Ruth Langsford has opened up about how 'hard' parenting a teenager is.
TV presenter Ruth Langsford, 56, who is famously married to broadcaster Eamonn Holmes, also 56, has been speaking about the trials of bringing up a teenage boy.
The couple, who regularly present This Morning as a duo, have one child together - 14-year-old son Jack. And it looks like Ruth is struggling with her son growing up, just like many of us with teenage children!
We're sure Ruth's words will resonate with mums around the country as she speaks about the changes experienced when your child develops into a teenager. In an article for the Mirror Ruth says, 'It's certainly not easy parenting a teenager – it's a new area I am nervous about. Jack and I have a good relationship, but he spends less and less time with me.'
Saying that Jack is 'not completely embarrassed' to be seen with her Ruth goes on to explain how her and Eamonn often play 'good cop, bad cop' with her coming out as the disciplinarian.
Touching on another common gripe of modern mums Ruth says she worries about all the technology available to Jack and admits that he's not allowed a lock on his phone, and that he knows she 'will be looking at it at any time'.
On dealing with the topic of sex, Ruth is refreshingly open. She says she has 'a policy where if Jack asks something', she will answer, 'with an age-appropriate answer.'
And she's found a way of talking about sex in a non-personal way, too. Perhaps taking after his presenting parents, Ruth tells how Jack is very interested in the news, which has stimulated conversations around serious topics in a 'great way'.
She says, 'He and I have talked about all sorts of things – rape, consent … I think it's a great way to do this as it's not so personal and it's important you are honest with your children.'
Going back to the internet, Ruth admits that she speaks openly about porn with Jack, but that Eamonn's 'default setting' on the subject is to get embarrassed.
The mum of one continues by saying, 'We had an interesting discussion about pornography the other day because something was on the radio about a study on the number of 11-year-old boys who watch porn.
'I told him: "It's not real and people get paid to take part in these kind of films. Please don't assume every girl you meet will be happy to do a lot of the stuff you might see."
'I definitely wouldn't sit and watch porn with him but when boys are 14, it's a natural thing for them to want to know about sex.'
She finishes off her piece for the Mirror by saying 'The difference is when we were young, the worst boys could do was look at lads' mags. But now you know the stuff that's out there and you can't protect them from it.'
