Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 331

What My First Year of Teaching HS Seniors Taught Me About Expectations

Have you seen those “Expectations versus Reality” photographs–the ones that contrast what you think something will look like with how it actually turns out?

My first year of teaching was like one of those photographs.

Expectation picture: My first day would go swimmingly. The weeks of summer planning would pay off. My students would happily learn to write essays, resumes, cover letters, and other real-world writing documents. They’d enthusiastically read and engage in conversations about Haml...

Between Menopause and Teen Hormones, It’s a Hot Mess At Our House (Literally)

I have a bone to pick with whomever designed human beings: who believed having a menopausal woman and a teenager living in the same house at the same time was a good idea?

I had my child later than the norm: I was 35 when Z was born. And that was a good thing because I would have been a terrible parent in my 20s. I have always known that (although I do wish I had the energy I had back then). But I’m certainly not the only one having children at 35 or beyond. So what’s with the design flaw?

I...

News Flash, Parents: Teen Dating Isn’t What It Used To Be

Recently I saw a notice online about a community forum that hoped to bring teens and their parents together to talk about dating and relationships. And while I don’t mean to be snarky, it made me chuckle because Teens and Dating? Newsflash: It’s 2018 and dating, as we experienced it back in the day, isn’t really a thing anymore – especially for college students. Or so I’ve been schooled by several of them I know pretty well.

So, take off your letterman sweater, Dad, and put down your Sony Wal...

10 Ways To Help Your Teen Say Goodbye To High School

Saying goodbye is never easy and graduating high school is no exception.

Many of our teens have spent the last thirteen years of their lives with the same friends, hanging out in the same places, complaining about the same old boring life. Yet, it is this boring life that they will miss dearly when they leave. There is something so comforting about routine, and leaving high school, saying goodbye to friends, family and familiar places can affect your teen more than you realize.

Here are ten...

My Advice to My Rising Senior Who is Freaking Out About College

Over the past few weeks, the conversation in our house has been increasingly dominated by college talk: dorm room décor, roommate questions, class schedules, transportation concerns, the fear of homesickness, breakfast choices in the dining hall — if it pertains to college, we’ve covered it. Daily. The anxiety is here, and it’s real.

The only thing is, my daughter is still in high school.

In her defense, she’s weeks away from starting her senior year and is feeling the pressures of starting t...

Loungewear Style Around the House: How Not to Be Mrs. Robinson

This is a subject that I think a lot of us can probably relate to – what to wear around the house around bedtime (nighttime or breakfast) when there are teenage boys (yours or your kid’s friends) around. I love comfortable loungewear but really don’t want to look like a Mrs. Robinson!

 

For me, this concern also came up when I shared a room with my son on a soccer tournament or on college tours. You want to feel comfortable but at the same time, you need to cover up in an appropriate way. Th...

As My Daughter Leaves For College, I’m Already Feeling Left Behind

At the end of this summer, my youngest daughter will be going to college, and I can’t help feeling that I’m being left behind.

I remember the first time I felt like I’d been left. I was six, in the first grade, and had the most wonderful teacher in the world. Her name was Miss Lindley and she was beautiful, at least in my six-year-old eyes. She taught us songs and games and led a wonderful version of show and tell, and we all loved her. On my birthday, we had cupcakes and she even wrote on my...

The Perfect College Dorm Move-in Day, That Wasn’t

My firstborn son was going to college and moving him into his dorm was going to be THE perfect day. After all, I had planned it all in my head for months.

I would lovingly make his bed and fill his dresser while my husband put the finishing touches on the newly assembled loft furniture my son had purchased to outfit his dorm room. (Purchased second hand to save money, isn’t our son smart?) Next, we would have a nice dinner together at one of the fantastic restaurants to be found near his univ...

I Respect My Teen’s Online Privacy And Trust He’ll Make Good Choices

When I was in college, my friends and I drove several hours to visit another friend at a huge university. The trip was fraught with bad behavior, from distracted driving while singing too loudly to 90s grunge music to staying in an all guys dorm against the rules. My three friends and I had a blast that weekend but I can remember thinking during certain points of the weekend that my parents would drop dead if they saw me funneling beer at the frat party we attended.

Back then, I was able to g...

Dear Daughter, There’s No “Right Way” To Do High School

Sweet girl,

I hear you up there in your room, trying on first-day-of-school outfits and organizing your binders and locker decorations. It takes me back to when we were deciding what you should wear for your first day of preschool and making sure your name was Sharpied into your backpack.

I’m a little nostalgic, thinking about those days, but I don’t wish we were back there, because where you are right now—staring down this enormous first in what will be a long line of them—is exactly where y...