His eldest son Bobby hit the headlines in August after he light-heartedly pleaded with fans for donations after claiming his dad will ‘kick him out’ if he doesn’t pay £200 a month rent.
And Jeff Brazier has opened up on the reason he charges his son, 17, rent during a candid discussion on parenting and his own childhood on Dave Berry’s Dadpod podcast.
The presenter, 41, said he believes that making his model son pay for bed and board at the family home is a ‘motivational tool’ that will instill a good ‘work ethic’ in him.
Parenting: Jeff Brazier has opened up on the reason he charges his son, 17, rent during a candid discussion on parenting and his own childhood on Dave Berry’s Dadpod podcast
Jeff had sons Bobby and Freddie, 16, with late ex Jade Goody, who passed away in 2009 following a battle with cervical cancer.
Speaking to Dave about raising his teenage sons as they enter into adulthood, Jeff explained: ‘If the work ethic isn’t there, then I would put some things in place in order to encourage that, such as charging Bobby rent.
‘That’s something I decided to do because I believe in that as a motivational tool for him to go and, you know, work four or five hours doing a pot wash in the local caff or the restaurant or whatever.’
Bobby is an up-and-coming model who made his runway debut as he walked for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week in January.
Life ;lessons: The presenter, 41, said he believes that making his model son pay for bed and board at the family home is a ‘motivational tool’ that will instill a good ‘work ethic’ in him
Gone too soon: Jeff had sons Bobby and Freddie, 16, with late ex Jade Goody, who passed away in 2009 following a battle with cervical cancer (pictured in 2006)
Former footballer Jeff also revealed that lockdown has allowed him to reconnect to his teenage boys in a way that might not have been possible previously.
He explained: ‘It’s been a very difficult time for everybody, but in terms of my family I’d say we can take small positives in the fact that we were able to reconnect in a way that teenagers don’t usually allow.
‘So, we went on our bike rides, we walked, we learned maybe a little bit more about each other than we would have otherwise, and I think it gave us all a bit of time to reflect.’
Being dad: Speaking to Dave about raising his teenage sons as they enter into adulthood, Jeff explained: ‘If the work ethic isn’t there, then I would put some things in place in order to encourage that, such as charging Bobby rent’
Making his own way: Bobby is an up-and-coming model who made his runway debut as he walked for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week in January
Meanwhile, Jeff, who also works as a life coach and has written a book on coping with grief, revealed he’s been in therapy for over two years to cope with the feeling of abandonment and rejection from his childhood.
Jeff was placed in foster care at five-years-old for a short period after his teenage mother struggled to raise him as a single parent. Jeff’s biological dad walked out on the family after he was born.
The star’s childhood also saw him spend time in a women’s refuge in Yarmouth, after his mum took him and his brother Spencer there when her relationship with his stepfather broke down.
Close: Former footballer Jeff also revealed that lockdown has allowed him to reconnect to his teenage boys in a way that might not have been possible previously
Speaking about the help he’s received as an adult, Jeff explained: ‘I’ve been in psychotherapy for a process called re-parenting which is to do with the childhood rejection and abandonment, you know, of being in foster care for however long I was in there.
‘The last two and a half years has been absolutely vital for me becoming the best version of myself, if you like, the version of myself that I may have been if the circumstances were different when I was younger…
‘I appreciate that not everybody can afford the different types of therapy that are available to you but if you are brave enough to do it, it is nothing short of life changing.’
Seeking help: Jeff also revealed he’s been in therapy for over two years to cope with the feeling of abandonment and rejection from his childhood
Jeff also told how he’s ‘lucky to be here’ after his mother was encouraged to abort him after falling pregnant aged just 15 and added that his unsettled childhood helped him to be a better parent to his boys.
He said: ‘I got across the line if you like and that’s the way I actually look at life, is that I’m just lucky to be here because really the odds were stacked against someone falling pregnant at that age and actually sort of seeing it through to having it….
‘It makes me appreciate my boys. All parents love their kids, you know, but I really, really appreciate them because I appreciate that I can have a relationship with them that I guess I would have really loved to have had with my biological father.’
Good father: Jeff also told how he’s ‘lucky to be here’ after his mother was encouraged to abort him after falling pregnant aged just 15 and added that his unsettled childhood helped him to be a better parent to his boys