Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 341

I Went Back To School With Grey Hair and Classmates The Same Age As My Kids

The raucous movie “Life of the Party” starring Melissa Mc Carthy features stay-at-home mom and newly divorced Deanna who goes to college. The trailer shows her sitting with a friend after some rather hilarious unathletic attempts at racquetball, wondering about what to do now, when she suddenly says, “Oh my God, I know what I’m going to do!”

I had a moment like that three years ago. Inspired by my little sister (who finished nursing school at 45) I applied to graduate school in social work. P...

Summer Style: 7 Favorite Frocks for the Girl Who Only Wears Black

The thing is – we love black. We look great in black. Most of our summer style wardrobe is black and when we buy something and it’s not black, 99% of the time we regret it. Black never goes out of style.

Black oozes luxury and simplicity. “Luxury” is often defined as a slowing down of time, enjoying life, less about materialism and more about an emotional experience. Thats what we want to achieve with our wardrobe, to be timeless and effortless – oh and we also want to look as tall and skinn...

Missing Your Sweet Little Kids? Here’s Where They Are Hiding

When my youngest daughter was a little kid, she used to tell me that I was her favorite grown-up. But that is so 10 years ago now. Since she has two older sisters, I wasn’t surprised when I unceremoniously got pushed off my pedestal.

These days I am routinely treated to random surliness and harsh judgment. Anything I wear is subject to ridicule. They laugh condescendingly when I tell them a story I think is interesting. Even simple requests are met with eye-rolls. Any opinion I offer tends to...

Five Ways To Support Your College Student’s Career Development This Summer

There is a request I make of the students in my business professional development class at the beginning of every semester: You don’t have to get an internship but promise me you will do something this summer related to career development. We spend the rest of the semester talking about how they can do this.

But as much as I offer my guidance and training as an instructor, career choice is by far the topic that students mention their parents’ influence most often. Because one or both parents...

Coming Out: 12 Ways We Can Help Our Gay Teens

As parents, we do our best to support our children unconditionally, to love them no matter what. And we always hope we have given our children the tools to build upon that love with strength, for those moments when they need it most. Those moments that requires them to muster all the courage of a thousand lions.

Coming out of the closet is one of those moments.

Not all gay teens will come out to their parents. But for the ones who do, the words “I am gay” are first whispered to themselves, in...

Here’s How To Relish The Last Few Summers With Your Teens

We don’t own a pool. We don’t belong to a swim club. Nor, do we have a lakeside house or a view of the ocean. Besides the hammock under the Japanese maple, our backyard is devoid of any relief to the summer swelter. When our kids were younger, we’d buy kiddie pools and fun sprinklers, but now my teens are much too big for the pools and much too cool to jump over an octopus with water sprouting from its tentacles.

When seeking relief from the summer sun, my two teens huddle inside the air-cond...

Moms Need Their Teens To Really See Them

Let me paint a picture for moms of teens everywhere that is probably going to sound a bit familiar: Last night after my son mowed the lawn–something he loves doing because we have a riding mower, he grabs a Gatorade and listens to music–I asked him to empty the dishwasher. My other two kids were folding laundry.

I was sitting on the sofa finishing up some research for an article; I’d worked all day, vacuumed, caught up on the laundry my kids were folding, picked them all up from school, got m...

Your Teen Will Act Like They Don’t Need You, This Is When You Hang On Tighter

After my son hit puberty I noticed a change in him. It seemed to happen overnight– he went from a loving, caring talkative boy to a child who seemed so conflicted about everything, he was unrecognizable to me. Since he is my oldest and this was my first time parenting my way through something like this, I kept thinking I had somehow failed him. I was constantly asking him what was wrong and trying to fix it. I wasn’t sure if he was depressed, if there was something on his mind, or he was simp...

I Don’t Go In My Teens’ Messy Rooms And We Are All Happier For It

I can be a bit of a neat freak– I’m not afraid to admit it. Clutter makes me go bonkers, I prefer coats to be hung in the closet rather than draped over a chair. I’m that type of annoying person who cleans up as I’m cooking so I don’t have to sit and look at a big mess while I’m trying to enjoy dinner. Messes and disorganization affect me on a physical level and I’m just a happier person when everything is in its place.

The problem is I have three teenagers who don’t share my mess-induced anx...

The Best 8 Backpacks for College Kids and Teens

Every student needs a good backpack and every parent need their teen to have a backpack that keeps them organized and will be durable. Grown and Flown put together a list of their favorite backpacks that won’t break the bank and will help your student feel ultra organized.

Note: We receive compensation from purchases made through some of the links in this post.

1. Waterproof

This super sleek backpack from earth-pack is great for all your student’s adventures, will get them to class and can d...