Episode #155: The Summer Break Survival Guide for Kids with Disabilities

• Tonya • @waterprairie (  / waterprairie  ) • @waterprairie (  / waterprairie  ) • @waterprairie (  / waterprairie  ) • Water Prairie Chronicles (   / @waterprairie  ) • waterprairie.com (https://waterprairie.com) • @water.prairie (  / water.prairie  ) • Support Water Prairie (https://paypal.me/waterprairie) • Kristin Evans Discover how home-based visual schedules, first-then boards, and token charts can minimize behavioral meltdowns and lower parental anxiety during summer break. The Water Prairie Chronicles Podcast airs new episodes every Friday! Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen (https://waterprairie.com/listen) . Show Notes: Unstructured days shouldn’t translate into daily family meltdowns—learn how to build a visual architecture that restores peace to your household this summer. Summer break is supposed to feel like an open, relaxing window of time, but for parents raising children with disabilities, losing a predictable school routine can quickly spike caregiver burnout, trigger behavioral meltdowns, and fuel underlying anxiety. In this archival deep-dive episode of The Water Prairie Chronicles, host Tonya Wollum connects with veteran mother and special education advocate Kristin Evans to talk through practical, front-loaded strategies for engineering successful school breaks. Together, they walk through the concrete mechanics of implementing home-based visual schedules, customizing first-then boards using actual household photography, and introducing token boards that celebrate positive behavioral steps. Kristin shares her real-life experience handling routine shifts with her daughter Bethany and navigating weekend tracking with her son. Whether your family is gearing up for an extended summer vacation, preparing for out-of-town guests, or simply trying to make weekends more peaceful, this episode delivers step-by-step guidance on creating structure that fits your unique child’s developmental path.skills over the summer.” Key Takeaways: • Intro: Overcoming the hidden stress of unstructured school breaks. • The Power of Anticipation: Why children with intellectual or developmental disabilities thrive on visual clarity. • Photographing Your Routine: Why real-world images outperform generic graphics online. • Time Timers & Apps: Incorporating physical and digital timers to ease structural transitions. • Beyond Summer Vacation: Applying weekend and after-school schedules to support the whole family. • Where to Begin: Deploying a simple “First-Then” board without overwhelming your daily routine. • Token Boards in Practice: How Kristin customized a baby doll tracking system for motivation. • Protecting Positive Reinforcement: The golden rule of never removing earned tokens. • Managing House Guests & Travel: Preparing your child and setting firm boundaries with extended family. • Outro: Collaborative advocacy tools and self-care reminders. Connect with Kristin: • Website: https://disabilityparenting.com/book/ • Original Article: https://disabilityparenting.com/how-t... • Interview with Todd & Kristin Evans on Marriage & Disability: https://waterprairie.com/2024/04/06/m... • Learn more about Kristin’s story:    • Episode #23: Support for Caregivers of Spe...   Work with Tonya as an IEP Coach: If you’re looking for personalized support, a trusted partner, and expert guidance through the IEP process, I would be honored to be part of your team. Find more information about my IEP coachin...