Louise Redknapp admits she’s ‘stung’ by mum shaming for leaving Charley, 16, and Beau, 12, to go on nights out
LOUISE Redknapp revealed that she was “stung” by mum-shamers for going on nights out without her teenage sons. The 46-year-old star said that she’s made to feel bad about enjoying nights out with her friends. The singer split from Jamie Redknapp in 2018 after a 19 year marriage. Louise wed then Liverpool ace Jamie in 1998 but […]
LOUISE Redknapp revealed that she was “stung” by mum-shamers for going on nights out without her teenage sons.
The 46-year-old star said that she’s made to feel bad about enjoying nights out with her friends.
The singer split from Jamie Redknapp in 2018 after a 19 year marriage.
Louise wed then Liverpool ace Jamie in 1998 but split in 2017. They share sons Charley, 16, and Beau, 12.
In her new book, she explained that she has faced scrutiny over her parenting skills and some of the comments have “stung”.
She wrote: “It’s hard to be confident about your parenting when we are all subject to online scrutiny.
“Everyone will always have an opinion. If I post a picture on social media of myself on a night out, I’ll be bombarded with accusatory questions about why I’m not with Charley and Beau instead.
“I shouldn’t have to explain to anybody that I spend most of my time with my kids.”
Louise added: “Some comments have really stung me, especially when they have been untrue.”
The singer pointed out that there is a double standard for single mums, admitting that dads don’t seem to get as much criticism.
The singer wrote: “When I split up with Jamie, the accusations came in thick and fast.
“I was so heavily judged, and it amazed me that so many people, including other women, made assumptions about what I was or wasn’t doing when it came to my kids.
“I noticed real double standards: women are simply expected to be with their kids, whereas if fathers spend any time with their children, then suddenly they are ‘Super Dad’ or Dad of the Year.”
The star hit out at the flack she has received, saying that a lot of fathers get praised for simple parenting tasks that women do everyday.
She continued: “They are described as ‘babysitting’ rather than simply spending time with their own children.
“As soon as fathers play an active role, they are seen as heroes. Why is it that men are praised for the very things women do every day?”
The mum of two also joked about how she has not had much success with online dating — and needed the advice of her 16-year-old son to avoid a potentially sticky situation.
Louise said: “I had what I thought was a good chat with a guy, and then one day he asked me what I was up to.
“I said, ‘Oh, I’m just going for a bike ride’. And that was the end of that. It’s been five months and no reply.
“I’m just sitting here wondering what was it that I said? Are bike rides that unattractive?
“Basically, this is a way to say the new world of dating is so opaque and difficult to navigate.
“It’s easy to feel you’ve done or said something wrong, when in reality it’s not on you.”
Jamie has since moved on with Swedish model Frida Andersson-Lourie, 37, but Louise said she has barely dated anyone since their split.
The former Eternal star recently said she has regrets about leaving her fairytale marriage to her footballer ex.
Louise says she regrets not putting more effort into trying to save the relationship.
Louise said of the break-up: “I should have paused and thought about other people and had just a bit more time to work out why I felt I couldn’t do it any more.
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“I wish I’d tried. I want to say to anyone thinking of running: Just slow down. Don’t run,” she explained.
“Because once you run too fast, you can’t make up the ground you’ve lost. Stop, say what you need, say what you think, don’t be afraid to say what’s really going on. You don’t have to be quiet.”