Alesha Dixon’s daughter experiences tantrums just like any other toddler.
The 37-year-old mum to Azura proved motherhood isn’t always easy as she discussed the ups and downs of having a (nearly) three-year-old.
Asked if she has to deal with toddler tantrums, Dixon told The Huffington Post UK: “Oh yes, oh yeah she’s the queen of them!
“I don’t know where she gets it from. She is very determined and if she’s upset about something or not happy, she lets you know.
“They usually are after she’s had a nap and you’ve woken her up and she’s so angry you’ve woken her up!”
Dixon gave birth to Azura, her only child with her husband Azuka Ononye, in October 2013.
As any other mother will agree, Dixon said it’s just part of the package of having a toddler.
“Other than that, she is so funny,” she said. “She makes us hysterically laugh and we are so lucky to have her.”
She said going from having a newborn baby to a walking, talking toddler has been a journey.
“When they get to three, you can communicate with them a lot better so it does make life a lot easier,” she explained.
“I think when they are two, they get frustrated quite easily because they are trying to communicate something and they can’t.
“I also love this age because they are very talkative and their characters come out and they’re own little personality shines - it’s lovely.
“Each stage we’ve been at has had its challenges and each stage has been really wonderful as well - that’s life when you’re a parent.”
Since her time in ‘Mis-Teeq’, Dixon has taken up many TV roles including ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
She admitted juggling work and motherhood can be challenging at times, but she’s lucky to have the support system of her partner and her mum at home.
What she has realised in the past three years is that trying to make everything “perfect” isn’t always the best solution.
“The reality is, every single day is different, every day has a new challenge and you have good days and bad days as a parent,” she said.
“It’s just learning to make peace with that and not trying to change it because it is what it is so you just get on with it.”
Dixon said if she’s had a bad day or feels frustrated, she reminds herself that as a parent, you never stop learning.
“Even when Azura is 16/17, there will be a new set of challenges and so I try to go with the flow and do the best I can not beating myself up about it,” she added.
“I haven’t suffered with the whole parent guilt thing. I hate leaving her because I love her so much but I don’t have that guilt because she is happy and it’s about her adapting to what our lifestyle is, which is very different every week.”
Dixon said by having Azura seeing her going out to work, she hopes to open her eyes up to the industries she could get into in the future.
“Since doing this job I’ve seen so many ideas and opportunities in different work areas that I never knew about at school,” she said.
“Through our work, she will be opened up to these possibilities and I love that.”
Aside from inspiring her daughter’s career choices, Dixon said if there was one life lesson she could teach Azura as she grows up, it would be about compassion.
“I really hope that she is a compassionate person and has empathy and understanding of different cultures and different people,” Dixon said.
“I’d like her to really understand that all human beings are on a journey trying to figure it out.”