Graduation - Tears or Party Time?

It's Graduation time!  I'm a proud mom of a high school senior who will be graduating and heading to college in the fall.  As we get ready for the big event, there is a lot for parents to do - announcements, party planning, end of the year events, clothing for the ceremony, etc. Parents of seniors look at each other with a mixture of emotions - overwhelmed, sad, excited, nervous and just exhausted.  It's a lot for a parent to deal with!

There are some parents who are so excited for their kids to go off on their next adventure as young adults. They may feel relief as their child is very ready for the next challenge and making life difficult at home.  They may feel happy because their 18 year old is so happy to be moving on to a life with more freedom and opportunities.  

There are parents who may not feel excited, but instead feel intense sadness and fear of how this next phase will go.  It might be their last child and they are facing an empty nest.  They may not be sure their child is ready or won't adjust to college or whatever their plans are.  

Parents are allowed to have any of these emotions.  We have done such incredible work raising them up from helpless newborns to young adults ready to walk off and create their own lives.  I do also believe that we feel a range of these emotions from day to day and this is normal as well.  

Whatever parent you are at the moment, I am with you!

I'd like to help you with one small part of this graduation season.  As we send our kids off to their next phase of life, we hope that they'll always remember their hometown fondly.  I've created a Graduation Guide to help you to find a special gift for your graduate.  I have designs on t-shirts or hoodies for your Cedarburg or Wisconsin young adult that they will love and think of home every time they put it on.  It's almost like a hug from mom and dad!  

I also have some great mugs that they will find super useful.  My son was a freshman at a university last year and begged me to send him a ceramic mug so that he could make oatmeal, tea and pancakes in the microwave.  To be honest, I hadn't thought of that before!  

Maybe your grad would appreciate a ball cap to pull on when they wake up late and have to run to class?  I know mine did last year!

Hopefully this little graduation blog was helpful and congratulations to your graduate...and to you for getting them there!