TV presenter Carrie Grant opens up about raising children with complex needs
Television presenter Carrie Grant has said it can be difficult to relate to other parents as she and her husband are raising four children with complex needs.
Carrie and her partner David, who have been married for almost 30 years, are parents to daughters Olivia, 23, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyspraxia, Talia, 16, who has Asperger’s syndrome and dyscalculia, and Imogen, 12, who is autistic and has ADHD.
The former Pop Idol and Fame Academy judges also have an adopted son Nathan, who has attachment issues and ADHD.
Carrie told Hello! magazine: “When we’re together, it can be the most wonderful madness where we’re laughing and bouncing off each other.
“Or we’re having to deal with behavioural issues because one or more of the children are kicking off.
“Or one or more is in a really low place and you’re talking them round, giving them the will to live.”
She continued: “But the more people hear about our family, the more empathy they have for us.
“And if you hang around us for long enough, we’re the kind of family you want to be part of.”
The couple said the issues they deal with put everything into perspective.
“It makes it hard to relate to other parents sometimes,” said Carrie.
“For many, their ambition for their children is to get them through the SATs and some get really stressed.
“I’m sure I’d be stressed, too, if that’s all I had to stress about, but when you’re thinking, ‘I don’t know if my child is going to make it through to adulthood,’ that’s a real problem.”
Read the full article in HELLO! out now.
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2018, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Joe Giddens / PA Wire.
