It has been a long time since I've had to think about high school. Both of my daughters are grown and married. But seeing "Class of 2006" everywhere I go has reminded me of my graduation, many, many years ago and the graduations of my daughters. My husband and I did all we could to make sure they would have good memories of this milestone. There is even a familly tradition we were able to pass down. Most of these gift ideas are easy to do but will have a lasting effect on your relationship with your grad.
Let them know you are proud of them. No matter how gifted your student is or isn't, there is always something you can be proud of. Whether they are graduating with honors or just stuck it out, don't miss the point that they are graduating and it really is a big deal. Find something special about this time and accentuate it.
Write a letter. This is the family tradition I mentioned. At graduation you will be given a program of the ceremony's order. While all the preliminaries are going on, grab your pen and write diagonally across the inside of the program. You may recount another time you were proud of your student, or just list the things you love about him. I still have the program with my dad's letter to me thirty some years later.
Give a responsibility gift. This is to show trust. You have a high school graduate. Even if he can't pick up his dirty clothes yet, it will mean the world to him and may help him change his actions if you show that you trust him with something. A good responsibility gift is a set of keys to something, be it Dad's sports car or the family boat or snowmobile. Of course, that doesn't mean your grad has free reign anytime he choses, but the key on his keyring speaks volumes. Think about it. There must be something that you could give your teen that would send the message of trust.
Give a Passion Gift. This is where some money may come into the equation. Everyone has something they are passionate about. Their dream or the thing that makes them light up, even just talking about it .My older daughter signed a letter of intent to play college softball. Her passion was softball. She had been playing most of her life and there was no better way to spend time, in her opinion than on the field. Her gift may sound a little odd to you, but I can assure you, she was thrilled. Along with the staples of dorm life we gave her a much desired softball bat. It was held in higher regard than the TV and microwave and trust me...those metal alloy sticks can be quite pricey.
My younger daughter has loved whales and sharks all of her life. She loved whales and sharks before it was cool. To this day she can spout off (pun intended) enough trivia to fill a book. A day at Sea World was her passion gift. We are fortunate enough to live within 3 hours of the Park and turned it into a family weekend trip complete with an aunt and her grandparents.
Of the 4 things listed, in our case, only the passion gift was expensive . All of these gift ideas are meant to be tailored to your student, after all, you know your child better than anyone. This is a celebration your student will remember all his life. Making it special is something you will never regret.
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