Amazing Race Australia host Beau Ryan, 37, has shared with New Idea how he makes time for his family amidst a hectic work schedule, citing family-friendly gaming as a surprising way to connect and spend time with his kids.
WATCH: Beau Ryan talks about his family on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
The star has had a packed 2022, starring on The Amazing Race Australia, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here whilst also maintaining regular appearances on the morning talk show Studio 10.
But despite being short on time, Ryan says he has “perfected” the art of balancing his busy work calendar with family life.
“I always make sure to switch off when I get home from work. I’m very fortunate that when I get home from work [I live about an hour out of the city in Cronulla], I can use the drive to do any work calls so when I get home I can be more present,” Ryan told New Idea.
“I learned this in rugby league, a lot of my good coaches would teach us [players] how to switch off after leaving footy so I have just followed that philosophy now with everything I do in the media.”
According to Ryan, whilst he was in Europe to film Season 2 of The Amazing Race, he even managed to change his body clock so he was able to say good morning and goodnight to daughter Remi, 10, and son Jesse, 5.
“It was hard this year when I was hosting The Amazing Race because we were in Europe and the time zones were opposite but I actually got COVID right in the middle [of filming] so I actually changed my body clock back to the eastern time so I could say good morning and goodnight to my kids”.
“I’m quite needy like that”.
The former sports star turned TV host and doting dad said that whilst social media and technology were a great way to “stay connected”, with his family, especially whilst away for work, he, alongside childhood sweetheart and now wife Kara Orrell, 37, make sure to stay on top of how much screen time, and the type of screen time their children get.
“As a father there are so many threats to kids and so many things [like social media] to be worried about online,” Ryan said.
A brand new Nintendo Switch game – Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope – has proven a hit in his household, the game balancing out the screen time his kids desire with family-friendly fun.
“Mario + Rabbids connects us as a family and we spend time together first and foremost without any concerns about people interacting with our kids that we don’t know”.
“I always used to worry that we couldn’t bond over a screen or a game but this game has allowed that … seeing the animation on my kids’ faces as they play, my little man genuinely thinks he is saving the world so we let him keep believing that”.
When speaking of the future, Ryan said he was looking forward to more time with family in the coming months.
“There’s not much happening career-wise, but as soon as I find out I’ll let you know”.
Beau Ryan is an ambassador for the Ubisoft x Nintendo Switch video game Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, available now for purchase.
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