Rachel Stevens talks about being a strong role model, juggling work and motherhood and what ‘sexy’ means to her in an exclusive interview for the March issue of Essentials magazine.

| 03 | Essential March 2016 / David Venni (Rachel – Photoshoot / Scans)

Rachel on perfection…
It’s easy to worry about being the perfect parent. I do it all the time. But it’s scary to think that you are responsible for this child’s everything. How do you help them become balanced people and be happy? I’m a perfectionist, but I’ve learned that you just can’t be perfect as a parent.

On being a good role model…
Be kind, but be strong – that’s how I try to be and that’s what I tell the girls. I really want to be a good role model for them and I think the most important thing is to make them believe in themselves. I’ve had times when I haven’t believed in myself and times where I have – you can achieve more when you do. I think if you have confidence in yourself you really can do anything.

On juggling work and motherhood…
Being a working mum is like one big juggling act. Some days I feel I’ve got it sorted, but often it feels like chaos. But I’m lucky that I get to do a job that I really love. I think it’s important to have something for yourself and I like going out to work. I’ve always been ambitious and that hasn’t changed. Last year, I was rehearsing for a new S Club 7 tour while flying out to Ireland every few days for The Voice. At the same time, I was still trying to be a mum for the girls. It was brilliant, but very full on.

On her pop idol…
Kylie Minogue has always been my idol. My mum still reminds me of the time when I was ten and went to one of her concerts. I was in awe of her dancing and singing, and I said to my mum, ‘I’m going to do that one day’. It was a dream that found me. I still admire Kylie for her longevity; she’s amazing, so professional. She works really hard and I remain a huge fan. I’ve only met her once and I was totally star struck.

On being a sex symbol…
I have never been overtly sexual. Too much flesh on show is overload. I am either bottoms out, top covered or top 
out, legs covered. Too much is too much; no one needs to see that. Most of the time I don’t feel all that sexy, although I will dine out on being FHM’s Sexiest Woman Of All Time until I’m 100.

To read the full interview with Rachel, pick up the latest issue of Essentials on sale now.

DailyMail also covered part of the mag interview…

She faced a backlash when she was photographed leaving her two young children in the car for 10 minutes as she dashed to the shops back in September. But Rachel Stevens has ferociously hit back, insisting she would never put her daughters – Amelie, four, and Minnie, 21 months, – in danger in a new interview with Essentials magazine. The former S Club 7 singer said: ‘I found it hard when I was criticised for running out of my car to run an errand while the girls were still in it.’ The 37-year-old added: ‘Parenting is always going to split judgement and you never have all the answers. I would never do anything to intentionally harm my girls; they are my life. ‘Whatever you do as a parent, you will be judged by other people. You can only do your best.’ Rachel went on to admit she worries about being the perfect parent ‘all the time’ but she’s learned to draw the line at self-criticising. Rachel was pictured leaving her two girls unattended for around 10 minutes in her car – which was parked on a north London high street – as she ran errands back in September. Parents were quick to blast her on social media but she also received a fair share of support for the mishap. Supernanny’s Jo Frost condemned the mother-of-two’s decision as ‘not a smart one’ but slammed those publicly shaming her. The Channel 4 star tweeted at the time: ‘I’m sure @MsRachelStevens is now aware that her parenting choice was not a smart one but… truly so fed up with celebs being publicly shamed. ‘It’s the tone of this public parenting police I don’t like. Stones and glass houses. Let’s teach love and educate.’ Rachel – who once graced the pages of lads’ mags at the height of her pop career – also discussed the ‘sex symbol’ label that’s so often attached to her as she insisted she doesn’t see herself as one. ‘Most of the time I don’t feel all that sexy, although I will dine out on being FHM’s Sexiest Woman Of All Time until I’m 100,’ she finished.