Episode #52: Caring for Your Child with Disabilities: How to Plan for the Future

Show Notes: In this episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles podcast, host Tonya Wollum interviews Amanda Owen, founder of the nonprofit organization Puzzle Pieces. Amanda shares her personal journey of growing up as a sibling to a brother with a rare disability and how it has impacted her life. She talks about the emotional impact of having a sibling with a disability, the challenges and joys that come with it, and the importance of emotional intelligence in processing those feelings. As a special education teacher, Amanda felt called to do more to support people with disabilities and founded Puzzle Pieces, a nonprofit organization that has been serving the community for almost 11 years. Through her own experiences and the work of Puzzle Pieces, Amanda has become a coach for parents and siblings of individuals with disabilities, helping them navigate the emotional and practical aspects of their situations. In this candid and heartfelt conversation, Amanda shares her perspective on growing up as a sibling to a brother with a disability and the lessons she has learned along the way. Whether you are a parent, sibling, or friend of someone with a disability, this episode will provide valuable insights and inspiration on how to support and advocate for those with disabilities. Join us next week for the rest of Tonya’s conversation with Amanda. She talks more about her experiences, the books she’s written to help support children with disabilities and spread awareness and acceptance, and her work with her non-profit, Puzzle Pieces. Amanda loves to connect! Find her at:           Website: piecesofme.org           Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pieces-of-me/id1547078857           Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piecesofmebyamanda           Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piecesofmebyamanda/ Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie “2 Truths and a Lie” Game:       Can you guess which statements Amanda shared were her truths and which was her lie? Post your best guess in the comments below. We’ll post the correct answer on Instagram next week so be sure to check and see if you were right.      1. Her brother was the 11th person in U.S. with his diagnosis.      2. She is 2 episodes from 100th on podcast.      3. She loves to cook and try new recipes. Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/