Gemma Atkinson has been forced to address comments she made about her sleeping arrangements with her daughter after recalling a 'Gladiator' moment where she had to deal with the youngster pushing back at her mum and dad's request.
The Hits Radio host is a doting mum to daughter Mia who she shares with her Strictly Come Dancing star fiance Gorka Marquez and the pair are currently preparing to welcome their second child into the world, a baby boy, after the loved-up couple announced they were expecting again last month.
Earlier this week, Gemma spoke openly on her Instagram Story about how she and Gorka don't let Mia in their bed unless it's a weekend. The 38-year-old explained the arrangement in more detail after being quizzed by one of her followers after making a passing comment about the rule in a previous video.
"Love following you and your approach to parenthood and life in general," the message began. "Do you mind me asking why you have chosen you never let her in your bed with exception to weekends and why you feel it's a fail that you didn't? No judge, genuinely interested."
Gemma, from Bury, shared a screenshot of the message and typed on her Instagram Story: "Thank you. I've been asked this a lot after yesterday's story. Completely get why. I'll try to explain our reasons (although I don't think there's any wrong or right way). I think us parents have got to do what we do to survive," she added alongside a string of crying laughing emojis.
The former Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star then appeared in a string of videos where she explained why she and Gorka took the approach to bedtime they did with their first-born. "Like I said, I don't think there's any wrong or right. I think you've got to to what you've got to do to survive!
"It's like survival out there," she laughed. "But for us it was just about setting boundaries. I've learnt from our experience that there's nothing worse than sleep deprivation in a child. When Mia's not slept she's moody, she's cocky, she's grumpy. She's even dead on her feet... I function shockingly on a bad night's sleep. And the odd night's Gorka's home within his tour, if he's not slept, he's more prone to injury at work. Everything just suffers when someone doesn't sleep."
Gemma went on to share how she spoke to friends and family when pregnant with Mia who said it was "lovely" to be able to share their bed with their children but said, in hindsight, 'they wished they hadn't'. She added: "But again if that's you, no judgement at all. Each to their own."
The mum-of-two-to-be then shared how she and Gorka had a run of nights where Mia was a 'nightmare' where she 'screamed and kicked' about not wanting to go to bed in her own room. "I remember telling my mum almost in tears, 'I don't know what to do!' and she said, 'You were exactly the same!'
"And one thing I do know, from my experience, is kids are very clever and Mia knows when she's got me round her finger and when she's won and the odd times I've caved, she's been like, [pretends to be smug]." But she also shared how hard it was at first to get Mia to sleep on her own, recalling a time when she held the door shut whilst almost in tears with Gorka offering her support.
Gemma later shared a video of a scene from Gladiators as she joked: "Gorka to me on the landing at 3am when I was holding the door shut," alongside a string of crying laughing emojis. However, Gemma has since returned to speak to her millions of followers after she was sent a message questioning her action.
The screenshot of the message read: "Hi Gemma. i never message celebs but awake in the night thinking about your stories yesterday about Mia's sleep. Absolutely no hate - we're all winging it - I just wondered how your anti-cruelty to animals vies fits in with joking about holding a door shut when your young daughter needs you?"
The message went on to say that it wasn't a 'dig' but her explaining about her sleeping arrangements with Mia had left the follower 'upset'. Gemma then wrote a lengthy response. "Erm... I don't really understand but I'll try to explain as best I can," she began. "Mia didn't need me, she wanted her own way and was being naughty.
"One thing all parents get to know is that there's different cries in their kids. The genuine cry (which is heartbreaking to hear), the whinge cry (usually when over tired and they can't be bothered) and the fake cry (which is when they just want their own way and are being naughty). That night was defo the fake cry."
She went on to explain that Mia, who turns four in July, was 'having a tantrum' because she 'could have her own way'. Gemma said that she wouldn't 'cave' over that as she wanted to teach her little girl 'respect' and 'boundaries'.
Gemma ended her post: "Re animals, I'm not sure how it's linked... when I was training Norman and Ollie as pups, if they chewed the furniture or had a poo inside they were taught it was wrong and put in their cage for 5 mins until they learnt. I now have to very behaved, happy dogs. My mum was always firm but fair with us. We never got out own may if naughty or rude, and neither will Mia."
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