Christine McGuinness has revealed her relief that McDonald’s has finally reopened for the sake of her autistic children.
The model, 32, posted a simple photo of three Happy Meal boxes to Instagram on Saturday.
Christine, who is a mum to twins Leo and Penelope, six, and daughter Felicity, three, added a lengthy caption that read: ‘3 months later. This really is a very “Happy meal”.
Doting mum: Christine McGuinness has revealed her relief that McDonald’s has finally reopened for the sake of her three autistic children (pictured in 2019)
‘The only meal all three children will eat. Its beige, it’s dry, it looks the same, smells the same and tastes the same.
‘Not everyone will understand our happiness that @mcdonaldsuk is open, but those who’s children have food aversions will know the sigh of relief from this mama!.. ❤️⠀
‘#FullTummies #HappyChildren #HappyMummy #autism #SensoryFood #AutismAwareness.’
Patient: The model, 32, posted a simple photo of three Happy Meal boxes to Instagram on Saturday
Candid: Christine, who is a mum to twins Leo and Penelope, six, and daughter Felicity, three, added a lengthy caption that began: ‘3 months later. This really is a very “Happy meal”…’
It comes after Christine admitted to feeling a ‘mixture of emotions’ as two of her three children returned to school on Wednesday.
She 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’.
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.’
Back to school: It comes after Christine admitted to feeling a ‘mixture of emotions’ as two of her three children returned to school on Wednesday
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.’
Thoughts: 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’
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.
Guilt: 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
‘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.
Trio: ‘It’s hard enough being a mum but when you have children with additional needs its daunting,’ she said. ‘You wing it at first’
‘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.’
Placing blame: 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