Friday, May 6, 2011

Graduation?

I recently received this e-mail:

Hi K5 parents,
 Our babies are about to graduate out of kinder!!! Can you believe it??? I was just wondering if anyone knows if we can or if you all are interested in having them wear cap & gown for the awards ceremony?? i think [the public school] does it & i dont think [our school] has ever done it, but if we provide it for our child, i wonder if they will let us???? is anyone else interested?

Am I interested?   No.  Hell no. 

I know this mom is excited (many punctuation marks!!!).  Pesonally,  I would rather sit through a timeshare presentation than endure a kindergarten graduation.

That's just me, though.  (Me & my husband, actually)  I don't want to be unkind or intolerant.  I hope the reply I sent wasn't hurtful.  I didn't use CAPS or excessive punctuation or swear words.  I responded:

"Sorry to be un-fun guys, but L____ is not going to wear a cap & gown for Kinder.  It’s not something I can get behind."

I understand being excited for your little one.  They are babies.  They are cute.  They are precious.  I get that.  I also understand not everyone agrees with me that graduations are for High School and above. 

I have high expectations for my boys.  I expect them to finish Kindergarten much in the same way I expect them to brush their teeth before bed.  Frankly, I also expect them to finish high school and college.  I am not going to throw a party for him just because he was promoted to first grade.

Know when I throw a big party??

When my son becomes an Altar Server.  When he makes Eagle Scout.  When he finishes Boot Camp.  When he finishes the Seminary.  When he receives his doctorate.  I celebrate my sons' achievements, not their milestones. 

It's not to say that on the last day of Kinder that I won't take him to McDonald's.  (To get a Happy Meal and a toy!  Take that Leroy G. Comrie!)  We will have a nice family dinner after First Holy Eucharist and I am not opposed to throwing a birthday party every five years or so.  But a graduation ceremony for Kindergarten?

Hell no.




8 comments:

  1. My school had one of those. I have a picture of it somewhere. I don't see the point.. it's freaking Kindergarten. Ugh.

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  2. I actually remember my kindergarden graduation and I did wearing a cap and gown! My whole family came out to see me :) it was fun!

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  3. I agree. After all, I graduated kindergarten, too. Should I be putting that on resumes and job apps next to high school and college info? With a majot in primary colors and macaroni art? If we continue to do this, then the REAL graduastions lose their status. High school and college graduations just become another one in a string of graduations through life.

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  4. Thank You!!! It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who feels the same way.

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  5. I hear you Mary!! When mine finished with K5 they had a picture taken wearing a white cap & gown. The first two were taken in the school hallway - real classy you know with the green tile behind them. The last one - I took the pictures and we went in the church and took them next to the altar and one of the plants. The c&g were borrowed and I'm not real sure who it came from - Noey Jurica I think.

    I just had this conversation with some friends - we've all got one leaving middle school and going into high school. They were asking about grad parties! I said for what - they're not done yet!?! Like you - we'll do a family dinner or a cake, def a celebration of some sort to acknowledge the accomplishment.

    Stay the path Mama!!!

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  6. AMEN!!! I could NOT be more in agreement with you on this one!!! One of the first things I did when I started at the Hell-Hole 10 years ago was do away with Kdg. graduation. I made a LOT of people mad, but oh well.

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  7. Did I graduate kindergarten? I have no idea. I would reckon so. You know the whole thing is just a photo-op for the 'rents. But seriously...IT'S JUST A GRADE, YOU GUYS.

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  8. I agree with you. Although I did once see a kindergarten graduation where the kids wore caps that were made out of poster-board. It was cute and appropriate.

    And while we're on the subject, I don't think every kid should get a trophy for playing little league ball. It makes awards meaningless.

    I didn't even go to kindergarten. I'm such an underachiever.

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