Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 26

True Confessions from a Recovered ‘College Snob’ Parent

I’m here to shamefully admit that I used to be one of “those parents” when it came to college admissions. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, let me start from the beginning.

Our first-born child, a daughter who burst into the world a month early, was cerebral from the moment she opened her eyes. She talked early, she read early, and she was prematurely skeptical of childish notions like Santa and the tooth fairy and had to be begged not to reveal those truths at school and ruin it for othe...

15 Best Ways to Save Space in a College Dorm or Apartment at The Container Store

This post is sponsored by The Container Store but the opinions are my own. 

My younger brother is moving into his first college apartment this summer with two friends. He’s looking for ways to store all his stuff and make the space more functional. Think three guys, small space. So, I took him on a shopping trip. 

First stop, The Container Store. As we walked inside, I instantly felt immersed in a world that would bring order to any apartment chaos. The store was well laid out and ...

15 Best Ways to Save Space in Your College Dorm or Apartment

This post is sponsored by The Container Store but the opinions are my own. 

My younger brother is moving into his first college apartment this summer with two friends. He’s looking for ways to store all his stuff and make the space more functional. Think three guys, small space. So, I took him on a shopping trip. 

First stop, The Container Store. As we walked inside, I instantly felt immersed in a world that would bring order to any apartment chaos. The store was well laid out and ...

My Son Brings Me to Tears But I Don’t Want Him to Leave

I will never understand how a person could possibly feel two more opposite feelings simultaneously than the ones I feel being the mom of a high school senior. I am the mother to an only child who will graduating in June and reporting to college in August. 

I have never wanted to shove someone out of my house with great haste while also wanting to never let them leave…well, ever. And it is disorienting at best.

We have officially entered the season of “soiling the nest” in my house. I have ...

Why Mom Says “It’s Me, I’m the Swiftie, It’s Me.”

I’m not exactly certain how the idea—take your tween daughter to the Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour—formed. Pop radio was our driving soundtrack, and we were into Shake it Off. I did not want to be an old boring mom…while it seemed ambitious and a little over the top, things evolved.

Despite my being very anxious about the crowds, the driving, the parking, the losing the children amongst sixty thousand people (the crowds), the drive home, plans fell into place. We hitched a ride...

How Parents Can Cause Their College Students Pain, and How to Avoid It

My career as a clinical psychologist has afforded me the opportunity to learn so much about the vast landscape of human experiences. Many are things that I, too, have dealt with. Things like anxiety, parenting, relationships, grief, identity and more.

I have the privilege of helping people navigate big transitions in life as well. I am currently living a huge transition – one I have supported clients through for years – but had no personal experience of: My child graduating high school and p...

This Summer, Dorm Room Shopping Is My Love Language

I’ve somehow found myself in a Facebook group called “Dorm Room Mamas.” It’s exactly what you think it is. Next thing I knew, I was clicking links and bookmarking with abandon: shower caddies, rugs, fans, mattress toppers, outlet strips, desk lamps, even the specific blue moving bags that everyone already seemed to know about. 

Come August, my son will be eight hours away from home. He has no idea I’m researching the best laundry hampers. He doesn’t even want me to go into his room at home. M...

Parental Leave: This is When We REALLY Need It

Like many of you, I’ve been working since I was 14. After having our oldest, apart from maternity leave, I’ve always balanced-sometimes off-balanced-my career with motherhood. The early years were a whirlwind of diapers, sleepless nights, and moments of pure joy–and terror.

Throughout my career, my husband and I took pride in the “machine” we built—an ambitious attempt to blend professional careers and active parenting. However, as our oldest son closes out his junior year of high school, we’...

For 17 Years This Has Been My Favorite Time of Day

Schools are community spaces. That makes sense. We talk about building classroom community, professional community and creating community with other parents and families through organizations and events. In fact, we use the word community so often that it loses its meaning.

But what about the community that schools create that is not as visible, but just as impactful? What about the community created within families because of the walks to school, or the conversations at the bus stop, the da...

The Best Deals on College Dorm Essentials Right Now

Credit: Target/ PB Teen

We get it. Shopping for college is expensive. Between twin XL sheets and shower caddies to splurges like a mattress topper, these things really add up to the already pricey college tuition. If you’re looking for ways to save on college dorm stuff, we’re compiling the best deals we’ve found from Amazon, Target, PB Teen, and more. These are all necessary items that you’ll likely get anyway, so you might as well buy them on sale!

We’ll be updating this post regularly,...