Do you/ does your school celebrate your kids’ graduation?
I’ve recently read a few posts by parents who think that celebrating graduation, whether pre-school, kindergarten or grade eight, is simply too much and gives kids self-entitlement issues and opens the door to spoiling.
Celebrating a milestone like graduation makes kids self-entitled? Celebrating an educational milestone is spoiling our kids?
Let’s think about this for a minute.
If not a school graduation, what should we be celebrating?
I can see how extravagant birthday parties and buying children everything they want would be setting up some kids up for some issues down the road. Some parents take the extreme and over-celebrate everything our children do.
But if we’re talking about praising our kids for a job well done in school, advancement in their education, an accomplishment for their learning efforts – I can’t see how that spoils our kids. Does it?
It doesn’t matter if the kids are graduating kindergarten – it’s a memorable milestone, from pre-schooler to school-age. That precious time in a child’s (and parent’s) life should be celebrated.
In my children’s school, kindergarten graduation is a small ceremony celebrating the kids and they receive little diplomas and sing a few songs. I don’t see any harm in that.
What I’m reading/hearing is that parents are feeling that we shouldn’t be praising our kid for every little thing they do, whether it’s graduating kindergarten to getting trophys in sports. But doesn’t that start in the home? Are you clapping your hands at everything your child does? Giving him stickers and rewarding him for every single task? He then may grow up to expect praise for every job – whether it’s well done or not.
But at school, graduation time is something to commemorate. Whether as a parent, you decide to reward your child with a huge party or a small dinner – that’s up to you. If you decide to reward your child with an expensive gift or a modest one, again, it’s the parents’ decision.
As for kindergarten graduations, I think they are adorable – children are realizing that they are growing up and becoming “big kids”. I think every milestone doesn’t have to be a huge celebration but something small to commemorate is okay.
What do you think?
8 Comments
Count me firmly in the ‘they’re ridiculous’ column. They aren’t for the kids, they are for the parents. Sure it’s adorable to see them dressed up in a cap and gown, but they’re not graduating. Have a party? Sure. Say goodbye? Sure. Pose for ‘graduation portraits’ and having a ceremony around it? Nope. Not claiming any entitlement issues, I just don’t think they’re necessary.
My daughter starts kindergarten this fall, and I have the feeling I’m going to be ‘that parent’
Also not a fan of gr2/5/8 ‘grads’ either. You graduate from high school and college/university.
I agree with you. Celebrating achievement is what we should do. The problem is when parents celebrate achievement by making the grade six graduation about the dress that is worn, instead of focusing on the academics. As you wrote, it all comes down to what the parents do on a daily basis, or what they focus on in the moment of achievement.
I’ve always told my kids I was proud of them when they achieved something, but I also always stressed their own pride. When my daughter came home from her exam yesterday and said “that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be” I said You must be so proud of yourself for being prepared.
I’m proud of her of course, but I want her to find her pride internally and not always need outside praise.
Another reason I think these many graduations can be positive is that kids see people celebrated all the time in the media for doing nothing. Everywhere we have the chance to celebrate the value of education and real achievement we should take it.
I remember my own SK graduation in the school gym with cardboard caps and a little diploma. It was wonderful and really made me feel special. There was no corresponding party at home or big gifts from my parents. It’s a tasteful celebration of a big milestone in a kid’s life and I think it’s lovely.
I think as long as mommy doesn’t get their eyebrows waxed and they don’t arrive in a limo, it’s all good — and fun. : )
I remember my DS’s kindergarten grad well… it was a cute ceremony at the park and then I had them all back to my place to play! I KNOW… I was crazy like that but the pics are SO cute!
I love these types of celebrations! We own a daycare and every year we have a huge graduation for the kids that are going off to kindergarten. We buy them backpacks and fill them with school supplies that we give them along with their diplomas. We have a nice dinner for the students and parents. It’s the teachers way of saying good bye, its our way of saying “thank you for trusting your child for us” and its a way of us being proud of all the work the teachers have done over the years to help prepare your child for SCHOOL!
I think graduations are acceptable from daycare, kindergarten, grade 6, and high school. I like cute, not over the top. If you think that celebrating is over the top and ridiculous, don’t attend and keep your kid that day. It’s your kid that is missing out…
They are ridiculous. Lets celebrate and praise kids for doing what is expected? No, you excel and u get celebrated. Everyone moves up from kindergarten. Nothing special. take the importance out of high school and college graduations. Heck, everyone gets ceremonies now, nothing special.
You must leave Kindergarten so what is the accomplishment? You showed up (most days anyways) and came to school. I am a fan of Homework awards or Most Improved, but to just show up, we get an award, a diploma. Shouldn’t it mean more than that?