Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 335

Grown and Flown Summer Style: 4 Perfect Laid-back LA Looks

Mara is headed to L.A. for the 4th of July weekend. #completelyjealous

L.A. always seems magical to me. While SoCal natives may complain about the traffic and the pollution, just saying “L.A.” conjures up images of perpetually sunny skies, the long line of palm trees along Rodeo Drive, a 60’s wood-sided station wagon with surf boards on top, fire pits at a glass cubed home overlooking the city, the breath-taking vista of the Getty Museum. And of course, the totally cool boutiques on Abbot-Ki...

12 Things Not To Say To The Youngest Child When Their Siblings Leave

I was the third and youngest child, the one left at home when my siblings went to college. Being the baby of the family had its perks and drawbacks. I will never forget, the moment I realized my sister leaving home meant leaving me home with mom and dad. I know we are all amazing parents, but the older our kids get, the less time they want to spend with us. Crazy, right? Actually, it’s normal!

Soon, it will be time for my second daughter to fly the coop and high tail it out of our house. Rece...

I Have Fond Memories of the Messy Parts of the Teenage Years

As the day of my daughter’s high school graduation comes and goes, I am called to think about the memories. Not the finger painting or the overpriced seven-year-old birthday parties where they gave us a room and an endless supply of bubble blowing.

No, I am remembering the good, the bad and the messy of the teenage years.

What comes to mind first, is the sound of our sliding glass door opening and closing at all hours of the day and night. We were never sure who was going to walk through but...

All the Stuff You Should NOT Worry About When Your Kid Goes to College

I am a maniacal worrier.

No wait.

I’m more than maniacal.

I’m could worry professionally.

I dare say, I’m pretty confidant that I’d take All The Gold Medals- a la Michael Phelps, if worrying was an actual Olympic event.

Which is to say that when my firstborn went off to college, I went down that rabbit hole of worry almost on a daily basis. And I do mean DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, as in, my irrational, statistically impossible worrisome thoughts and “what if”s went from 0-60 in less time than a new...

Why The Phrase “Man Up” Misses The Point When Raising Our Sons

We’ve all heard the expressions “Be a man!” and “Man up!” (usually when a guy is dealing with something difficult), and I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan. Somehow these phrases always seem to imply that boys and young men should be strong, stoic, and fearless – that they shouldn’t share their feelings, have feelings, and certainly, not talk about their feelings. Boys are expected to quickly get over whatever situation has them down.

You never hear someone say “Be a woman!” (I’...

Parents, Avoid Saying These Phrases To Your Student Athletes

We are a society that is sports and competition driven, and this is hurting our children – both to those who play sports and the ones who don’t. I came face to face with this problem when running the Travel soccer program in our town. I received email after email about how the judges who placed the players on the A, B or C team had gotten it wrong. Nope. They always got it right – it was the parents who got it wrong.

As a coach, I also heard what not to say to an athlete. The other coach, als...

What Not To Say When Your Kids Share Their Post College Plans

Remember how sweet it was when your kids were little, and someone would ask them what they wanted to be when they grew up, and you’d smile down at them as they told an older gentleman in the post office line that they were going to be a firefighter and an archeologist?

And then a month later the answers had morphed into a dentist and a dolphin trainer?  And all throughout childhood, any answer they gave was met with, “Oh, that’s great! I bet you’ll make a wonderful ballerina or teacher or zoo...

My Husband Surprised Me With The Trip From Hell On My 40th Birthday

My father turned forty when I was thirteen. I can remember my mother secretly planning a surprise party for him and wondering what all of the fuss was about. She stashed party decorations and cases of beer and soda at a friend’s house. She wrote out invitations when he was at work and intercepted phone call RSVPs like a ninja. And, she ordered a six-foot sub sandwich that seemed very impressive at the time.

On the appointed day, our house was bedecked with black streamers and signs with “Old...

It Takes Me Longer to Leave the House With My Teens Than it Did When They Were Toddlers

Do you remember the days when your kids were little and you had to tie their shoes and it took them exactly 8 minutes to tie their coat? You had to start planning hours before you wanted to go anywhere, and many times you just stayed home because the very thought of suiting everyone up to go somewhere took so much out of you that you knew you couldn’t do it in real life.

You wanted them to be independent and couldn’t wait for the day when they could get themselves ready and get in the damn ca...

I Picked The Wrong College And I Knew It The Moment I Moved In

I picked the wrong college. If I said this out loud in a conversation at the local Starbucks, I seriously believe the shop would fall silent. Customers and baristas would freeze in place. I’d hear gasps instead of coffee beans grinding, moms chatting and laptop keys clinking. No, I didn’t just graduate from high school this week. I’m a mom of a high school rising senior, looking back (as I often do) on the college choice I made at his age, in 1988.

So much has changed since Generation X gradu...