Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 309

College Students: When You Are Burned Out, Remember These 10 Things

Oh sweetie, I know. I know. I see it in your social media posts. I feel it in your emoji-less texts. I hear it in your voice on the rare occasions we talk on the phone (no, that wasn’t a guilt trip). I read it in the list of things you messaged that you left behind when you were home for the weekend: “1. My dark-wash jeans. 2. My black blazer. 3. Motivation.”

I get it. You are done. DONE. You are over this semester, over your work load, over course syllabi, over writing papers, over reading c...

Let Your Teens Fail At Home So They Learn How To

At the end of my first semester of college, I waited impatiently for the release of final grades. My body was tense with a new anxiety— one I’d not experienced in high school. For the first time in my educational career, I was worried about my grades.

In high school, I was enrolled in honors and AP classes. I graduated with honors. I had scholarships and grants to attend college because of my grades, but in that first semester of college, I failed a class and the rest of my final grades— all...

Students Don’t Need Rooftop Pools and Other Reasons Why Being Young and Broke in College is a Good Thing

I recently received a mailing from a new apartment complex being constructed near the campus of the college where both of my sons attend. It was a large, shiny (and expensively printed) postcard which featured all the amenities and modern conveniences this new “student focused” living center had, and how my student would find this new home to be a perfect fit for their time spent at college.

“This sounds perfect!” I thought. I mean, who doesn’t want the very best for their college student? A...

Handling Your Daughter’s Sexy Instagram Posts Is No Easy Task

I sat across my best friend from high school last week while enjoying a plate of sushi. We were discussing the ever-popular topic of how lucky we were to go to high school in the ’90s where cell phones were unheard of any the only way to document anything was through a camera, and we were almost always aware when our picture was being taken.

Also, selfies weren’t a thing but if they were, you bet your ass we all would have been caught taking lots of them before school, when we were bored on a...

I Regret Allowing My Teen To Enroll In Advanced Placement Classes

When our kids were small, we moved to a new school district in time for my son to start kindergarten. As I was filling out his new student paperwork, I realized, unexpectedly, that our new district had a different age cut off than our previous district. This meant that my daughter, already enrolled in preschool, would have to either be tested to see if she could be admitted to kindergarten or complete another year of preschool.

At the time, I remember the decision feeling enormous. It felt li...

As A Single Mom, an Empty Nest Feels So Scary To Me

Last spring my kids spent a week in Florida with their father. The whole time they were gone the house was obnoxiously quiet, my heart-felt hallow, and I was counting down the days until they returned.

I kept busy, I had fun and went away for a few days with a friend and would spend evenings cooking only for myself. There was no extra mess to clean up, fighting over the bathroom didn’t happen, and I wasn’t late once that week because I was waiting for someone to find their ear buds or socks....

Parenting College Kids In An Uncertain World Can Be Stressful

When my daughter went off to college over a year ago, I worried about normal things – would she make friends, would she hold her own academically, would she do her laundry, eat balanced meals, get enough sleep, get involved in campus life?  She was off to my alma mater, a campus I knew better than my hometown, and a place where fond memories lurked around every corner. I had spent an amazing four years there but I wasn’t naïve.

In addition to the friendships and late night talks I also rememb...

Having Intellectual Conversations With My Teen Is So Cool

My college freshman daughter waltzes into the kitchen and drops her bag by the dishwasher. “Hey mom!” she says. Before I can even return her greeting, she adds, “Guess what we’re learning about in linguistics class!” She proceeds to tell me some random, specific facts about how language works. She uses words I’ve never heard, and then explains them to me with articulate patience. She’s positively buzzing with fascination over how the world’s thousands of languages all have some kind of gramma...

Favorite Boots for Teens and College Students, Perfect Holiday 2018 Gifts

Winter boots are a must-have for college kids who attend school in cold and snowy climates.  We recently asked our Grown and Flown Parents FB group members to tell us which brands their teens love to wear. We’ve listed the favorites along with boots that our fashion-forward young adults told us were very much on trend THIS SEASON.
No great surprises that the girls’ lists were much, much longer than the guys, many of whom prefer to stick with their sneakers year round, regardless of how many s...

2018 Black Friday Deals: Here are Some of the Best Gifts for Teens

It’s here, Black Friday. While everyone else in your house is still sleeping off their seconds (thirds?) of dressing and pumpkin pie, it’s time for you to nab some of the great Black Friday deals on items we know your teens and college kids will love. Actually, the others adults on your list might be thrilled to find these under the tree, too.

Note: We receive some compensation from purchases made through some of the links in this post. Prices and availability are subject to change. 

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