Graduation ceremony for four year olds. Madness?

[MummyPenguin]

It seems odd for me to be posting in the pre-school section as I haven't had a child at pre-school for years, but.. saw a picture in my local paper of some four year olds who have had a full on Graduation ceremony on departing pre-school for primary. We're talking mortar boards(is that what they're called? The hat type thing - you can tell I didn't go to Uni ) and cloaks and certificates for 'graduating from their early years education.'

All seems a bit or is it just me?

[DangerousBeans]

That's a great contribution to the discussion.

[puppydavies]

it's just a way of saying well done and goodbye. making a little ceremony out of it is nice i think.

[oliveoil]

I have made a contribution already, arsey pants

[meemar]

It's not really terrible as such. But it is terribly cheesy.
And it is not being done for the children at all - they haven't got a clue what it means. It's for the parents to have a nice photo.
Whats wrong with a big end of term party and let them have fun - that's what they'd really love.

[DangerousBeans]

classy

[oliveoil]

thanks

[DangerousBeans]

[puppydavies]

our lot understood (although didn't understand why - since it was on a monday - they had to go in the next day ). nothing wrong with cheesy and as for parties, maybe that applies more when kids are actually working at school. as it is at our place it's pretty much a free-for-all, so something a little more formal to mark the emd of it actually makes sense to me.

[loubes28]

If you've done this at the age of four,how do you feel when you actually graduate from university.For me it was a really special day-something I'd spent years working towards.Putting on the mortar board was a real novelty that I still remember twenty years later.
Children are no longer children and are becoming world weary.Perhaps we should reclaim childhood and let them play with sand and water for a few years.Isn't everyone coming back to that idea?

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

my dds was last week.They had cardboard hats and handmade cloaks.They had photos and certificates.They each got a gift and there was a little party afterwards.

dd loved it and she starts full time nursery class at school in sept.

dh said we should frame the photo and put it next to the real on in 17 years time....

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

agree with comment grumpy gits!!!

kids loved it who cares!!

[binkleandflip]

If my daughter looks half as glowing and beautiful when she has the real thing as she did at four with her little hat and gown and certificate I will be the proudest mum ever so there!!

It's wonderful cheesy and kitch and fab and they love it

[seeker]

I'm afraid I'm with the grumpy gits on this one - but it ties in with one of my rant hobby horses. What's wrong with doing age appropriate things with children? Leaving nursery -party dressed as a pirate. Leaving primary school - party maybe with a bit of a disco. Leaving secondary school - posh prom if you like. Leaving university-graduation and ball. If you've had a graduation ceremony every time what's special about the real thing? It's like film classification. In my opinion, 3 years old - Barney the Dinosaur or Madagascar,10 years old, Narnia, 12 years old Storm Breaker, 15 years old, whatever the latest James Bond is called.
Sorry, rant over. No, it's not quite over. If they get to do everything when they are 6, what have they got to look forward to? Now the rant is over! For the time being!

[binkleandflip]

But surely a 'proper' graduation ceremony is just dressing-up for grown-ups so really they're nicking it from the kids in te first place??