'I lost cousins young': Helen Skelton sees her 40s as a privilege
Helen Skelton is "grateful" to be in her 40s and refuses to take life for granted having lost relatives at an early age.
Helen Skelton refuses to take life for granted.
The 43-year-old presenter explained how she considers growing older to be a "privilege" as she lost cousins at a young age.
Helen told Closer magazine: "I lost cousins young, and I'll never take it for granted. I wish everything was a bit tighter and a bit perkier and a bit easier, but it's not. We are where we are, and I'm grateful."
The Morning Live host is frequently outdoors with her family and says it does wonders for her mental wellbeing.
Helen – who has children Ernie, 11, Louis, nine, and Elsie, four, with her former husband Richie Myler – explained: "I say to my brother that I've got to get the kids out or they'll be climbing the walls, and he replies, 'That's not the kids, Helen, that's you.'
"It's a running joke, but it's probably true, I'm just no good if I haven't (been active). My son asked me yesterday if I'd been for a run that morning and when I said no, he literally rolled his eyes and went, 'Oh, pray for us all.'
"He's noticed it makes me happier, and I hopes that's a good lesson. We spend so long acknowledging it's important to look after your mental health, but we don't spend so many conversations saying how you do that."
Helen is at home with her children as Morning Live takes a break for the summer holidays and revealed that she takes a relaxed approach to parenting.
The former Blue Peter presenter said: "There aren't many rules in my house, and I've even known myself to be taking the kids for a bike ride or walk at 9:30pm.
"They've never had a nap time, they fall asleep when they fall asleep. I'm not saying it's a great way to parent – it bites me on the backside many times and it would stress lots of people out – but it works for me. In the blink of an eye they'll be teenagers, and I won't be able to get them out of bed."
However, Helen revealed that she is less keen on cooking for her kids.
She said: "I'm really bad in the kitchen. I've got two signature dishes – chicken fajitas and spaghetti Bolognese – and I say to my son, 'If you read more, I'll learn to cook better.'
"I enjoy fruit, chicken and pizza, and I had an Indian last night, but I'm such a bad foodie. Nice restaurants are wasted on me!
"My kids eat anything with pasta though, and my dad quite often leaves a homemade pancake mix for us at home. He and my mum retired last year, and I literally rinse their help!"
