Entertainment
Christine McGuinness reveals autistic daughter, 9, ‘didn’t want to live’ after struggling with pandemic restrictions-Alicia Adejobi-Entertainment – Metro
The TV star shares three autistic children with husband Paddy.
Christine McGuinness has open conversations with her children about their autism (Picture: Rex, @mrscmcguinness, Instagram)
Christine McGuinness has revealed the heartbreaking conversation she had with one of her daughters during the pandemic, in which the younger stated: ‘I don’t want to live any more.’
The reality TV star shares three children with husband and former Take Me Out presenter Paddy McGuinness; nine-year-old twins Leo and Penelope, and five-year-old daughter Felicity.
All three youngsters, as well as Christine, have been diagnosed with autism, which means they may find it difficult to communicate with or understand others.
Christine, 34, has revealed how her eldest daughter Penelope is particularly sensitive and ‘doesn’t understand her emotions very well’.
As a result, Penelope struggled to understand why things had changed at her school when social distancing measures were put in place at the height of the Covid pandemic.
‘When they opened the schools back up, her teacher wasn’t allowed to give her a cuddle when she was upset and she didn’t understand,’ Christine explained to The Sun’s Fabulous magazine.
Christine shares three children with husband Paddy (Picture: Rex, @mrscmcguinness, Instagram)
‘They were in bubbles and not allowed to play with the friends they used to play with, so Penelope felt like: ‘She doesn’t like me any more.’
‘She took it very personally. And she said: “Mummy, I don’t want to live any more. I want to go to heaven”.’
Likely due to her young age and autism, Christine explained that Penelope ‘wasn’t able to understand the severity of what she was saying’, but naturally found her statement ‘so worrying’.
The couple have been working through their marriage issues (Picture: Getty Images)
The Real Housewives of Cheshire star added: ‘The panic for me of: “What if she does do something, not understanding that that thing is forever?”
‘It was a heartbreaking time and probably one of the most difficult conversations I will ever have in my life.’
Christine has been open about her personal life in recent weeks, having also admitted that she and husband Paddy have been going through a ‘difficult time’ in their marriage.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, she said: ‘I think marriages go up and down anyway. I think all marriages, especially long ones like ours, 15 years together.
‘It’s not always going to be plain sailing, but we’re trying to deal with things as privately as possible and we both just want to be there to support the children and give them an amazing summer.’
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