Christine McGuinness says she’s had a ‘mixture of emotions’ as her children return to school

Christine McGuinness admitted to feeling a ‘mixture of emotions’ as two of her three children returned to school on Wednesday.

The model, 32, took to Instagram where she shared a snap of her son Leo swimming, telling her fans that it wasn’t ‘an easy’ choice to make and that she just wants her children to be ‘happy and safe’.

Christine shares twins Leo and Penelope, six, and daughter Felicity, three, with Top Gear host husband Paddy, 46. 

Writing on her social media, Christine shared her thoughts on her children, who all have autism, returning to school and getting back into a routine, stating they’re taking it ‘one day at a time.’

In a lengthy statement, she wrote: ‘Back to school. It’s safe to say we have had a mixture of emotions the last couple of days, mainly from me, but mostly good!’

She continued: ‘It’s a personal choice sending your children back to school and not an easy one to make. We’re testing it out taking things one day at a time.

‘Trying just a couple of hours, seeing if the twins are happier and more settled with some routine back and if they can do school life safely then that’s we will do!’

And while Leo and Penelope attempt to settle back into a routine, Christine said the same couldn’t be said for her youngest Felicity, whom she says is ‘struggling so much.’

She added: ‘Ultimately I just want them to be happy and safe, which I feel they are.

‘We haven’t heard anything from nursery for our youngest yet, I have no idea if/when they will open.

‘And honestly she is struggling so much, I can’t wait to get her back in for her well being although I’m preparing for a difficult time settling her again.’

The post was flooded with messages from her supportive fans who shared their own experiences of sending their autistic children back to school. 

Last month, speaking on MTV podcast Nappy Days, Christine admitted she would blame herself for her children’s autism, before learning more about the condition.

Each child was diagnosed at the age of three with the developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.

‘It’s hard enough being a mum but when you have children with additional needs its daunting,’ she said. ‘You wing it at first. You make mistakes but that’s just natural. But I didn’t know they had autism at first because I didn’t know anything about autism.’

Christine admitted that, despite showing the signs of the condition, she didn’t realise what her twins were going through.

‘They didn’t speak. They were non-verbal, they’d walk on their tiptoes, they were sensitive to sound and light. So if there was a sudden noise, they would jump out their skin. But I thought they were just softies.

‘I would think maybe it’s because they are twins, two of them,or that I would not be giving them enough attention. So I blamed myself.’

She explained that looking after the twins much of the time by herself due to Paddy’s workload was one of the reasons she blamed herself.

‘They were with me permanently. My husband works away a lot so I thought maybe it was me and that I hadn’t taught them very well. They also never went to nursery or play groups so I blamed myself for them having no social skills.

‘I thought that it was down to me doing a rubbish job as a mother.’