Vogue Williams on how she's managing screentime with her kids

Charlotte Ryan Charlotte Ryan | 08-16 00:15

When I speak with Vogue Williams, she's doing drop off for her kids, though you'd never know it from the relative peace and quiet on her end of the phone. That is until pesto pasta is mentioned - her daughter Gigi's favourite meal.

A flurry of excitement swells up as we're talking about family favourite meals, with Vogue mentioning the humble classic as her favourite cheap eat from college right up to now.

Vogue has returned as ambassador for the Heinz and Barnardos' 'Heinz Meanz Mealz' campaign, in support of vulnerable families across Ireland, the star's second time doing so.

The campaign sees Heinz donate to Barnardos Breakfast Clubs for every special edition three-pack of beans bought, and is encouraging families to spend time around the table together.

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"I think when you actually see the statistics of what's going on in Ireland, it's terrifying because I just didn't know it was like that until I started doing the campaign last year", the broadcaster says. "So it's really important for people, I think, to get involved."

Making memories with her family and husband Spencer Matthews is high up on the priority list for the Howth native, from sharing a family meal to holidaying together. "Around dinner times, our kids all sit and have their dinner at five o'clock. They're all sitting enjoying dinner together."

That said, the balancing act of screen time is a well-known one in the Williams-Matthews household. It's one that she's trying to manage by setting examples: "Although I'm on my phone a lot and stuff for work I try not to walk into the house on my phone. I just don't want to be on it around the kids as much.

"When we travel, they get a lot of screen time on the plane and stuff like that. But at home, we really have to be careful with it because [eldest child] Theodore would be on it 100% of the time if we let him. So he's just got into a Nintendo Switch as well. My little brother showed him how to use that and got a Mario Kart for his birthday. That's the next thing there, is to try and explain that that's actually part of screen time.

"We try not to do it during the day, but on the weekends, they get to have a little bit at lunchtime and then a little bit in the evening."

Vogue and husband Spencer Matthews. Getty Images

And she's not completely immune to it either. Vogue recalls getting her first Game Boy and getting far more time on that than what her children do now. "I love Mario Kart, but I'm trying not to even have a go for his Nintendo Switch because I did have one a while ago. I was like, I'll get this for travelling. And it's so addictive that I actually gave it away."

She adds: "We try to limit it. But it could be a complete godsend as well."

"I would never judge somebody for letting their child use a screen, but I just think it's more about limiting it. And I think that although at dinner time, on a Saturday night, they can watch TV with their dinner as a treat, but the rest of the time we just try and keep it to them sitting chatting to each other."

Food, for so many of us, is one thing that can get us to drop our phones, especially when it's something extra delicious. At the top of Vogue's list (after pesto pasta) is a classic roast, she says.

"Spenny's mum is like, she does the best roast of anyone who has ever made a roast. Honestly, I'd love to have it now and we get a couple of days out of it as well."

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Living in London means that spending time with family is a core priority for Vogue, whether it's at home in Ireland or away with Spencer's family. With her little brother living with the couple at the moment, she's ever more aware and appreciative of the support her family gives her with raising her children.

With the cost of living crisis raging on, accessing support is ever more challenging for some Irish families, who are trying to pay bills, raise children, care for relatives and work. Finding the "village" it takes to raise a family can be increasingly difficult.

"Allowing people to offer you help and accepting it", Vogue says, can be a tough one to manage but an incredibly helpful one when in times of need.

"I think if you're struggling with having a solid group around you and you've got kids, genuinely go to a playground. I know it sounds insane, but I've made a couple of friends in London, and one of them is just from literally walking along the street and saying, Hi, hi, hi to whoever so often."

To learn more about Heinz and Barnardos' 'Heinz Meanz Mealz' campaign, click here.

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