Water Prairie Chronicles

Why avoiding the kitchen out of fear creates bigger safety risks later on. 💡

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Image 1: A photo of a teen girl with long blond hair and glasses holding a spatula and wearing a chef's jacket.
Image 2: A text graphic with a quote from Ivy Prince, Cooking Capable, that reads, "I think it's very important for safety to try, just try teaching. I think as they get older and when they start trying to be more independent, if they didn't have someone to teach them when they were younger, it's going to be exponentially more dangerous."
Image 3: A text graphic with "Watch or Listen to Ivy's interview on the Water Prairie Chronicles podcast! https://waterprairie.com/listen"

This experience was crazy, but the lessons learned were worth the chaos of the night. Read about it on today's Substack newsletter and listen to the Water Prairie Chronicles Episode 156 to hear the full story at waterprairie.com/listen or on your favorite podcast platform!

[img description] "Character over compliance: lessons from a summer ballgame - waterprairie.substack.com - Tonya Wollum" is printed at the top of the image with a photo from the back of a baseball player holding his bat ready for a pitch during a game.

"I felt like I was drowning while the rest of the world kept swimming."

Have you ever felt that way? That’s the reality of life when a sudden medical crisis hits, and the "expected" life you planned suddenly vanishes.

This week on the podcast, I had a raw, unfiltered conversation with author John Fela about the things we usually hide—the marital strain, the loneliness, and the fear. This is Part 1 of a two-part series, and I think it’s a conversation every parent in our community needs to hear.

You don’t have to carry the weight of these "hidden" struggles by yourself.

🎙️ Listen to Episode 147:
The Tale of Two Parking Lots: Navigating Marriage and Crisis with John Fela
https://waterprairie.com/2026/03/06/special-needs-parenting/

[img description] A silhouette of a person looking out a window that is covered in drops of water from the rain with the message, "Have you ever felt like you were drowning while the rest of the world kept swimming?" written across the bottom.

This beautiful spread is just a small part of what makes today special. More than the food, it’s the quiet moments, the laughter, and the unconditional love that truly fill our hearts. To all the parents out there who pour so much into their families every single day, I wish you a truly blessed Thanksgiving. 🙏🍽️

[image description] A framed oil painting of a traditional Thanksgiving Day dining table filled with turkey and other dishes.