‘We take so much for granted!’ Kate Ferdinand admits she felt ‘anxious’ at start of lockdown

Kate Ferdinand has admitted that she felt ‘anxious’ and ‘stressed’ at the start of lockdown due to a lack of routine.

The former TOWIE star, 28, candidly spoke to MailOnline about homeschooling husband Rio’s three children Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, nine, during the current COVID-19 crisis. 

Despite initially struggling with the lockdown, Kate has created an online community of support thanks to her candid Instagram updates, squat challenge and Ferdinand Fitness YouTube channel, which has helped her focus and realise she’s ‘not alone’. 

Kate admitted that the lockdown period has made her aware of how much we all ‘take stuff for granted’ and her online presence has been like ‘therapy’ as she can talk to other people who are struggling with the current crisis. 

The star has now teamed up with BT for their Skills for Tomorrow programme which has launched a free online toolkit of educational activities and games for primary school children to help those homeschooling during the current lockdown. 

Kate told MailOnline: ‘I just think it’s a little something for us to do everyday. At the beginning of lockdown, I felt a bit anxious and stressed, I didn’t have a lot of routine. 

‘I know it sounds silly the squat challenge, it might only take you ten minutes but it just gives you a little something to do every day which can keep you focused. I think it’s quite good, you feel like you’re in a little community doing it together. 

‘What I love about Ferdinand Fitness we have been doing it with bottles of water, detergent, everyone can do it, you don’t have to have all tech and equipment to all do it together. It gets you through this time.’ 

Candidly discussing her homeschooling experience so far, the star said: ‘For the first three weeks of homeschooling and we’re back in it now. I was just so overwhelmed and I sometimes feel like some of the stuff the children are getting taught, I don’t know the answer to. 

‘I think through social media, I have been speaking to other people and they are all struggling. I feel like it’s really important for us all to share the best ways we can do things and help each other. None of us have been in this situation before.’ 

Kate also admitted that she was initially ‘nervous’ about sharing updates of her stepchildren and homeschooling as they’re a ‘private’ family.

She said: ‘I think we’ve always been quite private, so I was a bit nervous but then it is the reality of our life. We started putting things on there, it’s actually been like a bit of therapy, people messaging back, “Oh, I feel the same”, then you don’t feel so alone. 

‘It’s quite enjoyable, I put Rio on there having a little nap, I caught him while I was cooking, having a little snooze. It was quite funny. I think everyone thinks everyone else is dealing with it perfectly, so just to have a bit more reality around it and relate to other people who aren’t finding it super easy that helps.’

Kate added that she and Rio are finding it ‘quite difficult’ to balance all aspects of their busy lives, especially homeschooling three children at different stages of education.

She said: ‘It was difficult at the beginning and then we had a big Easter break so it was really fun now yesterday we got straight back into it. I put on my Instagram, I had a bit of anxiety about getting back into it. Quite a lot to do this term for our kids. 

‘It’s about trying to get the balance of making it fun as well as doing school work and trying to manage a good family life as well. It’s quite difficult to manage but we’re getting there slowly. 

‘It’s quite hard for us having three children and all having sessions at different times so you have to be everywhere at once but it’s day two back in. We’re seeming more settled then yesterday so I think by the end of the week we should be feeling a bit better.

‘It’s hard, we’re not teachers and we’re trying to teach, work, cook, workout and do loads of things. It’s difficult to manage but I think everyone is in the same situation, aren’t they?’ 

Yet despite the couple coming to terms with the new dynamic, Kate insisted that the children are finding it ‘OK’ and they’re adapting each day as a family.

She said: ‘I think we’re all going through it together learning everyday like we are. It’s a different way, we’ve never done anything like this before. They are OK, children adapt quickly, we are all adapting to it on a daily basis.’

Kate also joked that at the beginning she was taking the reigns of homeschooling but now it is shared between herself and Rio, she said: ‘I think at the beginning I thought it was more me but to be fair, Rio is working as well.

‘It’s hard we dip in and out we are quite an equal partnership. We share everything, Rio helps with a lot. He helps cooking, so it’s split equally. I am lucky!’

Despite initially struggling with lockdown, Kate revealed that she is now enjoying it as she can finally get things ticked off around the house, although she misses her friends and family.

The star has even been dropping off food from a distance for her grandma, 76, who lives alone and has been sending her virtual hugs.

She said: ‘I do miss my friends and family but we’ve been doing online quizzes and things like that, so I still get to see their faces. I am quite enjoying it, not sure if anyone else is? 

‘Loads of stuff like I’ve wanted to do forever in the house but we’re always really busy. Cleaning out the cupboard and silly things like that. We’re getting quite a lot of family time together because you know both of us work it’s quite nice to be honest. 

‘I am just missing friends and family apart from that not too bad. All these little things help me get through, I have been organising whatever you can imagine to organise!’

Kate sweetly added that she is looking forward to having dinner out with her friends and family after lockdown. She said: ‘Just being with people rather than living in our house. 

‘Just spending some nice quality time, I feel like we take that for granted, we take for granted so much stuff just to spend time with people and have a nice dinner out.’     

Talking about her new campaign with BT and the free online toolkit to help people homeschooling, Kate said: ‘This is just really sort of fun, it’s fun little games for the kids to play. 

‘They are only 10 minutes long they don’t feel like they’re doing work and they’re learning stuff about tech, how to make logos and things like that. 

‘So it’s sort of a little break, you can have a ten minute break because it’s easy little games. Tia doesn’t feel like it’s work, which is good. They are learning and having a bit of fun, it’s amazing!’

She added: ‘I feel like it’s really important for us all to share the best ways we can do things and help each other. None of us have been in this situation before. 

‘So if I can help anyone to give them a spare ten minutes by telling them about the app. Just to sit down for ten minutes in silence, it doesn’t happen often in our household!’ 

The Skills for Tomorrow tool kit can be found on the BT website.