Greg Rutherford’s wife Susie reveals decision to let their neurodivergent son take ‘days off school to avoid causing damage’ as she says ‘her family do things a little differently’

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On Monday night, Greg Rutherford’s wife, Susie Verrill, shared on Instagram how they approach parenting their three children, following their son’s autism diagnosis.

Susie, age 35, explained that raising a child with specific needs requires adjustments, sometimes including allowing them to miss school to prevent difficult situations at home.

Greg and Susie are parents to three children: 11-year-old Milo, 8-year-old Rex, and 4-year-old Daphne. One of their sons received an autism diagnosis in 2023.

Susie explained that her family might approach things differently than others due to neurodiversity…

We don’t put strict limits on screen time because it actually helps our child calm down and relax.

We support students expressing themselves through dress-up days and following the school uniform policy, but we also understand the importance of focusing on what truly matters.

It’s common to remove tags from clothing, seek out seamless items, and continue wearing clothes even if they don’t fit perfectly or have minor flaws, prioritizing comfort and a sense of security.

We could find ourselves needing frequent hospital visits because of intense physical activity, or we might not seek help until it’s a true emergency if we tend to minimize our symptoms.

‘Really fun things might not be really fun for everyone and might in fact be a sensory nightmare. 

Our family will make time for everyone’s hobbies and interests, and we’ll focus on the positive side of those passions instead of calling them obsessions.

Sometimes school is canceled because trying to force someone to come when they’re really struggling would be more harmful to everyone involved.

I just love how real she is! She recently shared some sweet photos of her family, and her caption totally resonated with me. She explained they do individual ‘dates’ with each of her kids pretty often, because let’s be honest, getting all three to agree on an activity and actually enjoy it at the same time is nearly impossible! It’s so relatable.

We often prioritize our children’s happiness and well-being over academic achievements. We celebrate many small accomplishments with them, things we might not have considered noteworthy with our older children.

It’s perfectly fine to end a busy day before you get completely exhausted. We actively encourage people to take breaks or leave when they need to.

We often find ourselves saying the strangest, most unexpected things around the house – little phrases and bits of song that just pop into our heads.

Activities that stimulate your sense of body awareness—like wrestling, climbing, using a weighted blanket, getting hugs, or even doing headstands—can be helpful before bedtime.

We generally have straightforward and respectful conversations at home. When I asked if someone enjoyed a particular activity, the response was a firm ‘no,’ and they made it clear they didn’t want to repeat it.

She finished by saying that we need to realize even small issues can completely disrupt our plans and throw off the rest of the day.

Kids will love certain foods for a long time, but as soon as you buy a bunch of it, they’ll suddenly decide they don’t like it anymore.

Our family and friends understand that our children greet people in their own time. Especially one of our kids, who will say hello and interact when he feels comfortable, and everyone knows it’s not meant as rudeness.

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2025-10-21 13:41