Rachael Finch has revealed what it is really like in her household after being hit with accusations of ‘strict’ parenting.
The Australian TV host, 35, divided fans in recent weeks by revealing she only gives her kids an hour and a half of screen time per day and sharing a ‘controversial’ change to their meals.
She also hit back at critics who slammed her behaviour at her daughter Violet’s cross-country race, where she was seen screaming words of encouragement and jogging beside her daughter.
Now, Rachael – who is married to Michael Miziner – has clarified her comments on her kids’ screen time as she gave an insight into what life in her household is really like.
She took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to share a string of impassioned posts discussing her parenting as she did her skincare and got ready for the day.
Her two children – Violet, eight and Dominic, five – could be heard laughing and shrieking in delight in the background as they appeared to be playing in another room.
Defending herself, she said she believes it would be ‘bad parenting’ to let her children go on screens for any longer each day as she discussed their daily lives.
‘I feel like I’m allowing my kids over an hour of sitting on that device without moving or doing anything that will benefit their brain is actually bad parenting,’ she said.
Rachael Finch has revealed what it is really like in her household after being hit with accusations of ‘strict’ parenting
‘It’s actually harder to entertain them without a device, finding them things to constantly do, keeping them entertained and excited, keeping them from killing each other!’
‘It’s harder work, but you’re criticised for it, it just baffles me,’ she added.
She compared her own childhood with her kids as she told how she hardly ever watched TV when she was younger as she discussed the changes in technology.
‘I remember going into my parents room and saying “I’m bored”, and they’d be like “It’s good to be bored” – the same thing I’m saying to Violet and Dom now,’ she went on.
‘You walked away and you found something to do like a game, or rearrange your cupboard, or play some music, or go outside, build cubby houses.’
As she did her skincare and got dressed in the videos, her two children could be heard screaming in delight as they seemed to be playing in another room.
After being called ‘strict’ for only letting her kids Violet and Dominic have one hour of screen time, Rachael addressed the remarks and gave an insight into her family life in a candid video
Her latest comments come after Rachael revealed she and her husband Michael only let their children have recreational screen time for an hour and a half per day.
Sharing their busy daily schedule on Instagram, the fitness influencer told how her kids are only ‘allowed technology’ while she’s in meetings from 11.30am until 1pm.
She was also recently criticised by fans when she shared a video of herself jogging behind Violet while screaming words of encouragement during a cross country race.
Rachael then hit back at the critics in an Instagram video on May 30 and insisted she was just ‘motivating her child to do her best’.
‘Just a quick message to anyone wanting to criticise or personally attack me for wanting to support, encourage and motivate my child to do the very best that she can do,’ she said.
‘Just a couple of things. One, check your facts. And two, check back in eight or so years when Violet is an adult to see the progress.’
It comes after Rachael recently criticised by fans when she shared a video of herself jogging behind Violet while screaming words of encouragement during a cross country race
Journalists Amy, Kate and Sophie Taeuber had taken aim at the blogger on their Outspoken podcast, describing her approach as ‘next level’ and arguing it could have ‘put off’ the other kids in the race.
They pointed out that there would have been plenty of children running behind Rachael, given that Violet placed 12th out of 100.
Rachael often passionately hits back at comments about her parenting as she previously slammed trolls who accused her of ‘underfeeding’ her children with a ‘strict’ diet.
In April, she was branded an ‘almond mum’ and accused of ‘endangering’ her kids after sharing a video of herself making them ‘naked burgers’ using lettuce cups instead of bread rolls.
‘Almond mum’ is a pejorative term for a mother who pushes disordered and unhealthy eating habits on her children. It is often used to refer to parents who are ‘obsessed’ with nutrition.
A fired-up Rachael argued that the baseless accusation was frankly ‘hilarious’ as she slammed the critics of her healthy dinners.
Sharing a photo of herself cuddling up to her two children, Rachael wrote: ‘Someone officially labeled me an “almond mum” this week.
‘Definition according to Google: “A parent who follows incredibly strict or dangerously unhealthy eating habits and attempts to force them on their children.”
‘This was because I made naked burgers for dinner (meat patty and veggies wrapped in a lettuce cup).
‘Whilst it’s downright nasty, it’s also absurdly hilarious. I’ve become a pro at emotionally responding to these comments now.
‘I’ve had a giggle with a lot of you on what type of mum you would be if you were labelled by a food. Comment what type of food mum you would be?’
Rachael frequently passionately hits back at comments about her parenting as she previously slammed trolls who accused her of ‘underfeeding’ her children with a ‘strict’ diet
Several of Rachael’s followers agreed ‘almond mum’ was an unfair label as they flocked to support the star.
In her cooking video, Rachael was shown preparing mini beef burgers with vegetables, including gherkins, carrots and rocket, as well as smashed avocado and tomato sauce, for her children.
She placed the ingredients in a lettuce cup, rather than a bread roll, and was widely criticised for allegedly giving her kids ‘disordered eating’ with the healthy meal in a wild claim.
