Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 389

My Son was the Baby of the Family and had Four Mothers

After three daughters, it was only natural that our youngest son should have four mothers. I just wasn’t expecting how tight those sibling-mommy bonds could be.

When one of them forgot to shut the stair gate, I heard the thud of him hitting each step like it was my own body falling. I was the fourth mommy at the scene, running up from the bottom while the other three ran down from the top. I had to fight my way through the crowd to pull his screaming warmth into my jealous arms.

“I’m the mom...

College Move-In Day: 12 Things That Will Save Your Life!

College move-in day is fast approaching. The best way to prepare for move-in day is to be prepared. Of course every school has their own rules and traditions surrounding move-in day. Some schools supply you with an army of upperclassmen to help you schlep. You need to look at your particular school’s rules regarding move-in timing, parking, and what your student needs for their own dorm room.

Having said that, realizing that there is a large area of overlap, we asked thousands of experienced...

When College is Not the Answer: My View From the College Fair

Recently, I attended a college fair as a volunteer recruiter for my alma mater. Armed with the university’s facts and figures, I entered the convention center and waded through hundreds of tables of brightly colored college promotional materials and enthusiastic admissions counselors, and set up my booth to share with high school students all the reasons they should apply to the school that I attended and loved.

We welcomed the students as they filed off the buses and began to shop schools,...

How to Help Your Kid Make a Smart Decision About Graduate School

Is your young adult–the newly-minted college graduate–ready to enter the world of work? Are they prepared for a fulfilling career? Have you thought about whether or not they should attend graduate school?

I know. That sending-your-child-off-to-college thing was tough enough. Now you are enjoying life being the parent of a college graduate and you are not looking for more college tuition bills. At least not yet.

For now, you’d like to watch your college graduate find a good job and get some r...

What Surprised Me About Parenting After My Divorce

I am a mom who long ago decided that any hiccup in life can be re-framed as an opportunity for learning. I am also one of those people who tries my best to find positive in every situation. I am recently (and fortunately amicably) divorced after over 20 years of marriage to a very nice man who I could never be happy with. I’m free now and happy to be able to live my life independently, on my own terms and really pursue what makes me happy.

Since my divorce, I have discovered something I neve...

Dear Son and Girlfriend, Don’t Worry. Please Try To Be Happy

Dear Son and Girlfriend,

I am writing this to both of you because I care about you both and I’m worried about you both. Susie, I cannot speak for you, but John is so sad about you two going your separate ways in August. I worry that this sadness will shadow your experiences at college and potentially interfere with your grades. John mentioned that you are “breaking up” when you both leave.

Maybe it’s the semantics, but that just sounds awful. I would be dreading that too! Can you agree to st...

Dear Daughter, How Did We Get Here So Quickly?

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together…
there is something you must always remember.
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is,
even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.”
— A. A. Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh)

My Sweet Girl:

How in the world did we get here so quickly? It seems like just yesterday you were holed up for hours in your closet playing with your Polly Pockets. And now…what seems like a fe...

Gap Year: Can I Fit in My Daughter’s Backpack?

My daughter Julie has worn backpacks since preschool days. The early ones were festooned with cartoon characters and held minuscule amounts of stuff (small backs can only tote so much, after all). In elementary school she graduated to sturdy packs from L.L. Bean with her monogram on them; these were so pricey that they were made to last until they were in tatters.

[Read Next: Missing My Babies: 5 Things That Surprise Me Most]

The beginning of middle school and high school warranted the purch...

7 Reasons Why Working at Chipotle is Better than Being an Intern

My daughter Jenny just completed her freshman year of college. Like many young adults, she was conflicted about what to do over the summer. Several of her friends had gotten internships. She wondered if working as an intern was something she should have pursued instead of taking a job as a sleep away camp counselor.

I think that working at camp was the right choice for Jenny for many reasons. But, if she had decided not to return to camp, I would not have wanted her to apply for an internshi...

Dear Daughter: 5 Things This Mom Learned in College

Dear Daughter,

Wow – we’re really dropping you off at college. There are so many things I want to say to you and of course, I’m feeling a little emotional (I know you’re surprised, right?) … so I thought I would write down a few things that, hopefully, will be helpful for you to read and even to look back at from time to time.

First and foremost, I am so PROUD of you. Watching you go through your high school years with the drive and effort you put in to achieve your goals has given me so muc...