Graduating from Kindergarten

[BioSuisse]

My friend just posted a photo on FB of her DS 'graduating' from Kindergarten. He was wearing a hat and gown. Seriously.

AIBu to think that this is very daft?

YANBU it is a silly load of nonsense that I first came across about 10 years ago at a local nursery.

I don't really have strong views either way.

All I know is that when my ds has his 'graduation' in a few weeks, I will be proudly there.

Just a bit of fun really.

I've just pointed out to mr c that he will be the only one in our household who hasn't graduated

I think that it helps create a sense of pride for academic achievement in young children, which will be important in later years.

Mr c's response was that ds is graduating 17 years younger than me.

I've come to the conclusion reading this thread that some people really will moan about anything. My ds nursery "graduation" cost nothing and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. I thought it was a lovely thing for the nursery staff to put on and they had clearly put a lot of thought and effort into making it a lovely day for the children. If any are reading this thread they are probably wondering why they bothered!

The Oxford English dictionary says that to graduate means:

"to move up to a more advanced level or position: e.g. he started with motorbikes but now hes graduated to his first car".

So I don't see why people seem to think that the the word graduate is exclusively reserved for people graduating from University.

As someone from a working class (council house) non academic family I am a bit annoyed by this trend.

I worked hard to get my degree (as a mature student) and then my post grad degrees. All financed by myself. Graduating from Kindergarden lessens the importance of my graduation ceremonies in my opinion.

Whats wrong with a simple party?? There is no need for the gowns and tat.

Sarinka - no one here who's child has had a nursery graduation has mentioned anything about it costing money - in fact all seem to have said it cost nothing with hats and gowns made from paper.

I'm also completely mystified how some kids at nursery dressing up in paper hats and gowns could possibly lessen the importance of a grown up degree ceremony - presumably my ds dressing up in his firemans outfit has a detrimental affect on people's perception of the importance of fire fighters!

Using the word kindergarten annoys me more than the concept of graduating from it tbh!

I don't see any harm in it - in fact I think it's cute. But I would have been sniggering behind my hands if it had happened at my DDs' nursery though.

Yy kinder garten is annoying we are not german

Naaaah, kindergarten's ok, lighten up folks, them toddler's aren't going to be taking your jobs yet.
You'll still be very clever when you get your proper big girl/boy degree.

DM headline.

Toddlers with degrees, coming over here, taking jobs from OUR graduates.

How very dare they.

I blame Europe.

Aw I think it's cute. I'm graduating in less than a month. This does not in any way make a mockery of my degree.

Sounds a bit ott to me.

Here, when they left kindergarten they were given a "Schultuete" and a round of applause.

When they leave secondary it's a presentation of their last school report and a round of applause.

liquid you do realise that they don't actually give 4 year olds degrees don't you?

They wear a cardboard hat and hold a sugar paper scroll.

I think you can rest easy about your hard work being devalued.

I don't think this is a US-only thing as friends here have been to nursery graduation ceremonies with cap, gown and scroll.

Tbh I think it is naff as hell and completely OTT, but was obviously full of enthusiasm for my friends as I could tell they were excited about it...

manicinsomniac & mrsjayy the word is a German word, 'Kindergarten' meaning childrens garden or nursery as we call it. As far as i know Kindergarden doesn't formally exist as a word. In the US they are Kindergartens.

Kids wearing homemade mortar boards is a bit of fun and makes for a cute photograph.

But graduating from Kindergarten in gown and cap with a serious ceremony is nonsense.

My DD goes to Montessori and they put a mortar board and gown on and take a picture and put it on the front of their books of "all the things I did in montessori" or some such thing when she finishes on Friday.
Costs me nothing, no ceremony, nice keepsake of her year in pre school.

Leaving to go to big school is a big deal to a 4yo. It's nice.

I know what it means I was being sarcastic some posters were grumbling that graduation from school was americanised

eh? I know what the word means! What does that have to do with anything? It's not a word we use in the UK and, if it was, it certainly doesn't refer to nursery but would actually be our Y1. That's why it annoys me.

The preschool DD is starting in Sept does a little graduation ceremony, but it's just presentation of a certificate to each child and then a tea party. They don't have gowns and caps. That's a bit OTT but quite cute!