Helen Skelton split from husband Richie Myler last year, with Richie recently welcoming a new baby with his girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill.
The rugby player has three children with Helen – Ernie, seven, Louis, five and Elsie, 16 months. Helen confirmed the pair had split last year. She said: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”
But Richie has now been issued a warning over the “impact” his new baby could have on his older kids. Rachel FitzD, a parenting expert from The Baby Show, exclusively told ED! that Helen and Richie will face new co-parenting challenges as he gets to grips with life in a blended family.
Richie Myler issued warning over kids with Helen Skelton
Rachel warned that Richie may have many challenges ahead when it comes to his older kids as he welcomes the new baby. She explained: “New babies in a ‘blended’ family can cause a whole mix of feelings to bubble up for everyone, not least of all the children from a previous relationship. They might wonder where they now fit in the parent’s life. They might question: is the new baby going to get more love and attention?”
A sensitive child might fret about the impact this could have on their own mum.
Rachel explained that Richie’s older children might feel protective of mum Helen, too. She said: “If Dad has a new baby with a new partner then a sensitive child might fret about the impact this could have on their own mum. They may try to ‘look after’ their parent and squash down their own feelings.”
Rachel offered advice for the “complex feelings” children who find themselves in such a situation may face. She told us: “The most important element in helping children to cope with a new arrival is in acknowledging their complex feeling and validating them. It also really helps to ask for the child’s own ideas of what would help.”
Rachel also advised that Richie will have to give “realistic reassurance” to his older kids. She explained: “Of course, parents should also give realistic reassurance. Tell them: ‘Babies do take up a lot of time. It will be tricky at times. I’m always here for you and my love for you won’t change, even if I’m a bit tired and grumpy sometimes!'”
Co-parenting with ex Richie is ‘bound to become tricky’ for Helen, expert warns
While Helen previously said the former couple would “do their best” to co-parent when they split, Rachel has warned that co-parenting is bound to become a lot trickier with Richie’s newborn.
She shared: “There are only so many hours in a day and a new baby can gobble up most of those pretty fast, so trying to co-parent across two families is bound to be tricky no matter how determined we are to succeed. Setting realistic expectations together helps to prevent disappointments, and writing down agreed commitments can keep everyone accountable.”
She added: “Rather than one parent deciding what level of input is needed and them then telling the other, it is much better if each couple sits down together. They can draw up a list of everything which needs to be done and then each choose for themselves which element they feel able to commit to.”
Helen Skelton left doing ‘far more childcare’ since split
Strictly star Helen Skelton and husband Richie welcomed their youngest daughter, Elsie, in December 2021. Rachel speculated that Helen is inevitably left doing “far more childcare” since the split.
She explained: “There is no doubt that, when a relationship breaks down, one parent generally takes up far more slack in terms of childcare. It is inevitable. So Helen will almost certainly have been doing far more childcare of her youngest since her partner left. Richie will almost certainly have been doing less,” she claimed.
She warned that hard work is ahead for Richie to co-parent across two families: “Richie will have to plan and work very diligently to ensure he honours his commitment to continue to co-parent his older children. Good communication is key. When that is difficult to maintain, getting help from a trained professional can be vital to helping children feel secure and loved.”
Read more: Helen Skelton’s ex Richie Myler welcomes baby with girlfriend
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