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Parenting gets better every day

Manchester Evening News

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December 24, 2025

Former Love Islanders Olivia and Alex Bowen tell LISA SALMON about their 'golden' children - and supporting a new campaign to keep kids active

- LISA SALMON

AS the parents of a new baby and a toddler, you could forgive Alex and Olivia Bowen for feeling a little frazzled and worn out.

But although the couple, who met on ITV's Love Island in 2016, admit parenting three-year-old Abel and three-month-old Siena can be “hard work”, they both agree it’s getting better and better.

“It's hard work, there’s no two ways about it,’ says Olivia, 31. “It’s a difficult job, and it's hard when you've got two, especially when they're such different ages.”

Breaking off to point out affectionately: “Siena’s smiling at me, laughing at me while I’m talking,” she continues: “But it’s just the little moments that make everything worth it - you might have a hard day, and then you see their little faces, and it’s just worth every minute.”

And Alex, 34, adds: “Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it can be difficult, like when Abel’s running around and you're trying to do some housework or make food, and you've got to look after the baby as well if Liv’s popped out. That’s been the most difficult thing.

“But seeing their faces light up, or Abel just doing something really cute - it just gets better every day.”

And part of the reason the pair are so enamoured with parenting (as well as each other) is because their two little ones are so good, Alex explains.

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