Surviving Summer Break

Hi everyone,

The arrival of summer break is traditionally celebrated as a season of ultimate freedom, but for parents raising children with disabilities, losing the highly predictable school routine can feel incredibly daunting. Without those daily classroom anchors, the sudden drop in structure frequently triggers a massive spike in home anxiety, behavioral meltdowns, and deep caregiver exhaustion.

I have a confession to make. When my own children were younger, I really struggled to maintain a rigid routine during the summer months. It always felt so much easier to just "go with the wind" and take things as they came day by day. But the truth is, while an unstructured day felt easier for me initially, it made life incredibly difficult for my kids. Without a clear roadmap, our days often spiraled into unexpected friction and exhausting transitions.

This week on the podcast, special education advocate Kristin Evans joins me to share her incredible, field-tested strategies for surviving the summer stretch. We talk about how setting up simple, photo-based tracking tools and first-then frameworks at home directly supports your child's sensory and developmental needs. Front-loading the energy to build these visual schedules isn't easy when you're already running on empty, but it is a vital investment that pays massive dividends in family peace.

Which brings me right to this week's podcast episode: Episode 155.

This is a repost of my interview with Kristin from Season 1 of the podcast. Many of you have joined us more recently and may not have heard it yet. Here’s the link to the episode webpage where you can connect with Kristin and learn more about what she and her husband, Todd, are doing to support married couples who have children with disabilities.

Listen HERE.

☀️ Our Water Prairie Summer Schedule

Speaking of protecting our energy and honoring our families, I want to share an important update regarding our schedule over the next few months.

To practice what we preach and ensure I am carving out dedicated, high-quality time to focus on my own family this summer, The Water Prairie Chronicles podcast will be posting episodes less frequently over the summer stretch.

I’m not going away, but I am slowing down the pace to give everyone some breathing room! In alignment with this shift:

• ​The Podcast: I’m scheduling 2 episodes a month through the end of the summer. Some will be new content, and others will be replays like I’ve done this week.
• ​The Newsletter: This community space will remain fully active to keep you resourced, but it will arrive in your inbox twice a month instead of weekly.
• ​IEP Coaching: I am continuing to work my regular coaching hours through the summer stretch. If you or a friend are looking for collaborative advocacy support, I currently have openings for a few more clients. To ensure I can give every family on my roster the deep, dedicated focus they deserve, I will be closing enrollment once these spots are filled.

Our mission of collaborative advocacy never stops, but it must always run hand-in-hand with sustainable caregiver self-care. Thank you for your incredible support, your shared grace, and your commitment to building a more inclusive world for our kids.

I look forward to connecting with you in the next update!

Warmly,

Tonya