EP 22: Travelling Together - Nina's Family Story

Travelling as a family can be joyful, but for families with children on the spectrum, it often comes with extra layers of preparation, uncertainty, and emotional baggage.In this episode of Adapting Together, we speak with Nina, a mother of twins. Her son Martin, now 18 years old, is non-verbal and on the autism spectrum, while his twin sister is neurotypical.Despite the challenges, travelling has become something Martin genuinely enjoys , and also something his family recognises through his smile, his calmness, and the way he responds to new environments.In this heartfelt and grounded episode, Nina shares with usHow their family prepares before, during, and after tripsWhy preparation matters even more when travelling with an autistic family memberTheir experience using the Butterfly Effect service at Malaysian airportsA difficult and distressing travel incident that led to police involvement - and how it was eventually resolved with understanding and empathy How their family practices “me-time” during trips by taking turns caring for MartinWhy travelling doesn’t have to mean doing everything together, all the timeMost importantly, Nina offers encouragement to parents who may feel discouraged or afraid to travel, reminding us that while every family is different, meaningful experiences are still possible when we put our mind to it.This episode is a candid conversation about realism, flexibility, resilience, and finding ways to keep living life together as a family.🎧 Listen in if you’re a parent or caregiver wondering whether travel is still possible — and what “travelling together” can truly look like.