Do you celebrate graduations from grade school?

[EllenFrasier]

Just wondering how everybody handles this. Our kids are in fifth grade and the school has a "moving up" celebration the week that school ends. It's in the morning, so I don't think there is a reception afterwords.

I haven't given it much thought, but now that it is getting closer I was wondering if others had parties, gave gifts, etc. With our other children, I think we just got take out or pizza and ice cream.

 

[stm61]

Our 4/5th graders had a ceremony at school because they're redoing the grades in each school next year and they will be in a new Intermediate school in Aug. We both had to work so noone went to the ceremony. DD's11 said they did a short awards type ceremoney in the gym, not many parents were there because it was in the morning. I know when ds16 finished at each school they didn't do anything but an awards ceremony. There isn't any formal ceremony until they graduate from hs.

oops, reread your post! No, we didn't do anything at home to celebrate. We'll wait for hs and then see what the graduate prefers. Knowing my kids, they probably choose dinner out since we rarely do that.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

No, we don't celebrate grade school with any family party. Ours is K-4, 5-6, 7-8

But what we do is let DD's invite 3 friends each on the last day of school to our clubhouse pool. We have them come over after lunch since it's a half day of school then I have ice pops, pretzels, chips and a watermelon at the pool.

We give our kids $40 ($10 for each report card) at the end of school but an extra $5 for every straight A report card they got.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Our son just had a small 5th grade ceremony at school. That weekend, we took him to the movies and let him pick out his favorite restaurant for dinner.

 

[tinkarooni]

Our school really goes overboard with the 6th grade graduation. This is the only graduation, they go over to the middle school and than there of course is High School graduation after that. They had a day at the local ice rink, they rent it out for the 6th graders, than they have a big ceremony complete with caps, a cookie and punch reception, lunch at the High School to get the lay of the land and than a dance with a DJ and everything. Whew! I think it is way over the top. Lots of parents did shindigs.....we took DS out to dinner at his choice of restaurant. His birthday practically overlapped so he had his Birthday Party the same week anyway.

 

[TaraPA]

Heck no! If we celebrated every little thing that the school, other parents, and The Dis Boards thought we should then our kids would grow up expecting a celebration for everything! We celebrate graduation from high school & that's it. Around here everyone wants a party for pre-school graduation, kindergarten graduation, grade school graduation, middle school graduation, post-dance recital, pre-soccer tournament party, etc. Seriously? These kids are going to grow up & go "where's my party - it's my 1-year anniversary at work" or "where's my gifts, I just completed XYZ." Personally I think it's out of hand what is considered the norm for parites & celebrations, around here anyway. I agree with the others that said pick a friend & do something fun, bake a cake for the person or go out to eat. In our family sometimes those small celebrations mean way more than a blow out party with gifts.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our school really goes overboard with the 6th grade graduation. This is the only graduation, they go over to the middle school and than there of course is High School graduation after that. They had a day at the local ice rink, they rent it out for the 6th graders, than they have a big ceremony complete with caps, a cookie and punch reception, lunch at the High School to get the lay of the land and than a dance with a DJ and everything. Whew! I think it is way over the top. Lots of parents did shindigs.....we took DS out to dinner at his choice of restaurant. His birthday practically overlapped so he had his Birthday Party the same week anyway.

LOL - no caps and gowns (middle school does), but skating party, and dance at a local catering venue. We have a "reception" after every event at the elementary school (which reminds me, I have to bake for ds's 6th grade graduation, and the kindy graduation - I'm on the committee).

Our dd13 graduates at 10, our ds12 at 2, so we'll go out for lunch. That's it.

 

[princessmorgan]

My oldest DD just graduated from Kindergarten and will be going to a different school from first grade. She had a program and little ceremony at school. We just brought her flowers to the ceremony and went out to eat afterwards. My mom gave her a card and a Target gift card which she was thrilled with! She was so excited to pick something out herself. I think it's important to acknowledge the accomplishment, but it doesn't have to be huge or expensive.

 

[sk!mom]

No celebration or gift from me until you graduate from high school and college. Imo, the schools here do too much so I do not do anything additional. When DD "graduated" 5th grade, they had a ceremony that included a speaker followed by a pizza and swim party. This year she completed 8th grade and while the school only had a small awards ceremony, they also had an 8th grade picnic during a school day and then a dance on a different day. I did pick DD and her best friend up early on the last day of school and they went out to dinner and a movie but that's just kicking off summer.


I just don't get it..."Yoo-Hoo you graduated kindergarten, (5th grade), (8th grade)?????" wth- I really don't see that any of those are accomplishments.

 

[rainydayplay]

Last year, DD graduated preschool, and we did nothing other than their ceremony. However...That weekend was jam-packed with events. The day for the "graduation" was my last day at work (I'm a teacher). I had to get home ASAP for the flowers that were fed-exed in for my brother's wedding. I spent the afternoon working on centerpieces and such until it was time for DD's dance recital dress rehearsal -- which we had to leave as soon as she had done both of her dances, or we'd have never made the graduation. The next day was a wedding that I was playing coordinator for, and the real dance recital the next day. Sure...there was family around...but just for her graduation? Uh...no.

This year, she graduated from Kindergarten. They had a cute "circus" program and handed out "diplomas", then we all checked our children out of school. DD and I bought a pizza for lunch then spent the rest of the day outside with the slip-n-slide. Fun for us, but it was just the two of us, and something (at least with the slip-n-slide) we'd do on a normal afternoon if we have time for it. No gifts, no family/friends get-together. (And no extra activities! A relaxing day!)

I know the next one will be 6th grade, but I still don't see having an extra-special celebration. Although...with summer birthdays, I *may* be biased against spending extra money for end-of-school parties when I could just save the $$ for her birthday party.

 

[badblackpug]

No big celebration or party. A new dress and flowers for the ceremony and then lunch out after. (it was a 1/2 day)

 

[mhsjax]

At our school, the 5th grade graduation is held the day before the last day of school. It is held at the high school and the parents are told that they are free to take their children home after that. We all just go out to lunch with friends and then we went back to a friends house to swim, About 7 girls all together. That is about the extent of our celebration.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter graduates from 5th grade this year- we are leaving for Myrtle Beach as soon as school lets out that last day- she has already been invited to 6 graduation parties for her friends. Even if we stayed home we would not be having a graduation party for 5th grade but to each their own. I got my daughter a 50.00 itunes app gift card as a gift- I know neighbors are giving her gifts because they told me they were but we are not having any type of party.
I think that the 5th grade year is party enough- just this month they had the 5th grade yacht trip around manhattan, the 5th grade golf trip was last monday, tomorrow is the 5th grade canoe trip, Wednesday is the 5th grade bbq (its catered from a local meat store)- DJ, etc-, Thursday is the 5th grade graduation and slideshow held in the performing arts center followed by a reception at the school, next Monday is the 5th grade pizza party.....I think that is enough celebrating LOL.

 

[vicki_c]

My son is having his 5th grade promotion ceremony on Tuesday morning, and the kids can leave school after that on that day. We (me and DH) are going to take him out after the ceremony for breakfast, and then let him go to Barnes & Noble and spend a few gift cards he already has and maybe also buy him a book ourselves. Not a big celebration at all, but just something to let him know we noticed. He hasn't had the easiest time in school for the past few years, so we want him to know we're proud of him, but not go over the top. His sister has to stay in school for the whole day that day (our choice, we could pull her out as well), so it's just going to be DS, DH and me.

 

[MouseEarsJenny]

We went out to lunch after my daughter's 5th grade moving up ceremony and plan to do the same for her 8th grade moving up ceremony this week. We gave her small gifts for each occasion - a stuffed frog in a grad cap and a necklace for 5th and for 8th she's getting a stuffed dog for her friends to sign (she didn't want a yearbook) and a dress for the 8th grade farewell dance.

For high school, we'll probably throw the big party.

Although, I suppose we DID go overboard for kindergarten- after each of my kids finished kindergarten, we took them to Disney World. Cause it was such a sacrifice, really...

 

[dougsmom98]

We have not done anything for our kids' "graduations." My son has a 5th grade farewell tomorrow, but other than going and telling him what a great job he's been doing in school, we will not celebrate. I know one of the moms in our town posted on Facebook that she was renting a limo to pick up her daughter on the last day of 5th grade and wanted to know if anyone wanted to chip in and ride with them and then go out to lunch.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We had kind of a big year this year and I was a little emotional about it all. DS, the baby, "graduated" from kindergarten. Another DS "graduated" from 5th grade and will be moving up to middle school. And my oldest DD graduated from 8th grade and will be a freshman in high school next year. I'm not having any more children so I feel like with all of these changes we're really moving on to a new era.

So I spent last week going from one awards ceremony to another (my kids all had good grades so they also all got awards) and graduations. On the last day they had a half day so afterward DH and I took all of them out for ice cream at a local place and picked up water balloons for a fight in the yard. Nothing fancy, but it was fun and we all felt like we acknowledged their accomplishments in our own way.

I had originally planned to get the two older "graduates" t-shirts to their new schools (a disboard suggestion that I loved), but I was so busy I never got around to doing it so no gifts.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Ours just completed the 5th grade and is moving on to Middle School. I think it is a pretty big deal as it means a new school, new environment, and new friends. We had a ceremony of about and hour and a half with refreshments afterward. The students were free to go home afterward. We took our son out to lunch, gave him virtually our entire paycheck for his report card, and let him spend some time with friends.

The limo is overboard IMO, but this is a big milestone in the growing up process.

 

[Va-bear]

My daughter graduates from 5th grade this year- we are leaving for Myrtle Beach as soon as school lets out that last day- she has already been invited to 6 graduation parties for her friends. Even if we stayed home we would not be having a graduation party for 5th grade but to each their own. I got my daughter a 50.00 itunes app gift card as a gift- I know neighbors are giving her gifts because they told me they were but we are not having any type of party.
I think that the 5th grade year is party enough- just this month they had the 5th grade yacht trip around manhattan, the 5th grade golf trip was last monday, tomorrow is the 5th grade canoe trip, Wednesday is the 5th grade bbq (its catered from a local meat store)- DJ, etc-, Thursday is the 5th grade graduation and slideshow held in the performing arts center followed by a reception at the school, next Monday is the 5th grade pizza party.....I think that is enough celebrating LOL.

It's crazy, isnt it?! Our 5th grader had a lunch w/ the principle, a bowling party, a pool party, another special lunch out, and more - there will be the 'graduation' next Weds....and more 'after party' events w/ that! It really seems like too much - but they DO love it!

We bought him a yearbook for his graduation present (he didnt get one k-4 - I told him to just get one in 5 - then everyone would be there...)

Man, when I 'graduated' 5th grade they said "see ya!!!" and that was it!

 

[Alesia]

I just don't get it..."Yoo-Hoo you graduated kindergarten, (5th grade), (8th grade)?????" wth- I really don't see that any of those are accomplishments.

I agree. It's like giving someone a trophy for breathing.