 for the youngest, Felix, he would sleep through the older kids’ breakfast hour as they had to leave very early to catch the school bus. I think they didn't want to burden their dad with extra responsibilities and that broke my heart. I begged them to let me prepare breakfast for them and eventually they agreed. I could have cried when they left for school after eating the toast and tea I made them.
My favourite time was bathing the little one. We would play a game during which he would hold onto the bath and I would throw the towel over his head and dry his hair really quickly and vigorously. I would growl and this would make him laugh his little head off. I also took him to his swimming club which was really strange as I was a swimmer throughout my entire childhood, and my poor parents spent years in an overheated waiting area cheering me on. At one point during Felix's swim session I could have cried my eyes out. I had to steel myself a few times, as I didn't want to completely break down on camera. I just felt such pure and utter love for all of them, I wanted to clean for them, to cook for them and to just see them happy. Reading a bedtime story to a kid who is looking up at you with glee is about the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.
On the last day when their father returned I cooked a big Sunday dinner, and Rosie the eldest child hugged me. We sat hugging for some time, and I realised how much she missed her mum.
It changed me enormously for that week - my maternal side suits me very much indeed.”
