Graduation - What Kind of Superlative Parent Are You?
Cap and Gown, It’s Going Down. After endless miles of here and there carpooling, heartbreaking bedside chat sessions about mean girls and boys, numb hineys on those metal bleachers during sporting events and school fundraisers seemingly burning holes in your pockets, they made it. YOU made it! Do Mom and Dad get a congratulatory yard sign too? Until that becomes a thing, it’s still all about jumping up and down in celebration of your graduate’s success and future. So, whether you give them a card with money and call it a day or throw an end of the year party like no other, don’t forget to have fun. I’ll never stop advocating the just be good enough graduation.
Which Superlative are you?
CLASS CLOWN: These celebrations are never too serious, infused with a little fun and since class clowns are known for breaking rules, there really are none…here are a few starting points to get the juices flowing though.
- Graduation Ceremony: Worried about your graduate knowing where to look for you or where to flash the smile for pictures as they walk across the stage? Hold up their giant grad head on a stick and they’ll find you. A bonus, so will all their classmates.
- Graduation Dinner: with very little planning and nice weather, you can’t go wrong with a cookout. Grab the pop ups, heat up the grill and invite family and friends for a sliders, wings, fruit skewers, an ice cooler full of sodas and a simple sheet cake.
- Party Decoration: Have each of your guests fill out this DIY printable Mad Libs style GRAD LIBS
- Graduation Announcement: Less fuss but cool impact. Digital Video Announcement
- Grad Sign: A simple but colorful and personalized 8x10 grad sign can be used as a prop, can be matted and used as a guest book for inspirational quotes from friends and family or framed with a Senior photo.
MOST SCHOOL (GRADUATION) SPIRIT: A celebration in this category must not lack in loud, obnoxious screaming from the rooftops in every way shape or form that you have a graduate in your midst.
- Graduation Ceremony: Proud Parent shirts never get old. These shirts give you carte blanche to whoop, holler, whistle and make all the noise you want while your graduate walks the obligatory stage and turns the tassel.
- Graduation Dinner: Transitional Theme Dinner: appetizers and a theme drink in the HS spirit colors and end with dessert and a drink in college colors.
- Party Decoration: You’ve never really known what to do with all those grade school pictures but now is your time to shine with a Graduation Photo Banner.
- Graduation Announcement: Every High School and College or University sends out information for their preferred vendor announcements. They are typically less personalized but more formal and traditional. They are a bit pricey but always classy with the school logo, embossed or foil printed.
- Grad Sign: A yard sign is a great way to show off your pride for as long as your Grad or neighbors will let you. Corrugated plastic and measures 18x24 inches and will brighten up any yard.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: this type of celebration is more traditional and follows the proven path of nailed it Pinterest ideas and decorations, a known successful formula.
- Graduation Ceremony: Always thinking about the next step, this may be the first of many button down shirt appearances by your Graduate. A set of personalized cuff links will never steer them wrong and in true Most Likely To Succeed fashion, they are immediately useful.
- Graduation Dinner: With all the events surrounding graduation, it’s sometimes easiest to make a reservation and take extended family to dinner. Even if you only have a party of 4, consider making a reservation well in advance so you aren’t late to the ceremony.
- Party Decoration: Personalized Class of cups are a perfect giveaway at a party while also replacing the red solo cups. Order a dozen extra and boom! you’ve already started stocking your Graduate’s cupboards in their new dorm or apartment.
- Graduation Announcement: If you spent money on a senior photo session, spare no expense for maximum use and customize your graduation announcements. They’re likely similar in cost to the preferred vendor the school sent over but with personality. Browse Announcements and customize them to fit your Grad perfectly
- Grad Banner: If an 18x24 yard sign isn’t enough, let’s ratchet it up to a banner. It can be used as a welcome sign for a party, a photo op station or a last ditch effort to embarrass your child one more time before they fly off to their next stage.
TEACHER’S PET: Most often found in the yearbook hall of shame, there’s nothing wrong with the moniker (I was voted as one myself in HS) but there really is no reason to go overboard for graduation. If it’s 5th Grade or 8th Grade, you still have a ways to go. If it’s HS or College, wait until they find a job, housing, pay bills and learn to subside on their own before you give them the whole shebang…keep a little in reserve for weddings and grandchildren if that’s their path.
