Inside this post: High School graduation can be overwhelming for parents. Here are all the things you need to celebrate your high school graduate in a fun and unique way.
And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we’re gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same (Same)
But when we leave this year, we won’t be coming back
No more hanging out ’cause we’re on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now
‘Cause you don’t have another day’
Cause we’re moving on, and we can’t slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn’t know much of love, but it came too soon (Too soon)
– Graduation Song (Friends Forever) by Vitamin C
High school graduation can be a hectic and emotional time for students and their parents.
Graduating high school is a significant milestone in a young person’s life and it should be celebrated.
It is often seen as the first step to adulthood and gaining independence. The importance of graduation can be traced back to the early 19th century when an American educator named Horace Mann advocated for it. He believed that, by graduating high school, young adults would be able to achieve their goals and enter into adulthood successfully.
In today’s modern times, however, it signifies an achievement that often leads to increased opportunities–and who doesn’t want that for their child?
How to celebrate your high school graduate
For many of us, high school graduation is bittersweet. It is a moment of great pride for a significant accomplishment and sadness knowing that our babies are growing up. But mostly, it’s a time to celebrate and show your teenager how proud you are of this important event.
It can be a busy season too though, so we put together everything you need to get through high school graduation in one place. From unique announcements and fun party ideas to awesome gifts and posts from parents who have been there, we have you covered.
Awesome and unique announcements and extras for your graduate
When it comes to graduation announcements and invitations, it’s best to get to get ahead of it. Sometimes announcements are sent along with graduation party announcements, and other times you may want to send the announcement earlier to out of town friends and family that might want to send a graduation gift.
For this reason, it’s best to have your senior pictures done way in advance, and then order announcements and party invitations at least 6-8 weeks prior to graduation. This gives you time to save on rush shipping and to ensure they are delivered with plenty of time to address and mail without having to resort to priority mail. You want the announcements/invitations to reach guests a minimum of two weeks prior to the event and three to four is even better.
For more information on announcements and other cool gifts to celebrate your high school graduate, read Awesome and Unique Announcements, Gifts and More Ideas For Your Graduate
Gift ideas for to celebrate your high school graduate
Gifts for high school graduates can be hard to pick out. Graduation is such a momentous occasion and you want to recognize it appropriately, but at the same time, teenagers can be pretty picky.
There are so many different ways you can go in terms of gifts for your high school grad. You could purchase items for their next phase of life, such as items for their dorm room or new apartement, or something more inspirational like a book or a framed picture of their favorite quote. They might be starting a new job and may need new clothes or items for their new profession, or maybe taking a gap year and need travel accessories.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for graduation gifts:
100 Of The Best Ever Gifts For High School Graduates
Graduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give High School Graduates
Over 100 of the Absolutely Best Gift Ideas for Your College Students (if your graduate is going to college)
50+ Experience Gift Ideas for Teens that Won’t Make Them Roll Their Eyes
Send Your Graduate A Personalized Greeting From Their Favorite Celebrity
Dorm Room Essentials For Girls – Must-Haves, Practical, And a Little Fun
Teen Boy Dorm Rooms Essentials – Why You Don’t Need So Much Crap
Graduation party ideas to celebrate your high school graduate
There is no doubt it has been quite the journey to get to this graduation year for both you and your teen and such a grand accomplishment is worth a big celebration!!! If you’re looking for some fun and unique high school graduation party ideas, then look no further! From what party decorations you should use to what food you should serve, here are graduation party ideas that will give you the inspiration you need to host the best celebration ever.
More Than 15 Fun And Unique High School Graduation Party Ideas
Graduation Photo Scavenger Hunt
Inspirational Graduation Quotes
We love a good quote, and these are some of the best. You can use quotes for gifts, social media posts, or hand-written inscriptions in cards. When you can’t find the words during this emotional time, we have you covered (and we have some humorous ones too!
75 Inspiring High School Graduation Quotes To Celebrate Your Graduate
How to get through this bittersweet time (from parents who have been there)
We get it. It’s hard to look at your high school graduate without bursting into tears–at how proud you are, at how fast time has flown, at how excited you are for their future, at how much you will miss them.
Here are a few of our favorite posts from parents who have watched their baby birds fly the nest.
How Do You Say Goodbye to Your Baby When It’s Time to Let Them Go? “How do you say goodbye when you want more than anything for this transitional bridge from childhood to adulthood to be extended with shorter steps and more stops and less distance between you?”
Dear Senior, There Are Five Things I Want You to Know Before You Go “Most importantly, hold onto the principles you value and don’t compromise who you are or what you believe for the sake of others. Be strong and courageous and honor and respect the person you are, no matter what other people think. You always have a right to say “NO” to anyone, about anything, for any reason. Please be careful, be safe, and when you make a mistake (you will- and often), know that’s how you grow to learn more about who you are and how you want to live your life. Poor choices teach us some of the most important life lessons if you let them.”
Dear Parents of Seniors, My Best Advice for You (From Someone Who’s Been There) “When they are available, embrace those moments you have together.Use that time wisely– fill it with your love and assurance and guidance in the things that matter most to them. Let them take the lead, which means you need to listen very carefully. You will be tempted to impart every.single.thing. you possibly can while you have this fleeting moment with them.”
Dear High School Senior Who Doesn’t Have It All Together “So, whether you are unsure about college, or trade school, or a job, or joining the military, or you can’t just decide on anything at all, I want you to know something that I hope will encourage you. Even though some seniors may look like they have it all together, with their future all set and their minds made up. Even though other seniors might seem so confident in what they dream to be and have everything organized so perfectly. The truth about everyone, old or young, is no one has it all together, no one.”
Dear 18-year-old, You’re Now an Adult, But You Can Still Be a Kid “Our society says that at this age, your legal status is solidified in the category of “adult”, but every single person (who was once 18) knows all 18-year-olds have a long way to go before they truly live like an adult. In many ways, you are still a kid. I don’t want you to feel all the pressure adults do. I don’t want you to be overwhelmed with all the demands that adults have. You can’t possibly know everything there is to know about being an adult just because you turned 18.”
When all else fails, keep it simple
No time or budget to do anything big? That’s okay too. The most important thing is to spend a little T-I-M-E with your graduate. A special card with their favorite dinner or a day-trip to their favorite spot could be the perfect way to say how proud you are of your high school graduate.
The best gift is giving them positive memories that they can take with them into this next phase of life.
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Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are some other posts that our readers enjoyed:
75 Inspiring High School Graduation Quotes To Celebrate Your Graduate
More Than 15 Fun And Unique High School Graduation Party Ideas
gGraduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give College Graduates
When you are in the thick of raising teens and tweens, we recommend Loving Hard When They’re Hard to Love by Whitney Fleming. In Loving Hard When They’re Hard to Love, blogger Whitney Fleming shares her favorite essays about raising three teenagers in today’s chaotic world. Written from the perspective of a fellow parent, each story will leave you with tears in your eyes and hope in your heart because someone else is saying exactly what’s been going through your mind.
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