“Graduating” from nursery/infants/primary etc

[Happypuppy]

Kinda light hearted.

AIBU or is this a ridiculous concept? My fb feed is littered with pictures of kids “graduating” from what? Fucking messy play for a year ?

I’ve posted two of these today

I'm with you OP and I work in a pre school. These things are more for the parents than the children. The best service we can do them imo is to down play the whole affair...mine got quite upset being the centre of attention like that, mortar boards and presentations...we will be a lot more low key next year!

Yes, ridiculous. Why not just have an assembly, concert, party, picnic, play, or something to mark the end of the yet? It doesn't have to be called graduation or have the ridiculous hats.

I hate it. It's completely ridiculous

My ds has just “graduated” - yes it’s a weird phrase but leaving the adults setting and other children he first encountered at 6months old is a big thing. He learned to walk and talk with these kids. He probably won’t see any of them again (except the one going to his school).

The teachers have seen him from a sitting mute baby exploring his senses to a walking talking little person learning to read and write and navigating friendships and social norms.

Yeh, it’s a big step.

It's the most ridiculous thing ever, no need for the caps and gowns etc. I get that its a milestone but really in the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal. A goodbye assembly would suffice!

It's ridiculous. It's another shit idea we've adopted along with baby showers etc

Yep, 4 year olds wearing gowns, holding scolls. Totally stupid.

It's a crock of shit.
I pulled my dd out of nursery on "graduation" day. By all accounts, I made the right move. It went on forever and was naff according to the other parent's.

It's like prom, another ridiculous American import...

My children didn’t have caps and gowns but it was still the end of an era.
It’s to share these moments with people on Facebook who are interested and care. I have absolutely no doubts at all that there will be people thinking “ffs”, but they can always unfollow

My dd had this last year and it was the most awkward 20 minutes of her life. Sat at the front in a row with her fellow graduates they all looked uncomfortable then questioned about what they'd miss about nursery and what school they were going to. They all said the toys. Won't be taking my youngest when she finishes next year. I think the move to secondary is a bigger deal but they just had an assembly and a well done.

*It’s nice to share

Yeah. And let's cancel Christmas while we're at it.

I think it's sweet. DS's preschool didn't do anything like that. Just as well really, I had to blink back tears when they sang the goodbye song for the last time.

It's a ridiculous concept same as school proms.

Attended my son's last nursery day today. It was great fun and low key. Games on the field and a teddy bears' picnic. Lovely little certificate with a personal message from the staff. Not a graduation do. Just right. However, I did not make him sit for the full scroll and motar board photo when the professional photographer was brought in a while ago. I thought that was a naff thing to do.

I used to think this, until I went to one at work. A lot of our parents have had limited schooling, or no positive experience that they can recall. Seeing them so happy made me think that, actually, although it sounds naff it is really just another possible way to build strong relationships between educational settings and families. So in that sense it is good.

I realise this is not the case for all parents/carers, but in our situation it seems worth celebrating.

Another ridiculous from me.

I get that it's a milestone. I get that for some parents it's a huge deal. But surely there is a more appropriate way to mark it. One of my friends has posted a photo of her DC grinning with a blackboard saying "I'm going to be a scientist" - no cap, no gown, just a big smile.

I've been in company where a young adult is graduating and some mum of toddler pipes up "Tommy graduated last week. He's a very clever boy." Dilutes the importance of a real achievement.

LOATHE this practice. Didn't send then 3 year old to nursery on his supposed graduation day.

Nah I think it's cute

I think a little party etc to mark the transition is lovely but caps and gowns etc is just ridiculous.

I think a little party is nice but having a mock university graduation is a bit ridiculous. It's a big change but it's not an achievement. My DS's primary have a lovely leavers assembly where a little is said about each child and they go up and get a gift. They also have their own party/trip. I think it's lovely but it doesn't need caps and gowns.

I am so glad my ds's nursery didn't do a graduation. They did a little concert was all about them singing some nursery rhymes with actions then all the leavers got a book. Nothing over the top very low key and I loved it.

@DanelionAndBedrock the thing is it is a milestone that a child can't fail. There as people fail GCSEs level courses and upwards.