Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan is being hailed a 'real mum' after courageously pulling back the curtain on the less glamorous side of parenting. The 33-year-old shared a profoundly relatable moment with her followers, filmed in the stark light of her kitchen well past bedtime.
In a video posted to her Instagram, a tired but determined Helen is seen attempting to soothe her restless four-year-old son, who can be heard crying and running around the family home at 11:30 pm. The candid clip, set against a backdrop of a messy kitchen, showcases the exhausting reality many parents face but rarely see portrayed online.
The Reality of Late-Night Parenting
Instead of presenting a picture-perfect facade, Helen's post served as a powerful testament to the challenges of motherhood. Her honest caption accompanied the video, explaining her simple wish for a calm evening and acknowledging the universal struggle of dealing with an overtired child.
The response from her audience was immediate and overwhelmingly supportive. Thousands of fellow mothers flooded the comments section with messages of gratitude and solidarity.
A Wave of Support and Solidarity
Comments ranged from 'This is so real, thank you for sharing!' to 'It's 11:30 pm here too and my little one is still not asleep, we see you Helen!'. The post clearly resonated, with many praising her for normalising the difficult moments and breaking the illusion of constant parental perfection often curated on social media.
This isn't the first time Helen has been open about her parenting journey. The mother-of-three has previously spoken about her experiences with anxiety and the pressures of raising a young family, further cementing her connection with her audience through authenticity and vulnerability.
