How much are people giving their children for graduation?

[BerryTwister]

DS1 is graduating this week. I’m very proud of him, he’s worked hard and done well. It seems to be the done thing to give graduating kids some money, which I’m happy to do. But I’m wondering what the going rate is. Most of my friends in the same position are much richer than me, so I don’t want to ask them, because the money they can afford is crazy! Can people on here tell me how much, if anything, they’re giving their graduating kids?

It was a big bar though not a wee one he’s not a cheap skate.

I was given £300 for my A levels in 2008, and then the rent deposit on my London flat when I left university in 2012 - around £1,200?

Very normal in my circle to get money from parents for ‘milestones’.

(Also got taken out for a meal and told how proud of me they were - it’s not like it’s either or.)

Not even a gift?
On the day my daughters finished their GCSEs and A levels, I met them off the bus with a big bouquet of flowers. Then we had a meal to celebrate and I always bought them little gifts.
Just to make them feel special.

Ours were welcomed home and supported whilst they found jobs and we expected no housekeeping.

Paid for gown photo lunch etc and a bracelet . Also 6 years at uni was enough.

No money.

A bear and a China mug, dinner and my robe costs for my medical degree

Robe costs and dinner teaching degree
Diinner for anaesthetic diploma

not sure no4 not finished the msc yet, likely more dinner (been banned from a 5th lol

I gave my grandson £50 towards
a celebratory drink with his friends in the evening. I couldn’t afford a big gift and I have sent him a small amount of money each month while he was studying . He was very grateful ☺️

We are taking DD for a nice meal.

Nothing. Had no idea people paid their children for this.

We took ds for a meal, older ds didn't get a graduation because of covid

My parents got me some £30 shoes

We all stayed in a lovely hotel and went out to eat in a really good restaurant.

We took them out for a meal afterwards. As they got minimum student loans, we paid their accommodation costs through university to reduce their potential student debt. It didn’t enter my mind to give them anything else on graduation!

I also paid DS’ tuition fees for his research MA, and he lived at home for free while he did it.

I think we just went for lunch or dinner! Maybe a card. A while ago and I’ve had a few graduations. Never given money.

I don’t know anyone who gives cash
maybe a gift to keep.

Nothing! It cost us the best part of £20k to support her through uni - our income was only just above the threshold so she received the lowest maintenance loan. She lived rent free with us during the holidays even though she was working full time.

Nothing. We paid their rent which was £750 per month for 3 years for 2 kids.

As well as supporting them through 7 years between two of them, we paid for everything graduation related, hotels, meals out and bought them a small gift each. They have jobs to go to in September and it didn’t cross my mind to do anything else.

We bought Dd a Vivienne Westwood watch. She has adhd and honestly worked so bloody hard for her degree, she persisted without stimulant medication and worked night and day to keep up. I was so so proud of her determination. She spent many a day calling me in tears as she didn’t think she’s good enough etc so a gift when she passed was just our way of saying how proud we were of her determination. I don’t think a gift is necessary though, a lovely meal together is perfect!!

is this a thing?! Neither got a “bonus” but knew we would support them if they needed somewhere to live while they got established.

We paid for lunch.
They had a gift for around £50.

Their education costed us so much that tbh just no more money.

Of course we have spent money on them after grauduation. We paid this summer holiday for all 3 children.

Wait, what? I graduated last year and didn’t get anything more than a card from my parents.

(I was 47 at the time though.)

Comments like this are 🙄. People do things differently, but it’s also common to give a gift for celebrations like graduations, similar to the way we do weddings. Often it is a present but can be cash. That doesn’t mean you’re ‘paying them’, it’s a gift for a milestone. Pretending you had no idea this is a thing some people do seems to be such a mumsnet thing. You don’t have to give anything so it’s ok. 🤪

My mum booked a lovely local restaurant and we had dinner for extended family, a few friends, and a few of my senior school teachers I was very close to who'd encouraged me to go to uni (very few people from my school, and noone in my family, went). It was lovely. No cash prize! But that meant a great deal to me.

My parents gave me £1000 for my first months living expenses in London (mid 90's) and told me "the bank of mum and dad is now closed" :-)

I'm not pretending anything. I've got two children who graduated. We didn't give them any money and I don't think any of their friends were given money for graduating. Perhaps things have changed.