Graduation Tips and Ideas

I am not going to lie, it is really kind of a relief not to have a graduating senior this year.  When The Girl graduated, I had to keep myself from freaking out–mostly because I didn’t know how I would cope with her leaving {as you know, it totally turned out fine}.  I think the first child to graduate and claim independence is probably the hardest.  When Monkey Boy graduated, I was a lot calmer.  I knew I had to throw together a party, but I also had a little experience under my belt and knew what to expect.

I guess my point is that I know that the whole process can seem a little daunting, so I thought I’d throw together a bunch of tips, in case any of you are dealing with graduation this spring.

KIT:  Keeping It Together

I think the hardest part about having a graduating senior is keeping it together emotionally.  It’s such a weird place to be as a parent.  Of course, you are excited that they have completed school, but there is also a ton of trepidation about what the future holds as they transition to independence.  Initially, because The Girl was leaving the state for school, I started FREAKING OUT around April about everything that graduation implied.  In hindsight, it was a silly thing to worry about, because we have a close relationship and cell phones.

The key is to take care of yourself {be kind to yourself about your sadness} and be logical.  You probably still see your own parents {if not, skip ahead}.  Those kiddos will always be in your life–and as adults, they are awe-inspiring.  It really is a great phase of life they {and you!} are transitioning to.

Oh, and try not to get too upset about how little time they will want to spend with you over the next few weeks.  This is all super exciting for them, and while you’ll  want to spend lots of quality time, they want to live it up with their friends.  They don’t know that most of those friends will gradually fade out of their lives over the next couple of years, while you will remain constant.  Wait it out, and they’ll come back around.

Part-ay Time

Once you’ve decided you can carry your emotional basket, you have to move onto the art of celebrating their achievement.  For us, that meant family time and a shared party at the beach with best friends.  It was an open house style event, where all the parents provided food and a range of time for people to pop in and celebrate with us.  We had a pretty wide selection of appetizers and a BBQ.

We also put together a bunch of sweets.  These Chocolate Graduation Caps were super easy to put together, and kind of added a little something, something to the whole theme of the afternoon.

Gifts for the Graduate

Even if you don’t have a graduate, you may find yourself headed to a graduation.  Both of the kids had friends that were important enough to the HH and I that we wanted to give them a gift.  Of course, ultimately, every graduate can benefit from cash, but it’s fun to kind of get creative with it.  Make a Money Lei or Fill a Water Bottle Full of Quarters {hello, vending machine and laundry money}.  If you need a little smaller financial commitment, try making Flower Pot Candy Bouquets.

I guess that’s about all I have to offer–I hope it helped at least a little bit {or at least it didn’t hurt}.

Congratulations to your graduate!

~Mavis

photo credit