Becoming a parent is an experience like no other. The first time that you hold your precious newborn in your arms, your life probably felt like it had changed forever. Life as a parent can be tough at times. All those sleepless nights during the first months of your little one’s life can seem like they last forever. Before you know it, you have a feisty toddler on your hands, and every day may seem like a challenge. Although it may feel like your kids will be little forever, the years quickly pass by, and before you know it they are at school, going out without you, and when the teenage years hit, they end up giving you sleepless nights all over again, but for entirely different reasons.
Through all the stages of your child’s life, you will have been there for them, whether it’s cleaning up a graze on their knee, to when their first relationship ends, and they need a shoulder cry on. Life as a parent is full of special times and more challenging times, but being together is all that matters.
Some of the most precious times that any parent experiences has to be seeing their child achieving milestones. From their first day at school through to seeing them all dressed up and ready to go to their high school prom, these are all memories that parents treasure. One of the most significant milestones that your child can achieve is graduating from college.
Your child’s graduation is a moment when many parents are ready to burst with pride. Seeing your child rewarded for their hard work and the dedication that they have applied to their studies will make you want to let everyone know about their achievements. Graduation is an especially momentous occasion. It is only natural for parents to want to make sure that their child’s graduation is celebrated in style as a reward for all the effort and hard work that they have put in. If you are looking for some inspiration on how you and your family can mark this extra-special milestone, you have come to the right place! Read on for some celebration ideas that will help mark the end of your child’s time in education and set them off on their new journey into the world of work in style:
The Big Day
On the day of your child’s graduation, you may feel even more nervous than your kid does! Remember to take a deep breath, and try to stay calm so that you can take in each moment of this special day to treasure it for the future.
To make graduation day as enjoyable as possible, try to eliminate potential sources of stress from the day by planning ahead. If you are driving to the ceremony or traveling from far away, be sure to allow plenty of time for your journey in case you get caught by delays.
Make sure that your outfit is smart but not too restrictive so that you don’t get too hot and flustered. Graduation day is a busy day, and the room for the ceremony is likely to be full up, so it may get a little hot even with air conditioning. Remember to wear comfortable shoes too, so that you don’t spend the day with sore feet.
Don’t forget to pack plenty of tissues in your purse, as the day is sure to include some emotional moments, and the tears may just start to flow – waterproof mascara is definitely a good idea for today! Along with all the tissues, you will also need room for a camera too, or at least make sure the battery is fully charged on your cell so that you get plenty of lovely photos of the day.
After the ceremony, why not head out for a delicious family at a restaurant, so that you can toast your child’s success and end this exciting day with a fun evening. Restaurants close to campus will probably be busy with many other families having the same idea for celebrating their grad’s success. Be sure to make a reservation in advance to guarantee that you have a table for your meal.
Announcement Time
If your child’s graduation has sent your levels of pride close to bursting point, you are probably telling everyone your exciting news, even complete strangers in line at the grocery store! Letting family and friends know about this important achievement can be hard, as you either need to call everyone you know to tell them, which would take ages, or put out an announcement on social media, which can seem impersonal.
The perfect solution to this dilemma is to get some personalized graduation announcements printed. Printed announcements are a beautiful way to let everyone know about the graduation. There are many different styles to choose from, so you are sure to find the perfect design. To complete the personal touch, you can upload a photo of your child on their graduation day as the main image on the announcement. Once you receive your beautiful personalized announcements, you simply need to pop them into the mail to your family and friends. Friends and relatives will love to receive this extra-special card in the mail as a keepsake.
Party Time
Planning a party is great fun at any time, but a graduation party can be made extra special! Check with your grad whether they want to invite friends to their graduation party, or whether they would prefer to celebrate separately with them, and reserve this party for family members.
Don’t forget that many party suppliers are going to be busy around this time with orders for other graduation parties, so be sure to get your orders in fast to avoid disappointment.
Once you know the numbers that will be attending the party, it is time to organize the food and drinks and to get on with the fun parts of party planning. Firstly, you will need to think about a color scheme for the event, black and gold work well for an elegant feel, or you may choose to opt for your grad’s college colors, or simply their favorite color. Try to include this color scheme on all of the decorations, especially the balloon displays, as this creates a beautiful finishing touch.
The graduation cake makes a fantastic centerpiece at the party. There is a vast array of graduation cake designs out there to choose from, including elaborate multi-tiered designs, through to simple yet stylish sheet cakes. The only limit to your choice of cake is your imagination!
Make sure that you bring a few fun elements into your party plans, to keep the guests entertained, and add to the enjoyment of the celebration. Photo booth props are always an excellent addition to a party. You could also include entertainment such as a live band playing your grad’s favorite songs, or how about hiring a karaoke machine for a singalong, or even a magician to perform some street magic. To make sure that your grad enjoys the entertainment, make sure that you stick to their tastes so that they have the best night possible.
Don’t forget to take lots of photos at the party so that you can treasure them for years to come, and remember this special occasion.
Perfect Graduation Gifts
For your child’s graduation, you want to get them the perfect gift, which reflects the significance of the occasion. However, knowing what to buy your grad can be tricky. There are a few different approaches that you can take to your gift shopping, so before you hit the mall, take some time to think about what they would most appreciate as a gift and what would mean the most to them.
If your child is not one for sentimental moments and keepsakes, you may be better choosing them a gift that gives them a treat. This could be tickets to see their team play a big game, or even tickets for a weekend away for them to enjoy themselves before they start their employment in their first job post-graduation.
If your grad is a practical person, then they may appreciate a gift that they can use. This could be some equipment which they can use in their new career or even something practical for their apartment that they have wanted for ages. To combine a sentimental touch with their gift, you could buy them a beautiful pen engraved with a message of congratulations.
For a sentimental gift, why not purchase your grad a unique piece of jewelry or even a watch, so that they can treasure it forever. Of course, graduation gifts don’t need to be expensive. Buying your child a thoughtful gift for their graduation is the perfect way to let them know that you are proud of them, such as an album full of special photos of them throughout the years. Sometimes it is the simple, thoughtful gifts that mean the most and show how much you care.
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