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Christine McGuinness Explains Why She Gave Her Autistic Children Fish Fingers For Christmas Dinner

Joanna Freedman

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Christine McGuinness Explains Why She Gave Her Autistic Children Fish Fingers For Christmas Dinner

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/ Christine McGuinness

Christine McGuinness has explained why she gave her autistic children fish fingers for Christmas dinner.

Paddy McGuinness' wife, 32, decided to hit back at mum-shamers on Instagram as she revealed what they ate, defending her decision not to give her kids a traditional festive spread.

In the post, Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Christine shared a snap of her and 47 year old Paddy sitting with their huge Christmas roasts, piled high with potatoes, brussels sprouts, gravy and Yorkshire puddings.

Meanwhile, in a second picture, she showed the chopped up fish fingers and chips she gave her children, Leo and Penelope, seven, and four year old Felicity, instead.

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Christine shared a picture of her and Paddy's Christmas dinners (Credit: Christine McGuinness/ Instagram)
Christine shared a picture of her and Paddy's Christmas dinners (Credit: Christine McGuinness/ Instagram)

"Swipe for the kiddies Christmas dinner," she wrote. "Because autism doesn't stop for Christmas day!

"They like what they like and I want my children to eat so I choose my battles and I don't want one today!" she added, alongside a laughing emoji.

Before continuing: "For anyone who may not understand this, food aversion can be quite common for those with autism.

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"This isn't lazy parenting or fussy children, this is sensory issues due to their condition that limits what our children eat. I am delighted they are very slowly exploring new textures.

Christine gave her children fish fingers and chips (Credit: Instagram/ Christine McGuinness)
Christine gave her children fish fingers and chips (Credit: Instagram/ Christine McGuinness)

"I'm just happy they eat because there have been times they totally refuse. It may be basic and it's still all beige but they're happy and their tummies are full.

"For anyone with autistic children this Christmas.. I hope you had a calm day, I feel your exhaustion and I hear your sigh of relief that the Christmas period is almost over," with a celebration hands emoji, nervous emoji and a red heart emoji alongside the hashtags #QuietChristmas #AutismAwareness #Sensory #BeigeFood #Acceptance #MerryChristmas."

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Thanking Christine for being candid about her kids' experiences with food aversion, fans were quick to comment on the post sharing their own experiences, too.

"So nice to read this I needed to see this today sick of being called lazy or being told 'leave it front of them if they r hungry they will eat," one person wrote in the comments.

As another penned: "My son ate like this way into secondary school. The same meals every day, its only now he's started to branch out, and at 17 I'm thrilled he tries new things".

Christine McGuinness' kids are all autistic (Credit: Christine McGuinness/ Instagram)
Christine McGuinness' kids are all autistic (Credit: Christine McGuinness/ Instagram)
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A third chipped in: "I know this all to well! From one Austim momma to another".

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition affecting one in 100 in the UK, which affects how individuals perceive the world, as well as heir behaviour, and how they interact with others.

Paddy and Christine have long been outspoken about their children's autism, and have become a pillar of support for other parents in similar positions.

Last year, they put up their first Christmas tree in six years, because the kids had previously got too overwhelmed.

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"I am the proudest mummy, I can't believe my babies are happy around our Christmas tree. Christmas is always a very difficult time of year for us, our children can get overwhelmed, upset with all the changes everywhere, the lack of school routine, they get overstimulated and anxious meaning daily meltdowns are a given.

"This year I am preparing more than ever, visiting Christmas displays as much as possible (even if we only last 5 minutes) .. choosing decorations for our tree together, using visual calendars, reading stories about Christmas, even watching Peppa Pig's Christmas on repeat.

Christine McGuinness and Paddy share three children (Credit: Instagram/ Christine McGuinness)
Christine McGuinness and Paddy share three children (Credit: Instagram/ Christine McGuinness)

"So far they are coping amazing and we have managed to put a tree up at home without any upset for the first time in years! Now, somehow I just need to keep this whole calm, prep, structured Christmas feel around for the next 2 weeks," she said at the time.

Speaking on Nappy Days podcast, the mum-of-three recalled: "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."

Joanna Freedman
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