Rachel Riley has spoken about the challenges of balancing her career with raising two young daughters, describing her family life with husband Pasha Kovalev as "ships passing in the night." The couple, married in 2020, are parents to Mave, six, and Noa, four. They actively coordinate their schedules to ensure one parent is typically home with their children.
Riley explained that before agreeing to new projects, she and Kovalev "check each other's diaries" to maintain this balance. Kovalev is scheduled to embark on the "Legends Of The Dancefloor Tour" with other "Strictly Come Dancing" professionals from September through November. Riley has focused on completing her work commitments before his tour begins to maximize time with the children.
"Juggle is the optimum word," Riley stated. "Before we do anything, we have to kind of check each other's diaries."
She noted that while she and Kovalev strive for one parent to be present, it's not always possible. Riley believes it is beneficial for children to witness their parents working and having separate lives, as it teaches them about the value of money. However, she emphasized that they "definitely prefer it if one of us is at home."
Riley recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kovalev was able to spend considerable time with their daughters when his stage work was canceled. She added that as the children have grown, the distinction in parenting roles has shifted. "When they were younger, I had the boobs, and that was the difference with the parenting. Now that's not an issue, we’re just kind of equal. It's really nice."
Domestic Responsibilities
Riley also commented on the division of labor in family life, suggesting that women often naturally assume a larger share of domestic duties. "I think naturally the women take on a lot of the workload and the birthday parties and the presents and the 'I need to get a thank you card for this person and I need to do a non-uniform day here,'" she said.
She believes that in many households, these tasks tend to fall to one person, "more often than not, from my experiences, it's the woman." Riley concluded that as long as the children are happy, the dynamic works, likening it to "Yin and Yang" and humorously noting, "He takes the bins out!"
Battery Safety Campaign
Riley has partnered with Energizer for their "Summer Safety Swap" campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the dangers of small lithium coin batteries if accidentally swallowed by children. The campaign encourages families to check their homes for potential battery hazards.
"We don't necessarily talk about battery safety and with all the summer holidays, kids are around a lot more at home, so it's a good time to check that everything's safe," Riley explained. She highlighted Energizer's new Ultimate Child Shield™ batteries, which feature technology designed to prevent ingestion burns. If swallowed and coming into contact with saliva, these batteries reportedly turn the mouth blue and have a bitter taste.
Riley stressed the importance of preventative measures, especially during the summer holidays when children are frequently at home, hosting playdates, or visiting relatives. She noted that houses may not always be baby-proof and emphasized the need for parents to be mindful of potential hazards, such as safely disposing of and recycling batteries. "Prevention is better than cure, especially with summer holidays," she stated.