Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 300

Seven Humorous Parent Habits That Teens Will Never Understand

They drive us crazy.

We shake our heads in wonder almost daily over the strange things they do.

We try to understand exactly why they’re doing it “that way.”

And frequently, we just have to agree to disagree and let it go. When you’re the parent of a teen or young adult, you get in the habit of simply saying, “Whatever.” And walking away. There are a lot of hills that you know you don’t want to die on.

Recently I shared with my son the Grown and Flown piece, “Seven Teen Habits I Don’t Underst...

Finally, There’s Another Way To Pay For College

We all know the deal. You work hard in high school and you get into college. After that, you are left to wrangle with how exactly to pay for the cost of an education that in some cases exceeds $51,000 a year just for tuition. And that tuition figure rises every year. Throw in fees, room and board and travel and the costs of attending college can be staggering and the debt burden long-lasting.

More than ever, parents are borrowing in an effort to help finance their kid’s education and then def...

It’s Nice When Teens Come Home For the Holidays And Nice When They Go Back

My college kids headed back over the weekend, and I may be in the minority here, but there were no tearful driveway goodbyes, emotional breakdowns, or extended sessions of weeping affection. In my case,  there were just some thankful goofy smiles and quick hugs, and I maybe displayed just a wee bit too much joy while tossing their clean laundry bags into the trunk.

Waving goodbye to mom, returning to school. (Nejron Photo/ Shutterstock)

They. Are. Outta. Here!

Recently, I wrote a very tongue...

Senior Year of High School Feels Like The “Year of Tears”

Seven months and twenty or so days, give or take. That’s the amount of time I expect I have left with my oldest son living under my roof before moving away to college. Yet the tears started flowing at least four months ago when he first became a Senior. No one warned me I’d be an emotional wreck for an entire year beforehe even left. It’s not like I didn’t know this phase of life was coming. We’ve been talking about college since he was in 8thgrade it seems. So why do I feel so caught off gua...

Saying “Get Over It” To Your Teens Is Bad Advice

I have to admit there are times when my daughter comes home from school and she seems distraught. After learning that she’s upset because someone who isn’t even a friend made a rude comment about her hair, I want to tell her to forget about it; to move on; that it doesn’t even matter in the first place and really, why does she care about what someone she doesn’t even know thinks about her hair?

If she’s happy with her hair, that’s all that matters.

And then I feel the urge to add little tidbi...

I Really Need To Stop Trying To Change My Teens

My son wakes up every morning and leaves himself a half hour to get ready for school which isn’t enough time. He knows it, I know it, and the kitchen counter tops know it because they are constantly being bathed in spilled milk, or cereal, or protein powder as he rushes around to make it to school on time.

I’ve told him he should get up earlier, but he says he works better under pressure and somehow, we are usually on time, go figure.

When we are in a hurry, he never seems to move fast enough...

Listen Kids: Study Shows Drinking and Social Media Don’t Mix

If you’re the parent of a young adult or college student,  it’s probably safe to say you’ve heard the term “drunk texting.”  If not, let me give you the quick (and often dirty) definition-it’s when tipsy, buzzed, or full on completely hammered, young people take to their phones or laptops and let it all hang out. And by hang out, I mean they type, text, photograph, Snap, and Tweet pretty much whatever happens to be on their very inebriated minds, and it never ends well. Ever.

To make matters...

Each College Goodbye Gets Both Easier and Harder

“Please tell me it gets easier.”

For any parent who’s already sent one child off to college, this is our frantic plea after their first drop-off. We desperately long for a friend or family member to reassure us that YES! – with each successive goodbye, it will get easier, and there won’t be as many tears that fall, and we will never again feel that wretched pit of sorrow in our stomach.

Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?

Just this morning, I watched my daughter depart from...

I Found An Unexpected Community While Wearing A College Hat

In the 1988 movie classic, “Crossing Delancey,” decent and ever-patient Sam Posner informs lovable, but dismissive Izzy that she may wish to change her perspective. “You should try a new hat sometime. It might look good on you,” he suggests. With a new hat from Sam, a clearer look into her own desires, plus a dose of meddling from her impish grandmother, a match is ultimately made between Izzy and Sam.

Three decades after the release of this charming movie, the pickles are still fresh, and th...

Counseling Saved Me And My Teen Boys When We Needed Help Most

He just left.

Smiling as he walked out the door.

“Say hi to Erin for me” I said.

Jack, my oldest son, is heading to counseling. He’s home from college. He just completed his first semester at Marquette University. I asked if he wanted to check in with Erin our counselor.

“Yeah, of course, Mom.”

Counseling. It saved me. It saved the boys. It saved us as a family.

Counseling saved us as a family.

It gives us a safe space to share our fears, pain and hopes. It has given us tools to communicate,...