Christine McGuinness is celebrating the fact her children, who have autism, went on a plane for the first time for a family holiday.
The 31-year-old mum, who is married to Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness, posted a picture of her kids at the airport, and another with them boarding a plane wearing noise-cancelling headphones.
“We done it,” she wrote on Instagram. “Our first flight all together as a family and it went so well. We are immensely proud of Leo, Penelope and Felicity.
“Despite all of the extra obstacles our children have to deal with, they stepped well out of their comfort zone and they done it so well.”
McGuinness and her husband are parents to five-year-old twins Leo and Penelope and two-year-old Felicity. She previously revealed their twins have autism and, in May 2019, said her youngest daughter is “showing signs” of autism.
She said the moment they got on the plane had been “six years in the making”, of planning and dreaming of their first family holiday abroad.
Their first break away as a family was in Southampton last year – to avoid the stress of planes. This year, they decided to try out flying for the first time.
“This maybe be a ‘normal’ thing to do for most families but for ‘autism’ families like ours this is a huge achievement,” she wrote.
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The mum thanked the airport staff for assisting and understanding their children’s additional needs.
Describing how she felt when she watched her children board the plane for the first time, she added: “I wasn’t sure if my heart was going to stop with fear or burst with pride!
“There was some hesitation getting on but once they were in their seats, they actually really enjoyed it.”
McGuinness’ followers acknowledged what a milestone it was for her family.
“What an amazing massive achievement for you all,” one person wrote. “I hope they enjoyed the whole experience. Well done.”
Another commented: “Absolutely amazing. Well done all of you. I completely understand this is just amazing.”
And a mum also wrote: “We’ve just come back from Manchester with our ASD (autism spectrum disorder) kids. Lanyards are a great way for the staff to understand their needs. These are universal, too, so they can wear in shops and supermarkets.”