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MDSC Teen and Adult Newsletter

May 8, 2020 Hello MDSC teens and adults (and families and friends)! We SO enjoyed all of the sunshine this week and heard from some of you who took advantage of the weather and got outdoors! We are excited for our 20+ dance class tomorrow afternoon and workshops on managing strong emotions on May 16th (limited spots- learn more below and RSVP today)! Family members - at the bottom of the newsletter are some resources that might be of interest to you and your family. Virtual high fives to you all! Colleen, Kristen and Laura

Weekly Motivation Mother's Day Kindness Diana painted rocks and seashells for her abuelita (grandmother) for Mother's Day. Send us your videos and photos , and we'll share them in an upcoming newsletter! It is a great way to stay connected and motivated!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 9 1pm Adults, ages 20 and up Register here Join us for a virtual dance class with our dear friend Kelley St. Hilaire of Kadanse Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio! To learn more about SAAC and receive invitations to our quarterly socials for adults, ages 20 and up, contact Kristen . Saturday, May 16 11am - for youth ages 13-20* 12pm - for adults ages 20 and up* Space is limited! Please email Colleen to reserve a spot! *Age breakdown is tentative and will be finalized closer to the workshop date. We are excited to offer a free online workshop with our friends from IMPACT:Ability! In this class you will learn skills to help manage your stress and strong emotions, how to communicate with others in a healthy way, and how to set and respect healthy boundaries. This class will use video, role play, and discussion to help teach these skills in the most interactive way possible through a virtual format.

Staying Active & Well at Home

Who got outside and enjoyed the sun this week? Kunal sent these beautiful watercolors he created while sitting outside soaking in the sun and listening to music.

Abby helps mom and dad with yard work. Jaylin catches the sunrise!

What ways are YOU staying active and healthy? Share your ideas, and we will include them in our next newsletter!

At Home with Chris

Chris is really missing his day program, but looks forward to meeting with them on Zoom every morning and in the afternoon for games. When he is not meeting with friends on Zoom, he is getting up at 7:00 am and blasting music and dancing! Something new that Chris is enjoying during this time? An afternoon nap! Chris also spends some of each day calling family members on FaceTime. He has cousins in Dubai, Germany and the Dominican Republic! Everybody is happy to get a call from him.

Parent Corner

The MDSC team is continually updating resources for families during the coronavirus pandemic, including educational tools and resources that we hope might help as your family navigates these uncertain times. If you've come across something that has helped you or your daughter/son with Down syndrome, please send it our way so we can share with our MDSC community.

Did you receive the latest MSDC Upside with information on important advocacy updates? We're supporting revisions to the CARES Act and hospital visitation rights. Other resources of interest: Our Down syndrome and Mental Health support group shared a great free resource available next week - daily breath work and live meditations, May 11-15, 8-8:40am Are you experiencing behavior changes in your daughter/son with the current disruption in routines? Brian Chicoine, MD and Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L from the Adult Down Syndrome Center in Chicago define, identify reasons for, and discuss strategies and solutions to address behavior changes in a recent webinar, Behavior Changes in Adolescents and Adults with Down syndrome.

Do you or someone you know use Lyft to access essential services? The MDSC is excited to partner with NDSS to offer $25 Lyft codes to support families in accessing essential services (groceries, pharmacy, medical appts, work). Please have anyone who could benefit from this reach out to Jacquie Sherman to receive a $25 code, good through May 31, 2020 .

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