Kate Ferdinand has revealed the secret code she uses to communicate with her stepdaughter Tia.
The former TOWIE star, 31, is the stepmother to Rio’s three children, Lorenz, 15, Tate, 13 and Tia, 11 – whose mother Rebecca sadly died after a battle with cancer in 2015 – and the couple also have a son named Cree, two, together.
The TV personality is expecting a baby girl with Rio, a new addition to what she calls their “blended” family.
Speaking in Lorraine on Monday, she revealed that she and Tia had a secret code that told her when she wanted to talk about her late mother.
She said: ‘It’s really difficult when the kids are upset. Tia sends me the color as a heart which is her mom and grandma’s favorite color and that’s when she wants to talk about it or maybe she doesn’t want to but c is so that I know his feelings.
‘It’s really hard when the kids are upset’: Pregnant Kate Ferdinand has revealed the secret code she uses to communicate with her stepdaughter Tia, 11
Code: The former TOWIE star, 31, revealed she and Tia had a secret code that told her when she wanted to talk about her late mother (pictured with LR Lorenz, 15, Rio, Tia and Tate, 13 years)
Kate admitted it hasn’t always been easy throughout her stepchildren’s grieving journey, but she’s learned to navigate it and give them space.
She said: “There have been ups and downs. It wasn’t perfect but really communicating with the kids is important. It’s knowing how to take a step back and give them space.
The star, who has been married in Rio since 2019 after starting dating in 2016, also admitted it can be difficult settling into a family as an in-law.
Kate said: “The children have been through so much. It’s tough for a step-parent, it can be tough, but they say between the ages of four and seven you’ll feel settled.
She also talked about her new book, How to Build a Family, which aims to give advice to other in-laws.
The star said: “There have been difficult times and I hope the advice [in her new book] will help others, like going to the airport with a different last name is important.
Later, Kate joked about her and Rio’s new arrival in Lorraine, saying, “Another one, oh my.” Cree was the icing on the cake he bought us all together, so hopefully the little girl will be the same.
She also shared how she felt during her second pregnancy.
New book: Kate also spoke about her new book, How To Build A Family, which aims to give advice to other in-laws
Kate said: “I’m fine, I feel good but I also feel tired. I think I’ve been so busy that I haven’t thought about the logistics of having another baby yet.
The TV personality announced the release of her parenting manual How To Build A Family on Instagram in January.
The former TOWIE star couldn’t contain her excitement as she gushed about the ‘handbook of modern parenting’ aimed at helping blended families.
Kate said she was ‘nervous’ and ‘grateful’ to be able to share her advice and her own experiences.
She wrote in the reveal: ‘I’m so excited (and a little nervous) to finally share this with you all…I’ve written a book.
“How to Start a Family is the kind of modern parenting manual I wish I had received when I began my journey into a fully blended family.
‘It’s filled with expert advice, daily stories and some of my experiences along the way.
“He’s there to guide you on your journey and pick you up when you’re not feeling so well.”
“I’m so grateful that I was able to bring my vision to life and create something that will hopefully help others along their parenting journey.”
She concluded the post by thanking her team and described the news as “a real pinch moment.”
It comes after Kate previously admitted on her podcast that she “felt much better” being part of a blended family after five years with Rio.
She spoke openly about the challenges she faced becoming a stepmother to Rio’s three children.
In May last year she admitted she was more worried about the ‘big kids’, adding that the love for a stepson was ‘even more intense’.
The podcast host detailed the “instant love” with your biological offspring before adding, “I feel like a stepson’s love is sometimes even more intense because you’ve worked so hard. hard to get there and I probably find myself doing it all.”
Kate added to The Sun: “I worry a lot more about the big kids.” There is another kind of worry in children who have lost a parent.
In December, Kate said she felt like she knew her husband Rio’s late wife, Rebecca, because they “talk about her all the time”.
Kate also discussed raising her blended family on the Parenting Hell podcast, while detailing the changing dynamic with Rio and Rebecca’s three children.
She insisted she never wanted to take their mother’s place and that getting to know Rebecca made her a better parent.
She said: “Their mother is an integral part of our lives and always will be. I would never want the kids to think I’m playing the role of [Rebecca].
Family: Kate previously admitted on her podcast that she “felt a lot better” to be part of a blended family after five years with Rio
“I am a mother figure to them, but their mother is their mother. It is part of our lives. We talk about her all the time. It’s really weird but I feel like I know her.
She added: “For me to be the best parent of my three stepchildren, I have to know her and know what she would do.” I assume all of this.
“When I look back it was tough. But I have this mentality, I love Rio and if I love Rio then it has to work.
“I want to be a part of everything. I wouldn’t want to be a half-hearted mother-in-law. If I love him and the kids, I have to be a part of everything.