Billie Faiers opens up about mum guilt as she balances work after becoming a family of five

BILLIE Faiers has opened up about 'mum guilt' as she balances her work commitments after becoming a family of five.

The 33-year-old shares her three children Nellie, eight, Arthur, six, and four-month-old Margot with husband Greg Shepherd, 38.

The former Towie star has a very busy work schedule.

She juggles filming for her ITVBe series Billie and Greg: The Family Diaries, recording the The Sam & Billie Show podcast, creating content, and many more with being a mum.

Luckily Billie thinks that she's always "been quite good at having a balance with family life and work life".

However, speaking exclusively to The Sun about Disney's The Wonder of Play campaign, Billie said: "I think mum guilt is definitely a thing.

"It's definitely something that I've had over the years, and yes I feel like sometimes it is down to work."

When either Nellie or Arthur ask why she's got to do work, Billie explains exactly why she's doing it.

"We're so open and honest with the kids, and I think that you do just have to be honest, and that is why we're working," Billie said.

"It's ultimately so that, you know, we can have a nice life and it's all for them.

"I think Mum guilt does kick in, but I feel like I just try and have a bit of a balance, I think, obviously, at the minute, it feels quite a lot, because I have gone back to work pretty soon, I think most women have a year maternity leave for some jobs, and that's amazing.

"But obviously for me, it doesn't really work like that, it's hard. It's hard just to say: 'Oh no I can't, I'm just going to take a year out'.

"It would be difficult. Then on the flip side of that, a lot of mums wouldn't be able to take their babies to work, whereas I can.

"So it's hard. It's just getting the balance, but I'm starting to get the balance a bit now. In the beginning it felt a bit over whelming, but now I'm settled a bit more."

So taking part in the Disney campaign was the perfect fit for Billie as it encourages parents and children to play more together.

One thing that the older kids love to do with their mum is getting involved in the kitchen, but especially cake baking.

Billie said: "So my two I absolutely love to get involved in any type of cooking, even if it's like buttering bread, obviously cakes, they love to make cake."

Disney and the Institute of Imagination joined forces to commit to get people playing together more.

Billie told us: "I know that Disney have done a lot of research as well. And it just shows that there's so much more benefits playing with kids, and actually like getting involved them like it helps with their, like social skills, their creativity.

"I just feel like it's so important as adults. I feel like it's so easy, isn't it...

"Sometimes the day goes by I think 'I haven't actually sat down and played with them, or read with them or done something. And I feel like even if it's 10 minutes, it means so much to them."

• Billie Shepherd headlines Disney’s The Wonder of Play campaign – a global initiative drawing on Disney’s 100-year legacy of timeless stories and characters – to inspire families to play together more. As part of the campaign Disney has joined forces with the Institute of Imagination to create a Manifesto for Imaginative Play, following research revealing parents believe that play has a huge impact on children’s development.