Graduation Ceremonies/Parties - Only healthy debates please

coasterqueen wrote: I want to put a disclaimer on this before you read more. I only bring this topic up because they are discussing it on our local radio station this morning and it has me CRACKING up. It's a very good discussion. I'm not bringing this up because of anyone on here who's child has graduated, etc.

Ok, the topic is why are there grad ceremonies/parties for Pre-K, Kindergarten and 8th grade, especially for pre-K and K? Did you have a graduation ceremony for pre-K or Kindergarten? Did you have a party for graduating as well? I have not had a child graduate K yet, obviously she isn't even in school, but I don't understand them. Why? I'm confused by the whole nature of it? What does it teach/tell our kids having such things like this? I mean we teach them it's a celebration to grad from pre-K or K, but why? If we celebrate that why is it so much more special than 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade and so on?

Secondly, under the assumption that most people had a grad ceremony for 8th grade and/or a 8th grade grad party why? Why do we celebrate this as well?

It's not like a child is graduating from primary education until they finish high school, which IMO is the correct time to celebrate. Why? Because they are leaving primary education behind to further into secondary education or just going out in the real world in general. They aren't taking these big steps before that. Do you really think a child understands in pre-k or K that they are taking another big step? And how is that step any bigger than going from 1st to 2nd, and so on? This to me seems more for the parents, right?

I also see a ceremony/celebration when one completes secondary education.

When you fill out an application or your resume they ask if you've finished high school or what level of college, right? The only two "milestones" I see that is important to everyone.

I guess I just don't understand the concept of grad ceremonies/parties for pre-K, K and 8th grade. I'm not dissin' anyone for having them. Obviously if my children have a grad ceremony at school for K and/or 8th grade I will let them participate. Will I have a party? Definitely not for K, maybe for 8th grade. I just am trying to understand WHY schools, parents, etc are having these ceremonies/parties? It appears to me it's for the parents and I'm not sure what that is teaching the children. Help me understand.

Kaitlin'smom replied: Not sure I only had a little I guess it was like a graduation when I was done with pre-school but we did not have caps and gowns just got a class pic and a little cirtificate. Then nothing till HS I did not get a party the either just went to graduation. I dont see Kait having one unil HS either. She will most likly be in Goddard though K and I dont think they do graduation, but if they do ok no problem and maybe we will have a celebaration since she will be leaving that school. I am still unsure of where I will send her after that (lots of things to consider) but I have not seen 8th grade grade around hear but then again its been a while since I was an 8th grader. I do plan on having a bash for her after she completes HS.

I never quite got them either, but they do sound cute for little ones.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I can only speak for myself.
Kindergarten, to me, is an important milestone since that may be the first school your child attends, if they did not attend pre-K. And to leave it, is important because they (the child) are leaving that behind on a quest for more education.

As for junior high graduations, I have never heard of that.

~~~

Up until a few years ago, I had the professional picture with me in the cap and gown and "diploma" in hand when I "graduated" from Pre-K. I do not remember if we had a graduation ceremony for K-5 at school, other than parties at school.

I did not have a party for graduating pre-K or K-5 at my home, so half of that question gets a no answer.


Indeed it is. I am doubtful that they will grasp the concept that they are leaving their first school behind, and going on to primary school. However, for me, the PreK & K-5 graduation celebrations are important since that is a milestone (speaking as their mother) since they are at that point will be students of education. I want to commemorate their advancement into that area, by having a party (or get-together) in their honour here at the house. Even a dinner with just the four of us, would be nice. It would simply be a way to give them praises for advancing to the next level; Which would be primary school. And maybe in a way (I will not know until I am there at that point) but a way to say goodbye to that piece of their childhood. With each passing day, there is no turning back, no way to get back that innocence, so the innocence of being a first time student is only one time event. Never to happen again, I want to stay in that moment for as long as possible by having a celebration for it.

booey2 replied: The boys school does one for SK to Grade one, because they are making the step from half day to full day. But we don't do anything extra special at home. As for 8th grade not sure what they do here. Will have to wait and see.

Terri

MommyToAshley replied: I had never heard of the other graduations (other than HS graduation) until recently. But, I think it is just a fun way to celebrate another milestone. I don't see anything wrong with it, and it's a fun way to show your kids how proud you are of them.

coasterqueen replied: Nicole - I don't know about other schools, but our school systems around here you go to the same school for K and 1st, 2nd, etc so you would not be leaving one school to go to another.

I guess I also consider K through 12th grade as primary education, not 1st grade through 12th.

coasterqueen replied:
And I think it's nice to show our children how proud we are of them too, but what does a child think when they go from 1st to 2nd grade and we don't throw a graduation ceremony or party? Are we not as proud of them then to throw them the same thing? Well I know the answer to that, but to a child I think it would just be confusion.

Kaitlin'smom replied: same with most around here Karen K-5.

TheOaf66 replied: Yes, I agree with you, I think High School and College are the two, there is nothing wrong with a parent congratulating a child for achieving K, 8th, etc but no, don't have a party or a big ceremony or anything. If that were the case you would have to do it for every grade 1,2,3... I have never agreed with this. A lot of the time it is the school wanting you to pay for little caps and gowns etc for more money...I don't buy it. JMO

Amelia's Mom replied: Down here where I am from they have graduation ceremonies for
k
8th
12th
and they always have. I have pictures of mom and aunts, etc. graduating from 8th grade. I'm not sure of the exact significance just that it has always been a tradition.
K has been seen as preparation for primary education. They get down the rules, routines, and other elements of daily life at school. The K-grad is just a milestone of their readiness to begin school life and for the parents, since K is a big transition for us also. Letting go is hard!

I had all three graduations myself, though I chose not to participate in my 8th because I felt it was trivial (and they said I had to wear a dress )
The only at home celebrations are usually for 12th.
I can honestly say I was never confused over any of it. I never felt as if anyone was less proud of me at 1, 2, 3, etc.

Just curious what area (state) is broadcasting this discussion because it's not a big deal here.

Sissie

C&K*s Mommie replied:

oh I get it. Thanks Karen! Kindergarten when I was younger, was separated (if not by being in a separate building, then it was in a different wing from the rest of the 1st through 5th school) Then for me in middle school, I went to a completely seperate school designated for 6th-8th. Then yet another school for 9th-12th.
~~~
That makes sense not to have anything special. But I would still have a dinner or something (again for me as their mother, really) to show that they passed the first hurdle of education- kindergarten. And all other graduating of the grade levels are of high importance, no doubt. But for me as their mother, kindergarten is a time (at least I think it will be) to bid ado to that part of their childhood-- and gaining a small piece of responsibility as they go forward (i.e. schoolwork & any homework).

coasterqueen replied:
Just a local station here in central Illinois. It was a great discussion, from both sides of the 'fence'. But it ended with the proof (at least from those on the radio discussion) that it's just for the parents, the kids gain no real significance from it.

Amelia's Mom replied:
I agree that alot of it is for the parents. For me atleast
k-graduation means I have certificates and pictures from a milestone of mine that I can pass on to my children to show a part of my history. Since losing both of my parents at a young age, I've come to realize how important stuff like that is.

8th-grad for me was a great stepping stone. As a kid I never thought school life would end. I had been there for almost as long as I could remember and celebrating this milestone for us symbolized a near end. It was almost over! I made it through the baby stuff and now I graduated to the teenage stuff. Well on my way to being as independant as I wished I already were. ( hope that came out right)

Anyway, my point being, having had those graduations myself I believe that they can end up being more important to the children than some may think.

luvbug00 replied: here some schools do the graduation thing for k but most just for high school Mya's school does NOT do it because " we want the children to aspire to a real graduation and have that be a very special day in their lives" as per the letters home from parents inquireing about this very thing. I didn't granduation k and Graduating high school for me was very special. either way I don't mind really what parents or schools choose to do it's more the sizes of some of thease younger kids graduations that shocks me.. ( read like wedding sized celebrations with moon bounces and clowns and you name it..)

coasterqueen replied:
I like that.

gr33n3y3z replied: When I went to school we only had 8th and 12th

My kids pre K and K and 8th and 12th

I think its nice for the kids but we never had a party at home they had one in class for Pre K and K and 8th

Brias3 replied: I wonder the same thing sometimes myself. Granted, I think it is cute that they make the occasions of coming out of preschool, kindergarten and eighth grade special for kids, I DO think some people take this idea overboard. They didn't have a ceremony for Ryan's kindergarten graduation while we were living in Belgium so didn't have to worry about making a production of it. Aliyah will be in Senior kindergarten next year and have a ceremony at the end of her upcoming school year. I'm thinking we'll just do lunch or dinner as a family afterwards to "celebrate" and same with eighth grade graduations for the kids. The only thing I ever had a party for school-wise was high school graduation. I do, however, typically send a card for those I know graduating from any grade to mark the occasion and usually send a small monetary gift to family members and close friends graduating eighth grade or the like.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Maddie had a graduation for Kindergarten. At the time I thought it was ridiculous, TBH, but I did let her participate and did not throw her a party in addition. In preschool she 'graduated' every year (3 times) so you can understand why I would have been fed up with the whole deal by this point in her life...we could have done without the preschool graduations. It's just too much, imo. Obviously I'm not the one calling the shots on this, but I'm not going to make Maddie stay at home, kwim? I still think a kindergarten graduation is okay. The others were not necessary. First grade is a lot different from kindergarten...as is middle school from elementary and high school from college. We only graduated one time (from high school) and it seemed to be plenty.

But I don't think you need an excuse to party...What's the harm? We've been to lots of 'school's out' parties and will go to a lot of 'back to school' parties. It's fun.

Jackie012007 replied: we never did a graduation from kindergarten... the only ones we did were like when we were leaving the school... in my school system there is k-6 in one school building, then 7 and 8 in another building, then 9 - 12 in a third separate building. We didn't really do graduations, it was more like saying goodbye to the teachers you saw every day because you were basically moving to another school... which I think is nice but no caps or gowns or diplomas or all that... it was at night and parents and kids came to the school and we got little yearbook thingies and it was like a big pizza party at night where we hung out and talked with our teachers and our friends and our parents hung out with the teachers and stuff... it was really fun, and no pressure, no cost, etc... I dunno, I think that the graduations every grade are kinda ridiculous, they kinda take away from the climax of the graduation from high school to college... if you are partying every year, it seems like it would take away.

I'm not even having a grad party when I graduate from college... probably will just go out to dinner with the fam or something... high school graduations are basically to get gifts and money for moving out of the house and into a dorm and in return you get my family's AWESOME cooking!

huggybugboy replied: I never had a K graduation and dont really understand it, except for the sheer cuteness of it.

I did have an 8th grade graduation and felt it was a really big deal. I had been in school for 9 years and in my eyes, was "growing up" in a way. Plus around here, its sort of a goodbye ceremony too. Many of the elementary schools and jr high schools feed into different highschools, so we may never see friends that we grew up with in high school. It was just a celebration of everything we've accomplished thus far, ya know? It wasn't super fancy or anything but I did wear a dress.

jaytrevjax replied: Here we did K, 9th and 12th (that being the biggest), because we had k-5 in elem. 6&7 in middle school, 8&9 in Jr. High and 10-12 in High school.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Well it sounds like my school was weird.

We did 4th and 12th. 4th because our school system had 4 elementary schools that fed into 1 middle school. It was a big chance going from having 75 kids or so in your class to 300 and they celebrated it as a step towards growing up.

The school that my girls will attend only does 12th.

luvmykids replied: Around here, the K grad parties are kind of a "you're ready for real school now" type of party, and 8th grade grad is kind of the same, you're in high school now, great job so far, etc. I didn't have a K grad party (they weren't a big thing back then) but did for 8th grade and of course high school.