Kate Ferdinand says she 'still struggles' as a step-mum and fears Rio's kids 'hate' her as they open up on blended family arguments

Kate Ferdinand has admitted she 'struggles' with being a step-mother and fears husband Rio's children 'hate' her during rows.The former TOWIE star, 35, spoke about family life in the latest episode of her podcast, Blended. Kate co-parents Tate, 18, Lorenz, 20, and Tia, 15, who her husband Rio had with his late wife Rebecca, who tragically died from breast cancer in 2015 aged 34. Despite having a close relationship with Rio's three children, Kate said there are times where she doubts herself as a step-mother. Kate, who is mother to Shae, three, and Cree, five, said: 'I still struggle. Like there's been many times when I go, "Oh my god, like what do I do? They're not listening to me. They hate me". 'But you just have to keep pushing. You can't give up. The dad can't take your responsibilities away.' Kate Ferdinand has admitted she 'struggles' with being a step-mother and fears husband Rio's children 'hate' her during rows (pictured with Lorenz, left and Tate, right) The former TOWIE star, 35, spoke about family life in the latest episode of her podcast, BlendedKate was told by her co-host Priscilla Kessie that Rio's children felt safe enough with her to show their emotions and not hide away. She then clashed with husband Rio who said he asks their children 'why are you crying?' if they have outbursts when he tells them 'no'. Rio said: 'I come from the background of like if you fall over enough and physically hurt yourself, you can cry. If you're told 'no' and you start crying, "what you crying for?"'That's the way I've been brought up.'Rio argued that Kate does the opposite and tells them it's OK to cry and show their emotions, with the outcome being their differences of opinion on parenting is one of the main things they bicker about. In a previous episode of Kate's podcast, Tate revealed he tried to sabotage his father's relationship with Kate out of 'loyalty' towards his late mother.He admitted he told lies about her 'meeting random men' and 'locking him and his siblings in a room' after she moved into their family home in 2018.During the frank conversation, Kate and Tate reflected on the 'hell of a journey' they've been on as he admitted there was a period when he 'hated' her. Kate who is mother to Shae, three, and Cree, five, said: 'I still struggle. Like there's been many times when I go, "Oh my god, like what do I do? They're not listening to me. They hate me'Speaking about the 'jealousy' Rio's children felt, Kate retold the story of how a delivery containing a present for the former footballer led to Tate accusing her of 'meeting random men on the drive'.Kate said: 'Once I got a phone for Rio and the kids were asleep... someone came to drop it on the drive and they're a man.'Tate told people that when dad's not there, I'm meeting men on the drive. So then a few people thought that when Rio was out, I was meeting random guys on the drive.'Tate replied: 'You just had a hater in the house. I used to be so jealous. Not jealous, I don't even know the word, but I would try and like get into all of your business.'The television personality also revealed how trying to hide a Valentine's Day balloon delivery from Rio's children 'spiralled out of control', after they began to spread the lie she had 'locked them in a room'.'I said to the kids, 'Right, go in that room. Close the door,' because I had a delivery coming.'How it's come out is, 'When dad's not there, Kate locks us in the room.''She described the 'massive turmoil' she felt as people then began to question her if she 'was doing mad stuff' like locking the children in a room.Recalling his side of the story, Tate said: 'I was just in such a confused state of mind. I didn't know what was going on. Dad didn't really like surprise us with things like that.'So that was like a bit of a weird thing like, 'why am I being told to stay in here for five minutes?' You come back as if nothing's happened.'Tate added the incident happened during his 'half-hating' era and he would play 'mind games' on Kate by flipping between being loving to not speaking or even looking at her.'I remember when I hated you. I hated you. And then we might do something good and then I would flip straight away back into loving mode and then I'd have to almost lie about what I did before to get myself out of it,' he said.