Honest mum Kat was announced as the winner of Parental Guidance 2023 with her unique take on parenting.
Overcome with emotion during the June 20 finale, the mother of twins Jesse and Billy could hardly speak when her name was called.
“It was the most surreal feeling,” Kat told Chattr during an interview before the announcement was made. “Initially I heard my name and thought someone was about to ask me a question. It was humbling, seriously humbling, so I was quite blown away!”
The Honest parenting style can be described as “no BS – just raw, honest, and straight to the point” and Kat admits that there are three contributing factors that got her to this place.
“My parenting style has developed over many years,” she said. “Three major things have contributed to where I am – my own personal upbringing, constantly reflecting on the mistakes I have made (because we all make them!), and reminding myself that it’s perfectly acceptable to remember I’m human too.”
While, at the end of the day, “we all joke around about parenting being a bit of a s**t show”, Kat admits that “no one is perfect”.
“As long as we all try and learn from lived experiences and ask for help when we need it, that’s all that matters.”
The only single parent on the show, Kat revealed where she got her strength from.
“For so many years, I was quite the people pleaser. It’s only recently that I have learnt the art of saying no! The more I did this, the more confident I became which built an empowering sense of self-worth and the rest is learning to want that for your children too.”
Kat reflects on the Computer Safety Challenge
During episode one of the season, Kat’s daughter Billy gave out her address to an actor playing a complete stranger on the internet and then lied to Kat about doing so.
“The online safety [challenge] was a very emotional challenge for us,” Kat recalled. “Contrary to some belief, I was not at all mad at Billy for lying about giving out our street address, I was mad and disappointed in myself and the way I came into questioning her.
“This has me now walking into tricky conversations with a much softer approach so that they can feel safe to unravel.”
Kat on the overall Parental Guidance experience
For Kat, the experience of Parental Guidance is certainly one she — and her kids — will never forget.
“The twins loved it,” she said. “We did watch [the show] together, and they have become so much more confident from this experience as a whole.”
As for meeting the other parents, she said: “I’ve always looked at myself as having a pretty big personality, but there was a lot of personality within this group of parents.
“I met some amazing human beings, both cast and crew, but I really appreciated having the chance to digest and reflect on it all at the end of each day alone. At 48 I was ready for an adventure and what an adventure it was!”
And if she could give advice to her younger self?
“If I had to bring it all back to one thing, it would be this…..don’t try and be perfect, it’s not sustainable, mend things as quickly as you can, talk less and listen more.”
Stream all episodes of Parental Guidance on 9 and 9Now.
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