Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 326
August 27, 2018
My Daughter’s Living at Home for College and This is Why it Works for Our Family
My daughter started college on her 18th birthday, and as she walked out the door that day, I ached inside. It felt like a sudden change of season, and a major milestone that there was no way to emotionally prepare for. My first baby becoming an official adult and heading to the hallowed halls of higher education on the same day hit me hard. Watching her walk out our front door, I felt my heart trying to chase after her.
I don’t know how parents drop their kids off at college. I really don’t....
My Son Started High School And It Feels Like Preschool All Over Again
When the nurse handed my son to me, I expected to feel an instantaneous bond. As I peeled back his blanket and took in his old man scowl, though, I surprised myself as the words, “I’m not qualified to raise a human” came to mind. And I promptly looked around for a grown up because I was pretty sure I was going to be a huge screw up as a parent.
Over the years, my husband and I have navigated all of the typical milestones: sleep training, potty training, training wheels. Come to think of it, t...
This Mom Helped Create the Prettiest Dorm Room, Ever
When moms help their teens with dorm shopping, it can be as simple as driving them to Target once or twice to get the basics or they can spend hours pouring over Pinterest and Instagram for ideas and inspiration. Either approach is absolutely fine and kids will survive in their new rooms regardless of the time and effort parents devote to their teen’s dorm decor.
But, with a vision, determination and the budget to do so, hum drum dorm furniture and cinderblock walls can be transformed into sp...
How To Launch Your 22-Year-Old Daughter in Seven Days
Have your daughter fill your car with all her belongings the day after her college graduation in June so she can drive home to Minnesota. Be prepared to rescue her when the car catches on fire somewhere in rural Georgia and everything in it—except her, her cell phone, and her best friend—is consumed by flames.
Be grateful for all the people who stop to help them, and be at peace with the fact that you will never learn how the fire started. Look on the bright side: there’s less to move to Los...
August 24, 2018
I Have Come To Accept The Empty Nest As Our “New Normal”
The first 48 hours are the worst.
You’ll get back from the airport, or the long drive, or maybe just the short drive that suddenly seems so much longer. And you’ll be exhausted, physically and emotionally, drained.
The house will seem eerily quiet, and the dog will glance at you with a pathetic and accusatory countenance. “Where are they, and why did you let them go?”, their sad eyes will question. And for a minute, you’ll second-guess this query yourself.
Your rational brain attempts to offe...
Why the Advice My Oldest Son Gave Me is the Best Advice
We anchored our boat on a sandbar, about a half mile from shore. After playing in the water for some time with the twins, my oldest and I decided to swim to shore. Our goal was to see if it was sand all the way, or if it got rocky at some point. The beach looked gorgeous and we wanted to play.
We left the twins with their dad and my son’s girlfriend. While we swam, we talked. He’s twenty, so I can talk to him like an adult now. And he responds with a wisdom well beyond his years. And today he...
Did I Teach Him How to Add Fabric Softener and Other Smaller Life Lessons? No I Didn’t.
As I prepare to drop my son off at college so many things are going through my mind and of course free flowing emotions where one can burst into tears at any moment (and in fact does). But keeping me sane, in some ways, is the panicked realization and sense of urgency that I need to cram in some not-so-important life lessons. I had 18 friggin years and still I feel my son is not fully baked and not ready.
And there is so much I forgot to mention.
In this lemmings’ march towards college drop o...
August 23, 2018
Seven Most Frequently Asked Questions About Paying for College
As our teens grow taller, seemingly overnight, so, too, can the stress and need for information about paying for college soar, especially as families start the college admissions process. Parents have a good reason to be concerned. Read more about how to pay for college from Capital One here.
The average annual expense for tuition, fees, room and board in 2017-18 was calculated to be $20,770 for public schools and $46,950 for private nonprofit colleges. In addition, the average debt after co...
August 22, 2018
I Hope My Daughter Finds Lifelong College Friends Like I Did
I just spent a long weekend away with three of my best college girlfriends. We convened at my friend Kate’s house — a gorgeous Spanish-style villa overlooking the Pacific in a coastal suburb of L.A. Her home is lovely and a beach vacation was fabulous, but it honestly wouldn’t have mattered if we were in a tent. After all, we’ve lived in cramped dorm rooms together, slept on one another’s living room floors, and shared communal showers. (That was only in one dorm, thank God.)
My Youngest Child Is Headed To College: I’ve Been Dreading This Moment
I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been dreading writing this column for years. Like, years. About eighteen, to be exact. Because I always knew that the day I sat down to write it would signal my youngest daughter going off to college and ultimately heading out on her own. And exactly like I predicted the day she was born, I’m just not ready. And here’s why…
The thing is, I love being a mom. That’s the simple truth.
As crazy as it seems, I love being on call twenty-four hours a day. I love being the one...
