Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 363

What Happened When I Let My Son Quit Team Sports

My son used to play every team sport he could. We were constantly running from activity to activity, and he loved it. He wasn’t afraid to try and do things, even if he wasn’t very good at it – he just wanted to have fun and would get out there and do his best.

Sometime around the sixth grade, he noticed he wasn’t the best at most sports he played. I could tell it bothered him and he went from a boy who loved being with his friends and playing baseball or basketball for the love of it, to a ve...

I Never Expected the Teenage Years to Be Like This

Like so many other women who planned on having kids, I imagined myself getting pregnant and announcing it to my family in a candle lit room as we all held hands and sang a celebration song. I could picture my baby shower; it would be lavish, I’d be glowing, wearing a slinky dress and carry every ounce of baby weight in my belly.

I would give birth and walk out of the hospital room wearing my favorite pair of jeans I wore before I was pregnant. The baby years might be little hard, sure, but I’...

The Danger of E-Cigarettes For Teens and Young Adults

Parents may be confused about e-cigarettes and a recent government report reveals why. Here is what we have learned:

If you are an adult who is already a cigarette smoker, e-cigs may help you quit safely because they contain fewer and lower levels of toxic substances than conventional cigarettes. But if you are a teenager who does not yet smoke, e-cigarettes may get you hooked on regular cigarettes. Further, because widespread use of e-cigs is so new, the long-term effect of smoking e-cigaret...

I Cry When I Hear “September.” What was YOUR Baby’s Song?

I cried on the way to Trader Joe’s today.

What is it about being in the car alone that makes every wistful thought, every premonition of the future and mournful reminiscence of the past come surging to the surface? It must be the lulling monotony of the drive that causes our minds to tiptoe into corners not visited during the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The solitude. And sometimes the soundtrack.

Such was the case today when September by Earth, Wind and Fire came on my radio about hal...

Is Every Mom of a Teen This Tired?

My 6 a.m. alarm goes off. I’m so tempted to hit snooze. I close my eyes almost drifting back to sleep and in my mind I picture a beautiful, graceful fairy waving her magic wand getting the kids out of bed, breakfast on the table, consent forms signed….but whoa….back to reality.

Why am I so tired?

I think back to the days when I had babies and toddlers, waking up in the middle of the night pacing the halls when those dreaded double ear infections would strike, or the monotony of washing bottle...

I Thought My Teen was Old Enough to Have a Phone. I was Wrong

Before my son’s 11th birthday, he started saving money for a cell phone. He worked for my father caring for his cows, and started doing lots of extra jobs around the house.

Before we knew it, he had a few hundred dollars saved and asked repeatedly if he could spend it on a phone.

His father and I were a bit reluctant and wondered if he was old enough to have a phone. But after having many talks, we felt he was ready and could handle it.

He enjoyed hijacking our phones and loved watching video...

Teens Are Not All Bad and We Need to Stop Saying They Are

If your news feed is anything like mine, you’ve probably seen a lot of memes lately about the “Tide Pod Challenge.” They all show a variety of nostalgic pictures from the ‘80s or ‘90s of kids doing slightly stupid things and are captioned along the lines of, “Sure, we did _____ when we were teens, but at least we didn’t eat laundry detergent!”

I’ll admit, I’ve laughed at most of them, but the more of them I’ve seen, the more I’ve been left with a growing sense of unease. I couldn’t put my fin...

Here are the 5 Things Your Teens Wish You Understood About Them

I get the privilege of working with teens in an English classroom. The majority of them are excellent, future-focused individuals, and they are incredibly enjoyable. They teach me about their world, and I try to give them a little bit of insight into literature and writing. It’s this give-and-take that makes the classroom a beautiful place.

Recently, my students and I were discussing what teens wish their parents knew. This was dangerous territory, but they agreed to let me see the world from...

Trying to be “Perfect” is Killing Our Teens and We’re to Blame

If I surveyed 100 parents of high school juniors and seniors today, and asked them to define a successful high school career, what would you think their answers would be?

A 7.0 GP!? (Yes, that exists, but we’ll get to that later.)

A transcript flooded with Advanced Placement (AP) classes! (Starting with at least three your freshman year because DUH, can’t start behind the rolling ball of success!)

Years full of doubling up on science and math classes! (Because mastering STEM concepts by age 1...

This is Why I Talk to My Kids About Money

My son went to the grocery store with me yesterday because he wanted to pick out some food for his new diet– he’s recently gotten into lifting weights, has given up sugar, and eats lots of protein and healthy fat.

At 14, his appetite is something I find impossible to keep up with, and regardless of what he puts in his body, the grocery bill is expensive. While I’m excited for this big change in his diet, this is quite the investment. I do think it’s worth it as it’s made remarkable changes to...