Water Prairie Chronicles Podcast

How would you feel if you wanted to share a bedtime story with your child, but the process was too difficult? Our guest today knows just how frustrating it is to read a children’s storybook when you can’t see the words on the page. The mother of 2 young boys, Krystle Boateng took it upon herself to find a way to share a bedtime story with her two young sons, and she's sharing her solution with the...

Show Notes: Our guest during this interview is Julie Flygare, the president and CEO of Project Sleep and host of the Project Sleep podcast. Julie shared information about narcolepsy and some of the exciting things that are happening through Project Sleep. Some of the key information we discussed are the difference between type 1 narcolepsy and type 2 narcolepsy, cataplexy, current research for nar...

Parenting a child with autism isn't easy, and adding homeschooling could make it more difficult. In this episode, you'll meet Fiorella Perkins. She is a “girl mom, homeschooling, autism advocate,” and she spends some time talking about how her daughter was diagnosed with autism just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Some of the challenges she faced in finding ways to help her daughter may not be t...

Johnny Kincaid is the child actor who plays Baby Jack on the NBC series This Is Us during the 2022 Final Season of the show. Johnny has albinism and nystagmus, and his mother, Marisol, is an advocate for visually impaired children. Marisol uses her Instagram account as a platform to teach others the importance of proper care for those with albinism and general information about different eye condi...

Johnny Kincaid is the child actor who plays Baby Jack on the NBC series This Is Us. Johnny has albinism and nystagmus, and his mother, Marisol, is an advocate for visually impaired children. Marisol uses her Instagram account as a platform to teach others the importance of proper care for those with albinism and general information about different eye conditions. This is the first half of an inter...

Show Notes: Episode #26 marks the midway point in our first season of the Water Prairie Chronicles, and it seemed appropriate to do a little reflecting on what we've accomplished so far this season. This episode includes a sample of the interviews we've provided for you as a way to let you meet our guests and sample the different topics we've covered. It's been an exciting journey so far, and we c...

Show Notes: As a way of celebrating the first 25 episodes of the Water Prairie Chronicles podcast, we created this episode as a compilation of all the Speed Rounds from the guests featured in episodes 1 through 24. The podcast may feature guests who represent different types of disabilities and support for those living with disabilities, but we’ve found through the Speed Round portion of our inter...

Show Notes: Do breaks from school cause stress and anxiety for you or your child? In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, Kristin Faith Evans continues her talk with Tonya about some of the techniques she uses to keep peace in the family during breaks from school and even on the weekends. Kristin is the author of the Disability Parenting Blog (formerly the Special Needs Moms Blog), and th...

Show Notes: Being a caregiver for special needs children is not an easy path, and our mission on the Water Prairie Chronicles is to come alongside disability families and give them support. In today’s episode, Kristin Faith Evans joins Tonya to share her story of being a medical mama and caregiver for special needs children. Kristin talks about how her journey began with her first child and how he...

Show Notes: Autistic Friendship: How to help your autistic child make friends A popular search topic for autistic adults is, “How to make friends as an autistic person.” Many parents of autistic children want to find out how to help your autistic child make friends. Why is this a difficult topic to find help with? In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, Tonya talks with Praveen Sriram abo...

Show Notes: Have you ever wondered how do blind swimmers know to flip on their turns or how do blind swimmers know when to dive on relays? In this interview with Evan Wilkerson, Tonya learns about his journey of learning to swim as a blind athlete and what his goals are for the future. Evan shares some of the tips he’s learned about training in the pool when you can’t see the lines at the bottom o...

How can one encounter change your world? Meet Coach John, a volunteer coach for the Miracle League of the Triangle, and hear how one simple conversation changed his life and led to the start of the UB4ME Foundation. In this episode, Tonya talks with John Davison, a volunteer with the Miracle League of the Triangle for over ten years. John tells what first brought him to the Miracle League and why...

Show Notes: Hear the story about how the Miracle League of the Triangle in North Carolina got started and how you can start a program in your area. In this episode, Tonya talks with Robin Rose, one of the co-founders of the Miracle League of the Triangle about some of the things he did to help get their program started. During the interview, Robin gives tips for others who might want to start a pr...

The Miracle League of the Triangle is a special place for kids with disabilities! This program of baseball for special needs children offers teams for kids from age 5-65 and has teams playing in Cary, Raleigh, and Durham, NC. Join Tonya as she interviews Benjy Capps, the Executive Director of the Miracle League of the Triangle, and learn more about what Miracle League baseball is all about. If you...

Tonya continues her interview from last week's episode with Dr. Kristin Wegner, a clinical psychologist who works with autistic children along with children who may have other sensory needs to help them unlock the door and experience the world around them. During this part of the interview, Dr. Wegner introduces the Brody the Lion book series. The series of books for autistic children was written...

In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, Emily Wollum returns to give us an update on the Inclusive Sports Program she told us about in episode #2. Goalball is a new sport for her college recreational sports program and has been a great inclusive sports example for the students at the school Emily shares how the program worked out this Spring and some of the lessons she learned about runni...

In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, Emily Wollum returns to give us an update on the Inclusive Sports Program she told us about in episode #2. Goalball is a new sport for her college recreational sports program and has been a great inclusive sports example for the students at the school Emily shares how the program worked out this Spring and some of the lessons she learned about runni...

Show Notes: When you think of the word “autism,” what images come to mind for you? Do you think of the autism puzzle piece? Is there a symbol for autism that means something to you? Who was the first person with autism? In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, I’m going to talk about some of the more common symbols used to represent autism and the history and meaning behind them. To do thi...

April has been Autism Acceptance Month, and we continue our focus on autism-related topics by having an open discussion on stimming. Stimming is a word that stands for self-stimulation and is a behavior that is commonly associated with autism. In this episode, Justin Houcek from ASDwithME.com joins us again as we discuss the topic of stim behaviors and if they can be good or bad. Our focus this ep...

Are you a parent of a child with autism or another intellectual or developmental disability? Do you know what resources are in your community and available to help support your child? In today’s episode, Tonya is speaking with Jennifer Pfaltzgraff, the executive director of the Arc of the Triangle in Raleigh, NC about the types of services they offer individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, Down S...

In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, Justin Houcek talks with Tonya about how autism has impacted his life and how he mentors others who have autism through his business, ASD With Me. Justin shares some good points on autism for parents, and how he’s advocating for individuals with invisible disabilities when he works with First Responders. Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprair...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the IEP process? In today’s episode, Nicole Schlechter talks with Tonya about parenting a child with a disability and how to start advocating for your child at school. Nicole is the owner of the IEP Parent Academy and has some tips for parents as they begin to navigate the IEP process as well as for those seasoned parents who need some pointers on how to advocate mo...

What is an orientation and mobility specialist, and what do they do? How do you advocate for your visually impaired child? Tonya learns the answers to these questions during her interview with Traci Wilkerson, a parent of two children who have a visual impairment. After becoming a mom to her children, Trace went back to school to expand her knowledge of how to help her children and started a new c...

Show Notes: Can a teenager with narcolepsy play NCAA sports? In this episode, Tonya finishes her interview with Christopher as he talks about how he manages his study and training schedule at college. He also shares how he overcame a major setback during high school before joining a Division II NCAA baseball team and what role narcolepsy plays in his daily schedule. Be sure to listen to more of Ch...

Do you have a sensory sensitive child and feel like visiting a kids’ museum is too much stimulus for them? Join us on a visit to Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC to see what they’re offering to families who want a sensory friendly play option. Tonya discusses the museum’s accessible features for children with different types of disabilities and the special offerings offered to families who desir...