Meet the FRIEDLAND Family

Nothing Can Stop Solo Mom, Elizabeth Friedland, and her son, Jack

BY DAROLYN “LYN” JONES PHOTOS BY REBECCA SHEEHORN PHOTOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Friedland is a solo mom by choice. Her son Jack was placed with Elizabeth at three months old, and she adopted Jack when he was two. The Friedlands live in the Meridian Kessler neighborhood in Indianapolis.

Jack is 7 now and a second grader at Center for Inquiry School 70, in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) system. Jack has ADHD, a mild intellectual disability, and related developmental challenges. The school has been fantastically supportive of Jack, meeting his needs through his Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Jack’s special education teacher, Kirsten Elliot, has been with Jack since kindergarten, offering general classroom oneon-one supports, as well as individual instruction outside the classroom. Jack also receives additional tutoring from teachers before school twice a week. Everyone at IPS 70 knows Jack and loves him for his whole self. Elizabeth proclaims, “We are a lucky family!”

Other critical members of Jack’s team are Axon Health, which manages

his ADHD medication, Dr Evan Kreutzer at Riverview Pediatrics, and Indiana Neuropsychology Group, which provides neuropsychological screenings and guidance. He receives behavioral/ play therapy at Indy Child Therapy and is seen by Tiffany Fritz and Riley Banks Guard for clinical occupational therapy.

As a new mom, it was hard for Elizabeth to know where to begin when Jack’s behavioral challenges emerged. At age two, his daycare teachers noted that he was exhibiting behaviors that were different than most of the kids his age.

Elizabeth couldn’t figure out what the “point of entry” was for help, diagnosis, or services. She felt very much like she was on her own, hunting for specialists and figuring things out by trial and error!

Elizabeth wishes she had had one point of contact who could have ushered her through the process. Instead, she would find one resource that would then lead her to another. After Jack was asked to leave three private preschools due to their inability to meet his needs, Elizabeth found the Developmental Enrichment Preschool (DEP) at St. Luke’s United

Methodist Church through the recommendation of a therapist. The women at DEP were incredible with Jack. Not only did they help him adjust to a classroom and start to manage his behavioral difficulties, but they also pointed Elizabeth in the direction of other therapists and services.

Next, Elizabeth found Tiffany Fritz, Jack’s occupational therapist with Untapped Pediatric Therapies, and Tiffany urged Elizabeth to start working with IPS even before Jack started there for Kindergarten. That way, he’d have an IEP in place on day one.

Now, Elizabeth loves giving people the “road map” that she wishes she could have had five years ago. Elizabeth’s advice?

• Start with an in-depth evaluation from a neuropsychologist. The diagnosis and insights help you create the plan for services and supports you might need moving forward.

• See a developmental pediatrician, in addition to keeping your traditional pediatrician, to specifically help navigate medication management for ADHD and other behavioral challenges.

• Consider a supportive public school as they are often more equipped than traditional private schools to accommodate children with special needs and learning differences.

• Get your child’s whole “team” together on a call if needed. It’s great to have a large team of

specialists helping your child. Connecting those individuals helps them to see a fuller picture of the child and treat them as a whole individual.

Elizabeth recommends joining Facebook groups where families provide support, resources, and friendships, including Midtown Parents and Indy Parents Special Needs Community.

Elizabeth is grateful to work from home in corporate communications, and credits her company, Allegion, with providing flexibility and a parent-friendly culture as she raises Jack alone. Jack has had a lot to battle through, yet he’s the happiest, most compassionate, and affectionate kid. Watching Jack learn to read and write, which has been so hard for him, has been wonderful for Elizabeth to witness. Elizabeth loves those moments when Jack is so proud of himself!

Equally wonderful is watching Jack understand and regulate his emotions. He even reminds the adults around him to use their coping tools too! When he sees his mom get frustrated, he’ll remind her to do her “mountain breathing” or some yoga poses.

Jack is much like any 7-year-old. He loves to be outside hiking at Fort Harrison or Eagle Creek with his mom. He plays soccer and tennis and loves to skateboard, ride scooters, and swim. On school breaks, Elizabeth and Jack often travel to St Joseph, Michigan, or Sand Key, Florida.

Elizabeth loves modeling compassion in action for Jack, and guiding him to tangibly help others. She shared that Jack loves to be a helping friend. Elizabeth launched a nonprofit called Safe Park Indy, devoted to giving homeless Hoosiers living in their cars a safe place to park and a link to social services and amenities. She also continues to be a foster parent and host family for Safe Families for Children. Nothing can stop this solo mom and her son, Jack, from living a full life and advocating for others!

You can follow Elizabeth Friedland at @efriedland.