Kate Ferdinand says ‘being a step-parent can be the hardest thing you’ll ever do’

Kate Ferdinand shared an insight into the highs and lows of being a step-parent as she admitted it ‘can be the hardest thing you’ll ever do’. 

The former TOWIE star, 30, has formed a close bond with husband Rio’s three children; Lorenz, 14, Tate, 12, and Tia, 10, but says being a step-parent is not always easy.

Kate, who welcomed son Cree to the world last December, took to her Instagram stories on Wednesday to ask others in her position how they were finding it.  

Kate wrote: ‘Even if you are a totally confident parent, being a step-parent can be the hardest thing you’ll ever do.

‘Don’t give up. You make an important difference. It may take years, but you’ll learn things and said that changed their lives for the better. You’ve been placed in their lives for a reason.’

‘I always think and wonder how other step parents are doing, are you all ok?? Keep going’.

Kate took to Instagram on Thursday morning after being inundated with messages from her followers. 

She wrote: ‘Morning, I’ve been reading through all of your responses from last night and wow… sending all my fellow stepparents lots of love and support. 

‘Many of you are feeling grateful but overwhelmed, stressed, pushed out and are struggling.

‘1 more question for you all… Where do you go to for support when you’re feeling ‘stuck’? 

‘Do you speak to friends? Any specific social pages that help? I salute you all. It can be tough but remember you are doing the best you can’.  

Last month Kate revealed she cried in secret while learning to be a stepmother to her husband Rio’s three children. 

The television personality shared a statement about life as a stepmum to Lorenz, Tate, and Tia who Rio, 42, had with his late wife Rebecca Ellison.

The post read: ‘A good stepmom (sic) is not made she is built. She is built by the hardships of her role, the tears she cries in secret, and by the lessons, she learns through trial and error. 

‘The passionate stepmom lives in all of us. She makes mistakes. She has strong opinions that she often can’t express. She remains quiet when she wants to scream. 

‘She makes sacrifices others might not be capable of. She learns how to love in so many different ways. And she gives.

‘She gives her heart, her soul, and her life to making sure a child she didn’t give birth to smiles, has wonderful memories, and – most importantly – feels loved.’ 

It comes after Kate recently confirmed she has no plans to have more children any time soon, insisting she would be a ‘madwoman’ to do so after giving birth to son Cree in December. 

She told MailOnline: ‘I think four is enough, there’s already a lot going on and lots of crying,’ she said. ‘It’s a busy house. So I think I’d be a madwoman if I wanted anymore! Four is plenty for now.’

Content with her current family set-up, she gushed over her husband and said: ‘Rio has been amazing with Cree, he’s a wonderful dad, the kids love having the little one too!’ 

Kate has been open about the challenges she has faced since welcoming Cree, as she admitted earlier this month that exhaustion and anxiety had reached an ‘all-time-high’ following the birth. 

The mother needed an emergency caesarean section while in labour, which she is still recovering from after not being able to walk for six weeks.

According to Kate, the difficulties she has faced as a parent aren’t always truthfully portrayed or discussed on social media.

She said: ‘It’s important to be honest on Instagram and share your feelings, even if I’m feeling down, emotional or haven’t managed to do something that I was planning on doing.

‘I feel like a lot of the time, people aren’t open, especially when it comes to pregnancy or becoming a new mum. They always want to put up the best picture without showing the reality.