Coleen Nolan opens up about her latest family struggle
January can be a tough time of the year for many, but for Coleen Nolan it’s been a particularly difficult month as she’s waved goodbye to her youngest child, daughter Ciara, who’s gone travelling without a return ticket.
Unsurprisingly, the Loose Women star is feeling emotional about her last child flying the nest, especially as she’s so far away and Coleen isn’t sure when she’ll be home. ‘Her and her boyfriend, they’re going on the 18th [January],’ Coleen revealed, ‘but they have no set date on when they’re coming back.’ She added, ‘They’ve worked really hard and saved up and I’m so proud of them both, but honestly, I just can’t stop crying.’
Empty nest
Despite her pain, Coleen revealed that she tries to keep her emotions to herself and not let 22-year-old Ciara know how tearful she feels, explaining, ‘I’m trying not to [cry] in front of her because I’m thrilled and I’m proud because what an amazing thing to do. But it’s like losing my best friend.’
And when her Loose Women co-star Ruth Langsford admitted that Coleen will likely struggle without Ciara because she helps the singer ‘run her life’, Coleen added, ‘She is the mother of the house. My son texted me the other day and went, “This is going to do you good, Mum, because you need to grow up.”’
Coleen, who also has sons Shane, 35, and Jake, 31, previously revealed her struggles when it comes to her children leaving home, admitting, ‘Empty nest is a real thing, who knew?’ Adding, ‘Whether we like it or not, mum guilt is a thing, even though it shouldn’t be. I still have it now when I’m absent, even though my kids are adults.’
And revealing how she’s finding it difficult to accept that her offspring need her less now, she said, ‘When the children were younger I thought I’d be thrilled when they became independent, but it’s the opposite. I’ve been feeling so redundant, like I don’t have a purpose any more.’
Mental-health battle
Ciara’s departure is likely all the more tough for Coleen considering her own personal struggles lately. Before Christmas, the star revealed that she’d taken time off work due to stress. ‘I’ve had a week off this week. I was getting a bit stressed [with] so many things happening... and I just thought, [it’s] very important for your mental health to just sometimes go, “I can’t
