helen skelton

Helen Skelton responds to media 'storm' after 'screaming' son is asked to leave playgroup

Content Managing Editor
January 31, 2017

When Helen Skelton revealed that her son was asked to leave a playgroup because of his tantrum, she wasn't expecting the incident to make national news. She had written a couple of candid Instagram posts, revealing that her son Ernie had "screamed the place down" and they were asked to leave after 20 minutes.

Various media outlets picked up on Helen's posts, detailing the experience she called the "worst day" of her parenting life.

But following the intense media interest around her son, Helen clarified that she wanted to take responsibility. She tweeted: "Wow storm in a tea cup: we love the French crèche. Staff are superb! Can't account for a toddler mood sometimes! My fault not theirs xx."

helen skelton1© Photo: Instagram

Helen admitted that her son's first playgroup session didn't go well

Helen's first post showed 19-month-old Ernie walking across the playground into the crèche. "French play group .... let's do this .... why do I feel sick ....." she wrote, adding that she was "nervous".

A few minutes later the former Blue Peter presenter shared a selfie from the car, showing Ernie fast asleep in the seat behind her. "Worst day of my parenting life," she confessed. "Asked to leave after 20 mins. Screamed the place down screaming his version of "mama let's go!" Constantly. #parentfail #kidswinning #mumfail #childcare."

Exclusive: Helen introduces baby Ernie in HELLO!

© Photo: Instagram

"Worst day of my parenting life," she confessed

Her followers reached out to her, with one writing: "It's all part of the tough job that we have as parents... but we are equally fortunate to have such a great job. Take strength from all of us who say it's normal... tomorrow is another day."

"Not a mum fail at all," another follower wrote. "Gosh it's so hard. My little boy still has a few tears nearly 3 years on. Think you're doing amazingly well juggling everything. There will be better days ahead.... X."

Helen moved to Perpignan, France in 2015 with her husband Richie Myler, who plays for the rugby league side Catalan Dragons. The couple recently announced that they are expecting their second child.

Find out what Helen's husband had to say about her Olympics outfits

Helen, 33, enlisted the help of her young son to announce the exciting news. In the first snap, little Ernie laughed while holding a sign that read: "Ready for my partner in crime, due Spring 2017." She captioned the photo: "Three getting set to become four. #newbaby #feelinglucky." Helen then added a second photo of the family together, writing: "#newbaby."

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