Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 362
February 22, 2018
When a Hug Tells You All You Need to Know About Your Teen
Yesterday morning my son came over to me with arms reaching for me. I literally had no idea what he was doing, he has not given me an unsolicited hug in years – that’s no exaggeration.
When he wrapped his arms around me, I felt his familiar warmth. I tried not to act too surprised and excited. This wasn’t just any hug – it was a loving embrace. He meant it, he wanted me to feel it.
I thought he’d be quick about it, then he kissed my cheek and kept hugging me. I will never forget it; words can...
Enough As She Is by Rachel Simmons
For our daughters there is much good news, Rachel Simmons explains in Enough As She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy, and Fulfilling Lives[image error]. Their opportunities have never been more abundant. They are taking on the world like no generation of women has ever before. It is exhilarating to watch and, as parents of teens and young adults, immensely gratifying. But there is a more sinister side to all this opportunity. Simmons explains to us t...
February 21, 2018
Holding Your Tongue With an Angry Teen Will Make You a Better Parent
Everyone tells you toddlers are a lot of work.
The minute you announce you are pregnant, in fact, people start warning you that the toddler years are fraught with tantrums and noisy outbursts over unpeeled apples and socks that feel funny.
Three year olds have just enough vocabulary to make it very clear that they are unhappy with every single one of your parenting decisions.
You are smarter than a three-year-old and you will win the argument. Most days, anyway. And if you are looking there...
February 20, 2018
Put Your Phone Down! How to Help Your Distracted Teen
There’s a good chance at this very moment your child is scrolling through a feed on their phone. Most teenagers spend 9+ hours a day in front of screens, which includes time while doing their homework. Snap this, share that, like this, post that. The digital age is all-consuming and the attention span of your distracted teen is suffering.
Studies show that many people cannot focus for more than a few minutes at a time. The minute our phones ping, our heads jerk up and we feel compelled to che...
February 17, 2018
Dear Teenage Son, The Truth is I Am Jealous
As I entered the family room, I marveled at just how much space my teenage son now takes up on the couch.
His legs sprawled towards the carpet and his shock of curly, unwashed hair brushed his forehead as his face scowled at the phone in his hands.
He’d been there for hours, too: due to completing his exams early, he had a rare day off from the demands of his freshman year in high school.
Save for an orthodontist appointment later that morning, he planned on spending the day with Netflix and...
Here’s One Way My Divorce Changed My Sons for the Better
We got a little snow last night and my oldest son told me before he left for school he would snow blow when he got home. I was going to ask him to do it anyway as it’s something he’s done around the house for a few years, even when his father lived here. But instead of me having to ask him (a few times over), he let me know he was going to do it.
I knew he wasn’t telling me because he wanted to beat me to it, he was telling me because he wanted me to feel reassured. At 14, he’s aware I carry...
What My Teenage Daughters Taught Me About Instagram, The Breakfast Club and Life
Yes! Parenting is amazing, tough, rewarding, challenging, incredible, invigorating and exhausting all at the same time. Throw in a couple of teenage daughters into the mix, and life is brought to a whole new level.
We teach our children each and every day, but they also teach us!
Many parents complain that the teenage years are rough. And perhaps they are, but I have always believed that within each challenge is a gift. We just need to know where to look for it.
I took some time over the pas...
Dear Daughter, When the World Says You Are Not Enough
Dear Daughter, I saw your smiling face crumble out of the corner of my eye. I noticed you stopped scrolling on your phone and looked deeper into the screen. Your body that was sitting comfortably in our minivan went rigid, and then you shifted in the leather seat to look out the window towards snowy trees and empty soccer fields. Your sigh sounded like you had the entire world on your shoulders.
When we stopped at a traffic light, I turned and softly asked,
“Are you okay, honey? Is something...
February 16, 2018
Oppositional Defiant Disorder: What Parents Need to Know
One of our child’s initial symptoms of juvenile depression was an increased frequency of angry emotional outbursts. Seemingly small things would set this otherwise nurturing and compassionate individual into a tailspin. She would scream, slam doors, throw things and physically lash out. She seemed down, uninterested in normal play and spoke badly of herself.
A visit to the pediatrician confirmed our suspicions that she was suffering from depression. Positive parenting, medicine, and counselin...
Body Positive: Why You Need to Stop Talking About “How Fat” You Are
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I sat in the dark theater next to my teen daughters. We had just watched a screening of a documentary called Embrace. This movie explores how women all over the world view their own bodies, and how we can change the culture of body loathing—both now and for future generations. It’s what the Body Positive Movement is all about.
Body hatred has affected women in my family across at least three generations. My mother has been on one diet or another for as long as I...
