Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 337

Here’s Why a Sabbatical After High School Would Help Teens

Am I the only one, or do other parents out there in Parentville wish there was a place in between high school and college where our kids could go when they’re not quite sure what they wanna be when they grow up?

You know, someplace in between, where they could be exposed to a medley of professions, sort of like Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. Just maybe not quite as dirty. Cause I don’t know about you, but I’ve always felt like it’s a huuuuuge stretch to assume that our seventeen or eighteen-year-...

The Day My Teenaged Daughter Found Her Voice Left Me Speechless

She was the baby who almost wasn’t.

When I was seventeen weeks pregnant with her, I was in a devastating head on car accident. The relief my husband and I felt when we saw her heartbeat, wild and strong, at the hospital where I was treated was palpable. Our girl was a fighter.

She came to us tiny and unsure. Often wary of strangers, she’d cling to me in social situations. The irony of her being born into a raucous and boisterous family was not lost on us. Many a family gathering found me cudd...

The Path To Success Doesn’t Always Mean A Four Year Degree

The end of the high school year is “senior packet” time. It’s the beginning of the insanely stressful college application process for the rising senior class of which my son is a part. The packet consists of forms, a student self-description survey and the “parent brag sheet” in which the parents are supposed to note their child’s qualities, academic, leadership and service accomplishments.

I did this for his sister, four years ago. It wasn’t hard to do since she checked all the boxes. But, m...

My Pediatrician Said What I Couldn’t Say to My Teen

The truth is that my daughter can be a real jerk sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love her dearly, even when she is being a tool. I just need to face the reality that teens are harder than toddlers to raise.

Once we got out of the baby phase and into the toddler years, I aimed to raise independent, self-sufficient, moral children. I aimed to be a mom to my girls, not a friend. This parenting plan meant I always knew my girls would grow-up someday to say, “I hate you.” In some strange way, I s...

Your Teen’s Wisdom Teeth Getting Pulled Soon? Ten Best Survival Tips

It’s hilariously ironic that during the teen years, when our kid’s entire rational thought process is replaced by something we don’t even recognize, is when dentists and oral surgeons suggest the removal of possibly the last “smart” thing in their heads- their wisdom teeth.

Because of their late appearance, third molars have been coined “wisdom teeth,” and usually erupt in late childhood- when our kids have presumably gained a bit of wisdom. But like I said, it’s when we’re begging for wisdom...

This Is 15: A Bittersweet Milestone Age (And It’s Also Smelly)

Fifteen.

A milestone, they say.

In fact, companies give employees gold watches after 15 years of service.

Even the word “fifteen” sounds official.

And yet, fifteen is still young.

Fifteen is “Hey, Mah, can you take me to the store, I need a poster board for school?” because you can’t drive yet.

Fifteen is dipping your toes into the waters of teen social media and dating drama.

Fifteen is eye rolling and the certainty that your mother is, quite possibly, the most uninformed woman on the planet...

Grown and Flown Summer Style: 4 Alternatives to Shorts

It might be time for me to trade out those denim cut-offs for something that makes me feel better – inside and out.

Note: G&F may receive compensation from purchases made through the links in this post but the opinions are our own.

Right now, I’m wearing cute army green shorts but I’m just puttering around the house and catching up on my inbox. I’m not sure I’d feel good if I wear them as I head out to run errands or meet up with friends.

Although I try to stay fit, when I catch a glimpse of...

My 80s Summers: 10 Things I’m Sharing With My Teens

My memories of my 80s summers are near and dear to my heart. When I think about my childhood, summer days are what stand out the most. Whether my sisters and I were trying to build forts in the woods, or eating homemade popsicles on a blanket in the front yard, we were making precious memories even though I’m pretty sure we thought we were going to die of boredom.

This summer, I’m throwing it back to the 80s with my teens. I want to share with them some of the things I did as a girl growing u...

Parenting My Teens Has Been The Loneliest I’ve Ever Felt As A Mom

One thing I’ve realized as a mother to teens is that, back in our younger days, talking about some of the problems or hard times you experienced while you were a mother to younger kids, was a bonding ritual between moms. You were so relieved to see another mother sitting on the park bench sporting a messy bun, and barely holding her s*it together, you took it as an opportunity to make a new friend.

Talking about the sleepless nights, tantrums, picky eaters, and the fact your child liked to sp...

15 Honest And True Realities of Turning Forty (Spoiler: It’s Not All Fabulous)

“But it’s there. It’s just sitting there, like some big dead end.”

With this now famous line, Meg Ryan lamented her inevitable 40th birthday in a scene from When Harry Met Sally.

Forty is the literal fork in the road of aging.

If you are anything like me (weak and delusional) the denial path calls to you like the chocolate in your kid’s Halloween stash. As a coping mechanism, I devised an aging system to ensure I never left my 20’s.

Sean Locke Photography/ Shutterstock

When I turned 30, I was...