8th Grade Graduation

[mjkacmom]

Totally just curious....Are you Catholic? Confirmation for us in the Midwest is during sophomore year and I didn't realize it was done earlier anywhere.

Catholic here, and my 15 year old freshmen will be confirmed in May. I don’t think any of my kids received a gift for 8th grade graduation, and they have a big ceremony on the football field and wear gowns. My kids would be thrilled with the offer of a laptop, that’s what we give for their HS graduation. Dd17 has a 4 year old chrome book, ds15 has a 2 year old one, dd15 has nothing. The ceremony is in the morning, we go out for lunch afterwards (went to a diner for the last one).

 

[prprincess]

DS graduates from the 8th grade next year, and if he's comfortable with it (introvert), I have every intention of throwing him a family party. Otherwise, we'll just take him out to dinner. I have yet to think about gifts, but I know that my neice graduates next year as well and my mother plans on taking them both on a trip.

 

[ajwolfe]

Catholic here, and my 15 year old freshmen will be confirmed in May. I don’t think any of my kids received a gift for 8th grade graduation, and they have a big ceremony on the football field and wear gowns. My kids would be thrilled with the offer of a laptop, that’s what we give for their HS graduation. Dd17 has a 4 year old chrome book, ds15 has a 2 year old one, dd15 has nothing. The ceremony is in the morning, we go out for lunch afterwards (went to a diner for the last one).

I would hold out on the laptop purchase until college, but our only one is like 7 years old so we are in need of a new one anyways...Just seemed convenient to let that be the reason lol.

 

[ajwolfe]

Thanks for the ideas...Interesting how some things are totally regional like the confirmation year - ya never know unless you ask.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Nothing here either. And we gave (and continue to give) a lot to our kids. Graduating the 8th grade is at best, a minimum expectation. The only exception in my mind would be if the child has had severe challenges that made it a tremendous struggle to reach this milestone.

Your reply made me laugh because this is exactly my thinking. When my nephew "graduated" 5th grade, the whole family was expected to go to the graduation and then to a really nice dinner out. My DH asked if I was putting $20 in a card for him - I told him that I was only putting $10 in the card because completing 5th grade is not an accomplishment, it's an expectation. I only did a card with the $10 because I know my brother would have been been upset if I didn't do at least some sort of gift for my nephew.

 

[DLgal]

I have one graduating sixth (here elementary goes through 6th grade) and one graduating eighth. We will go out to lunch after the ceremonies. That's about it. We have a big WDW trip planned this year but it isn't specifically a graduation present.

 

[ptlycloudy]

I gave each of my girls a special necklace. Spent about $100 or so on them. It is a keepsake they can each have. After the ceremony we go out for big ice cream sundaes! Why not celebrate the good things in a style that fits your family. Life is too short not to.

 

[pfp258]

Two girls- I think we gave them a nice piece of Tiffany jewelry

 

[Momto2minniemice]

Going to Disney World!

 

[DizMe]

Don't worry about what others do or don't do. I don't give things to my kids for Christmas or birthdays like I read about on this board. I don't believe in excessive commercialism and my girls know that we have plenty of special times and gifts throughout the year.

However, graduations are special to us. Educational milestones are something worth celebrating IMO. Someone has a party, whether it's a friend or us, and we give a gift. My youngest 2 graduated from 8th grade last year. They did not have laptops and that's what they got. They use them constantly, both for entertainment and schoolwork. We will get them higher level ones in 4 years when the start college. Shortly after graduation, we went to England on vacation so a few family members gave them gift cards or money in small amounts to use on the trip for grad gifts.

DD 17 graduates from HS this year and I still don't know what to get her! But on the subject of older kids, what I see as a potential waste of money is Prom. DD's friends are spending $300 on a dress, plus who knows how much on everything else. DD just borrowed a dress from a friend who's in college this year; I was going to get her a dress, but I have to say I like her thinking! It's a gorgeous Calvin Klein gown.

ETA: It sounds like I don't give my kids gifts for Christmas/birthdays. I meant to say that on this board, I see what some people budget for and buy their kids and I'm not in that league.

 

[Funfire240]

I remember years ago my parents buying me a birthstone ring for 8th grade graduation. We went to a small Catholic school and then it was a big deal and we had parties and all. My DSIS' children go to Catholic schools and she had a party for her DS and I'm sure will have one for her DD. Funny thing is my kids go to public school and DH never heard of parties and I doubt we will make a big deal out of it (our kids switch schools after 4th, 6th and 8th grades - maybe we could celebrate all of those lol) It will be hard to explain to DD though why her cousin the same age will be making a big deal out of it. Thankfully I have 4 years to figure that one out!

 

[kymom99]

I remember years ago my parents buying me a birthstone ring for 8th grade graduation. We went to a small Catholic school and then it was a big deal and we had parties and all. My DSIS' children go to Catholic schools and she had a party for her DS and I'm sure will have one for her DD. Funny thing is my kids go to public school and DH never heard of parties and I doubt we will make a big deal out of it (our kids switch schools after 4th, 6th and 8th grades - maybe we could celebrate all of those lol) It will be hard to explain to DD though why her cousin the same age will be making a big deal out of it. Thankfully I have 4 years to figure that one out!

You should have a party together. When I finished 8th grade I had 2 cousins at a different school who did too. Our moms had a party together. My godmother gave me a birthstone ring.

 

[SteveH]

Not a thing, to me you begin to set performance expectations. I expected both of my boys to work hard in school, I would buy them the tools they needed to achieve this (within reason), a computer is a tool, as were their musical instruments. But whatever floats your boat, that's all that really matters. The only thing that drives me nuts are Kindergarten graduations - give me a break.

Personally I avoided buying laptops. Their computers were desktops and in an open part of the house, until they were off to college computers and TVs were not allowed in their bedrooms, however they both got them to college.

 

[bcwife76]

Here our schools go from K-7 and then high school is grades 8-12. While my eldest is a few years off (she's finishing grade 4 in June) we won't be doing anything big for 'graduating' grade 7. A nice dinner out I think but that's it. They will have a 'leaving' ceremony at school that we will attend but other than that, I don't think anyone around here really makes a big deal about it.

 

[MomToOne]

DD got a new dress and shoes for the ceremony. And I got her a few balloons and a card at DollarTree. I think maybe we went out someplace simple for lunch too, but I don't remember completely (the ceremony was in the morning).

 

[Shughart]

I had a grad ceremony in 8th grade complete with caps and gowns. We went for dinner after at a local place where a lot of other families ended up. My Grandma got me a precious moments graduations statue (I love precious moments). My parents gave me a 27 inch tv. It was the coolest thing getting to have a tv in my room! I don't know if they have graduation here for 8th grade or not, but as my oldest is in 5th, I haven't thought about it much.

 

[GZanta77]

School has a ceremony to mark the occasion - we go out for a family dinner afterwards, although not necessarily as a reward.

Of the parents I know, very few have given a gift for 8th grade graduation with the exception of some new clothes for the ceremony.

 

[descovy]

Our school district does a graduation ceremony at the end of 5th grade.

No ceremony for 8th grade, but they do get a semi-formal dance.

Confirmation (Lutheran, btw) in May of 8th grade.

So, no gift per se. But my daughters do get a new dress for the 8th grade dance, and lunch out at Confirmation. Their godparents (my aunt & uncle) come to Confirmation and usually gift them a cross necklace.

 

[lizzyb]

We gave our son his cell phone.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

DD got a new dress and shoes for the ceremony. And I got her a few balloons and a card at DollarTree. I think maybe we went out someplace simple for lunch too, but I don't remember completely (the ceremony was in the morning).

Oh yes. DD's 6th grade graduation is a dress code. Black and white outfits so I will most likely buy her a new dress and shoes. I'm sure her dad will bring her flowers.

Our district does 6th grade since the high school is 7-12 with 7th and 8th graders kept in a different section of the building so no 8th grade graduations.