Preschool "graduation"

The preschool where I worked used to do this.
The actual purpose is so you can get the professional photographer in. They charge a fortune for photos and the preschool gets a cut.
In all other ways it is an unnecessary pain in the arse, the children are bored silly.
We used to have a really nice party as well.

They are four they probably don't know what university is yet
I think it's more daft that posters get so irate about this it's just a bit of fun ,a bit tacky but who cares
I dont think anyone in real lifecl thinks it's comparable to getting a degree

This is when they also dress up as construction workers, princesses, vets, chefs, etc. I don't love it, but putting on a tiny academic gown & mortarboard and walking across a stage strikes me as pretty well within parameters for kids this age.

dressing up as princesses etc is what the children themselves choose to do when they're playing imaginative games or acting out something they've seen or a story they've been told.

'Graduation' ceremonies are devised by the parents and nursery staff for the parents and nursery staff. How many 4yos know what a graduation actually is?

It's naff beyond belief. The children are 4. They haven't graduated from anything.

My dd is 18 and they did it when she left nursery.
It was absolutely cringe and went on far too long.

I think it was to indulge the staff, rather than the kids.

Bloody ridiculous!
But there again, so are year 6 proms 😳

A lot of shite. Setting them up for failure thinking they can simply show up & graduate for anything

graduate nursery & graduate primary
daft

getting a 2:1 in colouring in

It’s fucking ridiculous. But they do look annoyingly adorable in the photos!

I enjoyed seeing my son dress up.

What I didn't like was the rest of it.

The 'graduating' group of about 20 kids had their little presentation which was fine and then the nursery staff started giving out prizes (expensive ones at that, think champagne etc) and awards to the parents for things like best parent, most helpful parent, best parent volunteer etc etc.

There was about 10 awards. They all went to the same family. Not only was it cringe it was insulting as a lot of us had done a ton of work and given our free time and donated expensive materials to fix up the nursery garden (something this family hadn't done). We didn't even get so much as a 'thank you'.

I think it’s cute. The picture of DS2 in a wee cap and gown, with a big smile on his face is absolutely sweet. I hope to one day have him in a cap and gown when he is older and put the pictures side by side.

Looking at the picture and seeing him now reminds me of how quickly time flies even though it’s only been a few years and such a noticeable difference.

Besides, that could be the only picture I get of him in a cap and gown.

And it sparks an idea of what a graduation is and that spark can go along way with some children, particularly the ones who have parents who didn't graduate.

Where I am the 'gown' is a black bin bag and the cap they make themselves.

Let the kids (and parents) have a bit of fun. It's a big milestone for the wee ones.

That’s beautiful.

@Slydiad excellent point.

Bah humbug! YABU.

@Flowersforalgernon1 it's just utterly ridiculous IMHO
Bonkers in fact. YANBU

YANBU that it's cute-but-ridiculous. YABU that ridiculous is bad here. This is when they also dress up as construction workers, princesses, vets, chefs, etc. I don't love it, but putting on a tiny academic gown & mortarboard and walking across a stage strikes me as pretty well within parameters for kids this age.

I remember graduating nursery school with a little cap and gown. It was fun. It was also 1984 so I don’t think this is a new thing

Our leaving preschoolers had a cute photo taken in a hat and gown holding a funny sign. During the usual session. I'm seeing a lot of early years practitioners working at the weekend on "graduation" though! I don't understand that. It's bittersweet when they leave nursery/preschool. We'll miss them very much. But extra days for an actual graduation ceremony? no thanks!!

It's cute and a bit of fun. And a good excuse for a party and a cake.

They can have a party and a cake without dressing up in a cap and gown and calling it a graduation.

I think it’s silly. But goes hand in hand with parental guilt.

It's cute and a bit of fun. And a good excuse for a party and a cake.

I think it's harmless fun. It's not taking anything away from a real graduation from university by letting little kids dress up. They're proud to be going to "big school".

I think it's bonkers. Graduation is for University not toddlers.
A party, sure, but making a big deal of it is just a bit OTT (and I say that as a doting Granny to a preschooler!)

I agree. A graduation from any institution but a university seems odd to me.
When my DD finished nursery they threw a leavers party which was lovely. For my youngest they are planning a graduation which I find OTT and would prefer a party again.
Some people are taking it very seriously with both sets of grandparents attending as well as parents and siblings. That's way more people than I had at my actual uni graduation.

My DCs are all adults now but those photos of them in little cap and gowns leaving nursery are so precious to me now. It was a lovely day celebrating the end of their preschool years as they made a big step up, so I think it was really sweet to celebrate it in this way. A little procession of 4 year olds shaking hands with the nursery mascot, a big owl, was such a wonderful memory of their time there.