Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 21

This Is What It Means When Your Teen is ‘Soiling The Nest’

My oldest leaves for college in about six weeks.

To say the last few months haven’t been without many aggravations, unwarranted aggressions, flaring tempers, and angry outbursts would be a big, fat lie because they have — a lot.

My son leaves for college soon, and he’s making our time together unpleasant, possibly by design. (Twenty20 @9_fingers_)

 

This is a phenomenon known as “soiling the nest“

It’s when we as mothers, perhaps out of utter exhaustion and perpetual impatience, have gotten to t...

lululemon: Top Back-to-School Favorites Your College Student Would LOVE

For style and comfort, lululemon is my favorite place to shop for back-to-school casual and athletic wear. lululemon apparel and accessories are perfect for everyday use, a full day of classes, training for a college athlete, or if students just want to feel extra cozy on their day off.

Here are my top picks from lululemon on leggings, bags, shirts, shoes, and more for college students this year, based on personal experience and high-quality user reviews. Shop for now or consider them as birthda...

Eight Things to Remember on the Drive Back Home After Drop-Off

We know this day is coming. We hope for it and work hard, yet we can find ourselves wishing it away when it arrives. For 18 years, we prepared to take our teens to college on move-in day. We cultivate their independence, encourage their achievements, and sit alongside them through the roller coaster ride of college admissions.

But after the boxes are unpacked and the twin XL bed is neatly made, there is nothing more to do than say goodbye. Nothing more to do than take a deep breath, walk away...

It’s College Drop-Off Time; Breathe It’s Really Going to Be Okay

As a mother, I often find myself going through experiences where I say, “I wish I could read what I need to read right now.” I’m the oldest child, and my kids and I are often the first to go through any seminal experience, whether it’s childbirth (me), potty training (my kids), or college applications (that one felt like both of us). I search for heartfelt older-sister advice that I cannot find.

Whether it’s “how to not lose your mind while parenting six kids” or “how to cope with a househol...

How Do I Help My Daughter Cope With Impossible Beauty Standards When I Never Did

For my sixteen-year-old daughter getting dressed requires the right fit, hair, face. She possesses piles of clothes, practically collects beauty and hair products. She can rate mascara. “Face masks are soothing,” she says.

She didn’t learn this from me. I’m a wash hair rarely, never blow dry, “no mascara since my twenties and barely then” gal. But she learned this from me as I learn it from her. None of us truly escapes this; by 2025, the global beauty industry is expected to produce revenue...

Five Things I Tell Worried Parents About That First College Drop Off

We are just weeks away from dropping our youngest child off to college and the ease with which I am approaching this milestone shocks me. Shouldn’t I be freaking out ? Shouldn’t I be chasing down that child with nagging questions that start with “Why haven’t you…” and end with “...YET!?!?” 

I am not.

Instead, I am completely (and blissfully) checked out. It’s not that I don’t have an interest in the ramp-up to that drop-off at the dorm. It’s that I’ve done this before and I know that, in t...

Why I Cried When I Dropped My Teen Off at College

This weekend we dropped off number two son at college. This is not my first rodeo, so I was somewhat prepared for the flood of emotion that comes with this process. I’ve been feeling weepy for the last week or two but the separation went surprisingly well, even though I did feel that familiar lump rise in my throat as we watched him walk away.

My heart is so full of love for you that it aches. Why moms cry at college drop-off day

If we moms had to explain why we get misty-eyed when we l...

When Did We Become the ‘Old People’ In the Neighborhood?

Sitting on my front porch, sipping coffee, always black with a touch of milk. Gosh, this brings me joy. You have to understand, my front porch is small, two black wrought iron rocker chairs and a matching ottoman, overstuffed pillows, flowering plants, even two hanging plants filled with orange blooms, deep purple and green leaves, and a jute rug with a green cotton rug underneath. It truly is a haven.

Every morning, I take it in. No neighbors are out and about; occasional bunnies munch in th...

17 Tech Essentials at Walmart Every College Student Needs

Credit: Walmart

Buying new tech for school can be an expensive but necessary expense for students heading into their freshman year of college. Luckily, Walmart offers back to school tech essentials at great prices to start the semester off right. You’ll find laptops, earbuds, smart alarm clocks, and wireless chargers are just some of the college tech essentials you can find..

To save you both time and money, we held a late night study sesh to comb through page after page of tec...

14 Stylish Dorm Decor You Can Get at Walmart

Credit: Walmart

Whether your college student is new to dorm life or a returning student, stylish dorm decor is important for them to feel more at home. Seriously, nothing saddens a living situation quite like bland beige walls and harsh overhead lighting. Luckily, you can find an impressively stylish collection of bedding, furniture, and other accessories in Walmart’s dorm decor section. There are plenty of stylish dorm decor options—so you can spruce up their space without spending a fortun...