As my daughter and I stepped out of our respective stalls in the airport bathroom, I saw my son standing in the corner waiting for us, having come in after he had used the men’s room next door. He has a habit of eloping at airports, so I was relieved to see him.

“Love,” I told him. “Thank you for coming in and waiting for us.” The three of us moved to the sink to wash our hands. That’s when things got weird.

My son has high-functioning autism, what used to be called Asperger’s syndrome, now called autism spectrum disorder, level 1 support. When people look at him, they notice nothing different. When they hear him speak, they are often impressed at his verbal comprehension and articulation (indeed, his IQ is very high in this area). His challenges lay in perseverations (obsessions or ruminations), recognising social cues, and having spatial and environmental awareness.

He received his diagnosis at age 7, in March 2020, days before the COVID shutdowns. Suddenly every resource in our small town was unavailable. We started homeschooling and would continue it long after schools reopened. My son loved our home routine, probably because he got to see the family dog whenever he wanted. He’s always had a special connection to animals (music too).

He’s a seasoned and easy traveler, having taken his first flight at 2 months old, which I’m thankful for. Still, traveling is not without stress. He tends to wander away at airports. Over the years I’ve had several moments of pure fear when I didn’t immediately know where he was. One time, after landing and coming into the airport, he bolted for the bathroom without telling me. Another time he proceeded to try and leave the airport because he didn’t want to wait in the TSA line.

Over the years I’ve accepted that most of the time he lives in another world — his inner dimension. While it’s rich and creative and weird and wonderful, there have been moments where I’ve begged him to live in our world more often, not for my convenience but for his safety. Since, on this day, we were in Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, I was on high alert. Because of his relatively young age (11), I didn’t think it was strange that he was in the crowded women’s bathroom with us.

My son also has a fascination with sink and toilet holes. He studies the shape of them, talks about them, wants to see as many of them as he can, both in people’s homes and in public places. It’s always been his way. And, according to him, this particular sink hole in this bathroom at LAX had a unique shape — it was less round and more square than most sink holes.

After retrieving his phone from his pocket, he took a photo of it. That’s when an older woman – one I’d noticed had been watching us – snapped. She was washing her hands in the sink next to where my son was, and I saw her look over at him. She started yelling, “This boy took a picture in the women’s room!” She repeated this loudly for everyone to hear as she dried her hands, as she grabbed her luggage, as she followed us out the door.

I felt a combination of embarrassment and anger at the scene she was making, trying to call attention to my son’s odd but harmless behaviour. She was still repeating it as we all walked out the door: “He took a picture in the women’s room!” Her posture was menacing and meant to be intimidating.

We separated from her and moved to the side of the hallway to regroup. My son and daughter, not fully comprehending what was happening, stood close to me with their suitcases. Even though we were now a few yards away from her, I could still feel her eyes on us, particularly me. I could sense her judgment for allowing such behaviour from my child. I could tell she was waiting for me to berate my son for taking the photo.

What happened next was horrifying. I did exactly what she wanted me to.

Against my gut feeling, which told me my son was innocent, against my understanding of his diagnosis, against my hard-won advocacy of him at school and with medical providers, against my purported assertiveness with strangers and others who may not be conscious of why he behaves the way he does, I scolded him for his actions. I asked him, not in a friendly way, why he chose to take a photo of the sink, even though I knew exactly why. I told him it was inappropriate and that he knew better, even when I knew it wasn’t true, that he didn’t know. I made sure the woman was within earshot. As I went on, my son looked stunned, confused and hurt.

The worst part is that I love his innocence, his youthful quirkiness, his sweet naiveté that sometimes comes with autism. And here I was chipping away at that, all because a stranger assumed the worst of him. I was doing the opposite of what I’ve always done.

The woman’s gaze was gone. She had folded herself into the crowd and disappeared. My son, overwhelmed and teary with emotion, bolted toward our departing gate, which fortunately wasn’t far. I took a breath, took my daughter’s hand and followed my son to the gate. It was there, in our seats waiting for the boarding call, that I apologised. I cried. Never in all of motherhood had I felt so low. I told him I was aghast at my behaviour, that I should have stood up for him, that I knew what he had done was innocent. I asked for forgiveness. I told him to take his time. I am perpetually grateful that I got it.

An hour later in the air, I was still brooding, replaying the scene over and over in my head. I found myself looking for the woman, imagining, relishing in what I’d say to her in a raised voice: that she had no right to yell at us, to shame us, to treat my son as though he was a paedophile. That she had been bullying an autistic boy. See that boy over there? Do you know he has autism? You should be ashamed of yourself.

That last thought gave me pause. Would I really disclose his diagnosis? To what end? Is it her business? Would it have made a difference? Would I be hoping to better explain his behaviour or to make her feel bad? And as my children grow older (my daughter also has autism), I find myself regarding their privacy more, wanting to protect them. Because I constantly wonder if the world will be too much for their sensitive souls. Or perhaps they will be too much for the world.

The diagnosis of “autism” first appeared in 1980 in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the bible for all things psychological, under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Before then, it was considered to be part of schizophrenia. In 1987, the DSM was revised (as it is every five to seven years), and the criteria for the diagnosis was broadened to include more mild symptoms of autism. That, coupled with improved early screening tools and an increased awareness, have led to a perception of a significant rise in the disorder, though it’s actually that we’ve gotten better at recognising it.

In the latest DSM, it is listed as autism spectrum disorder, typically followed by the level of support needed (1 through 3). My children are both level 1, which include accommodations such as extra time to transition between activities, managing perseverations and inflexibility in routine, and navigating pervasive and narrow interests (such as sink holes).

In the end, I arrived at the conclusion that no, I would choose not to disclose his diagnosis to this angry stranger. She didn’t deserve to know. She didn’t deserve an explanation. In a different setting, where emotions weren’t so charged, I might have a different answer.

With my son’s blessing, I wrote this essay to give voice to the fine line that parents of children with autism walk, the line between advocating for our kids and guarding their privacy, the line between explaining and keeping quiet, the line between supporting a need and excusing behaviour. It’s within these nuances where we live day by day, sometimes hour by hour. Sometimes I don’t get the answer right, but all answers come from a place of care and love.

For people who may not have or even know children like mine, I wrote this to encourage more empathy in the world. These days it is too easy to rush to conclusions about a child’s behaviour, judge another’s parenting and shame what is not acceptable to us. I encourage everyone to lean into curiosity and compassion as much as possible, know that we are doing the best job we can, and that our children are amazing people.

As my daughter and I stepped out of our respective stalls in the airport bathroom, I saw my son standing in the corner waiting for us, and I was so proud of him. Going forward, I refuse to feel anything else about him — and I’ll make sure he and everyone else know it.

Lorna Rose is a Pacific Northwest writer and speaker. Her writing has been recognised by Pacific Northwest Writers Association and the Oregon Poetry Association, and has appeared in About Place Journal, Jellyfish Review, Painted Bride Quarterly, Writers Resist, and elsewhere. Previously she has written about raising children with autism for Scary Mommy and Motherwell. Currently an MFA candidate at Augsburg University, Lorna is at work on a memoir about going from L.A. party girl to trail worker in rural Alaska. When not wrangling her two children, she fantasises about being interviewed on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” You can find more about her at www.lornarose.com.

This piece was previously published on HuffPost and is being shared again as part of HuffPost Personal’s “Best Of” series.

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This April is a good month for stargazers. There’s the “planet parade” of Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and Neptune, ending on the 23rd.

And the Lyrid meteor shower, which started on 16 April and will end on the 25th, is set to show us its most dazzling display this week too.

First recorded in 678 BE, the phenomenon includes debris which once followed in the wake of comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

They look from the Earth’s perspective like they’re shooting from the constellation Lyra, right beside the star Vega; hence the name.

It’s not exactly that they’re “shooting” towards from across space, though. We’re passing through the patch of space rubble in our journey around the sun, and we draw in some of the material as we do so.

That means the path of the Earth’s orbit determines the direction the meteors seem to come from.

When they enter our atmosphere, the objects move so fast that they compress the air and heat it, raising their surfaces to 1600°C.

That leaves them with a bright surface as they burn, which looks like a streak to us.

It’s rare for objects in a meteor shower to make it to the Earth’s ground, as most are too small and burn out too quickly. If they do reach us, though, they become “meteorites”.

It will end on April 25, but the most dazzling displays are expected on Wednesday, 22 April, when the shower peaks.

To get the most out of the meteor shower, look at the dark for 20-30 minutes to help your eyes adjust to the light levels (don’t look at your phone during this period!).

The best shows may come after midnight.

While April’s planet parade will be a lot harder to see in the northern hemisphere than it is in the south, the opposite is true of the Lyrid meteor shower.

If you have access to unobstructed, clear, dark skies, your odds of seeing the event are higher. Beaches, the tops of hills, and fields are all good spots.

How should I watch the 2026 Lyrid meteor shower?

It should be visible to the naked eye.

The longer you look, Space.com noted, the likelier you are to spot something out of this world.

Nick Robinson monstered a cabinet minister over the Peter Mandelson scandal in an extraordinary live radio clash.

The veteran Today programme presenter told Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander it was “frankly preposterous” to claim Keir Starmer knew nothing about the shamed former peer’s business and personal links before making his the UK’s ambassador to Washington.

Mandelson was sacked after just six months in the role after the full extent of his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

It emerged last week that he was also failed security vetting, allegedly over his lobbying company’s links to China, but was still cleared to take up the job.

The prime minister is facing calls to resign over the scandal and will face MPs in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon to explain himself.

On the Today programme, Alexander insisted the PM had done nothing wrong and had in fact been let down by civil servants.

But Robinson told him: “What more did you need to know? We know that Peter Mandelson had business links with China, we know that he had business links with Russia, we know that he had personal links with Jeffrey Epstein.

“And not only do we know it, the prime minister knew it, because we know as a matter of record that Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, said ‘this appointment process is weirdly rushed’.

“So why did the prime minister appoint someone without waiting for the vetting?”

Alexander insisted “information was withheld from the prime minister and from other ministers” during the vetting process.

Robinson told him: “To come on the radio and claim that there was any surprise that Peter Mandelson had any links to Jeffrey Epstein, links to China, links to Russia … it is frankly preposterous.”

But the minister said: “The deep vetting process is undertaken specifically to look at information that was not in the public domain.

“If this process really matters, then I think your listeners will reasonably think why wasn’t the outcome of that deep vetting shared with ministers making their decisions?”

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No one said relationships were easy ― even the strongest couples will inevitably hit a few bumps in the road. But your partner shouldn’t be a constant source of stress, hurt feelings or resentment.

So how do you know if your relationship has hit the point of no return? Automatic dealbreakers like abusive behaviour aside, many issues can be worked through with time, commitment and help from a therapist.

But if you’ve tried and tried and things still don’t improve, or if your partner is simply unwilling to do the work, it could be time to move on.

We asked experts to share the signs that a relationship may no longer be worth fighting for. (Note that the advice below is meant to serve as general suggestions. The circumstances of each relationship are different; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.)

“If your spouse pushes, shoves, grabs or hits you for any reason, it’s not worth trying to change them. If this is happening on any level, get out NOW. Are they gaslighting you or being emotionally abusive? If your partner tells you that you are imagining any type of abusive behavior or that you are just ‘too sensitive,’ get out. You deserve to be treated with respect. It’s not worth fighting about.” ― Tammy Nelson, a sex therapist in New Haven, Connecticut, and author of The New Monogamy: Redefining Your Relationship After Infidelity

“I actually don’t think it’s a good idea to be in a relationship if you feel like you are always fighting to remain in it. However, sometimes it does make sense to try very hard for a period of time to get through a rough patch and move on. If you’re always the one putting in effort and your partner shows minimal effort, that is a sign that it’s not worth fighting for. If you are embarrassed to tell people about the amount of effort you have to put into the relationship to keep it going, that is a sign that you may have exceeded an appropriate amount of effort.” ― Marie Land, a psychologist in Washington, D.C.

“It takes much caring and courage to be vulnerable enough to reach out for help. We all need it sometimes. If you’re consistently feeling miserable in the relationship and your partner is unwilling to accept help, whether it’s couples counseling or addressing an addiction that is damaging the relationship, it may be time to consider leaving.” ― John Amodeo, marriage and family therapist in San Francisco and author of Dancing with Fire: A Mindful Way to Loving Relationships

“Yes, this feeling can come and go. Sometimes you like to kiss, other times you don’t even want your partner’s face anywhere near yours. But if your mouth is telling you that you really cannot stand to kiss your partner anymore and that feeling doesn’t change over time, it might be over.” ― Nelson

“Who is the person that sees your relationship most clearly? The research shows that your friends actually have more insight into the state of the relationship than you do, particularly female best friends. If they’re starting to express concerns, it can reveal underlying issues that you may not be aware of yourself.” ― Gary Lewandowski, professor of psychology at Monmouth University in New Jersey and co-creator of ScienceOfRelationships.com

“I’ve been married 30 years, and here is why I have fought for my marriage during challenging times: My husband is trustworthy and reliable. A reason to leave is when the trust is irrevocably broken — by lies about money spent, adultery or repeated emotional and physical abuse. You deserve someone you can unfailingly count on. To me, reliability is the sexiest quality you can hope for — a quality that is essential in an intimate partnership, as we live in a shaky and inconsistent world.” ― Iris Krasnow, author of Surrendering to Marriage and The Secret Lives of Wives

“Are you using infidelity as a ‘can opener’? Be fair. End your relationship now. Don’t make your partner responsible for your ambivalence.” ― Nelson

“If your relationship has taken up so much emotional energy and attention that it has prevented you from moving forward with other goals such as a career, family and friendships, that’s a sign that your relationship may not be worth fighting for. Some sacrifice is fine but the cost should be minimal and not impact your progress in other areas for an extended period of time.” ― Land

“It’s not an encouraging sign if your partner is unwilling or unable to hear your feelings, your hurt and pain and take it to heart. If your feelings and needs (for respect, kindness, communication) are coldly and consistently dismissed, if stonewalling and defensiveness are creating an impenetrable barrier, it may leave you feeling lonely, angry, or depressed, and maybe hopeless about the relationship.” ― Amodeo

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.

Olivia Colman’s character in Heartstopper will be played by a different actor in the show’s upcoming film.

The Oscar winner received widespread praise for her portrayal of Nick’s mum, Sarah Nelson, in the first two seasons of the Netflix teen drama.

However, in its third iteration, Olivia was unable to appear, with Hayley Atwell instead appearing as Nick’s aunt, who served a maternal role in his life for these episodes.

Over the weekend, it was confirmed that in the forthcoming movie Heartstopper Forever, the character of Sarah has been completely recast due to Olivia’s unavailability.

In her absence, the role will now be played by Line Of Duty and Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin.

Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman told Netflix’s Tudum: “When beginning to work on the Heartstopper Forever screenplay, I knew how important it was that Sarah, Nick’s mum, appeared in the story.

“Since season one, we have seen how close Nick is with his mum; she’s one of the few people he can turn to in moments of crisis. While in season three, we were able to tweak the story to avoid any appearance of Sarah, it felt nonsensical for her to be absent from this final chapter, given some of the emotional struggles Nick faces.”

They continued: “Sadly, Olivia Colman was not able to join us for the film, so we made the very difficult decision to recast the role, rather than exclude the character. We are deeply grateful for Olivia’s beautiful performance as Sarah in seasons one and two of Heartstopper, through such iconic moments as Nick coming out as bisexual, and we know that her performance will live on in the hearts of every Heartstopper fan.

“We are overjoyed to welcome the incredible Anna Maxwell Martin into the role of Sarah for Heartstopper Forever. Anna perfectly embodies Sarah’s gentle, down-to-earth energy, and it was magical to witness her scenes with Kit Connor during the film shoot. I can’t wait for Heartstopper fans to experience her interpretation of Sarah Nelson.”

Heartstopper Forever will premiere on Netflix later this year, and serve as the final outing for Nick and Charlie, played by Kit Connor and Joe Locke.

As well as the usual returning cast members, including Yasmin Finney and Will Gao, it’s been confirmed that Bafta winner Derek Jacobi will also be playing a new character in the film.