Vacationing on The Rock, at Beaches Negril last week was the multi-hyphenate Hollywood actress Holly Robinson Peete. The proud mum of 23-year-old RJ, who was diagnosed at the age of two with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and who is hailed globally as a loud and emphatic voice on parenting autism children, was only too happy to not only share a personal message to the Jamaican mother whose child has received an autism diagnosis but to go @jamaicaobserver LIVE IG last Tuesday to the absolute delight of her million-plus parents and fans.

Here’s what she said: “My Mother’s Day message to you, mom who has just received a diagnosis of autism, is that everything is going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. Roll up your sleeves, advocate and fight for your child.

“That’s going to be the hardest part. But your child will provide you a new way of looking at the world and you will adjust your worldview according to him. I always say I wouldn’t change my RJ for the world, but I would change the world for RJ.

“So go out there and change that world. It’s gonna be okay.”

There was more to share with the Style Observer (SO).

“RJ has taught me a big lesson in patience, a lesson in being non-judgmental — not always judging a book by its cover. He has taught me so many beautiful lessons about the world… He has allowed me to see people who are intolerant and who are not compassionate and has really provided an example of how the world should be. He is a very pure soul, he is incapable of lying, which sometimes can present its own issues because he will tell you the truth, but I have learnt so much about purity and compassion through him.”

On the role family has played in raising a child on the spectrum… When RJ was diagnosed with autism, one of the best pieces of advice I got was to build a team around your child. A team that can be there when you can’t and a team that understands who he is and that values him as a person. The family has bonded together to support him in a way that is so beautiful. We call the family or anybody on our team Team RJ. I am always telling people to continue to advocate for your child and build up a team around your child. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a family member; it can be someone in the community, at school, maybe a therapist; the more people you build up as a team and the more support you have for your child the better chance he has to succeed in the world.

Vacay highlights…

• RJ gained PADI certification in scuba diving at Beaches Resorts Negril (a big deal as few places allow children on the spectrum to scuba dive) Throughout his entire childhood we went to many resorts that refused to certify him because of his autism even though he is an extremely gifted swimmer and so comfortable in the water. It has been a dream of his. Thank you #beachesresorts for your compassion, patience, integrity and the desire to be inclusive and #SeeAmazing in all children!

• Exceptional service from the Beaches team

• RJ’s favourite ‘Beaches food’ Crispy pizza and Shirley Temples

• Holly was able to enjoy copious amounts of spicy jerk chicken