Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 299
January 18, 2019
Parents, Please Put The Cell Phones Down During Events
I couldn’t see my son during the first part of his fifth-grade graduation even though I had a good seat because I’d taken the time to get there an hour early.
And during my daughter’s chorus concert, the same thing happened. I twisted and turned in my seat to get a good view of her for the first half of the show.
The person in front of me wasn’t wearing a big hat, wasn’t extra tall, and wasn’t standing on their chair. I was blocked from seeing my children perform because someone a few rows ah...
January 17, 2019
I Didn’t Send My Kid To A College Prep School And Here’s Why
Years ago, my son Lucas had the good fortune of being selected to attend one of the top public elementary schools in the state of Florida. The school, which goes through sixth grade and has only around 500 students, is known for its focus on science, its rigorous curriculum, and its high social and academic standards.
The only way to get your kid into this school is via a lottery. Every January, parents from all over the county put their kid’s name in a digital hat and hope their’s is one of...
January 16, 2019
Moms Weigh In, Is It More Beneficial to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom With Toddlers or Teens?
Almost 21 years ago, I quit my job to be a “stay-at-home mom” right after my first son was born. Economically it made sense, as my job at the time paid very little in comparison to infant day care costs, and emotionally I just wasn’t ready to leave my baby in the care of someone other than myself. I was also a firm believer that years 0-3 of childhood development were the most crucial in terms of both healthy physical and mental development, and I wanted to be the sole provider of both those...
This is Why High School Was Easier (and Better) In The 90s
On my way to my bedroom late one night, I saw the familiar sliver of light coming from my son’s room. Burning the midnight oil again, I thought. When I cracked the door open, I found him hunched over his computer, eyes bloodshot and tired, furiously typing on the keyboard. I ruffled his curls and told him he needed to go to bed.
“It’s late, son. There’s always tomorrow,” I said, gently.
“Mah, it never ends,” he said. He told me he had an hour to go before his assignment was due at midnight an...
The Link Between Close Friendships And Later Emotional Stability In Teens
As a teen, I had a few close friendships—one in particular, Katrina, was my bestie, and to this day we still call each other “BFF.” She’s a second sister to me, and she and her family are the only remaining people who still call me “Krissy,” my childhood nickname. Even with Katrina as my BFF, though, as a teen, I was still desperate for the approval of others.
The “popular crowd” was a distinct and exclusive group that I yearned to be a part of. I embarrassed myself many times trying to fit i...
Your Teens Need to Know That Failure Really Equals Success and Here’s Why
What if right now across the country, as college acceptance letters are hitting mailboxes and proud, zealous parents are boasting about all the great success that is their high schooler (and sharing it liberally across multiple social media outlets), that there could also be a way for teens who have, or are currently “failing greatly” at something in their lives, to feel some sort of camaraderie?
Is there a way for these “failing” teens to feel something other than complete defeat, shame, o...
January 15, 2019
My Kids Are Home From College And I Don’t Want Them To Go Back
There. I said it. And I’m not sorry. I don’t want my kids to go back to college because I love having them around. Although I know that based on most conversations I’ve had with friends and all the parenting articles I’ve read online lately, I’m in what feels like a teeny, tiny minority, but I don’t care.
It’s how I feel. And here’s why…
See, with both of my daughters in college now, winter break means something very different than it did when they were young. It’s not the nine or ten-day bre...
College Reveal Parties Are A Thing And We Have Feelings
College reveal parties are a thing.
Yes, you read that correctly.
“This can’t be. Who in the world would actually do this?” or are you thinking, “Hmm…that sounds kinda fun. I know just where to buy the perfect colored balloons.”
It’s not really all that surprising that college reveal parties are now something that teens are asking for and parents are agreeing to. It’s a logical jump from the gender reveal parties that have existed for years. You’ve either been to one of those or seen pictures...
It’s Official: My Teens Have Caused Me To Lose My Ever Loving Mind
Has Anyone Seen My Mind? Because I need help finding it. Surely, I have lost it.
I would get in the car ready for a full day of errands, only to see a big red “E” for empty, when I know I had just filled the tank. I mean, at least I thought I remembered filling the tank. Didn’t I fill the tank?
When I would open the pots and pans drawer in the kitchen, I would see my white measuring cups in there. And not just one or two, but all of them, dumped in there, scattered—like I had lost consciousne...
January 14, 2019
An Adjunct Professor Asks: Do You Know Who’s Really Teaching Your Teen?
The other day, walking across campus to raid the supply closet in the English department, I passed a group of prospective students touring our prestigious university with their parents. Guides showed them our impressive dining hall (we have fresh sushi!), the theater and the grand library. I’m sure the parents loved the fact that all of our classrooms have computers and printers.
Students were probably excited about the diversity of both the student body and the faculty, not to mention that w...
