Jeff Brazier hates asking for help when it comes to looking after his children.
Jeff Brazier
The 'This Morning' reporter - who has sons Freddie, 11, and Bobby, 12, with the late Jade Goody - has admitted he's relieved his sons are going back to school because he struggles to look after them on his own during the holidays.
Speaking about how his mum looked after them while he was working during the summer, Jeff said: "I feel like I'm always leaning on people, and I hate asking for help."
The 36-year-old star - who was left full custody of Jack and Freddie when Jade lost her battle with cancer in 2009 - claimed he's tried hiring professional help in the past but decided it was best to stick with family.
He told MailOnline: "We've had au pairs over the years but I haven't had one for the last nine months. We didn't have a good experience last time - she smoked and argued with her boyfriend every day on the phone."
Jeff believes, however, that his unfortunate "situation" has made him a better father.
He explained: "I've morphed into something quite different from your average dad. I'm probably far more sensitive to their feelings and I'm far more aware of when they need emotional support.
"There are little side effects of my situation where you become really good at doing quite a lot on your own.
"I've got an ability to push myself beyond tiredness because if I don't do it, it doesn't get done."
The former professional footballer also revealed he does as much as he can to keep Jade's memory alive.
He added: "I want the boys to know exactly where they're from.
"We dedicate the 15th of every month to Jade, and we always do what the boys want to do.
"We visit her grave most months and we talk about her more than ever at the moment. We've been going through their memory boxes and looking at pictures and magazine articles they haven't seen before or can't remember seeing."
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