Jamie Oliver says being a parent is both "enjoyment and pain".
The TV chef – who has Poppy, 17, Daisy, 16, Petal, 10, Buddy, eight and River, three, with his wife Jools – admits it can be a struggle raising his kids but he loves how "close" his family is.
Asked if he likes being a parent, he said: "Ummmm. Yeah. I mean, it’s the yin and yang of enjoyment and pain, isn’t it? And it’s different pain at different stages of one’s life. It just so happens that I have each stage in my life at this moment. I’ve got teenagers, I’ve got eight- and ten-year-olds and I’ve got a just-turned three-year-old. So I still have a child in my bed who sort of rattles around like an electric eel … But yeah … no, look, I love it. We’re a very close family."
And the 44-year-old television personality insists he is the disciplinarian in his household and doesn’t care if his children don’t like him because he thinks rules are very important.
He added: "They should have something like The Priory for parents of teenagers. It’s really tough, isn’t it? I’m not sure how good my teenage parenting has been. I think I’m still on a six or a seven out of ten from the girls. Which I think I’m fine with. I know I was a good nine or even a ten [when they were] younger … I mean, what does a nine [out of ten] look like as a parent of teenagers? Does that mean you go clubbing with them? … I’m the [disciplinarian] because I just expect certain behaviour, really. And I don’t really care if I’m liked."
And Jamie loves seeing his wife get older and he says he is much more in love with her now than he was when he was younger.
He told the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine: "Personally, I’ve absolutely enjoyed watching my wife get older. And she’s 45 in November … I’ve enjoyed my journey with Jools, it’s been great. I definitely think I’m more in love with her now than I was then… You know, I saw her yesterday, grabbed her bum, it was lovely! Nice. I even told her so. I said, ‘Lovely.’ She said, ‘P*** off.’"
Jamie Oliver: Being a parent is both ‘enjoyment and pain’
